A big darling from all the way down in Sydney, Chur Burger is well known throughout by being touted as one of Australia's best burger places. Its story is somewhat legendary, so that will be skipped for the most part. Basically, it got a cult following and there are two different locations now up in Brisbane - this is one of them. Take ideas of being hipster, mixed with pleasing and audience and you have Chur Burger in a nutshell.
Upcoming was the annual show-day, and knowing this city, businesses often are too happy to be closed on public holidays. When there is not a lot to do, this can get pretty annoying - especially when that involves not having to be at work, or being able to at work for a more accurate description. As per usual, with any such day, it was back to searching if anywhere was going to be open during that day. Finding success on one website, I simply showed by housemate/dining buddy the list of options, and this was one place that he had been wanting to go for ages since it arrived in Brisbane with much fanfare. It also helps that burgers are one of the things he often seeks out for what are the best. So, during that one day of the week when it was show day, it was off to here. It is safe to say that we weren't the only ones to have thought that.
There is a real urban influence to the interior aesthetics. This is kind of apropos, since it is right in the central area of the city and within one of the side streets. Not only that, but also walking down an alleyway off the side streets. Upon the walls inside and outside the restaurant, they have some stylised graffiti which even extends to the pillars. The whole area is quite big and spacious, plus each table is somehow unique in design and ergonomics. You definitely can't say it has no character. The same goes for the seating used. Go outside into the alleyway, and there are even chairs and tables there. One can think eclectic, one can wonder if there is planning, but I think it adds a little bit of realness to the place - it is not over organised. As for where the two of us sat, the chairs I can't remember, but for the table it had a hole in the middle to place a bucket for the cutlery and serviettes.
Going onto the service, it was the usual counter variety. You go up to the counter and place your order followed up paying for it. Then, find a seat and wait for your meal to arrive. That being said, the young ladies there were friendly lassies. It was done in quite a good time, with all the food ordered arriving promptly at around the same time, or at least in quick succession. That must have taken some great co-ordination, which is always appreciated as a bonus for service. It makes it show that they know what they are doing.
As it can be seen by the name, the main part of the menu is burgers. The selection of burgers is modest, but should be able to please most people. A couple of more specialty ones are near the end, getting very meaty. If that selection of burgers somehow isn't working, they rotate a specials board showcasing limited edition burgers which are just as inventive. Some tacos and salads are also there, plus several bar snacks and desserts in addition. When it comes to the breakfast menu, it is pretty simple and straightforward. Heading into the drinks, there's coffee, multiple kinds of beer, multiple kinds of wine, sodas and juices along with milkshakes.
One of the great things about getting burgers with someone else is that the sides are able to be shared. Yes, I am talking about fries. The fries that they have here are mixed with chilli salt, which gives them a slightly tangy and spicy flavour which is quite a good touch. As for the actual fries themselves, the serving was plentiful and they were cut somewhere between usual size and steak fries size and were delicious. These suckers were cooked to just the right consistency along with a great flavour from the seasoning mixture. So already it looks to be quite a good place. I also managed to get a taste of the cappuccino that my dining buddy ordered, and that was pretty good. The milk was well textured, the espresso had a good flavour, and for the price it was a generous serving, almost a soup bowl size. You can't argue value for money.
As for me, I felt like a milkshake that time. These were not generally conventionally flavoured, and were done with other items beyond syrup. The flavour that I chose was none other than coffee, as they used espresso in the recipe. The milkshake was an actual decent size, and it was served in the classical metal cup - always a nice touch. It was quite cold, plus the coffee flavour was definitely from espresso and not syrup. Not quite thick enough to be called a thickshake, however there must have been a decent amount of ice cream or something because it was not gone before I knew it and managed to last til the end of the meal. Take note peoples, this is a standard for shakes to be.
Usually when selecting an item from a menu, it comes down to a few different possibilities, sometimes even enough for a coin toss. This was the case this time, and one of the two possibilities was their current special. Well, that is what I ended up ordering. It was called "the Sloppy Jimbo" - this was a combination of mince meat, American cheese, onion rings and pickle on a soft milk bun. Just by reading that, what I already knew was that I was in for a tasty burger and for that I was correct. This was a slightly messy eat, which certainly needed cutlery in some parts. It was a fresh lot of thinly sliced minced meat, that had good flavours and spices mixed throughout - the sauce was thick and had a decent tomato taste. With the onion rings, there were two big ones in the middle, well cooked with a great batter and sweetened in the middle. The American cheese was melting into the meat mixture, and it had its... distinct flavour to it (it is one that is unlike any other), and the pickles were quite mild. And all of this was topped off by a soft and moreish bun. With that combination, this made for quite the good burger.
After all this time hearing about Chur Burger, it was all a matter of whether or not it would be up to scratch from all that hype. Part of me was not so sure in the lead-up to here. However, all of that was quashed upon trying it out. The burgers here were a great combination of being generous in size, good quality and tasty. This is where it really gets great - what we are talking about is a place that serves what is arguably the godfather of all the fast food items, and it happens to be from the hands of chef responsible for a two-hatted restaurant. That may well be the secret to how well beloved it is, and to its success. It is definitely a venture that has put in the effort to being known.
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