Burger 10 distinguishes itself by having a menu with ten burgers representing 10 countries around the world: America, Australia, China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco and Thailand. Covering so many countries, the burgers span from the classic (Australia/America) burgers to your more adventurous (everything else, really, with a non-burger plate of rice topped with a beef patty for Japan).
2016
It’s situated on a corner block along Glebe Point Road with generous outdoor and indoor seating. For their second birthday, Burger 10 ran a promotion for $8.00 burgers.
This is the one representing China: the Pork and Prawns Burger ($8.00 during their birthday promotion, $13.50 normally) with a traditional steamed bun, ginger shaosing rice wine marinated pork and prawns patty, cucumber, green shallots, hoisin sauce and soy mayo.
I had multiple reservations on ordering this burger – I’m super averse to ginger and not a big fan of steamed buns – but ever persuasive D convinced me to be more adventurous as I could eat a good classic beef burger elsewhere. And I’m glad I got this burger!
The meat patty is definitely the highlight – juicy and tender at medium rare. The ginger was almost undetectable in the marinade, which was otherwise fragrant atop the hoisin sauce, and the cucumber gave the burger a refreshing crispness. While the base of the steamed bun did suffer a slight sogginess, I didn’t mind it and it certainly added a decidedly ‘Chinese’ element to the burger. That said, the generous dollop of the soy mayo compromised the structural integrity of the burger as it caused everything to slide around. While decent for $8.00, it’s not something I’d return for at full price.
To accompany, I try the Lychee & Mint Yoghurt Smoothie ($7.50). This was rather disappointing as there was an overwhelming yoghurt flavour with the slightest hint of mint, and none whatsoever of lychee.
While likely an anomaly, the service on the day was also wanting. A customer ahead of us ordered almost 30 burgers for take away without calling ahead, so everyone in the more than half empty restaurant at 1pm were forced to wait over thirty for their burgers. The staff warned of the wait time, but left a lot of customers annoyed – one lady up and left after a refund. They may make more money now from the single inconsiderate customer, but they’re not going to have many of those other 20 annoyed customers return. Indeed, like me, they may have been a first timer trying out their burgers during the promotion.
2017
Eighteen months since my first visit to Burger 10 during their 2nd birthday promotion, T’s penchant for a good burger in Glebe saw us returning. Burger 10 is the burger joint with ten burgers representing 10 countries around the world. I’d tried their Chinese Pork and Prawns Burger on my first visit.
This time, I dabble in Italy with the Smoked Chicken Thigh Burger ($11.50) with a traditional focaccia bun, thyme and lemon scented smoked chicken thigh fillet, beetroot, rocket and fennel aioli.
I enjoyed this burger immensely. The chicken thigh was deliciously juicy and tender with a good smokey flavour, while its caramelised tangy sauces mixed well with the slight sharpness from the fennel aioli and rocket and the earthy sweetness from the beetroot. The rocket and beetroot also added welcome freshness and crunch, while the focaccia was lightly toasted so as to retain its pillowy softness.
N goes the Morocco-inspired Chicken Steak Burger ($11.90) with a classic burger bun, chermoula spiced chicken breast, roasted pumpkin, tomato relish, minted yoghurt coleslaw, and harissa mayo. Being somewhat of a flexitarian, N found the chicken a touch dry and the overall burger lacking fresh greens to cut through the richness of the spiced chicken and generous slathering of mayo.
And T goes for the American Classic Beef Burger ($10.00) with a classic burger bun, grass fed beef pattie, tomato chutney, beetroot, pickled cucumber, rocket leaves and mayo. He enjoyed the optimal ratio between its components: the size of the bun as a vehicle, the tenderness of the beef pattie, the freshness of the rocket leaves and beetroot, and the acidity from the pickled cucumber and tomato chutney.
My first visit saw us waiting over thirty minutes for our burgers due to a large takeaway order ahead of us. This second visit saw the same thing happen. It’s great that their takeaway business thriving, but it doesn’t encourage dine-in customers to return when there are only two tables filled in an otherwise empty restaurant. So, Burger 10 does some pretty decent burgers, but be prepared to wait.
Monday is the least convenient day for eating out with numerous establishments closed for the day. They want a break following the weekend rush and customers are less inclined to dine out so early in the week. Like the restaurants, though, T also chose to take off Mondays. So our plans to eat at the then newly opened Goku Ramen Bar dashed, we head back across the road to Buger 10.
I’d been always curious about the Halloumi Roll ($12.50) and having tried two of their burgers, I felt it was time. It consisted of traditional mini pretzel buns, grilled halloumi, minted yogurt coleslaw, rocket & tomato relish.
Halloumi has the most delicious texture and here it was briny and grilled to perfection on a bed of fresh, tangy and crunchy veges. The rolls were tender with a distinct pretzel flavour although it could’ve been a tad less soft with a crisper crust. Overall, the halloumi and the pretzel rolls hit the spot for a ‘meaty’ cheese and carbs.
T goes for the Lamb Burger ($12.90) and enjoys it immensely. This is the burger for Greece with a classic burger bun; lamb, oregano, mint and fetta cheese patty, charred eggplant purée, red capsicum, Spanish onion, kalamata olives and cucumber tzatziki.
Burger 10 continues to have a good variety of tasty regionally inspired burgers to suit every taste.
Burger 10 is located at 39 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW 2037.