Nordburger - Norwood, South Australia

Burger bars have been popping up like crazy around Adelaide lately. One of the most recent additions to Adelaide's growing burger scene is Nordburger (168 The Parade, Norwood), which first opened its doors on the 4th of July 2013. Parking is easy since it's so close to Norwood Mall. Off street parking is available in the Coles carpark or across the road at the Foodland carpark.



Though it may sound Scandinavian to some, the name "Nord" is also short for Norwood.



Inside, it's a long and skinny shop with orders taken at the register near the entrance and a few stools for those choosing to eat in.



If you can't find a seat along the main counter, there are a couple more seats as well as a couple of stand up tables at the back. Of course, take away is an option as well.



We managed to snag ourselves a couple of stools and enjoyed watching the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, which included MasterChef 2011 runner-up Michael Weldon working the grill.



If you're after a cold drink, try a Dr Pepper, A&W Cream Soda, Cherry Coke, or TAB. Or choose from one of the milkshakes...
Classic: strawberry, vanilla or chocolate ($6)
Specialties: pretzel, cornflake, salted caramel, or peanut butter & jelly ($7)
We tried the salted caramel and loved it. I noticed they use Tweedvale milk too - great stuff!



On to the main event...the burger! We ordered a Nordburger ($7.80) which comes topped with pickles, tomato, lettuce, mustard, ketchup, and Nord sauce. We also added cheese ($0.70). The beef patty was seasoned and cooked perfectly and seemed a little bit thicker than some skimpy patties I've had elsewhere recently. Bun was fresh, toppings and sauces were all very tasty. This was an excellent burger!

For sides, the choices were tater tots, crinkle cut fries or crinkle cut fries with chipotle seasoning (small $2.50/large $3). We ordered the crinkle cut fries (small) and Nord sauce ($0.50). When I saw the fries from a distance, I wasn't overly excited. Upon closer inspection however, they were nice and crunchy and not too heavy on the salt - very moreish. The Nord sauce is almost identical to Shake Shack's shack sauce (delicious) and was well worth the extra 50 cents for an excellent dipping sauce.



We decided to try a hot dog as well, the New York ($5.90). Isn't it pretty? It's a Vienna sausage topped with pickled red onion, everything bagel (I think this is a reference to the poppy seeds & sesame seeds), mustard & ketchup. The bun was sturdy but soft. The sausage and toppings were well matched and very enjoyable.



So far, we've thoroughly enjoyed everything we've consumed at Nordburger and we're looking forward to our next visit in the near future. Check them out if you can, but try to avoid peak meal times unless you're happy to line and up and possibly choose take away. Space is quite limited in the shop.

Paul's Famous Hamburgers of Sylvania - Sydney, New South Wales

During a recent trip to Sydney, we made our maiden voyage to Paul's Famous Hamburgers of Sylvania. This is a Sydney institution, selling burgers long before fast food chains like Hungry Jack's or McDonald's came along.



It's important to note that Paul's is closed on Mon & Tues. Luckily, we visited on a Wednesday so they were open for business!



Inside the shop, they proudly display that they were established in 1957. I have a feeling they haven't changed too much since then either.



The menu includes Hamburgers (with various toppings), Chips, Milk Shakes & Fresh Pineapple Crush.



We considered a milk shake (there were heaps of flavours to choose from) but we decided to try the Fresh Pineapple Crush. This drink is really special as it's real pineapple juice with plenty of pulp as well. Tarty, sweet, and very refreshing! The food comes in a white paper bag. Based on my observations of other customers, it's common practice to rip the bag open to get to your food. This indicated to me that what's inside must be pretty good.



We decided to go with a Plain Hamburger ($5.90), a Works Burger ($8.90), and a Small order of Chips ($3.80). The chips were impressive - crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with an appropriate amount of chicken salt (optional).



The Plain Hamburger was an excellent example of an Aussie fish 'n chip shop burger. The bun was fresh, it had plenty of salad and sauce, and the meat was well seasoned.



The Plain Hamburger was good, but the standout burger was definitely the Works. It had an abundance of toppings - tomato, lettuce, onion, tomato sauce, egg, bacon, cheese & pineapple. Each topping was excellent quality and the bold flavours somehow worked together perfectly. The size of the burger made for a challenging but rewarding bite.



If you're in Sydney, make sure you visit Paul's Famous Hamburgers for a great Aussie style burger & chips with Pineapple Crush to drink. There's a reason they've been in business for 55+ years.