Cafe 51
51 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne
03 9699 7853
Burger, Cafe
$
Food
- The Dirty Bastard
- Juicy Lucy
- Large Chips
The Good
Both burgers were pretty decent, with the Dirty Bastard particularly juicy and leaking a lot of its juices in the early stages of burger-smashing.
Buns were lightly toasted and was fresh and soft.
The cheese was as usual was applied liberally and it was definitely not lacking in both quantity or quality! One of the few burgers where the cheese flavour actually distinct.
The patties were thick and juicy, with decent seasoning that complemented and brought out the beef flavours well.
The Mediocre
The bacon unfortunately in both burgers were hard and dry. Think of soggy, salty cardboard and there you have it.
The dirty bastard also had its hot sauce all in one spot as opposed to spread evenly. Coupled with a jalapeno, this made for a very chilli experience in one bite…
Tomato and lettuce were ordinary. Fresh, but nothing remarkable. However this did make the burger even more slippery and messy.
The Bad
They seem to have changed the chips since my last visit. They were terrible! There was no distinction between the outer skin and the insides, with both equally soggy and chewey. They didn’t seem to be fried properly at all.
Also, smothering it in salt and paprika most definitely does not mask the bladness and lack of crunchyness of the chips.
The Verdict
Overall a solid burger once again from Cafe 51. Flavours were bold, beef was juicy.
Only downside really was the bacon in the burger, and I would suggest just avoid the chips like the plague. They were baaaaad.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Sure. I’m always down for a burger from Cafe 51. However, some quality control issues seems to have arisen given it’s recent popularity.