Rockpool Bar & Grill – Crown Complex, Southbank, Victoria, Australia

Rockpool Bar & Grill has been serving up great food since it first opened in Melbourne in 2006. Lunchtime at the Rockpool is synonymous with business power lunches whilst, amidst candlelight, dinners are known to be frequented by the “first-date” variety. Based on Chef Neil Perry’s food I’m sure the deal always gets sealed. The emphasis (or mantra) at the Rockpool has always been high quality produce and we experienced this first hand with our David Blackmore’s Full Blood Wagyu Hamburger, comprised of a brioche bun, bacon, onions, gruyere cheese and zuni pickles.

“A burger that is all about the Wagyu beef pattie. With peppery sauteed onions, lean bacon, cheese and some of the best pickes I’ve had. You also get the option of two well presented pieces of lettuce and tomato on the side. Like all good burger places should, this is the first venue to ask us how we wanted the pattie cooked. Oh and the bun deserves a special mention too!”

“Respect for them asking how we wanted our beef cooked. Medium-rare is their standard and my dining companions got exactly that, however mine was cooked a little longer (I had asked for medium rare) and I had no pool of juice left on the plate. That aside the burger was great. The flavours all worked in perfect harmony. Loved the decor, atmosphere and lighting, which all combined really helped cure my hangover.”

“A really classy burger. It’s probably the only place where people can eat their burgers with a knife and fork and get away with it. Anywhere else and they would look like a wanker. My favourite aspect of the burger was the beef pattie (so far ranking highest for me). The pickle and bun came in second, followed by the bacon and cheese. Hand cut fat chips ($12 extra) were OK.”

“This was a refined and well thought out burger. The beef pattie was outstanding but overall the finely sliced, zesty zuni pickles stole the show for me. An experience not to be forgotten. Go the distance and order a beer and a side of onion rings ($9 per serve).”

Hurricane’s Express Take Away – 130 Roscoe St, Bondi Beach,
New South Wales, Australia

Just across the road from Australia’s world famous Bondi Beach and next door to its big brother Hurricane’s Bar & Grill, is Hurricane’s Express Take Away. Open 7 days a week from midday to 11pm their burgers have been satisfying beach-goers for over a decade. Our burger was made with 250 grams of 100% beef on a toasted bun, dressed with lettuce, vine ripened tomato, red onion, dill pickle, bacon, cheddar cheese, house mayo and a choice of either chips or a baked potato on the side.

“This burger didn’t need to be this big. The beef pattie had a smokey BBQ glaze but was still a bit too dry. The melted cheese was good and the bacon was nice and crispy. I can see why this big messy burger is located near the beach, as you’ll probably need to go for a dip to wash up.”

“Biggest beef pattie in diameter I have experienced. But it was too big and too messy. The pattie was quite dry but its a great place to enjoy a burger.”

“A good beachside burger experience. With a thin glaze of sauce on a grilled pattie, melted cheese on top, crispy bacon, lettuce, red onion and tomato. It was a big, messy burger session, but a good one. If I had to pick one bad thing I would say the pattie was a little dry. The bun did its job and the chips were good too. Perfect for a day at the beach.”

“There was so much packed into this burger. You can tell they cater for hungry surfers craving a big meal. All-in-all though, it didn’t do anything for me. It felt like it needed some chillies or some other punchy flavour to make it stand out from the crowd. In saying that they do offer 8 other beef burgers that seem tremendously tempting.”

Misty’s Diner – 103 High Street, Prahran, Victoria, Australia

Prepare to be greeted by the warm glow of neon lights and the retro-glam stylings that are the 1950′s American Diner. Booking is essential if you’re trying to secure yourself a booth. But with a menu full of Yankee favourites (extending from curly fries to pumpkin pie), I’m sure you’ll settle for a stool. Our burger of choice came served on a plain bun with beef, American cheese, sauteed onions, lettuce, tomato, bacon, egg and Misty’s Special Sauce.

“The team at Misty’s put together a messy, sauce filled burger. You’ll be wiping off your fingers, chin, cheeks and probably your forehead. Overall, well balanced flavours with fresh ingredients and a pattie that I can’t complain about. It had mayo on the top and bottom, but I maybe would’ve like one of them to be replaced by mustard. Could also do with a fresher bun.”

“After eagerly anticipating this venue for months, I was really let down with the stale bun and strange flavour to the beef. The cheese and egg were great, but not enough to make up for the negatives. I will definitely be returning to try to other items on the menu (including sliders and deep fried pickles), however I’ll give this burger a miss.”

“After my first bite I noticed some similarities to the Whopper served by that big, mean franchise. However this is far better than any Whopper you will ever have. I wasn’t totally won over by this burger. Regrettably I found the pattie a little bland and there was too much mayo and lettuce. Overall though, it was a good and filling experience. We had one serve of shoe-string fries that could easily feed 4 people – pretty good fries.”

“Like a child who accidentally stumbled upon a porn collection, Misty’s menu is mouthwatering… But that’s where it ends. The burger wasn’t flash. It was ok at most. But being the burger lover/whore I am, I’d still come back to try more.”

Watergrill – 300 Toorak Rd, South Yarra, Victoria, Australia

Having recently reopened as a smaller, more compact version of its former infamous establishment, this seafood restaurant caters to both the take-away and dine-in customers. This classy (as apposed to classic) style fish’n'chip shop offered us a burger with 100% beef, cooked onion, bacon, egg, pineapple, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, and tomato sauce on a sesame seed bun.

“For me this burger didn’t have a great appeal. Although it oozed “burger juices” everywhere, I found the bun somewhat dry, the onion had been overcooked and had lost its flavour, and the pineapple was overkill. The egg was my highlight. It’s early days so I would expect there would be some improvements to come.”

“The beef had been packed too tight, which resulted in it crumbling from the first bite. This did not make it an easy meal to eat. The beef was also a little burnt making it dry, however the oozing egg made up for it. Very friendly service and considering they’d only been open for 3 days I can only imagine it will get better over time.”

“For a place that has been open for under a week I can’t say it was all that bad. However, there were a few things I would refine: the pattie needed more seasoning, the bun felt like it came from a supermarket bakery and the onion was over cooked (raw red onion would have sufficed in my opinion). Would I go back? I’d say give it a month. Chips were a plus.”

“This place has a lot going for it including the right environment, staff and reputation. But in the end my highlights were everything but the burger.”

Match Bar & Grill – 249 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne,
Victoria, Australia

Known internationally for providing quality and innovative cocktails in locations such as London, Ibiza, and now Melbourne, we found that this funky CBD bar also offers a great dining experience. Match Bar & Grill serve up a true gourmet burger. Presented before us (with impeccable styling) was a burger with a soft brioche bun, a David Blackmore Wagyu beef pattie, tasty cheese, pancetta, tomato, cos lettuce, onions and their own blend of truffle mayonnaise. With a generous side of shoestring fries, you’re in for a real treat!

“Although not grand in size, it makes up for it with it’s powerful flavours. From the moment it left the kitchen all you can smell is a mouth watering aroma of a real gourmet burger. It had a beef pattie that was seasoned well and the pancetta was a pleasant substitute for bacon. I also loved the truffle mayonnaise and the touch of horseradish I kept tasting. Not the cheapest burger, but thats the price you pay for quality.”

“Without a doubt the best looking burger I’ve seen in a long time. The beef was perfectly pink and juicy. But the other ingredients were too strong and overpowering. The pickles were too tangy, the pancetta was too salty, and the sauce too strong. I would’ve preferred just the bun and beef. Great environment (it actually looks like my penthouse). Just not enough value for money.”

“First thing you think of when you get the burger is “Damn, I should’ve ordered two”. I say that because A) you will love the burger and B) the burger could be bigger. However, lately I have grown to absolutely love the smaller burgers we’ve had since the journey began. Highlights included the peppery flavoured pattie with the amazing pancetta, and very decent chips.”

“It looked like a work of art. But it tasted like it was made by an art student. Pretty good.. but there was too much going on. They should’ve kept this one simple.”