Let me preface this post by telling you all that I like burgers. A good burger can be a very deep and personal experience. I wouldn’t call myself a burger connoisseur, however, love them I do. I mean, how could you not? Whether it be a quick bite on your way home from work with a few mates, the recovery meal of choice after a few too many shots the night before, or a thousand other circumstances in which sustenance is required, the versatility of a burger across all dining situations is clear.
Burgers have a special place in my heart (and stomach).
The home-made ‘burgers’ that my mum used to make me as a child - comprised of a frozen faux-meat patty purchased from the supermarket slathered with Heinz tomato sauce and wedged between 2 slices of white bread (crust on of course). The fast food chains (namely the corporate behemoth that is Micky D’s and its more focussed long time rival, Hungry Jacks) that have served me on many occasion throughout my life…the respective pros and cons of each have been subject to fierce debate and will surely be the subject of a future post. All the way through to the other end of the spectrum (or ‘gourmet’ varieties as I like to refer to them) which I have found I enjoy more and more as I increasingly head towards the big 3-0.... and it is these that are the subject of this post.
Firstly a little Burger 101. Burger-nomics if you will.
Meat + Bun = Burger. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. Obviously burgers get more complex, however in essence…at the very core, everything else aims to improve/complement the burger…they do not make a burger.
Accordingly, the focus of this review is on these 2 primary aspects of the burger. Don’t get me wrong, the ancillaries will be touched on – they are important after all, however, think of it this way…without either of them, could you really call it a burger? With all of this in mind, onto the review.
I’d heard about these two respective burger joints and had been meaning to try each of them out for quite a while now. Having eaten at each on two consecutive days, I can categorically say that burger quality and competition in sunny Adelaide has been taken to another level.
Burger Theory
I won’t go into the concept of Burger Theory here. Their website surmises it very well so pop over there and have a read: http://www.burgertheory.com/.
The line up at the Burger Theory van during peak lunch hour is infamous. I’ve heard of people lining up and waiting for over an hour before receiving their meals. It was for this reason that lunch was delayed on the day in question until an appropriate time (circa 2pm). It worked. Bear in mind however, that by going to lunch as late as we did we ran the risk of the van selling out for the day. Thankfully, we made it in time (and with approximately 5 minutes to spare as they sold out shortly afterwards). I won’t go into the concept of Burger Theory here. Their website surmises it very well so pop over there and have a read: http://www.burgertheory.com/.
Choices are simple at BT. 2 burgers, a couple of vegetarian burrito options and a cookie. I’m here for the burger so a decision was required. The classic simple burger (the # 1) or the fancier blue cheese and onion confit creation (the # 2). As this was my first time, it was a reasonably easy choice given I was aiming to assess the quality of the burger in the purest form. Numero uno it was…and one of your triple choc cookies too (why not).
I’m handed an order disc reminiscent of the ones you receive when ordering at that Japanese place in the ‘Southern Cross’ food court…essentially it’s an electronic ticket which lights up when your order is ready. From there we play the waiting game and take a seat on one of the cardboard box/seats that are scattered around the place (which are surprisingly strong and (unfortunately) are as comfortable as they look). The wait begins.
The disc lights up, and so do our faces. I pick up my order and hurry on back to my box/seat. I take one look at this burger and the first thing that comes to mind is its size. It’s small. Potentially too small for a burger that cost $8…”Here we go…this had better be spectacular” I thought as I lifted the burger with one hand out of its paper/foil wrapping and open my mouth….
It was.
This is a breathtaking creation. This is burger-crack. The yard-stick has been shifted. “Well…it’s good…but it’s no Burger Theory” will echo across the quiet city of Adelaide, and burger vendors everywhere will know fear…thy name is Burger Theory.
Let us firstly start with the bun. Lightly toasted to perfection and topped with sesame seeds, it is fluffy, only slightly chewy, yet crisp and oh so delicious. Slightly sweet, almost like a toasted French brioche. I honestly believe it ranks right up there with the best burger bun I’ve tasted. That’s a big tick for key element number 1.
Onto the meat patty. Ticks all ‘round here also. There was a spectacular mix of spices which when combined with the grill cooking process created what is categorically the best meat patty I have ever tasted. Ever.
The mix of beef meat and fat created a balanced, tender, juicy burger that I doubt will be equalled or surpassed in my lifetime (although I am heading to Sydney soon and may just get the chance to try Neil Perry’s burger which has been touted as the best in Australia). And the final point in relation to the patty revolves around how it is cooked.
In Australia, every burger I’ve ever had has been cooked all the way through. ‘Well done’ if you will. It’s just how we do things. I’ve long heard of the common practice in the States where the customer is asked how they would like their burger cooked, similar to how a person would advise the kitchen how they would like their steak cooked. Failing this, a burger would be cooked medium to medium rare. This has always intrigued me and I had always wanted to try it.
BT did not ask me how I would like my burger cooked. I was mildly disappointed at this at the time of ordering, however, that disappointment soon turned to delight when I took my first bite of the burger, enjoyed the flavour and juiciness of the patty and looked down at the half eaten mess I was holding in my hand. A beautiful pink hue signifying a burger which was intentionally cooked medium/medium rare and further evidence which supports the notion that this is the way a burger really should be cooked. It really is a burger patty to end all burger patties.
So that’s the bun and meat. What else was on it? Very simple ingredients. Some iceberg lettuce, a slice or 2 of tomato, a slice of American cheese and some sauce. Doesn’t sound special right? But like I’ve been saying all along, it’s not about these things. You don’t want the ‘add-ons’ detracting from the 2 prize ingredients, and on that basis, they play second fiddle to perfection.
This burger is the Chicago Bulls of yesteryear.
The Michael Jordan of meat patties, his right hand man assisting as the Scottie Pippen of bread buns, and supported by the Steve Kerr/ Tony Kukoch/ Dennis Rodman of ‘add-ons’.
Epic.
Burger Foundry has its work cut out for them.
As a side note, whilst not the star of BT whatsoever, I must make mention of the triple choc cookies. Beautifully sweet, with a sprinkling of salt which enhances the flavours and fantastically chewy. These things are very moreish. I highly recommend they be picked up as a nice desert to follow the burger. Additionally, for those of you looking to visit, make sure you follow them on their website and check out the availability calendar. Make sure you grab 2 burgers if you’re even mildly hungry. You won’t be disappointed.
4.5* / 5 Chillies
*As close as this burger was to perfection, the lack of a 5 chilli rating is purely a reflection of the fact that I nor my blogging constituents have eaten at every venue across the world. Only once a complete population has been considered can the ultimate rating be finally dished out. Some may disagree, but if you do? Feel free to sound of in the comments section.
Burger Foundry
The day after my visit to Burger Theory, and after spending essentially the rest of that day waxing lyrical to everyone who would listen about its magnificence, myself and Curly P decided it might be an excellent opportunity to pit it back to back with Burger Foundry (a place which neither of us have had the chance to try as yet). We’d heard stories about the place being very busy and selling out so we made sure we were there at midday (opening time) in order to get a table and secure our feed.
Now it is my firm belief that Burger Foundry is in some way related to Chilli Mojo – a store about 4 stores down which specialises in all things chilli and spice related. As such, whilst I desired to go for the simple regular burger when it came time to choose, it was difficult for me to look past the ‘Good Mojo’ burger – also being an avid spice/chilli lover (evidenced by my Chilli rating scale J). I added a side of hand cut chips and we played the waiting game.
It is at this point that I should say the burger cost $10.90 – a whole $2.90 more than the number 1 from burger Theory. However (and forgive me for jumping ahead a little here), I was satisfied at the end of the meal.
After 15 minutes or so, our meals arrive. I catch a glimpse of the little shelf/area to the left of the point of order. It is lined up with sauces. I make a choice and sit back down to get stuck in. The burger was easily twice the size of the BT burgers and therefore from a price point of view, chalk one up for BF. It looked glorious. 
I pick it up (requiring 2 hands to eat) and taking my first bite, the first thing I notice is the bun. A little on the chewy side for my liking and lacking the buttery sweet/saltiness of the BT burger it nevertheless performed adequately. I was not disappointed by the bun, however this was partially because I was expecting the meat to completely exceed my expectations.
It didn’t. 
Not bad by any means, but when comparing it to BT, it was dryer, overcooked (no hint of pink at all) and lacked finesse. On the positive side, the char-grill and smokiness of the patty from what I believe would be exposure to direct flame, was excellent. I think the meat/fat mix could be adjusted to make the patty juicier also, however having said all of this, it is by no means, average or sub average. In fact I feel that had I not eaten the BT burger the day prior, I would have fallen in love with the BF burger. Like I said earlier, Burger Theory has ruined me. 
The ancillaries were also adequate however not overly memorable. The tomato salsa was nice and fresh and went well with the burger itself.
Special mention should be made towards the sauces on offer. Having only tried one myself I am definitely impressed by the spice and flavours in the sauces available and in fact am intending to head to Chilli Mojo and purchase a few to sample.
The hand cut chips were reasonable. Unfortunately not crispy however, I believe this is the intention as I have heard the same from other customers of the place. 
Overall, was I disappointed with Burger Foundry? Yes. Was it fair that I visited after going to Burger Theory just 24 hours prior? Probably not. That’s like first eating foie gras and then moving onto chicken liver. Or bedding Miranda Kerr only to leave her for Gweneth Paltrow. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with chicken liver or Gweneth…but they’re no foie gras or Miranda.
Almost like poetry…I uttered:
“Well…it’s good…but it’s no Burger Theory”
3.5 / 5 Chillies
Over and out.
Moe V.
Over and out.
Moe V.
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