It feels like every other week Melbourne is blessed with another addition to the “We Should Totally Try That Place Out” list. But, sometimes you hear about a place that makes you forget the 23 other joints you wanted to eat at and gets you through the door that night. With skills in the kitchen that have previously seen the likes of Cumulus & Co, Stoke House and NYC’s Spotted Pig it’s safe to say you’ll be getting a decent feed. At the helm are North Carolinan chef Casey Wall and Kiwi Manu Potoi and they’re tantalising menu stems from everything they wanted to eat on their days off – good ol’ fashion high quality comfort food. Their Wednesday night fried-chicken dinners mean for $60 you get a whole organic Glenloth chicken that takes three days to prepare: one day it soaks in salted brine, the next in an aromatic brine, with citrus and herbs. Then it’s covered in a buttermilk batter and fried golden. This very same chicken is used in their Fried Chicken Sandwich (take note: it’s a sandwich, not a burger children). Skim read their menu and you’ll salivate at the thought of a Pressed Rib Sandwich, a Lamb Sausage Dog and, of course, the Double Smash Pattie Burger that comes with twin smashed beef patties, classic Kraft cheese, special sauce all on a seeded bun.

“I was seriously starving this night and thought to myself, ‘I could easily eat two burgers tonight’. I kept these thoughts to myself as I’m easily persuaded by peer pressure and will rarely back down from a challenge. Luckily I didn’t voice my tummy rumblings as this was an immensely rich burger and, with my side of onion rings I was left completely full. The super soft bun was coated in butter, which is seriously delicious and only enhanced the super creamy, perfectly melted Kraft slices of cheese that melted their way through every grain of the two beef patties. There was a skerrick of greenery that added the slightest crisp crunch to an overall soft and extremely juicy burger experience. An incredible, good value and worthy of taking an American friend to experience.”

“I can’t recall ever smashing a smash burger Down Under. So it was nice to get a taste of that classic the U.S pattie style in our own backyard – and it really worked. The only thing I didn’t like about the burger was the bun – I found it too buttery and sweet for my liking. The texture was very soft throughout, creamy and with the freshness of lingering spring onion?/dill? embedded amongst the Kraft and special sauce it really took the burger to another level. At first glance it may look like a light burger, but by the end of the meal you will be full. Chips were good too.”

“There aren’t many burgers out there that can sweep me off my feet and then ride away into the sunset with me. But holy cow, this was like my honeymoon all over again. This burger has EVERYTHING going for it. I’m talking about flavour, uniqueness and then ofcourse the price. For 10 dollars this is amazing. I want to be on this burger again and again and again. It was beautifully creamy, salty and oh so soft. Every bite was another step in to burger heaven. I can’t fault this burger at all. So balanced and delicious, it’s a breath of fresh air in the burger world. Did I mention I liked this burger?”

There might just be a new shiny jewel in Melbourne’s “Crown”. American born Chefs Sam DeMarco (D Man) and Grant MacPherson (G Mac) recently opened the doors of their newest casual dining gastro-pub, “The Merrywell”. Cross diner, cross pub they’re offering some good ol’ fashioned pub favourites plus some re-invented classics. Upstairs you’ll find their swanky restaurant, but downstairs at the burger bar is where the real magic happens. Four meaty burgers occupy the menu along with some wicked sounding sandwiches and sides that you’d probably consider just devouring as one mean main. We approached the counter and ordered their signature Merrywell Burger that came with a soft bun, beef pattie, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, tomato, special sauce, bacon and a side of fries.

“This to me, is the absolute definition of a burger: a huge chunk of beef perfectly charred on the outside and perfectly pink on the inside just oozing fat, juice and most importantly flavour. Add to that a generous amount of melted cheese and you have everything you ever need in a burger. It has all the trimmings like bacon, pickle, lettuce, tomato however they all take a back seat in the overall flavour of the burger and just add a bit of texture. This is without a doubt not the most photogenic burger on the scene, and it will leave you looking like an absolute mess, but who cares. If I were to entertain some of our American burger blogger friends in Melbourne, I would take them here and they would feel at home (burger wise). I’d just ask them to turn a blind eye to the bogan tourists at the other tables and the price tag.”

“This is a modern day burger with a good old fashioned greasy factor. The pattie was just what they claim all their burgers to be on their menu: “All burgers served pink and juicy”. The juices will pretty much use up 10 serviettes just when sinking your teeth in the first bite. Be sure to position your chips under the burger to soak up all those beautiful tasty juices. The pickle and special sauce were spot on. The burger did have cheese in it, but I don’t think it needed it; sometimes less is more and I felt that the cheese was just getting lost in the myriad of flavour. Chips were damn fine..”

“It’s been a while since I’ve eaten a burger and thanked a higher power for the greatness before me. The beef was soft but not too delicate and left a coating of glorious fat swimming around my mouth. With every passing meal I constantly ask myself whether I should head down to Merrywell for another amazing burgasm. The juicy, fatty, tasty pattie is so rockstar I don’t even think it needs any of its entourage to back it up. But they were there, and they played a wicked supporting role, allowing the beef to sing to my tastebuds whilst they threw bras and g-strings in its general direction.”

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.”

Melbourne beaches can have their ups and downs. From shameless tourists and gym junkies to the airheads and rollerbladers there are plenty of reasons that an air-conditioned library is sometimes more appealing than the hot sands of the Bayside foreshore. But what happens when a tired old takeaway down by the water gets knocked up and 9 months later is reborn as a serious must-eat-at Melbourne destination? Well, apart from burning your stupid library card I guess the next thing to do is start practicing you’re roundhouse kicks, because this place knows how to draw a crowd.

When owner and Chef, Michael Nham, saw the opportunity to start his own establishment right on the water, he leapt for it. Growing up in a Vietnamese/Taiwanese family, Michael tells us that his adoration for food and cooking all started at quite a young age. He reckons the first time he was introduced to Western food he basically lost his mind. The culprit was lasagna – a whole new world of flavour for him, so he just kept eating it and eating until he eventually just threw up (what a champ). Since those early days his passion for Western and even Fast-food has continued to grow. This is where NSHRY and their Umami Burger fit in. When opening his beach side eatery he knew he had to have a burger on the menu, and after extensive research and time planning what he was going to create, he drew on Umami for inspiration.

It’s not every day that you come across a burger that can get juice flowing down to your elbow. Michael Nham has created something here that really is remarkable. When everyone is jamming Wagyu into their burgers as a fancy wallet emptying tactic, he stops and reconsiders, telling us that a “100% Wagyu pattie has no place in a burger. You end up losing a lot of beefy flavours”. By mixing his Wagyu with Angus Beef he is able to achieve the best of both worlds – the fatty softness of the Wagyu whilst delivering the beefy kick of the Angus. He goes on to tell us about how in order to achieve his desired result, the tomato MUST be roasted, the onion jam needs about 8 hours of love and the plump pattie will not only meet the pan at searing heats, but will end up visiting the oven before being placed on its sweet brioche resting place. It’s ridiculous, the man has turned the humble act of placing meat between a bun into an art-form, and for that we commend him. So, to Michael, his sister Jen who runs the floor, and to the rest of the staff at NSHRY, a huge congratulations is in order! When everyone in Melbourne has been zigging, you’ve zagged… and it’s payed off.
For our full review click here.

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.”

“What I’m about to say really won’t do this burger any justice. So for your sake stop reading this and GO NOW! If you have decided to read on I’ll try and make this quick (because some things in life really don’t need too much explanation). The burger was soft and delicate. The bacon was cooked to perfection, not crisp, but tastefully tender. The pattie was juicy and was filled with sumptuous salty flavours that will blow your mind. The steamed bun was by far the one of the softest buns I have ever had on God’s green earth – I loved it! Our side order of chips + mayo were also great. It’s just such an amazing burger, there’s no chance you’ll be able to stop at one.”

“I quit.”