Shopping can really make you hungry, or should I say “hangry” if you either hate crowds and / or can’t find what you’re looking for!! Well, I found myself feeling quite hungry after a shopping expedition recently at Westfields, Knox City. Of course, I wanted a burger and there was one place I had seen on social media a few times and wanted to try out – “Twisted Sista Café”.

This little café serves up sweet treats and lite meals. There is only one burger on the menu, so the choice was easy – the “Angus Beef Burger” which came with black Angus beef patty, caramelised onion, cheese, tomato, bacon, lettuce and herbed mayo layered in a toasted bun. I waited for what seemed like an eternity for my meal to arrive, although it was not helped by the fact that I was starving and just wanted to have my meal and get home.

When it arrived, this little burger looked quite good. The first few bites were good. Meat was tasty, although seemed to be slightly over cooked in parts as it had a real charcoal kind of taste to it at times. There was heaps of caramelised onions and luckily, they were some of the most flavoursome going around. Bacon was delightful and rather than being too crispy, was cooked perfectly. Bun was sweet and super soft, however the mayo on top caused it to rip apart, making it a slightly messy affair. The rocket lettuce was terrible and should be replaced. And I think it would also benefit from an egg being added too?!

Chips on the side were average, and should have come with a temperature warning too because they were so hot. Strawberry thick shake was awesome and complimented the entire meal well.

Overall, it was ok. It certainly hit the spot at the time, although I’m not sure it did enough to make me want to come back and go another try.

Out for lunch recently at “Platform 28” in Docklands, and despite there being an extensive menu, I had to try their burger. In fact, last time I visited, I ordered something else and someone I was with had the burger. I had food envy as it looked pretty good, so I was keen to find out for myself what it was like.

I ordered the “Black Angus Beef Burger” with cheese, pancetta, cos, tomato, gherkin, aioli and American mustard. When it arrived, I was pleased that it looked as good as I remembered and I couldn’t wait to get stuck into it. First few bites in and it was pretty good. It was well made and full of flavour. The beef was delightful, and the other ingredients were fresh and tasty too. The bun was a little bit dry and from my perspective, the burger could have done with some onion and an egg too.

Chips on the side were really tasty and this time I washed it down with a refreshing, James Boags Light beer.

Overall, it was a tasty burger, that was pretty satisfying. With limited choices in the Docklands area, if you’re in the mood for a burger, then this is definitely worthwhile trying. Although, you will probably expect more for a $22 price tag!

There seems to be no end to the ever growing burger bucket list, especially when you throw in non traditional gourmet burger places like cafes and pubs. Then, the opportunity to find the ultimate burger increases considerably, so when I found myself at the Torquay Hotel recently, I figured I would try out a burger in case there was a hidden gem amongst the local pub fare.

From the 3 options available, I went with the appropriately named, “Bells Beef and Bacon Burger” with beef, bacon, lettuce, cheddar cheese, tomato relish and aioli. Being a Saturday night, the place was packed and my previous experience with pub burgers was not too good, so I was feeling a little sceptical about the likelihood of this being a “contender” or even a “knock out”.

It arrived and appeared to be a well made, tidy little package. I was so hungry, I just got straight into it, and pleasingly it was pretty tasty. It was a basic, no nonsense, pub burger that got straight to the point. The meat was good and cooked well too. Lettuce and tomato were fresh, and the bacon was the best part! Bun was a fraction dry and unfortunately, did rip apart. Tomato relish was a great flavour, but there was way too much of it for my liking. This probably also contributed to the bun falling apart too. Could have benefitted from some caramelised onion and an egg being included.

Fat chips on the side weren’t bad, and together with a locally brewed Furphy beer, my pub experience was complete. Overall, it wasn’t too bad and actually one of the better pub burgers I’ve had, although that might say as much about the quality of other places as it does about this one!?