WORLDWIDE CHICKEN BURGER APPRECIATION SOCIETY
Yearly Archives: 2015
THE LORD GLADSTONE HOTEL
Purveyor: The Lord Gladstone, Chippendale NSW, Australia
Menu Item: Fried Chicken Burger
Price: $24 AUD (with a beer)
Squawk: When we asked locals where the best chicken burger in the neighborhood was, the answer was unanimous. So we went straight over to the Lord Gladstone with high hopes. The chicken is very, very nice. Fried, but not too crunchy or oily and the white meat was moist and tender. We enjoyed the string fries and the plain paper chip holder they came in.
Buaawk: Sadly the Happy Rock wasn’t as much a winner as we’d hoped. But it could be some of that was just bad luck. For example, while the chicken was good, and the portion generous, we felt it needed more complimentary flavours – it was light on slaw and the Sriracha mayo was non-existent so overall it was dry and bland. We also were told they had Franks Hot Sauce which could have given this one a serious nudge, but we only found out after we’d finished. To their credit, Sriracha was on offer, but given the choice, this burger begs for Franks. They make sort of a big deal about the bread calling it an “New York style soft bun,” but it was pretty plain, and very sweet. For now we’re calling it low, but we will go back – to give the kitchen another chance to find the slaw and for us to find the Franks.
Note: Look for our other review of their special KFC Korean kimchee chicken burger coming soon.
– HC
PADDINGTON INN
Purveyor: The Paddington Inn, Paddington NSW, Australia
Menu Item: Charred Chicken Burger
Price: $19 AUD
Squawk: This is an underrated pub in all sorts of ways. Its unassuming street presence belies its modern and vast interior with various rooms, nooks and chill-out areas. The music isn’t awful and it’s not too loud and the candle light creates accost atmosphere. But you, you would sit on a cold rock, surrounded by stacks of speakers and Drum & Bass pill fiends if it meant you could enjoy a ten out of ten chicken burger, and that’s why we love you. The Paddo does quite a few things right on this burger. For starters the brioche is amongst the best we’ve seen with the perfect amount of char. And they put bacon on it – yay! But like most places in Australia, left all the fat on – boo! The meat itself was actually quite bland – relying on the “surrounds” to do the heavy flavour lifting, sadly they don’t. But hey, they got great beers and friendly staff and you can always reach in and peel that bacon fat off.
Buaawk: The sauce on this one was… um… we forgot, because it was forgettable. But they almost make up for it by plonking a bottle of Sriracha on the table when we ask what they have with kick. The fries are fine, but not worth writing about. But what really irks us, and The Paddo isn’t alone in this regard is cooks who leave all the fat on bacon. Trim it!
– HC
REUBEN HILLS
Purveyor: Rueben Hills, Surry Hills NSW, Australia
Menu Item: Dirty Bird Chicken Chicken Burger
Price: $17.50 AUD
Squawk: This place is cool. Unlike so many places out there that are trying to be cool, this one just is. We love the rugged garage-like interior, the open roller door at the back, the minimalist hard concrete, steel and wood fit-out is understated, but visually impactful. And they play good music at just the right volume. And… they got some very nice bottled hot sauces to choose from too. On top of all this, Reuben Hills is really more of a coffee joint, so you get all those fantastic aromas wafting around. But you just want to know how down and dirty that Dirty Bird really is. They have rock solid foundation with a world-class brioche, one of the best we’ve encountered, but, disappointingly, the middle isn’t worthy of it.
Buaawk: We’re all about simplicity and quality ingredients, and that’s what they seem to be going for here, but it costs them. We’ve had other dishes on their menu in the past (gasp) and they’re delicious, so we’re sad to see this bird don’t fly. The sauerkraut like pickles are a nice touch, but too wet – this burger is like a leaky faucet. The meat is juicy, but bland and without the aforementioned hot sauce to give this chick some wings, it ain’t going nowheres.
Bonus Points: Fantastic interior, vibe, tunes and staff.
– HC
OPORTO
Purveyor: Oporto, Everywhere in Australia
Menu Item: Bondi Burger Meal (Small)
Price: $8.50
Squawk: Fast n cheap. Reliably consistent. Easily found in case of chicken burger emergencies. And they’re not afraid to put a shit-ton of chicken salt on your chips. It may be all chemicals and way to bright yellow to be good for you, but damn its tastes good.
Buaawk: There was a time in Australia when Oporto was considered THE definitive chicken burger. Their unique Portuguese style chicken (spicy, but not painful), great sauce and value for money helped them quickly grow from their original Bondi Beach location into the national chain they are today. But sadly all that growth came at a price. The mass produced bread rolls are mostly air and sugar. The chicken overly processed. Their sauce used to be the “real deal,” but now it’s a colour that cant possibly be natural. And so far, every Oporto we’ve been in has been a mess – dirty trays, wrappers, empty bags and cups strewn all over. Even when the place is empty it can be hard to find a clear place to sit. But hey, they still got that nasty (read: we love it) “chook salt” on their chips.
– HC