Burger Adventures @ Royal Stacks

 470 Collins St, Melbourne Vic

9620 0296

11:30am - 10:00pm Mon - Sat

Closed - Sunday

The US-Inspired / homage to the popular US burger chain 'Shake Shack'  is what Royal Stacks has introduced themselves as into the Melbourne burger scene. I've seen plenty of videos and photos from American youtubers and in terms of how the burgers look, Royal Stack definitely has the American burger 'look'.

 Bacon Bacon ($13.9)

2 Australian pasture fed beef patty, double bacon, american cheddar, caramelised onion, american mustard, tomato sauce, pickles

Loads of grease, a heck load of melted cheddar and glorious bacon. This is precisely how I want  my burgers. Unfortunately I can only base my opinion off a one and only bite of my mates burger, and honestly It wasn't amazing, the flavours were there but it didn't 'wow' me. It was exactly what you would expect from the ingredients in the burger. 

(6/10)

 The King ($13.8)

All Australian pasture fed beef patty, tomato, butter lettuce, hand made mac'n'cheese croquette, american mustard, special burger sauce

The mac'n'cheese trend has been popping up all over Melbourne burger joints and I absolutely love it. I've tried a few mac'n'cheese burgers from numerous burger joints and I can gladly say that Royal Stack is one of my favourites. The tiny macaroni size combined with what I'm assuming is a mixture of cheeses really boosts the overall flavour. 

The burger itself is quite heavy because there's so much flavour and ingredients going on. So a fair warning, this burger is not for the faint-hearted :) 

(7.5/10)

Cheese Fries / Gems ($5 / $7.2)

To be honest, the cheese fries and gems is way too heavy for me. I'm pretty sure the cheese was melted american cheddar and it was too heavy and made me feel sick after a few bites. Perhaps some other toppings to lighten the intense cheese flavour would be good but I won't be ordering this again.

(3/10)

 Banana Milkshake ($6.5)

 
Straight up, the banana milkshake was the amazing!, though obviously not healthy as it's filled with sugary and milky goodness. A plus is that the drink wasn't heavy at all which was great as it pairs well with the burger and fries.

(8/10)

Food - 6.3 / 10 

Ambiance - 8 / 10

Service - 7 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 21.3 / 30

Cafe Adventures @ Bowery To Williamsburg

16 Oliver Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

9077 0162

7:30am - 3pm Weekdays

8:30am - 3pm Weekends

Mmm, delicious New-York style sandwiches is what Bowery To Williamsburg is known for. With their diner style seating, open kitchen right in front of your eyes so you can watch your delicious sandwiches come to life, it's an eye-catching feast. 

Arriving during lunch hours, they were only serving their signature sandwiches and sides. To be honest I had no idea they did other cafe/breakfast dishes so I am definitely coming back to give them a try.

I've heard many stories about their mac'n'cheese so I was looking forward to that the most. Unfortunately, even after arriving around 1pm, the mac'n'cheese were already sold out! but not all was lost when the chef told us that there was still 1 remaining, a blessing it truly was :)

Philly Cheese Steak ($17) (+Side)

Smoked beef brisket, onions, peppers, mushrooms, provolone cheese

My friend 'T' got the philly cheese steak, the portion was definitely larger than anticipated, the smoked beef brisket topped with melted provolone cheese was a beautiful combination. Packed with flavour of the mixture of ingredients, it was surprisingly basic? Not sure how to describe it but I was expecting a mixture of flavours due to the combination of ingredients. Nonetheless a filling dish.

(6/10)

The Reuben ($17)  (+Side)

pastrami beef brisket, sauerkraut, russian dressing, swiss cheese

I decided even before arriving that I'd get the Reuben, always had a soft spot for them. Bowery To Williamsbrug does them quite well, with layers of pastrami beef brisket, sauerkraut and the marvelous melted swiss cheese, It was absolutely delicious! I'm not fond of pickles but in this case, the pickle accompanying the sandwich was amazing, Definitely will ordering an extra one on my next visit.

(8/10)

The portion for both sandwiches were way more than expected, to be honest I was already feeling quite full after the first half.

Mac'n'Cheese (Inc in Set Menu)

To be frank, this was my first time eating oven baked Mac'n'Cheese, and it was the most delicious thing I had during my time at Bowery To Williamsburg. Absolutely delicious, packed with flavour, simply just amazing. It was definitely my kind of food.

(10/10)

Potato Salad (Salad of the day)

Another delicious side, the potato was just right and the sauce was stunning!. Not entirely sure what was in it, but I could taste pickles which worked really well with the rest of the flavours.

(7.5/10)

Food - 7.8 / 10

Ambiance - 6 / 10

Service - 7 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 20.8 / 30

Burger Adventures @ The Burger Block (Invited)

85 Willsmere Rd, Kew VIC 3101

9854 5771

7am - 3pm Mon - Fri

9am - 4pm Sat         

       Sunday Closed        

On the courtesy of Brenda, I was invited to The Burger Block to try out some of their signature burgers. Located on Willsmere Rd, Kew. the cafe is easily accessible by bus or tram, and even easier by car (which unfortunately I did not have).

I rarely travel to the Eastern suburbs as I'm from the West so this was quite the adventure for me.

Upon entering, we were greeted by friendly workers and a cozy atmosphere. With a display of burgers on their counter, there was so many delicious options to choose from

Red Lantern (JPN/THAI) ($12.9)

american cheese, bacon, spanish onions, lettuce, tomato & wasabi mayo

After spending a good 10 minutes deciding on what burger I wanted, I opted for the Red Lanttern. I find it pretty cool how the cafe labels their burgers with countries.

The burger was delicious!, packed with flavour, the bun was soft, juicy patty, everything worked really well together. Unfortunately I was expecting more spice as the burger had a 2 chilli rating on the menu. I wasn't able to get that punch I was hoping for, perhaps if they added jalepenos? or something with more kick then I would give it a higher rating.

 But overall a satisfying burger

(7.5/10)

The Black Jack (HK/JPN) ($13.5) (no tomato)

american cheese, bacon, grilled mushrooms, spanish onions, lettuce, black pepper sauce & jap mayo

My friend 'D' ordered 'The Black Jack'. the burger was just as great as the 'Red Lantern', but I preferred mine more whilst 'D' preferred hers. 

The black pepper sauce was strong, On my first bite I was greeted with a strong and delicious sauce which complimented the burger really well. 

Combined with the grilled mushrooms, spanish onions, bacon, cheese and the meat patty. Oh, it was a delicious burger. I would've loved to try this with tomato, but wasn't able to due to 'D' being allergic.

Perhaps next time :)?

(8/10)

Loaded Chips ($7.5) (Small)

Beer battered chips, aioli furikake (roasted seaweed seasoning)

I loved the 'Aioli Furikake', which was the roasted seaweed seasoning with I believe is with japanese mayo. It gave the crispy chips a lovely flavour. Though as you have more, the flavour can be quite overpowering, which happened to be towards the end.

(7.5/10)

Iced Chocolate w/ Ice Cream ($6)

Nothing to spectacular, the drink was nice, smooth and cold. The ice-cream added that extra element which made it more enjoyable, though I think the quality of the ice-cream can be better.

/7/10)

Iced Matcha w/ Ice Cream

Originally, I thought the 'Iced sencha & matcha green tea' was the iced matcha w/ green tea. Luckily, the girl working had a feeling that I wanted the Iced matcha, so she was able to get it for me. From my understanding, it isn't on the menu but you can order it.

The iced matcha was delightful, though it lacked in matcha flavour, it was creamy and delicious.

(6/10)

Food - 7.3 / 10

Ambiance - 7 / 10

Service - 9 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 23.3 / 30

Cafe Adventures @ Scarvelli Cafe (Invited)

143 Whitehorse Rd, Deepdene VIC

9816 8887

           7:00am - 4:30pm Mon - Fri

 8:00am - 3:30pm Sat

  8:00am - 3:00pm Sun

On the courtesy of Carlos, I was invited to dine at Scarvelli Cafe to try out their refined paddock-to-plate dishes. Located on Whitehorse Rd, Deepdene, getting to Scarvelli is easily accessible via the 109 tram.

Upon being greeted, we were seated at a specially prepared table for us which was pleasing.

The cafe has an industrial chic interior which makes you feel at home, with the front counter featuring some of their bakes and coffees, you'll be salivating at first glance.

Wood Fired Salmon ($21.5) (GF)

Torn wood fired salmon, caramelised onion, minted pea & caper frittata rocket, avocado & tomato corn salsa

The wood fired salmon had a mixture of strong flavours in the dish, the combination of the avocado and tomato corn salsa gave a unique flavour which my friend enjoyed but wasn't my cup of tea. The wood fired salmon was delightful and paired well with the rest of the dish

(7/10)

Scarvelli Burger ($21)

Wagyu patty, american mustard, jack cheese, burger sauce, red onion, sliced tomato & lettuce on a broiche bun with chips & aioli

The Scarvelli Burger was magnificent, the wagyu patty was juicy and tender, and every single ingredient worked really well together. I would definitely get the burger if I were to come back. 

What I did feel would've been a good improvement for the burger is by adding bacon, or the giving the option of adding bacon as I felt the burger could've been even more enjoyable than it already was if it had bacon.

The chips were crispy and seasoned well, you can't really go wrong with chips, because if you do, you're clearly doing something wrong.

 The aioli sauce was also delightful and added that extra flavour.

(8.5/10)

Cookies & Cream Milkshake

Simply divine, the cookies & cream milkshake which my friend ordered was delicious, sweet and was exactly what I was expecting. Though to be honest, I may have gotten cookies and cream or oreo milkshake mixed up. But if you ever do dine at Scarvelli, you'll know what it is and trust me, get it.

(9/10)

House Juice / Super Juice (Specials board)

apple, pear, celery, lemon & ginger

I on the other hand opted for something a bit more healthy. Suggested by Carlos, the juice was delicious, the combination of ingredients complimented well with each other, though to be honest for my own taste, I should've taken out the celery in the order as I simply dislike it. 

Nonetheless it was a delicious beverage and satisfied my healthy cravings.

(7/10) 

A special shout out to their new release; Scarvelli, Our Paddock To Plate. A book released, to my understand, by the owners of Scarvelli cafe. Carlos introduced me to it and after reading bits and pieces, I can say it's a great read.

Featuring stories, recipes, tips on all sorts of things. Scarvelli, Paddock To Plate is a fascinating read which is to be released in middle of April.

Food - 7.8 / 10

Ambiance - 8 / 10

Service - 9 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 23.8 / 30

 

Burger Adventures @ 8Bit

231 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC

9650 5455

11:00am - 11:00pm Everyday

Having just recently opened their second store in the CBD, 8bit is once again proving their popularity with their delicious food and drinks. 

I remember coming down 8bit when they first opened up in footscray, and I remember the lines being straight out the door with at least a 30-40 minute wait each time. It wasn't only until months after that the hype died down and I was finally able to dine there without waiting for half of my life.

The CBD store is constantly filled with eager and hungry patrons in need of a delicious burger.

With every visit, it's literally impossible to find a vacant seat as there are waves and waves of hungry patrons.

Service was fine, with the store being quite busy I could tell the workers were quite stressed.

Double Dragon ($14)

double beef, double cheese, double bacon, pickles, mustard lettuce, ketchup, 8bit sauce

The first time I had a double dragon in the Footscray store, I remember it was a beautiful experience. Piping hot, fresh and full of flavour. But sadly, the CBD store doesn't live up to the quality of their original store. 

Th

The burger was full of grease and just did not taste that great. The beef was a bit dry and was quite disappointed, also noting that the amount of grease left me feeling quite sick after I finished.

Don't take me wrong, a greasy burger is a good burger. But in this case, there was just too much.

(5.5/10)

Loaded Fries ($10)

Fries, chilli beef, cheese sauce, bacon, pickle relish, grilled onion, jalapenos

Crispy, fresh and full of flavours from the other ingredients, the loaded fries were delicious. I just wanted more and more after each bite and eventually I realized that it was all gone.

Definitely + points for the chips that came straight out of the fryer.

(8/10)

Food - 6.7 / 10

Ambiance - 5 / 10

Service - 6 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 17.7 / 30

Burger Adventures @ Babu Bar Burger

Venturing out to Prahran, Babu, located on chapel st is one of those burger joints where you can make your burger from scratch. From the size of the patty to the various types of cheeses and ingredients, Babu tests your burger making creativity.

Sweet Potato Wedges w/ Sweet chilli & Sour cream ($6.90)

Starting off with the Sweet Potato Wedges, these were crispy and delicious, accompanied by the sweet chilli & sour cream sauce it was a great combination.

(4/5)

Babu 220Grams beef patty, Maple bacon, egg, swiss cheese, grilled mushroom, garlic butter ($18.20)

My friend had this combination, the burger overall was great but apparently for the first time since a number of visits, the bacon was overcooked therefore being a slightly disappointing burger but aside from the bacon he stated it was still a great burger.

(4/5)

Babu 220Grams beef patty, avocado, pineapple, caramelised onion, feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle ($16.40)

My other friend had a smaller combination, overall same as above it was quite above but she felt that the meat was too thick, therefore it was difficult for her to eat. But some people prefer to have a thick meat patty so that depends on preferences.

(3.5/5)

Babu 220 Grams beef patty blue cheese, caramelized onion, grilled mushroom, garlic butter, egg & maple bacon ($19.90)

 This was combination. Originally i wanted the goats cheese but apparently i asked for blue cheese when i was ordering but oh well whats done is done. At first i had no idea how to eat it because it was huge, but i managed by taking massive bites. Anyway overall the burger was nice but with one exception, the blue cheese. The cheese flavour was way too strong and overpowered the flavour of the rest of the ingredients. So from time to time it was a bit too much for my tastebuds.
(3/5)

Food - 7/10

Ambiance - 6/10

Service - 6.5/10
Total FoOodie Points- 19.5/30 

 

Burger Adventures @ Bad Boys

Between Little Lonsdale & Lonsdale St hides Bad Boys, a burger joint located in Punch Lane. When this place first opened up, the hype was insane! full of customers and the wait to grab one of these burgers took a long time. But now that the hype has died down, grabbing one of these gems is now alot easier.

I apologize for the photo as this was taken with my old (and horrible) Iphone 4s, my reviews lately have been on and off in terms of photo quality but thats because i've been delaying my reviews and uploading both new and old reviews at the same time.

Weekly Special #1 (1 extra patty) w/ Fries + Drink + Truffle Aioli Dipping Sauce Combo ($21.5)

2 Wagyu Beef Patty, Onion Rings, Cos Lettuce, Tomato & Bad Boy Sauce

Decided to go for the 'Weekly Special #1', i don't remember what the actual burger was called but it was one of their limited weekly burgers. Deciding to grab an extra patty for fun was possibly one of the best and worst decisions of my life. I was in such a bad food coma i couldn't move from the restaurant for a good 10 minutes after eatting.

The burger itself was really nice, everything worked well together and the onion rings were crispy and nice. Though because of the extra patty it was difficult to manage which resulted in a messy meal but it was still a great meal. The chips were great, crispy and thick, it worked well with the truffle aioli sauce. A satisfying meal which i would definitely love to try again.

Food - 7/10

Ambiance - 6/10

Service - 7/10
Total FoOodie Points- 20/30