If you think the name Down N’ Out sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But despite ruffling some feathers with a name that some consider too similar to the famous American burger chain, In-N-Out, Down N’ Out is more than just a clickbait-y name. What started out as a pop-up store became so successful that they now have 3 locations around Sydney, and credentials across pretty much every ‘best-of’ list, a visit to try out their burgers seemed in order.
Chris absolutely dreads it when I ask him to find us somewhere to eat. Not only am I inordinately picky, I’ve usually also canvassed out pretty much all of the available options before passing the baton onto him. Yet sometimes he manages to surprise both of us, and find a place that not only have I not heard of, but am also interested in. And that was the case with Reuben Republic. Being both avid lovers of its namesake sandwich, it was no wonder that we were both keen on Reuben Republic. But it’s not just Reubens they have here. Despite being barely more than a takeaway canteen, the menu boasts a respectable selection of sandwiches, as well as ribs,…
It’s always promising when you can smell a restaurant before you can even see it. As soon as we had rounded the corner, we could smell the unmistakable aroma of beef sizzling on the grill, and we knew we had found Bar Luca. Before Bar Luca became a cult burger restaurant however, it was just one of many pubs you’ll find dotted around Sydney. And aside from the change to a burger-only menu, as well as the presence of merch on the walls, not much has really changed. The large wall-mounted TVs are still there, as is the dodgy ATM near the toilets. There’s even a dingy little VIP room filled with pokies machines near the back. If you told…
When I first started putting out the feelers out and asking around for things to do in New Zealand, a name that came up immediately and repeatedly was Fergburger. But that was no surprise. Over the years, I’ve heard the name dropped by everyone from family to friends to co-workers, and just generally bandied about on the internet. And they all say the same thing – that Fergburger does one of the best, if not the best burgers ever.
Any excuse to eat burgers is a good one in my books. Ever since I started keeping a closer eye on my diet (now that I don’t live at home with MARM, I need to make sure that I’m not eating too much, but still eating enough!), I’ve found it harder and harder to justify a meal that can easily take up 70% of my daily calorie intake. But clearly I’m not that actually dedicated to this whole thing, because when I found myself with a voucher to try out the new wagyu burger range at Ribs and Burgers, I was all over that in an instant.
I’ve been a Melbournian for over half my life, but before moving to Victoria, I actually lived for almost 5 years in Toowoomba – an idyllic country town nestled in the Darling Downs, just over 100km inland from Brisbane. To be fair though, Toowoomba actually is a decently sized place by Australian standards; with a population of over 100 thousand, it is actually the 16th largest city in Australia. Still, my memories of it are quaint and peaceful, barring that magpie that swooped in the same area near my house every spring without fail.