Purveyor: Rosie Campbell’s Surry Hills NSW, Australia

Menu Item: Jerk Chicken Burger

Price: $16 AUD

Squawk: Yah dred mon, this be the joint for the Jamaican vibes ya hear? This place has good energy, great music and a considered decor that makes it feel fun from the second you step inside. We especially liked the Studio 1 record label table tops and speaker box table legs. The fact that the staff are friendly and they happen to have a good beer selection with two of their own house beers on tap is a bonus. On top of all that, this burger is solid. Good bun, nice jerk spice, and juicy without compromising structural integrity. Pass the burger on dee left hand side! I say…

Buaawk: Sadly, not everything in Trenchtown rocks. The jerk spice is nice, but like some of the other “jerks” we’ve tried in Australia, its been dumbed down to cater to local (sweeter) palate. We say stay true to your roots – keep that spice nice. We loved that they let us swap regular fries for the Sweet Potato Fries, but they were too sweet. We’re pretty sure they put sugar on them, which is crossing a line nobody should cross when it comes to a chip. Any kind of chip. We missed the authentic chilli vinegar we’ve found at some other Jamaican/Caribbean restaurants and were disappointed to see the hot sauce served in a tiny ramekin when the beautiful bottles were so prominently displayed on the walls. That said, it was nice hot sauce, just don’t mix it with those sugary Sweet Potato Fries.

Bonus Points: Knowing which reggae songs to turn the volume up on, but not leaving it up when they ended.

 – HC