A Works Burger to celebrate the end of the year at the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel

Clarke's Standard

Having already feasted upon some NYC street food, when we walked past Clarke's we decided that dinner was simply an entry. Now it was time for the main course.

Clarke's Standard, we discovered later, is a burger joint offshoot of PJ Clarke's.  It's the equivalent of Doyles seafood starting their own fish and chip shop.

The restaurant greeted us with its welcoming burger smell.  No burger was over CHECK, and our orders arrived quickly.  

The burger presented well. Placed in an open box with oil paper, we felt as though this burger came with its own love.

What's noticeable about these patties is that they are thick! They are probably the thickest meat patty we have ever seen in a take away food restuarant.  Biting into this patty was a meat treat- the patty was thick and juicy and

However the bun did not live up to its name, and, we would argue, sub-standard.  The bun lacked lustre and warmth.  It arrived feeling cold, whilst the interior of the bun felt warm to the touch.  This initial tactile sensation of touching a cold bun was unexpected, and fairly off putting.  It lacked body, but was solid enough for us to pick up the whole burger.

PJ Clarkes

After 12 hours of sleep we realised that Bigs Nicks steer burgers knocked us out. Thankfully the taste of steer beef had vanished from our mouths and we quickly developed a desire to try another new burger.

We trekked down Broadway and after a few blocks decided that it was time for lunch. Coincidently, we came across PJ Clarkes and knew that we were about to experience burger heaven.

We weren't disappointed. Our burgers were served with a side of pickle and the surprise was that there was raw onion sitting under the bun.  

The real champion of this burger is the beef paddy.  It's all about the beef.  The bun was quite thin, but solid enough for us to pick up our burgers with our hungry little hands  Cheese was melted on top of our paddys and it was quite pleasant to take huge bites from our burgers and complement the taste by grazing upon  pickles and raw onion.  

Table condiment Ketchup options includes Heinz tomato ketchup and also Sir Kensingtons ketchup which boasts  50% less sugar and 33% less salt than other brands. Naturally, we went for the Heinz option to drown our fries.

All this was washed down with a glass of amber and smooth Brooklyn lager. We would highly recommend lunch burgers at PJ Clarke's.

Steer Burgers at Big Nick's

We just got off the plane and we decided we needed a burger.  From past trips, we decided upon Big Nicks.

We were 85% finished our meal when we noticed that the taste of beef was somewhat unusual to our Australian palates. If this taste was an odour, we'd probably be wearing a gas mask.  It seemed as though our hunger had betrayed our sense of taste.

Then we noticed the type of beef in Nicks burgers was steer beef.  We debated about what steer is- was it cattle? was it a kind of moose? Eventually google revealed that what we were eating was this:

Even a glass of pumpkin porter at our favourite New York dive bar wouldn't shift the lingering aftertaste of steer beef from our palates.

If you prefer to have less beef in lingering in your palate, our advice is steer clear of Nicks steer burgers.

Chur Burger

The best of both worlds- the Reuben Burger

When we were hanging out in the city recently, the only thing on our mind was a hamburger (‘Surprise, surprise’, I hear you say).  But no ordinary hamburger was on our mind.  We were in the mood to try something different- something with a twist.  So we embarked upon a visit to Reuben and Moore to feast.

We could feel our salivary glands flowing as we rode up the escalator to the 5^th level of the Westfield building, which is located in the Pitt Street Mall.  Reuben and Moore is known for being one of the (at last count, 3) places in Sydney that prepares the classic Reuben sandwich.  We have sampled these fine sandwiches before. 

What we did not expect, however, was their Reuben burger.  We are always up for something new, but only if it consists of 2 buns, a meat patty, and some melted cheese goodness.

Before we can celebrate the gastronomic excellence of the Reuben burger, we need to take a step back so that we can appreciate more fully what this burger achieves.  I have sadly discovered many Australian readers are unfamiliar with the concept of the Reuben sandwich.  So it is here that we necessarily begin our journey of degustation.

For the uninitiated, a Reuben sandwich is a NYC sandwich which consists of tender corn beef, loaded upon a base of sauerkraut, topped with melted Swiss cheese, served upon a toasted rye bread, and served with a whole pickle on the side. Reuben and Moore make their Reuben sandwiches with 2 differences to the traditional NYC Reuben.  They serve their Reuben sandwiches with on fresh bread rather than toasted rye, and a chopped pickle is included inside the sandwich rather than on the side.  I was also a little disappointed that the cheese was not melted inside my Reuben.  Whilst these differences would matter in NYC, they don’t seem to bother the unassuming Australian public.  The proof of this is that during Sydney city lunch-hour, this place is full of our city’s finest and hungriest workers.

A Reuben burger, as the name suggests, combines all the goodness of a burger with all the virtues of a Reuben sandwich.  We did not know that this combination existed in NYC, let alone Sydney.  The more we think about how unique this combination is in Sydney, the more we realise that we need to hurry back here and experience this matchless culinary delight before too long.

We watched with craving eyes as the burger was made.  We witnessed a thick meat patty being grilled upon an open flame, melted cheese on top, with generous carvings of corn beef placed on top. It took every ounce of will power not to leap over the counter and sample the succulent meat before it was assembled into our burger.  For a moment we thought we were guests at a BBQ who were being invited to sample a carving of dripping hot meat as it comes off the BBQ.  Our surroundings quickly reminded us that we were consumers in a restaurant and we had to restrain ourselves.

 This burger takes you to a place where you don’t expect to go.  The juicy patties are oozing beefy flavour.  The taste of the hot corn-beef complemented the burger, but created it its own unique blend.  Upon biting into this burger, your senses can easily fool you into thinking that you are eating a Reuben.  The combination of cheese, corn beef and pickles all sing in unison a Reuben song.  The only difference is that the juicy meat patty and the soft grilled buns are providing the instrumentals.  This is very special.

When you are eating this burger, you can easily enjoy the best of both worlds.  On one hand, you can enjoy all the burger-nourishment that comes from eating a hamburger.  But upon the next bite, you can allow yourself to be tantalised by the flavours of a Reuben.  Do you find it hard to decide whether you want to eat a Reuben sandwich or a hamburger, and know that you simply cannot have them both?  Now you can have it both ways.  At Reuben and Moore, it’s possible to have your cake and eat it too.

Grain fed Beef Burgers at Woolwich

As you are watching the sun go down over Sydney Harbour, you need to devour a grass fed beef burger from the Woolwich Pier Hotel.

The first thing to notice is that the cheese is melted on the beef.  A sign of a good burger.

The second thing to notice about this burger is the bun.  It’s glossy, its soft.  But there is a soft crunch upon the first bite.

The third thing you notice is the dripping juiciness of the bun.  Onion jam and juicy meat combine to make this a culinary delight.

Perhaps a little pricey at $20, but worth every bite.

The flavour?  What hits you is the quality of the meat, cheese, onion jam and subtle mustard.  The pickle is present, but not overwhelming.  The sauce is not overpowering.  The meat itself has a chargrilled taste, which added to the character of this burger.  Perhaps a little too chargrilled in places.  I would suggest a little more pickle, to tone down the overall meat experience.