Beef

Changz Canteen

Truffle and Mushroom Burger

(double beef and cheese, enoki fries, mushroom ‘ketchup’, truffle, roast garlic aioli)

Juicy beef patties that were well cooked, strong truffle flavour.

★★★☆☆

Canteen Classic with Fries

(beef, chicken brick, double cheese, bacon, onion, pickles, jalapeño, lettuce, canteen sauce)

This substantial burger was distinctively peppery, while the canteen sauce reminded us of Big Mac sauce.

★★★☆☆

Fried Chicken Ribs with Aioli

These tasty ribs were coated in a super crispy batter, and are only $1 each on Sundays!

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Solid burgers, enthusiastic staff, awesome Star Wars decor. Burger joints are a dime a dozen these days in Melbourne, and although nothing we tried was phenomenal, I really hope that these guys make it.

Changz Canteen

256 Glen Eira Rd, Elsternwick, VIC

(03) 8592 4941

http://changzcanteen.com.au/

Mum’s Burger Kitchen

Pamela Burger

(double beef patty, double cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, garlic aioli, tomato relish)

This burger was huge and multiple bites were needed for me to get through all the layers. The taste reminded me of a Hungry Jack’s whopper except with less of a flame grilled flavour.

★★★☆☆

Macaroni and Cheese

Kind of tasted like instant mac and cheese.

★★☆☆☆

Barbara Burger

(beef, cheese, spinach, roast pumpkin, eggplant, beetroot, onion, tomato relish, avocado, basil pesto)

Really tasty. I’d definitely order this again.

★★★★☆

Bad Boy Chips

These chips took a really long time to come out but at least they were super fresh albeit underseasoned.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

The buns and burger fillings were great however the beef patties were inconsistent. Some parts would have a nice char-grill flavour, while other parts had no flavour at all. Service was friendly but seats are limited so it’s a good idea to book a table if you plan on dining during peak times. Otherwise you can simply order takeaway and enjoy your burgers somewhere else.

Mum’s Burger Kitchen

Boronia Village, 5/159 Boronia Rd, Boronia, VIC

(03) 9761 3363

Mr Scruff’s

Poutine Chips with Cheese, Gravy and Bacon

★★★★☆

Salt & Vinegar Onion Rings with Scruff’s Special Sauce

★★★☆☆

Beef Burger with American Cheese, Cos, Pickles, and Scruff’s Special Sauce

★★★☆☆

Crispy Chicken Burger with Pickled Ginger, Kewpie Mayo, Cos and BBQ Sauce

★★★☆☆

Snickers Waffle with Peanut Praline, Salted Caramel, Vanilla Ice Cream and Shaved Chocolate

This was a lot smaller than I anticipated.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

I can totally understand why this place is so popular. The vibe is great and the food is pretty damn tasty. The best thing about Mr Scruff’s is that every Wednesdays between 6pm – 10pm the food is HALF PRICE! And it’s not like the prices here are expensive to begin with, so it works out to be a seriously awesome deal.

Mr Scruff’s

60 Smith St, Collingwood, VIC

(03) 9995 3881

http://www.mrscruffs.com.au/

Kuku Mama

Cheeseburger Dumplings – beef, pickle, cheese, Bobby John sauce

Although these are not your typical dumplings, this is certainly fusion done right. Within each dumpling was perfectly cooked beef and plenty of melted cheese, which was delicious when eaten with the pickle and the sauce. The dumpling skin was a bit chewy though and needed to be steamed a tiny bit longer.

★★★★☆

Vegetarian Dumplings – sweet potato, shiitake, enoki

Unsurprisingly sweet and mushroomy.

★★★☆☆

Bao – Peking roasted duck, pickled cucumber, hoisin

Soft pillowy steamed buns with a decent amount of tasty duck.

★★★★☆

Tacos – blackened salmon, herb crema, chicharron

★★☆☆☆

Mac & Cheese squared with Bobby John sauce

★★★☆☆

Crinkle cut chips, honey, soy, sesame, chilli, spring onion

A great mix of sweet and savoury.

★★★☆☆

Bao – soft shell crab, kewpie mayo, Kuku kimchi

The soft shell crab had good crunch but lacked any actual crab taste.

★★☆☆☆

Balinese coconut seafood curry with herb rice

The curry was a little on the bland side, while the herb rice (ie. the coriander rice) was a little salt heavy. So I suppose the flavours balanced out when you ate them together.

★★☆☆☆

Bao – southern fried chicken, slaw, BBQ sauce

The crispy tender chicken combined with the slaw and BBQ sauce made for terrific baos!

★★★★☆

Overall:

This was such a cool place. From the vibrant decor to the comfortable booths and couches, Kuku Mama is a fantastic place to eat, drink and simply hang out at. Service was quick while the food was creative and reasonably priced. Make sure you come with a few people because there will be lots of things on the menu that you’ll want to try.

Kuku Mama

105 Chapel St, Windsor, VIC

(03) 9529 6900

http://kukumama.com.au/

Oree Korean Duck Restaurant

Duck and Beef Set

Bean paste, Salt and Pepper in Oil, Bean Powder, Chili Paste

200g Fresh Duck

As soon as the duck cools it becomes tough and chewy, so it’s best eaten straight off the grill.

★★★☆☆

100g Angus Beef Rib

★★★☆☆

Beef gal-bi

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

One of the most unique Korean barbecue experiences I’ve had due to their specialisation in duck. (In fact this is Australia’s first Korean duck barbecue restaurant) The set menus were reasonably priced while service was very attentive. A good option for those who feel like Korean barbecue, but don’t feel like red meat.

Oree Korean Duck Restaurant

179 Queen St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9642 1270

http://www.oree.com.au/

Goneburger

The Chicken

(Flame grilled chicken thighs marinated in white wine, garlic, lemon and rosemary, smothered in rich melted camembert and served with cranberry sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion and tangy garlic aioli on a toasted brioche bun)

Loved the camembert and flame grilled chicken combination!

★★★★☆

The Beef

(House crafted beef patty made from a blend of beef chuck and grass fed short rib beef with unique GB sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion, cheese and pickles on a toasted brioche bun)

A simple burger done well.

★★★★☆

Baby Back Ribs

(Roasted pork ribs covered in a house spice blend and BBQ sauce)

These ribs were a bargain for $15 and were surprisingly fantastic! The ribs were well marinated and the meat was fabulously tender and simply fell off the bone.

★★★★☆

Truffled Macaroni and Cheese

(Macaroni and three cheese sauce and truffle oil

Cheesy, truffle-y, very filling.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

We stumbled across Goneburger after our original dinner plans fell through, and what a great find this place turned out to be! The food was top-notch and the ambience was very relaxed. We went on a Tuesday night and our friendly waiter was also the barman as well as the cashier. It was basically a one man show but he did a great job and everything ran smoothly. This pop up restaurant is currently contracted with Mavis Brown’s Bar until February, so make sure you visit by then! Note that this place is open 6 days a week (closed on Mondays) from 3pm.

Goneburger

35-37 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, VIC

0458 928 265

http://www.goneburgerbar.com/

Gloria Swanston’s Kitchen

Kick-Ass Beef Burger (200g fresh-ground beef, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, bacon and double American cheese served with crinkle-cut chips)

I didn’t order fries! Where were my crinkle-cut chips? Meanwhile the burger was enjoyable but not memorable.

= ★★

Mustard & Gravy Pulled Pork Sliders (slow roasted Moroccan-spiced pork shoulder over coleslaw served with crinkle-cut chips)

Fries again! Not that they were bad, just not what I ordered. The juicy pork and crunchy coleslaw combination with the sliders was tasty though.

= ★★★

Overall:

An alright place for drinks and a quick bite. Come for the $9 lunch specials.

Gloria Swanston’s Kitchen

243 Swanston St, Melbourne

9663 2916

http://gloriaswanstons.com.au

B’Cos Brazil

Pao de Queijo – Brazilian cheese puffs

These were delicious and had such a unique texture: soft, airy, chewy and cheesy. These were so good in fact that I want to have a go at making them myself soon.

★★★★☆

Coxinha – Brazilian chicken and cream cheese croquette

★★★☆☆

Bcos fried chicken pieces

Tough and dry.

★★☆☆☆

Picanha – BBQ’d Brazilian beef served with Brazilian rice, beans and salad

I liked being able to choose our salad (as you can see I wanted to try a few) as well as our rice (I chose brown over white). The beef was fairly standard and on the small side.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

This was a great introduction to Brazilian cuisine for me. Service was outstanding (the staff were very welcoming and helpful) and the place itself was small and casual. Note that this place is closed during the weekend.

B’Cos Brazil

353 Little Collins St, Melbourne

(03) 9670 1956

http://www.bcosbrazil.com.au/

Burgled

The Sin Miedo (Mexico) – beef patty, jalapenos, smashed avocado, lettuce, cheese, tomato

Lacked a bit of flavor as there was no sauce and the beef patty was unseasoned

★★☆☆☆

The Gettysburger (USA) – beef patty, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, pickles, mustard, aioli, cheese, ketchup

★★☆☆☆

Chips with ketchup and aioli

Similar to Schnitz chips (which I LOVE), these were diamond cut and shaped like a thin wedge so were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

★★★☆☆

Ferrero Rocher milkshake

Sweet, milky, distinctive Ferrero Rocher taste.

★★★☆☆

Shortbread biscuit filled with nutella mousse, kiwifruit and strawberry

The lovely owner of Burgled actually gave this to us on the house. The filling was tasty however something less dense than shortbread would have been preferable.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Fantastic sports bar-like atmosphere, warm efficient staff, great chips, wide variety of tasty milkshakes (eg. Oreo, Cherry Ripe, Lychee & Vanilla, Butterscotch, Salted Caramel, Peach & Coconut and much more), average burgers. Soft white burger buns are used here which is a nice change from the sweet brioche buns found everywhere else. However the beef patties lacked flavour and the burgers themselves did not stand out.

Burgled

287 Huntingdale Rd, Oakleigh, VIC

(03) 9540 0355

Home

Mister Jennings

Frozen kangaroo, wasabi, nashi

As soon as I began chewing this icy cold dish, I realised that frozen meat is not something I enjoy. The idea is for the meat to thaw in your mouth thereby changing its flavour and texture. It was an interesting experience but not for me.

★☆☆☆☆

GMS sirloin

★★☆☆☆

Pork, lime pickle, silverbeet

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Small portions, efficient service, orderly decor. Not a place I am likely to return to.

Mister Jennings

142 Bridge Rd, Richmond, VIC

(03) 9078 0113

http://misterjennings.com.au/