Date visited: 20th November 2012
Huxtaburger. Run by the same guys who opened Huxtable and with only five different types of beef burgers (named after characters from The Cosby Show) it must be pretty damn good to be a serious contender for one of Melbourne's best burger joints.
Huxtaburger has been on my wishlist of places to visit for ages now, but MerlinFan has refused to come because 1) too out of the way and 2) limited seating. Yes, in case you hadn't already gathered from past reviewer's posts, seating is sparse, with only about four tables outside by the kerb and a few stools inside, so it was more like a pitstop rather than a true dine-in experience. And everyone knows that a burger looses some of its hot-off-the-grill factor when you have it takeaway, becomes a soggy, cold mess.
Well, MerlinFan was away at work, and I happened to be in East Melbourne this morning, so I took a five minute hike over to Huxtaburger. It was only an hour past opening time, but my heart sank when I saw all the tables outside already full. There were a few stools at the bar, so I quickly made my order and snagged a seat.
I decided what better way to judge the joint's burgers than to have the original, no frills Huxtaburger. There are four other options built around this basic burger, with Bills (bacon, egg, pineapple and beetroot), Rudy (for the kids), Theo (with bacon, double pattie, double cheese, bbq sauce) and Denise (the hot one with jalapeno and sriracha mayo). Check out their full menu here.
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| Huxtaburger $8.50 |
Yes, I know my photo is not the best ever (only had my phone with me, no camera), but hey, I think I looked like enough of a saddo eating lunch by myself. Then again, I should have gone all the way and become an even bigger saddo freakily taking photos of her food too.
To be honest, I didn't have much expectations for the burger. I mean, a burger is a burger, right?
Wrong. It was amazingly delicious. I swear it's all about the beef pattie. Juicy, succulent wagyu punctuated by bursts of smoky, robust meaty flavours of beef on a grill - that, topped with a generous dollop of mustard, mayo, tomato sauce, melting cheese and lettuce, lovingly cradled by a soft, slightly sweet brioche bun. And yes, there were pickles too, but they were discreet, nothing at all like those nasty Big Mac ones. All that dripped from my burger were beef juices and droplets of mustard, no grease or grime, thanks.
Was the Huxtaburger worth all the hype? All I can say is believe everything you hear, it was that damn good. And size-wise, it wasn't massive, just nice enough to leave you feeling satiated or give you room for chips =D (Geez, doing that review is making me crave another one now!) Still, I wished they would expand the place to allow more seating, and what was with the sullen-looking waitstaff? Sure, they were under the pump, but it only takes a mere 17 muscles to smile.
I hear Huxtaburger owners are planning a new Huxtaburger II joint in the CBD on Fulham Place between 333 and 357 Collins St in early 2013. I can't wait for that to happen because as amazing as those Huxtaburgers are, I don't want to trek all the way to Collingwood for a good burger, wait ages and then have no seat to enjoy it.
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1642008/restaurant/Melbourne/Huxtaburger-Collingwood"><img alt="Huxtaburger on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1642008/biglink.gif" style="border:none;padding:0px;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>
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