Moo Gourmet Burgers, Newtown

Our meet up (or #burgerparty as we were calling it on twitter) all came about when @vegeTARAian put out the call for the best vegetarian burger in town. I suggested Moo...not because I'd been there, but because I'd heard really good things about them. Thanks to the power of Twitter before we knew it we had over 20 bloggers putting their hands up to join Tara and I for burgers. A big thanks to Detective Chow for being Organiser Extraordinaire.

Also MASSIVE thanks to Moo Gourmet Burgers in Newtown for letting 20 food-bloggers invade their restaurant with cameras blazing, take over their courtyard and eat them out of house and home. We were greeted with champers and goodie-bags - all totally unexpected and greatly appreciated. 

Looks like someone was pretty excited about the #burgerparty too!

As well as meeting a great bunch of new people, I was REALLY excited to be eating at MOO as all of their meat and eggs are free-range - AWESOME job.  There's not really too many restaurants in Sydney where you can choose just about anything on the menu and know that it's free-range (or at least not too many places that let it be known upfront on the menu which I think personally is a really important thing to do).  I hope one day this changes (the menu thing; and the meat thing too), but in the meantime GO MOO! And you know, their burgers aren't much more expensive than any other fancy burger joint.

Before I get to what I ate check out the BLACK and WHITE BURGER ($15.00) that @creamymiddles ordered.  Have you EVER seen mozzarella that is more oozy than this?  And look at that egg! 

I can't seem to go past a Cheeseburger these days.  I guess I'm trying to find an Aussie version of the AMAZING Cheeseburger I had at Shake Shack in NYC.  Moo's CLASSIC CHEESE BURGER ($12.00) was pretty close, quite messy (as all good burgers should be) and really tasty.  The beef is 100% Australian Angus Pure Natural Beef (grass fed) topped with cheddar cheese, tomato, mixed leaf lettuce, home-made mayonnaise and tomato relish.  The bun was nice and soft which I think is key to a good burger.  A side of crispy, fluffy hot chips will cost you $4.00. They are good. Get them!

I went halvies in my burger with @niccooks who choose the uber-decedant sounding DUCK and BACON BURGER ($16.50).  The patty is made from 100% free to roam Muscovy Duck (happy duck = happy Miss Piggy), delicious smokey tasting free range bacon (happy bacon = VERY happy Miss Piggy), tomato, mixed leaf lettuce, home-made mayonnaise and orange jam (I assume these oranges are happy too).  Nic order a side of beer-battered onion rings ($4.00) - man, these were AMAZING! Possibly the best onion rings that have ever passed these lips.

Full yet? We were all clutching our stomachs, but managed to squeeze in some CHEESY BACON CHIPS (Basket Only $8.95) that Moo brought out for us to try.  These were wonderful - chunky home style chips topped with cheese and crispy free-range bacon.  I loved that the chips weren't drowned in cheese or bacon...they were only "a little bit naughty".

All of this great food needs a great drink to help wash it down. Moo brought out some shot glasses of MOOteaser Milkshake for us to try, a heady concoction of Maltesers, chocolate syrup and malt.  In the end @creamymiddles and I decided to share a Strawberries and Cream Milkshake ($7.00) - a pretty mix of strawberries, malt and whipped cream.

As we all know food bloggers (and die hard piggies) have a separate dessert stomach. Even if you're busting outta your jeans and full to the brim there is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS room for dessert...especially if you find a dessert-buddy to share with (thanks @creamymiddles).  I loved this Banana Split ($7.50) - so retro, so yummy.  We choose Chocolate Topping and a sprinkle of crushed Tim Tams.

Moo Gourmet Burgers are at 232 King Street, Newtown. Phone them on (02) 9565 400.