Chur Burger, Surry Hills

A recent, somewhat heart-wrenching disappointing sewing class in Surry Hills sees me seeking solace by stuffing my face with burgers...Chur Burgers to be precise.

I have no idea what "chur" even means. The chef/owner here is a Kiwi, ergo it's a Kiwi term.  The mind boggles. Perhaps it's Kiwi for "Australia seems like a wicked place, let's all move there"?  The Boy and I wonder if perhaps those Kiwi's are trying to say "char" (like char-grilled burgers) but it comes out sounding like "chur"?

I don't want to leave readers dying of curiosity so a quick foray into the Urban Dictionary in necessary.  It reveals "chur" a contract of "cheers" - like "thanks". Chur bro'.

Only a few months ago this place was a fancy-pants restaurant called Assiette. Assiette closed down to make way for a slightly less fancy-pants restaurant called Albion Street Bistro. Chur Burger sprung up around the same time as a "pop-up" in the backyard of Albion Street Bistro...until the whole place burnt down.  From the ashes rose Chur Burger, taking over the whole restaurant in what appears to be a smart move given they've been selling out of burgers nearly every day.

 

One of the best things to come out of NZ, besides Lolly Cake and Smokey O's BBQ is LP (Lemon + Paeroa), a delicious, sweet but lemony soft drink. I always thought "Paeroa" was some weird secret ingredient but I was told recently it's a town in NZ. 

We kick things off with a serve of BBQ Chicken Wings ($10.00) that come with a creamy, delicious blue cheese dressing.  The wings are very sweet and I think they could've done with a bit more a savoury note.  The blue cheese dressing is so delicious I basically hog the whole bowl to myself. Oink.

I have plans of working my way through the menu, but on this first visit I decide to be a traditionalist and order the Beef Burger ($10.00) that comes with melted cheese, tomato jam, mustard mayo and sliced pickles. 

I enjoyed my burger, though my buddy Katie said hers was too heavy-handed on the mustard mayo (it was literally oozing out the sides)...mine on the other hand was just right. This is a really good sized burger and for $10 I felt like it's a bit of a steal (especially in Sydney). The patty was good, and well done just like I'd asked for. I loved the slight heat the mustard mayo gave the burger and they were really generous with the pickles = thumbs up! The tomato jam was a nice touch and gave it a bit of a fancy pants edge over other burger places.  I think it was the salty, sour pickles that made this burger for me.

Sophie decided to order the pulled pork burger ($10.00). It was a little messy and she had to admit defeat or risk walking out with a burger in her lap - oops!  We each tried a bit of the pork which was quite sweet and not smokey like I was anticipating.

Where there are burgers there must be CHIPS!! Potato ($5.00) or Sweet Potato ($5.00)?  Or, you could get both like we did. I really loved the potato chips. The were fat + fluffy and were seasoned with a savoury chili salt. I especially loved them when I dipped them into the creamy blue dressing that we had left over from the chicken wings. The sweet potato chips were nice and I liked having a choice of two different types of chips.  They were an inconsistent shape however so some were nice + crisp and some needed just a smidgen more in the fryer.

There's been A LOT of hype about this place since it opened hence my expectations were SKY HIGH which is always a dangerous thing!  I couldn't handle another disappointment so soon after my sad sewing class.  Whilst the food didn't blow my mind like Shake Shack did, it was decent.  I wouldn't line up for an hour to eat here, but I'd happily turn up at a weird, late/early-lunch timing hoping to score a table and a feed.  Props to the staff who are VERY friendly and welcoming. Chur dudes.

Chur Burger is at 48 Albion Street, Surry Hills. Phone them 9212 3602.

Matterhorn, Wellington (NZ)

Matterhorn seems to be the coolest "too cool for school" bar come restaurant in windy old Wellington...which is funny considering that it's been kicking around since 1963.  It's older than both The Boy and I, and about 1000 more hip too! 

Matterhonrn has a recent makeover giving it a sleek, hip new interior that reminds me a lot of Melbourne's CODA.  A revamp of the menu helps to brings this old joint right into the 21st century. It would be interesting to see some photos of what this place was like back in the 60s. I can't quite imagine it.

We were quickly running out of time in Wellington and a quick pit stop seemed like the best way to squeeze in a visit to Matterhorn.  Proving that we are in too uncool for anything we arrive right on opening time (3pm) for a spot of afternoon tea (how very nana chic of us). Of course at 3pm they are not serving the full menu so we grab four out of the five of their bar snacks and sit back and enjoy our snacks.

I really enjoyed the white bean + lemon dip that came with shards of crispy pita bread and a spring onion relish (NZD$9.00). The dip was zesty thanks to a hint of lemon, quite creamy yet lighter in texture than the more popular hummous.  The pita bread chips were super crispy and certainly seemed like a more healthy alternative to chips. I found a really simple recipe for this dip + chips and whipped it up to take to a BBQ recently - I was a bit heavy handed on the garlic, but other than that it was good.  The nori salted potato crisps, house soured cream (NZD$7.00) on the other hand is something that I'd never be able to replicate at home. The crisps we so thin and wonderfully salty with hints of nori flavour  throughout. The were perfect just on their own so we left the sour cream to its own devices.

The bit sized morsels of crispy fried corn fed chicken (NZD$15.00) was served with a really interesting sour peanut sauce.  Interesting in a good way of course, still very peanuty yet slightly sour at the same time - like it had been mixed with vinegar.  The salt cod croquettes with lemon and saffron aioli were as soft and pillowy as mashed potatoes yet quite strong in flavour - probably not great for people who don't like their fish fishy, but we devoured them in minutes.

Mattheron can be found in the Cuba Street Mall - 106 Cuba Street, Wellington, New Zealand.

Logan Brown, Wellington (NZ)

Wellington’s Logan Brown is a beautiful place – set inside an old bank building with high ceilings and an enormous chandelier the first glimpse of the octagonal dining room is simply stunning.  Like Sydney’s Rockpool Bar and Grill this dining room is dressed to impressed and the setting alone tells us we’re in for a fantastic evening. The vibe is elegance...and the food is spectacular!

Of course with beautiful dining rooms and spectacular food come a bit of a price tag.

I was dead keen to go to Logan Brown on my recent work trip to NZ but just wasn’t sure we could afford such a fancy meal on top of what was going to be a week long trip of eating out.  Lucky for me my inner bargain hunter kicked in. Whilst scouring their website I noticed a deal too good to be true – three courses for $45 per person...you just had to dine at 5.30pm. Not a problem for me as my inner-nana LOVES an early dinner.

Our meal kicks off with freshly baked house bread that marries perfectly with the salted butter as well as the olive oil + balsamic mix.

The Boy orders what has now become his new favourite beer "Three Boys Wheat".  I think he likes the flavour but he probably likes it more so as it comes in a HUGE 500ml bottle - bottoms up. I opt for a lovely local Pinot Gris - I don't' know much about wine (ok, anything about wine) but I've recently discovered that Pinot Gris is the drop for me.

As part of our pensioners dining-deal we could choose from two entrees, three mains and two desserts. The Boy and I show that we both have impeccable taste by ordering the same entree and main.

Our entree of Maple Smoked Salmon with Fennel Slaw, Beets and Horseradish Cream is divine. The salmon has distinct smoked/woody flavour and scent that we both adore and the fennel slaw and horseradish cream lend a fresh, light flavour to the strong smokiness of the fish.

It seems silly to go to NZ and not order lamb – there are after all more sheep living here than people!  The Coastal Spring Lamb Rump with Kumara Gratin, Crushed Peas and Thyme Jus was BEAUTIFUL. The lamb was cooked perfectly, still fairly pink and so tender, but not bloody which is a no no for this piggy.  The Kumura Gratin tasted less like sweet potato and more like regular potatoes and the crushed peas were like spring on-a-plate. A beautiful dish, of well-balanced flavours, that showcased some beautiful NZ produce.

Having had some wonderful cumin carrots at Atelier just the week before we could not resist a side order for carrots cooked in honey and soy.  It was such a colourful and fresh tasting dish that got me thinking I should try growing some heirloom carrots on my balcony garden rather than just the Bunnings seeds I have at the moment.  I also ordered a little garden salad...just because.  I really love the flavour adding a squeeze of lemon gave to the bowl of salad leaves...really “zesty”. I'm going to add lemon to my leaves at home...so simple, but so tasty.

When it comes time to order dessert The Boy’s love for chocolate shines through and he orders the and super naughty Whittakers Chocolate Vengeance with Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream. I just love the name “chocolate vengeance”.  The slab of chocolate mousse was sinfully sweet and super rich, an aptly named dessert I think.  My dessert, Billy Scott's Strawberry Shortcake with Eton Mess, felt a lot more virtuous – mainly due to its lack of chocolate. The shortcake was lovely – not too heavy, and the Eton Mess was more of a foam atop the biscuit than the smashed pavlova I was expecting.

This was a great night and a really special dining experience. I had thought for $45 we’d perhaps get tiny little serves, but the portions were very generous and we left rubbing our bellies and feeling very satisfied.

Logan Brown is at 192 Cuba Street (Te Aro), Wellington Central, New Zealand.