The Counter Burger - Crows Nest NSW

Name: The Counter Burger

Address: 118 Willoughby Street, Crows Nest NSW 2065

Burger: Custom beef burger

Price: $17.90 - Approximately $23 after customisation

I read about this place a while ago, and had been extremely excited to visit. The Counter Burger is a USA based burger chain specialising in custom-built burgers. There is a huge range of options, including beef, chicken, turkey and veggie burgers. There are three sizes to choose from (150g, 300g and 450g). The selection of cheeses is great, and the selection of toppings is amazing. On top of that, there are numerous sauces to choose from. I recently moved from Adelaide to Sydney, and a friend from Canberra came to visit. We are both burger nuts, so decided to go check it out.

Poor picture of the menu

The menu is interesting. You select what you want on your burger, and it is made for you. In addition to the custom burgers, there is a menu which offers standard burgers and various sides (such as cheese and chili/cheese fries).

My 'custom built' burger consisted of:

• 300g Beef pattie
• American Cheese
• Grilled Onions
• Lettuce Blend
• Red Onion
• Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salsa
• Honey Cured Bacon
• Dijon Balsamic Dressing
• Hamburger Bun

Beef:

One of the best things about this place is that you can order your beef to be cooked as you like. I ordered mine medium rare/rare. It was closer to medium rare/medium, but was very juicy and extremely tasty. I'm not sure what blend of meats they use, but the flavour is exceptional. It could have done with a bit more fat, but was very tasty nonetheless.

Cheese: I couldn't go past the American cheese. I love American cheese. There were some other good options on the menu (Cheddar, Colby, Danish Blue, Greek Feta, Horseradish Cheddar & Imported Swiss). The cheese wasn't melted too much when the burger arrived, but after having a few fries, it was perfectly melted. It was smooth and salty - perfect. I'm not sure if this is 'real' American cheese, or just the Australian equivalent that McDonalds Australia use (Kraft), but it was amazing. Next time I'll get the same, but probably a bit more of it!

Bun:
Although there are a few options (including english muffin and wholemeal bun), I went for the standard hamburger bun. The bun was sturdy, but failed to hold everything in. This was probably due to the fact that I poured all of the sauce onto the burger, without realising it was actually far too much! It was lightly toasted, and had quite a good flavour.

Extras:

Where do I start?? As mentioned previously, I got grilled onions, lettuce blend, red onion, roasted corn and black bean salsa and honey cured bacon. There were a few too many grilled onions (as you can see!) and they were slightly soft. They were still tasty though. The red onion added a welcome crispiness and freshness, as did the lettuce - both surprisingly fresh. The salsa was hard to detect, but I did taste it separately, and it was quite good. Not sure it added much to the overall experience though. The bacon was amazing. Perfectly cooked (crispy, but also had tender parts) and wasn't too salty. Absolutely amazing! The dijon balsamic dressing was very good. I'm still not sure if I made the right choice considering the other ingredients I chose, but it was very good nonetheless. Next time I will go for a more 'traditional' burger, consisting mainly of beef, cheese, mustard/sauce and pickles.

Fries:

In a word: Wow! My friend and I shared an order of cheese fries. I was going to go for the chili cheese fries (had them in the USA and loved them), but he wasn't keen. There was the perfect amount of melty, salty cheese. The fries were cooked perfectly, and were quite thin. The serving size was huge, and at $7 is more than worth it. It's really hard to fault these - enjoyed them a hell of a lot.

The burger my friend ordered

My friend ordered the 300g beef burger on a hamburger bun just like I did. He got bacon, american cheese, grilled onion and lettuce with BBQ sauce. He defined it as being 'great', and can't wait to go back. I couldn't agree more!

Meat

4.5/5
Cheese
4.5/5
Bun
3.5/5
Extras
4/5
Fries

4.5/5

An amazing experience. The novelty of being able to customise a burger aside, the quality of the ingredients, and care taken in the preparation were outstanding. I'm surprised they haven't been able to penetrate the Australian market further. I can't wait to go back. As mentioned, I will opt for a more 'traditional' burger next time - and will let you know how it goes!

Total:

4.2

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McDonalds Felixstow - Double Quarter Pounder

Name: McDonald's Felixstow

Address: 465-467 Payneham Rd, Felixstow SA 5070

Burger: Double Quarter Pounder (Meal)

Price: $n/a



I must admit that I love McDonald's. It's not really too good for you, it's a huge global corporation and so forth. But I don't care. I still love it. I have a few favourites from McDonald's, but I get different things quite often. I love a Big Mac, and quarter pounders. Quite often I will customise my burgers. I will sometimes get a chicken pattie inside a Big Mac (as well as the beef), or even get a double-double quarter pounder (a pounder, right?).


After a recent visit to the pub, I got a craving for grease. My friends and I stopped past McDonald's in Felixstow, and orderd some. I ordered a Double Quarter Pounder Meal, as per the menu. I also ordered a Chicken Bacon Deluxe burger, and although it will not be eligible for the leaderboard, I will review it at a later date.

According to the website, the Double Quarter Pounder consists of:

Satisfy your ultimate hunger. Take two quarter pounds* of 100% Aussie beef, then complete the tasty picture with cheese, onions, tangy mustard and pickles. Bet your mouth is watering right now.


I love the beef at Macca's. It's greasy, tasty and doesn't have 4Kg of herbs and spices in it. Couple this with the yellow, melty America-type cheese, and you have one hell of a mouth party. Overall, it's a great package. 


Beef:
Amazing. Juicy, tasty and full of beefy flavour. Unfortunately, I am yet to find a non-fastfood burger that has these qualities. The meat was fatty, but I don't eat here because I'm on a diet. Very damn good beef. 

Cheese:
It's hard to fault the cheese at McDonald's. It wasvsoft, melty and very tasty.Apparently Kraft supplies the cheese. I don't think it's the same as you can get from the supermarket here, but it's very similar to the American cheese which is synonymous with burgers in the States. It's as close to the perfect burger cheese as I've come across in Australia. Mmm.


Bun:
The bun was a soft, sesame seed bun. It was fairly well made, and rarely fall apart. McDonald's have done well to work out the perfect ratio of bun to fillings. It wasn't all that tasty, but it did a good job of being a bun. 

Extras:
As the menu says, in addition to the meat and cheese, the burger contained onions, tangy mustard, and pickles. Not many extras, but they work very well. They complimented the meat and cheese well, and are not too overpowering. The pickles were a bit soft, but this happens regularly. It didn't ruin the experience too much.


Fries:
McDonald's are famous for their fries. They are fairly consistent, but there is still some variation from store to store, and from time to time. As I didn't eat them straight away (waited until I got home), they were a bit soggy. I like this though, so it was a bonus. They tasted fantastic, but were slightly over-salted. Pretty damn good, but not the best I've had (either at Macca's, or elsewhere!). 


Meat
4.5/5
Cheese
4/5
Bun
3.5/5
Extras
3.5/5
Fries

4/5

Great burger. Perfect balance of ingredients, and most importantly, great, juicy, fatty beef with yellow, melty cheese. You really can't go wrong with a double quarter pounder. I find the normal quarter pounders to be too out of balance for my tastes, it's hard to detect the meat and cheese flavour. 

Total:

3.9

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End of Adelaide Burger Blog?

Hell no! I'd like to advise however that I am moving interstate. Sydney, NSW is the destination. This warrants a change in the review system. For the time being, the blog name will remain "Adelaide Burger Blog". Burgers throughout the country will be reviewed however. Burgers from overseas will still feature, but will not contribute to the scoreboard.

I will be in Adelaide for about a month every year, and will endeavour to sample as many delicious meaty cheese sandwiches as possible. At other times, I'd love to sample burgers which you recommend in Sydney. Any recommendations?


Burger on!

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Hope Valley Chicken Bar

Name: Hope Valley Chicken Bar

Address: 1220 Grand Junction Rd. Hope Valley

Burger: "Burger with the lot"

Price: $n/a


I have to start this post by apologising for the lack of images. I lost them unfortunately, but will endeavour to get more (meaning I'll have to get another burger!). The Hope Valley Chicken Bar is your typical neighbourhood chicken joint. They sell chickens, fries (chips), hot dogs, burgers, chicken rolls, salads, seafood and a lot more. The food here, while not exactly healthy, seems to always be fresh, and very tasty. Their chicken rolls are amazing. But this isn't a chicken roll blog!

I've had quite a few of their burgers. They are very good. I order them with the lot. From the best of my recollection, the burgers come with: Beef pattie, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, egg (beetroot sometimes), bacon and a BBQ type sauce. They are huge, tasty and very satisfying!

Beef:
The meat is great. Good thickness, juicy and tasty. Not too many additions, allowing you to taste beefiness. Just the right amount for a burger this size.

Cheese:
The cheese is generally a simple cheddar, and is usually melted to a satisfactory point. Sometimes it's not quite melted enough. It has a good flavour though, and isn't too salty. The burger could do with another slice of cheese, but this is just my opinion - I love cheese. Perhaps a little too much.

Bun:
The bun is a standard sesame seed burger bun. It's sliced in half as usual, then toasted on the same cooking surface as the rest of the ingredients. This gives the bun extra flavour, and makes sure that none of the tasty grease goes to waste. The bun itself isn't brilliant, but the toasting gives it some extra points.

Extras: 
Where do I start? There is a good mixture of extras in this burger. This is the first burger reviewed which contains egg. The egg is fried, and placed towards the top of the burger. They're always well cooked, and add a little extra flavour to the burger. A good addition, but eggs don't go well with all burgers. The lettuce, tomato and onion are always very fresh, and add a good crunch to the burger. Beetroot is ok sometimes, but can be a bit too much. It's generally fresh, and not too strong though. The bacon is cooked well, and a generous amount is included (generally covering the entire pattie). Not the best bacon I've had, but it goes well with this burger.

Fries:
As this burger is from a chicken bar, it does not automatically come with fries. I get fries anyway. The Hope Valley Chicken Bar make great chips. I'm aware they come in frozen, in huge bags, but they are always cooked well. They are NOT cooked in the same oil as the fish - a VERY important point. I hate seafood, and cannot eat fries which have a fishy taste. The staff are happy to cook your fries to order (extra crispy, soggy etc.). I generally just opt for the standard cooking time, as they are usually a bit soggy, with a few smaller, crunchy fries in the mix. Great tasting fries, if not a bit oily.

Meat 

 

Cheese

Bun    

Extras

Fries

This burger is great. There are a lot of similar places around Adelaide, but I've not visited them all (yet). This burger gets a very high rating, due to a great balance of fresh ingredients, and its traditional, simple construction, taking it to the top of the rankings. The only thing bad about getting a burger from here - choosing between it, and amazing chicken roll they make! Go pick a burger up, they are located at: 1220 Grand Junction Rd. Hope Valley (shopping center).     

Total:

3.7

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The Bilby Cafe - Warrawong Sanctuary

Warrawong Sanctuary logo (warrawong.com)

A few days ago I went for a drive up to Warrawong Sanctuary with my girlfriend. It's a great place, and an awesome place to visit - highly recommended. After walking around for a while, we decided to get something to eat. The Cafe is quite nice, and the menu more extensive than I would have thought. I had decided that if there was a burger on the menu, I'd have it. Good news - there was!

The burger was good. Better than expected. The contents, according to the menu were:

Warrawong Beef Burger: 
100% organic beef pattie, red onion, tomato, dill pickle, Swiss cheese and house-made relish served on a freshly baked damper bun.

I can't recall the price, but it was reasonable. Worth it.

Warrawong Beef Burger - Warrawong Sanctuary

Beef:

The beef was a bit different to most burgers. It wasn't different like the Palais burger, but more like the frozen type patties you can buy at the supermarket. The texture was just different - more dense it seemed. The flavour was great though. Although there was a significant amount of seasoning and spices, it didn't detract from the beefy goodness. My only complaint, is that it was a little too thin, and was over-powered by the other ingredients at times. 

Score: 3.5/5

Cheese:

Although the men indicated that the cheese was "Swiss", it seemed more like a mild cheddar or colby to me. It had a decent, salty flavour, but was not melted properly, and due to the fact that the beef wasn't too hot, it did not melt any further once it arrived at the table. It's easy to melt cheese onto patties - all it takes is a saucepan lid or something similar placed over the top of the pattie while it is on the cooking surface for 20 seconds or so. The cheese was a let down, but not a total disaster.

Score: 3/5

Bun:

The bun was very fresh. It was nice and soft, and tasted quite good. I like damper rolls/buns for burgers. They soak up the grease without breaking up most of the time. The damper bun did this, and had good flavour too, a bonus. Can't complain too much about it.

Cross section

Score: 4/5

Extras:

The extras were good. The red onion was fresh and crisp, but not too strong. The tomato was also fresh, a very important thing! The dill pickle slices were a great addition, and there were quite a few of them. The relish was great. I think it was mayonnaise based, with bits of pickle etc. There was the perfect amount - enough to taste but not too much to drown out the other flavours. All in all, very solid extras. 

Score: 4/5

Fries:

Golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and light on the inside. Although I like my fries somewhat soggy, I do enjoy fries like this. They were great. Tasted fantastic and were very fresh. There was no strong oil taste either. Fries that are cooked too long can retain too much oil and taste awful. I'd be quite happy to have them again.

Score: 4/5

Great burger! It was a good balance between fast food and pub type burgers. Good quality ingredients, and not trying anything too flashy. I would definitely have it again if I was to go back to Warrawong. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Total score: 18.5/25

(Very good, go for it)

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The Palais Hotel - Semaphore

I've been to the Palais a few times. It's in a nice location, it's quite nice inside and the food is decent. I went a few weeks ago again, and not surprisingly, I couldn't go past the burger option on the menu. It's a bit more 'fancy' than a lot of burgers out there, but it's not too over the top. The bar is also quite good, so it's a good sport for a burger and a beer (or three).

The "Beachfront Bistro" at the Palais Hotel, Semaphore

The burger as per the menu:

palais beef burger - prime beef pattie, bacon, cheddar cheese, slow cooked onion jam, tomato relish and salad greens on a toasted lepinja bun served w chunky chips and garlic aioli  16.50

It was a nice looking burger, and came with very thick-cut fries. The extras were not your typical burger extras, but a nice change from the usual. The garlic aioli was a nice addition to the fries, but a little bland.

Palais Burger with Fries and Garlic Aioli

Meat:
The meat was extremely disappointing. It was more like a Cevapcici than a burger pattie. That's fine if that's what you want, but I wanted a burger! It was over-seasoned, chewy and a bit dry. It did taste ok, but just didn't seem like a burger to me. Despite not tasting bad, I really can't rate it highly as a burger pattie.

Score: 2/5


Cheese:
The cheese was very nicely melted - a good characteristic of cheddar cheeses. It was salty, gooey and tasty. It wasn't as good as the processed cheese that fast food places use in terms of taste, but it was a good addition, and went some way to making up for the poor beef.

Score: 3.5/5


Bun:
The bun was a little different to most places. A lot of hotels etc. think putting some meat, cheese and salad in a fancy bun or roll makes a "gourmet" burger. They are wrong! It was nicely toasted, and tasted good, but didn't do anything to compensate for the meat. Good, but nothing amazing.

Score: 3/5


Extras: 
The extras in the Palais burger were a little different. Rather than the standard lettuce, tomato, onion and ketchup/mustard, the burger contained "slow-cooked onion jam, tomato relish and salad greens". They were good. The onion jam was sweet, but tangy. The relish was also tangy, but not over-powering. A better addition than tomato sauce/ketchup in my opinion. The salad greens were simply a couple of types of wilted lettuce - not in the same league as the other extras. They added a lot of welcome flavour to the burger. Such extras are great for unusual burgers, or those where the meat and cheese is lacking (as was the case with the Palais burger).

Score: 3.5/5


Fries:
The fries appeared to be hand-cut. They were very thick. They appeared white, an indication of them being under-done. This was definitely the case. They were even too under-cooked for me. They tasted average. The garlic aioli wasn't too bad, but was rather bland and could have been stronger. I'd eat these fries if they were given to me, but definitely wouldn't rush out to get them again.

Score: 2.5/5


Would I recommend it? Probably not. It isn't a bad-tasting mixture of meat, cheese, bread and extras. It's just not a burger to me. The meat is extremely important, and almost no combination of amazing additions such as cheese and extras is going to redeem a burger with such a poor pattie. It wouldn't take much for the Palais to improve this burger - but they need to start with the fundamentals.

Total score: 14.5/25

(Decent, worth a shot)

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Bacon Double Deluxe - Wendy's Brooklyn

(Wendys.com)

Here in Australia, Wendy's is a milkshake and ice-cream store. They also sell fairly good hot dogs. In North America, Wendy's is somewhat different. They sell burgers, and lot's of them. They have quite an extensive menu. I came across one in Brooklyn, New York. I had previously had Wendy's in Las Vegas on another trip (got the "Triple Baconator - just the bun, meat, cheese and bacon), but decided to go for something different this time.

I went for the Double Bacon Deluxe. This is from the site:

Bacon Deluxe Double

Two hot 'n juicy all beef patties piled with four strips of Applewood smoked bacon. Freshly made your way with American cheese, the works, ketchup and mayo. Now that beats your ordinary burger.

The advertisement was correct to a point. It had the ingredients listed. I wouldn't say the patties were juicy, or that it seemed fresh. Having said that, it was a tasty burger. As with most fast food burgers, it was soggy and fell apart quite easily.

Wendy's Bacon Deluxe Double (wendys.com)

Meat:
The patties were a good size; not too thick, and not too thin. They tasted great. They were not over-seasoned, and although they were somewhat dry, I enjoyed them. But, they were fast food patties.

Score: 3.5/5


Cheese:
The cheese was ok. It was the standard yellow American cheese, and melted ok. It was slightly more bland than others I had tried though. It didn't quite perform it's job - another slice may have been necessary.

Score: 3/5

Bun:
The bun was a corn-dusted, soft burger bun. It was decent. It got soggy quickly however, and didn't have much taste. It barely kept the contents inside the burger. It could have been a lot better.

Score: 3/5


Extras:
"The works" comprised of white onion, tomato, lettuce and pickles. They were all reasonably fresh, decent for a fast food joint. The sauce and mayo combination worked really well. The bacon was quite good. There was a lot of it, and it was nice and crispy, albeit very salty (even by bacon standards).

Score: 3.5/5

Wendy's "Natural Cut" fries (wendys.com

Fries:
Wendy's had been advertising "Natural cut" fries while I was in North America. The advertisements didn't influence my decision to have Wendy's - it was simply the closest burger joint to our hotel. These fries had the skin on them, and were seasoned with sea salt. I didn't notice much of a difference between these and normal fries. They were actually a bit dry. They tasted ok, but there are much better fries out there.

Score: 3/5


The burger was good. Good meat, decent cheese and passable extras. The bacon definitely added to the burger - a good option in my opinion. If you need a burger fix, you won't be too upset if you have a Wendy's Bacon Double Deluxe. To make up for the average fries, get a cup of chili!

Total score: 16/25

(Very good, go for it)

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Philly cheese steak sliders? Yes!

Again, this may not be your standard burger, and it definitely doesn't fit into the rules, but it definitely needs to be mentioned. As with the other burgers (etc) in Canada and America that I had, it will not be included on the scoreboard.

Firstly, let me preface this by saying this is not a burger. It has meat, cheese and bread however, so it ticks many of the boxes a good burger does. The Philly cheese steak is somewhat of an institution. Despite being developed in Philadelphia, the cheese steak has expanded across North America, and has taken on many regional forms. Most cheese steaks comprise of a soft kaiser roll, very thinly sliced and seared beef, cheese (provolone or cheez-whiz type cheese) and sometimes onions.

As mentioned in an earlier post, sliders are mini-burgers, although not by the strictest definition. How ever you classify either, the "Philly Cheese Steak Sliders" I had at Max Brenners in the Caesar's Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas were awesome.

Max Brenner's in the Caesar's Palace Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas Nevada

Meat:
The beef was thinly sliced, and cooked quickly. It was soft, tender and extremely tasty. It was seasoned with salt and pepper from what I could tell. Tasty tasty tasty.

Score: 4.5/5

Cheese:
There were two cheeses in the cheese steaks. There was provolone (a sharp, mild sheep's milk cheese, originating in Italy), and Cheez-Whiz. Cheez-Whiz is essentially a processed cheese spread. It's not quite like the cream cheese we have in Australia though. They worked well together. Sharpness, combined with melty, gooey greasiness. Perfect.

Score: 4/5

Cheez-Whiz

Bun:
The buns were soft and doughy, exactly what I like. They were obviously different to a burger bun. The buns really added to the experience, something that is quite rare!

Score: 4.5/5

Extras:
The only extra was a "Marinara" sauce. In the USA, a Napolitana, or tomato based sauce (similar to tomato pasta sauce) is called Marina. In Australia, Marinara is a seafood sauce (which makes sense, as "Mare" means "Sea" in Italian). It was subtle, but added to the experience. I'm not sure it would have been a whole lot different without it though.

Score: 3.5/5

Three mini Philly Cheese Steaks and Waffle Fries at Max Brenners, Las Vegas

Fries:

The fries were a little different. They were "criss-cross" fries, or "waffle" fries. They were amazing. Crispy, but soft in the middle. And very tasty. I'd like some now, to be honest. 

Score: 5/5

I would really like these right now. The meat was tender, the cheese melted and very tasty, and it was all encased in an awesome bun. The fries just made the experience even better. I won't compare these to burgers, but if you ever have the chance to try them - do it. Absolutely amazing. 

Total score: 21.5/25

(Brilliant, go now!)

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The infamous "McRib" - Las Vegas, Nevada

"Think smaller... more legs."

I had to do it. I couldn't help it. I realise that this is not a beef burger, but it warrants a mention. I had heard so much about the McRib, both good and bad. The McRib is only sold periodically in North America, the latest offering ending on the 5th of December (I got in just in time!) According to the American McDonalds site, the McRib consists of: a McRib Pork pattie, McRib bun, McRib sauce, pickle slices and slivered onions. Apart from the last two items, the description is rather vague. The pork pattie is ground pork, essentially the same as a normal beef pattie. The bun is a 6 inch, corn-dusted bun, and the sauce is a tangy BBQ type sauce.

The McRib, as advertised on mcdonalds.com

It was good. Very good. There was a perfect balance of ingredients, and the pork pattie was amazing. The sauce was great, and the onions and pickles complimented the entire 'burger' perfectly. Despite not looking like the promotional image (when do they?), it was amazing. If anyone would like to buy me an airfare to the USA the next time they are being sold, please let me know!

Meat:
Pork. Tasty pork. It was extremely tender, and tasted amazing. Regardless of what people say, I don't care what type of meat it is.

Score: 4.5/5

An opened McRib, full of BBQ goodness (not my picture)

Cheese:
What cheese? It really didn't need it. In lieu of the cheese score, I'll rate the sauce. It was tangy, sweet and very very tasty. A little too much of it though. This reduced the porky goodness in parts, and required 5 minutes of hand washing after consumption. It was great though.

Score: 4/5

Bun:
The 6 inch corn dusted bun was quite good. It was very fresh, and quite flavourful. It performed well above it's required task of keeping your hands clean (although it didn't manage to do this - that was the fault of the sauce though!). Soft, tasty and doughy. Very good.

Score: 4/5

Extras:
The pickles and onion really complimented the 'burger'. They weren't overpowering, but offered a good tang and slight bitterness to cut back the sweet BBQ sauce. They were nice and fresh (yes, this IS McDonalds), and added a welcomed crunch to the otherwise very soft burger. The points come mainly from the well thought out combination, rather than qualities of each extra.

Score: 4/5

McRib, tasty (not my picture)

Fries:

I actually didn't have fries with the McRib. I had fries at McDonalds in Las Vegas beforehand though, and they were good. Fairly similar to what we get here in Australia (consistency is part of their success though).  Most places I had fries at in the USA (McDonalds), the fries were well cooked, well-salted and tasty. 

Score: 4/5

Would I have another one? Hell yes! The McRib was surprisingly amazing. Extremely tasty, and very satisfying. The only thing I'm disappointed about - I only got one. This one almost IS worth the airfare to America! It falls within the "Very good, go for it" category, but it's brilliant. If you have the chance, do it.

Total score: 20.5/25

(Very good, go for it.)

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Lindy's (I think!), New York City

I'm not too sure how we ended up here, but I think it was after walking down from the American Natural History Museum (which was awesome by the way!). I wasn't too hungry, but obviously can never refuse a burger. Unfortunately, there is no menu available online, but the image is fairly clear. The burger was served open. I like this, it allows you to easily configure the burger the way you want. I opted for bacon (I usually do), and this was placed on the melted, yellow American cheese, which was on top of the pattie and one half of the bun. On the other half of the bun was fresh lettuce, average tomato, and white onion. There was also a pickle spear separate, but I ate that first. I can't remember what the sauce was, but I remember it being decent.

Although I can't recall the exact price, I do remember that it wasn't cheap ($18-20US). We were in Times Square though, so one can't complain too much.

Burger full of bacony goodness at Lindy's NYC

Meat:

The meat had a really good outer layer, crisp but not too burnt. It was a little over-done and dry for my liking inside, but still tasted fairly good. It was a little too lean also, but I'm guessing they cooked it on the same griddle/surface as the bacon etc., giving it a good flavour. Good, not great. 

Score: 3/5

Cheese:

The cheese was very yellow, and melty. I love this. The flavour was somewhat dull however - disappointing. It was still ok though. The bacon on top caused it to melt more once it arrived at the table. Good, but I'd prefer more of a cheesey experience.

Score: 3/5

Bun:

The bun was ok. It was rather soft, and tasted good. Soft buns allow the grease to soak into it, but if they are too soft, this causes them to fall apart. I got most of the way through the burger before this started to be an issue. As usual, the bun did it's job, but was nothing spectacular. 

Score: 3/5

Extras:

The extras (lettuce, tomato, white onion) were fairly fresh. The tomato was almost perfect, but slightly soft for me. The lettuce was nice and crisp (adding crunch to the burger) and the onion was not overwhelming. There was too much for me however. The extras were the standard burger fair, but done well.

Score: 3.5/5

Fries:

The fries were cooked for too long. They were too greasy also (yes, there is such a thing!). They did taste good though, but were over-salted. The decent flavour helped to redeem the otherwise average fries. Still, they were nothing brilliant.

Score: 3/5

Considering the dining options available in Times Square, I probably wouldn't rush back here (if I could find it). It was a solid burger, but didn't had that "wow" factor. It's not terrible though, so it's worth checking out!

Total score: 14.5/25

(Decent, worth a shot.)

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"Sliders" at the Sheraton Brooklyn (New York)

After 2 flights (about 6 hours flight time) from Vancouver, and a cab ride to downtown Brooklyn, we were rather tired, so decided to have a drink and something to eat at the hotel bar. The hotel was built mid-year 2010, so was rather new. The bar was amazing, and the bar tender very friendly (thanks Aaron!).

"Grubstake Bar" at the Sheraton Brooklyn, New York

After a few drinks at the bar, I spotted 'mini sliders' on the menu. Most burger puritans will tell you that sliders are not just mini burgers, but are burgers cooked in a certain way (often the pattie is cooked on top of a bed of onions). Regardless, I couldn't say no.

The sliders came with one meat pattie each, a slice of cheese, bacon and a slice of pickle. Basic, but great. They were quite tasty, and somewhat of a novelty for me, as I am yet to find sliders in Australia. There were 3 sliders in the pack, which came with fries. I can't recall the price, and there doesn't seem to be a menu online.

Slider - Sheraton Brooklyn, New York (screenshot from video)

Meat:
The patties were obviously small, but they were cooked well and were basic (a good thing). Due to the small size, they were cooked evenly throughout (with the crust being the exception). It's hard to praise something that takes 2-3 bites to eat, but they were good.

Score: 3/5


Cheese:
The cheese was ok. It was the standard yellow american cheese, but it seemed a bit more 'plasticy' than most. It melted ok, but seemed to stick to everything unusually. It tasted ok, but didn't differ too much from the Kraft Singles we get here.

Score: 2.5/5


Bun:
The tiny buns were ok. They seemed to be "Brioche" buns, due to the shiny top and rich flavour. They were a bit dry, and tasted average. Nothing to write home about, but they did their job.

Score: 2.5/5


Extras:
There weren't too many extras to comment on, as is normal with sliders, or mini-burgers. There was bacon, and a pickle slice. The pickles were good, tangy and crisp. The bacon was a bit soft, but had a good flavour. It would be hard to fit much more in these things, and I think they picked the right things to cram in.

Score: 3/5


Fries:
By the time I got to the fries, they were soggy. I like this though, so I didn't complain. They were well seasoned, and were quite tasty. In addition, the serving size was huge (but hey, it's America!). I've had better, but there isn't much to complain about regarding these fries - solid.

Score: 3.5/5

Two sliders (I think)...

To be honest, the best thing about these sliders was the novelty. Having said that, they were decent, and I did enjoy them. The cheese could be improved, and the overall freshness, but all in all they weren't too bad. I would likely try something else on the menu next time, but wouldn't be disappointed if I had them again. Maybe someone should introduce sliders to the Australian market!

Total score: 14.5/25

(Decent, worth a shot.)

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St. Regis Hotel Bar and Grill - Vancouver, Canada

I spotted a nice little bar on the way to Fatburger, and went back the next night to check it out. I was happy to find out they served burgers! The Bar and Grill was part of the St. Regis Hotel on Dunsmuir St. The menu had a lot of interesting items on it, but I couldn't go past another burger.

Burger on the menu at the St. Regis Bar and Grill

St. Regis Burger with fries

I added a slice of aged cheddar and peppered bacon. Not bad for $CAD13 (about the same in $AUD at the time). The burger was great. The balance of ingredients was spot on, something that many places just can't seem to do.

Meat:
The pattie was a good thickness - thicker than most fast food type burgers, but not as thick as your standard bar burgers. I don't like overly thick patties, it often means that a lot of additions (breadcrumbs, egg etc.) are needed just to keep it together, affecting the flavour. This pattie did not have this problem. It was lightly seasoned, so I could taste the beefy goodness. It was cooked medium to well-done. Good pattie, but not the best I've had.

Score: 4/5


Cheese:
I added one slice of aged cheddar. It was the yellow "American" type cheese, and it melted very well. Gooey, melty cheese is one of my favourite parts of a burger. The cheese had a great flavour, and one slice was perfect.

Score: 3.5/5


Bun:
The bun was slightly too thick on top, and thin on the bottom - but this was obviously just the way it was cut. It was a little dry, but did the job of keeping the goodness inside. Surprisingly, the bottom part did not fall apart. The bun did it's job, but it was nothing to rave about.

Score: 3/5


Extras:
As per the menu, the burger came with one beef pattie, lettuce, tomato, red onion and a pickle spear (not inside the burger). I added the peppered bacon for $1 extra. I'm glad I did. The bacon was great, smokey, crispy and full of flavour. Great addition to the already solid burger. The lettuce and tomato were reasonably fresh, but not as much as those in the burger I had the previous night at Fatburger. The onions were fresh, and were not too strong. I decided against sauce or caramelised onions. Overall, the extras were good, but nothing amazing. Having said that, they worked well with the meat and cheese. Without the bacon however, the score would not be as high!

Score: 3.5/5


Fries:
The house fries looked as if they were hand cut, always a bonus. There was a little skin left on, which I think can be good. They were a little soggy, but I love my fries like that. They were tasty, and not over-salted. They weren't chili cheese fries, but they were a good addition to the burger.

Score: 3.5/5

St. Regis Burger with fries

Overall, this was a solid burger. The ingredients were all of a high quality, although the tomato and lettuce could have been a little fresher. I enjoyed it, and would definitely have it again (if I happen to be in Vancouver!). You can't really go wrong with this one. 

Total score: 17.5/25

(Very good, go for it.)

ABB.

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