Simple food done very well is the hallmark for Ribs & Burgers which recently opened in James Street, Fortitude Valley.
You'll find it just outside the cinema, next to Harveys.
Their burgers ooze freshness, great ingredients and sauces that lift and separate, about as far away from Maccas as you'll get.
The line up is not that dissimilar to Grilled and neither is the decor but the sizes a little less generous and the prices a little higher. However the guarantee here is that the meat is pure beef with no binding agents, no salt, no flavours. It's also free range, hormone free and anti-biotic free but definitely not flavour free.
We taste tested a steakhouse burger (see top photo) ($18) and lamb burger ($16) and both were excellent. They arrived on a board which was good because the juicy meat dripped a lot. This is messy food to eat with your fingers burger style, but somehow a knife and fork just seems so wrong for a burger.
 |
| Lamb burger |
Sides include chips, onion rings and chicken wings and a small serve of the chips or onion rings is a good fit for two people.
I've made it a personal mission to try chips whenever I can, basically because I just like them, and by my standards the chips ($4 small) at Ribs&Burgers are very good. Crisp, crunchy exterior, soft interior and true potato flavour - the king of chips.
Onion rings ($4 small) are definitely not on my list so K2 was the taster here and he nearly worked his way through a serve. Delicious, he said.
We decided sides were necessary for a satisfying meal if you are hungry because of the burger size.
Friends Tash and Will rocked up to also try Ribs & Burgers as we were munching into our burgers. They ordered a Lemon & Herb Chicken burger ($13) and two mini burgers with a side of chips ($16) .
The process is order at the counter and the staff will find you a table. Despite the restaurant appearing to be quite full, the friendly wait staff found us a nice table for two without a problem. As we ate our burgers, I noticed that table turnover is quite high, so you are unlikely to be without a table for long.
It's on my list to return here for the ribs. I saw many plates of delicious looking ribs resting on a raft of chips emerge from the kitchen and delivered to hungry customers.
The decor is retro butcher shop and quite cute.
Ribs&Burgers also has outlets in Sydney and Melbourne.
Bottom line: If you are hungry it's not a cheap burger option but they are selling quality.
Best tip: There's no sweets so head down to Chester Street Kitchen for a late night dessert.
Kerry Heaney
Disclaimer: Ed+bK paid for this meal.