Located in Armadale: an affluent, normally sleepy pocket of Melbourne, Coin Laundry has become quite the drawcard. If you’ve visited the area before you’d know its mostly residential with the odd antique or craft paper store thrown into the mix. Now (well, since late 2010), thanks to Matt Vero and Steve Rowley, when cool cats think Armadale they think Coin Laundry. They’ve given both locals and the more serious coffee addicts across Melbourne an awesome place to kick back, enjoy a delicious breakfast and the chance to listen to some toffy convo’s about “little Madison’s dance recital”. The menu has its hoity toity moments but with breakfast until 3pm, you know the guys running it are pretty chilled and if you want just a plate of bacon, I’m sure they’d understand. At some point last year, on a gloomy hungover morning, we were pleasantly informed by one of their award winning barista’s that we should definitely give their Wagyu Beef Burger a crack. It took us a couple months, but finally we got down there to order it. On a rustic wooden board out came a toasted brioche bun with a Wagyu beef pattie, beetroot relish, aioli, tomato, lettuce, cheddar cheese and some handcut chips*.
*Since our review the guys have swapped out the handcut chips to french fries with secret seasoning.

“One of my only pet peeves in life is restaurants and cafes that don’t serve Coke; its the only thing I want to drink with my food. Whether it’s a late breakfast, a burger or high end dining, it is best accompanied by a glass of Coke. OK rant over. This burger was a lot less delicate than I expected: the beetroot worked quite well with the slightly overcooked beef but when it came to the cheese, it overpowered it. The bun was wonderfully fresh, soft and sweet. I’m not a fan of thick cut potatoes pretending to be fancy chips but with the added chutney dip, they weren’t too bad. The wait staff were friendly, considering it was a Sunday and knowing the area well, the demographic of customers can definitely be of the difficult and snobbish variety.”

“If this place still had washing machines and dryers hidden at the back of the cafe, I’d get a lot more serious about my laundry routine. No more recycling smelly shirts and airing them outside my window for a second chance at life before I wash. One drunken outing and straight to the laundry! Having this dream crushed by reality is sad, but something I have to come to terms with in due course. But in the meantime I can only dream. OK, to business – I loved the beetroot relish combined with the shredded pickle, both worked well. The pattie was tasty and juicy. The cheese was good and added that sharpness to the meal. Overall the right amount of greens involved and the bun was soft and sweet. The burger was served with tomato relish, but I don’t think it was needed. Potato wedge-things were good.”

“These guys are setting the standard as far as “Cafe Burgers” go. Fingers crossed, but if most places could look to Coin Laundry as a starting point, no longer would we be dealing with the “Turkishbread4abun” epidemic. Its quite rare for me to enjoy a burger when there’s beetroot involved, so for my plate to be left with nothing but burger sauce and the waitresses phone number, it must mean something good is taking place. The beef pattie was nice and juicy, but maybe a little too light for my liking – the minor downside to Wagyu. Overall a really good burger and now, hearing about french fries being added to it, I’ll be coming back in no time.”

Shack Shack – Madison Square Park, 11 Madison Ave, Gramercy/Flatiron, New York, NY, USA

Shake Shack opened its windows in Madison Square Park in 2004 and immediately became a neighborhood fixture, with locals, tourists and everyone inbetween gathering to enjoy some classic American dishes like burgers, hot dogs and milk shakes. The brain child of restauranteur Danny Meyer of the Union Square Hospitality Group, has now grown to seven locations in New York City with further Shacks in upstate New York, Washington DC, Connecticut, Miami and now in Kuwait and Dubai in the Middle East. The Shake Shack burger uses 100% all natural Angus beef, grounded fresh daily and cooked medium. It’s served up nice and simple with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, a pickle and “Shack Sauce”.

“After hearing all of the hype over the last few years, I was wondering if the 45 minute wait to order, and further 15 minute wait for the burger to arrive was worth it. But then, I took my first bite. This burger is as good as its reputation – I could not fault this burger one bit and I can’t even begin to explain why it is just SO good. It’s quite a small burger with what tastes like the freshest of ingredients, on a bun that is very, very soft. The beef is perfectly cooked and seasoned, and combined with the American cheese and Shake Shack sauce makes for one of the creamiest burgers I’ve ever had the pleasure of devouring. However, before too long after I’d finished consuming my delicious burger, I instantly started regretting not ordering the Double. So the very next day I took my place in line for another 45 minutes and made my “Double Dream” come true.”

“Luckily just after ordering we managed to get a seat at the bench which made the wait a little more bearable. Love the setup and the size of the menu; a very limited selection that means they have all of their time and energy to focus on just burgers. The actual Huxtaburger is one of the most visibly appealing burgers out there at the moment and that bun must the be lightest, fluffiest and sweetest bun I’ve ever had. I was even surprised as to how well it held all the ingredients together and didn’t dissolve. The beef was cooked well but there didn’t seem to be much fat and wasnt juicy at all. The cheese was melted perfectly over the top of the pattie, and parts of the slice oozed down and touched the hot plate which, is one of the best tastes on earth. The mustard was a little too strong for me – I think I’d rather have had more of the flavour of the pickle come through instead. Next time I’d love to try the double burger with the bacon to experience a bolder, beefier flavour to balance out the strength of the mustard and pickle.”

“We’re always getting recommendations for burger joints people would like us to visit. Most of them have eaten the burger and can give us the intricate details. But when you have a long-time vegetarian recommending a place that only makes beef burgers (not having tried the burger, but nevertheless tempted), you know this place is doing something right. Readers be warned this place is busy and you might have to wait a while, but credit to the staff for working their butts off. When it comes out the burger looks delicious. The croissant-like bun is by far the star of the show, slightly greasy on the outside and soft to hold, this bun is sweet as hell and could just be served on it’s own for breakfast. The pattie is ok; not a lot of seasoning and thin in size, but it does the job. The tang from the mustard and pickles can take over the burger, but I really don’t mind it – any burger with mustard earns my respect. Overall it’s not a fatty burger and is definitely a burger I can eat twice a week for lunch. One burger is sufficient, but I would recommend going for a double pattie. Chips were ok.”

“I could go on about the amazing bun, the delicious cheese, the not so juicy beef pattie or even the hipsteriffic clientelle. But I won’t. All I’ll say is, eating this burger is a bit like finally going out with the hottest girl in school, only to find out she’s a devout Christian and all you’ll get at the end of the date is a handshake and God’s blessing. When I go back, I’ll be sealing the deal by ordering an extra pattie, some bacon and extra cheese. Nice burger: if you’re into that sort of thing.”

Before we can uncover the all important Top 10 for 2011, we needed to get back to our original Top 10 from 2010, and see if the burgers measure up and are still worthy of being labeled “The Best of the Best”. There were a lot of twists and turns throughout the journey, with some burgers stepping up to a whole new plain whilst others slipped into a ridiculous hole that some say is haunted. What does this all mean? Well, rumours have it that the coveted Top 10 2011 is mere days away from being unveiled. So, gents, hide your boners. Ladies, wipe away that wet patch from underneath your chin, because the Top 10 2011 is coming (soon).

“Still juicy, still messy, and still a Melbourne institute. Eating at Andrew’s is like
having your Mum cook your favourite meal; you know exactly what your going to get, you know it’ll be made with love and you know it’s going to be great.”

“The bun and pattie, its two hero items have changed for the worse. Yes the burger still tastes great, but the ratios here are out of whack. Bring back the love.”

“Although the pattie could’ve been a little juicier, it’s still a great lunchtime burger that continues to be just as delicious. Shame on them for changing the chips though.”

“It’s hard to believe but seriously, this burger has gotten even better.
I mean look at that sexy piece of meat!”

“Not any drastic changes to this baby; it still has a subtle creaminess to it that really compliments the beer marinated beef pattie. Still good but not as juicy as last time.”

“It really is remarkable at how they can get that super thick pattie cooked to perfection. Together with the surprisingly awesome combo of beetroot and onion jam, this is the best thing to happen to St.Kilda since Tony Lockett.”

“If its 2am (or any hour of the day for that matter) and you NEED a burger,
this is where you should be going. They haven’t changed in decades,
and that’s just how we like it – awesome.”

“These guys have changed their menu for an “in-and-out” sort of lunchtime crowd and the burger has copped the brunt of it all. The bun was over toasted, the pattie was OK at best and the rest of the ingredients have declined in quality: the biggest disappointment of 2011.”

“A little surprised that they decided to add cheese because it really doesn’t need it. Just like 2010, we’d be happy to eat this burger with just bun and pattie: still great.”

“Hail to King Raph, because this is just as incredible as ever.
We’ll be honest and say we’ve been back here on more than
one occasion over 2011. Its hard not to when you’re in love.”

Five Guys Burgers & Fries – 1715 Post Oak Boulevard,
Houston, Texas, USA

Established by a couple of guys (I can only assume it may have been….five?) in the Washington DC area in the 80s, Five Guys quickly grew in popularity, resulting in their eventual franchising in the early ‘thousands. In a mere 10 years, they’ve managed to franchise more than 900 locations. So you know homeboys have to be doing something right. As if they weren’t already popular enough, President Obama famously stopped in and bought his staff a round of burgers while the TV cameras were rolling, no doubt the presidential seal of approval has helped. Regular burgers at Five Guys are always doubles, so you need to make sure you order the “little” versions if you’re not feeling famished. I had the Bacon Cheeseburger with lettuce, pickles and mustard. Five Guys also don’t charge for additional toppings, so next time I may add the grilled onions

“This right here is In-N-Out’s strongest contender for “Multi-location Takeaway Burger Joint” glory. Yes, it’s ‘plasticised’ processed cheese, but it just melts so gloriously over the juicy beef patties. The bacon is always crisped perfectly, and the bun is perfectly sweet and soft, not interrupting the chi of the burger at all. Fries are served in cups – super crispy, but don’t make the mistake of choosing the Cajun seasoning – it’s too intense and it competes with the umami flavours of the burger. I would also like to award bonus points for their mobile app, I fully intend to order and run in to pick up my burger in my pyjamas one of these days…”

For even more awesomeness from BURGERMARY click here

Prime Burger – 5 East 51st St, Midtown East, New York, NY, USA

Prime Burger was established in 1938, and judging by the decor they might’ve renovated it once, maybe sometime in the 50′s or 60′s and haven’t touched it since. The average age of the waiters would easily be about 50, all looking dapper in their white jackets and bow ties, which, considering nothing on the menu is over $10 shows the respect they have for their jobs. You have the option to either sit at the large laminated bar or the unique and original swinging desk seats – I opted for the seat and ordered the Cheeseburger. These guys serve a traditional sesame seed bun with only two extra ingredients: a chopped in-house beef pattie and oozing American cheese.

“This is without a doubt one of the best burger, no scrap that, dining experiences I’ve had in a long time. It was an instant transportation to a different era; a much simpler time of the traditional American diner, smack bang in the middle of Midtown Manhattan of all places. The decor hasnt changed in decades and i think that applies to the waiters aswell. I love a place that has career waiters who have spent decades in the restaurant, taking real pride in what they serve and the service they provide. Now the burger was not much to look at it; it was just cheese, beef and a bun! So to say, “I was amazingly surprised at how much flavour it packed”, is an understatement. The beef, chopped in-house, was cooked a consistant medium-rare, and was fantastic. The classic American cheese left me wanting to order another 5, and the lightly steamed bun made it one of the softest and tastiest burgers I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.”

“This burger from the outside looked like any other regular burger, and when I ate each ingredient individually nothing stood out. The bacon alone was actually quite horrible – very rubbery and over cooked – however once you take a big bite out of this burger it is absolutely amazing! Everything just worked perfectly together and I can’t explain why, it just does. The chefs who obviously know what they are doing have made it look simple and easy. This was definitely unexpected from a venue filled to the brim with people with tattoos, beards, black rimmed glasses and most conversations starting with “what colour is your fixie?”. Saying all that, I would love to visit again the next time I venture to the other side of the river.”

“There’s something about re-inventing a classic that has a certain romance about it for me. Like taking a Victorian pub with its barn/church like interior and making it hospitable and comfortable to the hipsters (general public), of the Northern Suburbs and letting the beer run, run and run. Add on top an adopted American style cuisine with buffalo wings, chilli dogs and most importantly the Smoked Cheese & Bacon Burger and you have a hit. The burger itself was great: the pattie had a certain rustic element to it, the traditional bun was just that, traditional. The bacon was a bit tough to eat, but still good. The 1000 Island sauce was ok, but I still felt it needed that saltiness that a ketchup or mustard could only provide. The burger was hard to manage with all that sauce on it, but enjoyable nevertheless. Chips were a big standout, fluffy on the inside and super crunchy on the outside with great seasoning.”

“When I saw this my taste buds lept. When a burger comes out in basket you know someone that knows a thing or two about diner culture has had some input with this. I went to pick up the burger and it was piping hot. Whether because it had just been steamed or from resting on its hot bed of wicked chips, I dont know. Either way, when I got stuck into it I was instantly greeted by some delicious beefy flavours that left a nice coating of fat dancing around my mouth. The bacon was ok, but a little too tough and at one point even interrupted my meal. The smokey cheese was splendid and together with the 1000 Island sauce excelled at filling me with delight. I finished it all off by sitting back, munched on my pickle and casually punched a hipster in his bearded face.”