Gastronomical ramblings

As I walked down Bridport St with thehouseofem, strong aromas of what smelt like a barbecue lingered in the air. And it only seemed to grow stronger as we approached our destination: Andrew’s Hamburgers, with no signs of smoke or barbecue in sight. Then it dawned on me that the smells could very well be coming from Andrew’s Hamburgers. This was confirmed as we arrived outside the venue. 

Follow the tantalising aromas plus the big, red HAMBURGERS sign and you’ll find yourself at Andrew’s Hamburgers. 

By all appearances it looked like a typical takeaway shop but with a few tweaks upon closer inspection. The wooden counters and walls provided a quaint feel to the interior, and combined with strong aromas reminiscent of the occasional potato cake from childhood times, the venue felt somewhat homey and cosy. The wooden walls are literally decked out in article pieces and photos. Media testimonials are plentiful, as are photos taken of the owner with celebrities and sport stars who have visited the venue. Who by the way is not an Andrew, but instead one Greg Pappas. From the photos, we were able to recognize him working hard alongside all the other workers behind the counter. 

It was super busy for a Tuesday night (and probably the case for all other nights of the week) with scores of people placing orders. The dining in option is unlikely as there is only one counter, four seats and many customers. Thehouseofem and I fortunately came at the right time because a few minutes into our wait, the seats became available and our order changed from takeaway to eat-in.  

One plain burger (onions and lettuce), with cheese, tomato and egg.

Thehouseofem and I ordered a burger each and a serving of minimum chips to share between both of us. The chips tasted just like what you would expect from any good ol’ takeaway shop except more crisp on the outside. Crunching sounds could literally be heard as we bit and chewed the chips. 

I’ll start by saying that the burgers were HUGE. I had to press down and squish the burger to half of its starting “height” before I could even begin to eat it. The first thing that came to mind with my first taste was… a kebab. A kebab in burger form. It must’ve been the onions, the meat and the white sauce, which didn’t possess the same sweetness that mayonnaise does. All the ingredients used tasted fresh. At some point I eventually encountered the egg and then it reminded me of a breakfast burger. The beef pattie was well seasoned, tender and juicy. However if left for too long, the bun will become slightly soggy due to the beef juices seeping into the bun. This became a problem towards the end for both thehouseofem and I as we struggled to make room for this beast of a burger. “Must. Keep. Eating…” (I seem to encounter this problem a lot) but we finally had to give in and throw in the towel. Or rather, the napkin. The burger wins this time around but just. Next time… 

All in all, while it hasn’t inspired me to write a poem (like Marshall does after eating a burger in How I Met Your Mother), it was still quite impressive. Great taste, very generous serving size and the super cheap prices also don’t go unnoticed. And finally, the cherry on top comes in the form of the friendliness from the owner and efficient service. 

Andrew’s Hamburgers

144 Bridport St,

Albert Park, Victoria, 3206.

(03) 9690 2126

http://www.andrewshamburgers.com.au