Little Beer Quarter - Burg as Bro (WOAP 2013) - 7.5/10

Beef and lamb patty with pork belly, fried quail egg, aged cheddar, chilli-onion jam, pickled beetroot, Tuatara APAioli and lettuce in Pandoro bun, with chips and dip - $21

You can argue all you like about the merits of bacon, the necessity of cheese, the lack of condiments or whether a pickle has any place in a burger, but what I want to discuss today is engineering, burger engineering.

A burger with everything might look great but, when it comes to eating it in the traditional way, with your hands, there's only one way for its contents to go - all over my shirt. And that's detrimental to both my dignity and my relationship with the person who has the overall responsibility for getting the stains out of my clothes.


 Now some may say I have never eaten a meal without the contents spilling down the front of my shirt - that may or may not be true but the Little Beer Quarter (LBQ) solved two great burger issues with one piece of burger engineering brilliance - the hollowed cob bun.

I have eaten a burger or two in my time. It is with great sadness that I say the majority of these have been with a knife and fork. This is not because I am posh. It is instead because the only other option is to chase the contents of my burger around the table and floor of the restaurant.

I ventured to LBQ tantalised and salivating at the prospect of digging into the Burg-as-Bro.
Beef and lamb patty with pork belly, fried quail egg, aged cheddar, chilli-onion jam, pickled beetroot, Tuatara APAioli and lettuce in Pandoro bun, with chips and dip and a Garage Project beer match.  Wow - with a description like that who wouldn't...salivate.

I loved the venue with its bohemian feel and its dedication to the boutique beer. What I didn't expect was the marvel that was the hollowed Pandoro bun. This engineering excellence allowed the patty and its contents to nestle down into the bottom of the bun and let the lid come over the top sealing all the contents inside (see background burger in the third picture).

To my delight I could pick up the burger in the way a burger should be and munch on it all whilst keeping my black shirt (I was eating a burger after all) spotless ( I wished I was wearing white!!).

The interesting take on the usual suspects of bacon and egg (pork belly and quails egg) really worked. The pork belly added a sweetness which went well with the beef and lamb patty. All the other essentials were there perhaps with the exception of tomato, which I didn't miss.

At the risk of sounding like a Masterchef judge, my patty was a little over cooked and could have done with a bit more seasoning but this failing was more than made up for by my joy at being able to eat this bad boy with my hands.  Great job LBQ!!

I wasn't 100% sure the 'Pills n Thrills matched the burger - it was a little hoppy in my respectfully submission.  I also must admit to being a little disappointed by the chips and dip.  Now before you all attack me for being unpatriotic and in fact Australian, I am aware that a ready-salted chip and Maggi French onion soup dip is as kiwi as you can get, but I like a hot potato chip with my burger. I can't help it.

I salute LBQ for its feat of burger engineering excellence (and so does Juliet).  A well deserved 7.5.  Last I looked, the burger is still on the menu so get down there and try it for yourself!!

(If you thought this review was a bit different to the usual fare then you are correct.  It was written by my fellow aficionado Brad Cuff, who has finally taken the ball and run with it.  Expect more quality reviews from Brad in the future.)