Ben's Burgers - Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. Go up a side street, and then look out for an alleyway and you will find something similar to Melbourne's lanes. It is an unusual place, but among several pint-sized eclectic stores, one of the city's current darlings for dining out resides. That is Ben's burgers. After some markets were cancelled in the nearby area due to rainfall, my dining buddy decided to make a beeline to go and get a burger for mid-afternoon eating. Both of us were really hungry, and had saved up in anticipation for that market food. Going here, it really hit the spot.
Ben's has a really small menu all round. For both breakfast and post-breakfast time, the number of burgers that is available is merely three; at both instances, the kinds of burgers have a "keep it simple" mentality in their concoction. While additions are allowed on the burger, there is a plain policy of no alterations. On the side are two kinds of fries to have, either plain or chilli cheese. In addition, the drinks menu by proxy has the largest selection - you can choose from some unusual sodas, coffees, a green smoothie, juice, craft beers or homemade milkshakes made from the proper ingredients. Finishing off are a couple of choices of sweets, complete with the option of ice cream.
Giving a brief description of the aesthetic that Ben's Burgers is going for, I would use "eclectic funk". The atmosphere feels very inviting, and with the entrance further away from the curb it allows you to see just how popular it is and the organisation going into the place. On each of the tables, it is much like an American diner. There are the sauces ready to put on the burgers and/or fires along with the serviettes conveniently put into a small basket. Whether inside or outside, they are very low key. Whichever way is chosen, it is perfect for people watching and seeing what else is around. One of the touches that I like about this place, and it is on close to every photo of this place, is a toothpick through the top of each order having a bit of paper saying "This is a burger", Service is also really friendly, efficient and didn't feel like they were going through the notions during ordering.
They are straightforward and general with the names that they give each burger, no funky names given here. From here I ordered a "BB Special", which was a beef patty cooked to medium-rare, cheese, jalapenos, pickles, onion, and special sauce. As an extra, I added on some candied bacon to the concoction. Adding on the bacon really helped make the combination work. There was the spiciness from the jalapenos plus the tangy, vinegar flavour from the pickles mixed with the creamy special sauce and the combination of sweet and savoury with the candied bacon. It would not be complete without a well cooked meat patty, in which good quality beef was chosen - tender and juicy, with a lovely flavour. On top of the patty was some good cheese, that was slightly melted and wrapping around all of these was a soft, chewy brioche bun. If there was one gripe, despite how delicious it was as well as satisfying, the burgers here could be a tad bigger in size. Aside from that, they are certainly worth the hype to be checked out some time.
My dining buddy got a side of fries to share, of course going for the chilli cheese variety. These were shoe string fries topped with a chili minced beef, onion and cheese. The minced beef was pretty good, though not excessively spicy, and had a rich flavour to it. The cheese melted nicely into the mixture and the fries. Of course, the fries part was good as well. These were crispy, hot, fresh and done straight from the fryer. More or less, they are another example of fries cooked properly. As a drink, I ordered some orange juice. It was freshly squeezed, and refreshing on a hot day. The beverage came in a blue solo cup, which is a definite degree nicer to drink from than the bottle. It was chilled with plenty of ice.
It is really clear why Ben's Burgers has been given such a buzz around town, especially among burger lovers. Being a bit of a burger fan myself, it was inevitable that I would eventually be trying it. They have the ideas of burgers down well pat; not overwhelmed customers attempting to decide with only three choices and the ingredients are all good quality to boot. The vibe will appeal to many people of all ages, and the characteristic choice of design gives it a unique character. Ben's is surely here to stay.
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