Delving more into the intriguing past of Pub Life Kitchen easily raised the bar for my expectations in the burgers delivered. However, it was the raving reviews tossed from fellow foodies that proceeded to throw it out the window. Once I got wind that it's on the list of '5 must-eats', I knew that this operation was imperative.
Stemming from their previous home at the Macqurie Hotel, Pub life kitchen has gained quite a reputation for their 'BRGRS' menu; upping the ante even further with their wacky burger experiments which they gamely feed to the gutsy few from the public. Strange ones - sort of like the dreams Kevin Spacey's character had in 'American Beauty', think lamb pattie, jack cheese, pineapple fritter and peanut butter gravy. Say what?
Here in the Pub Life Kitchen, 'fusion' is still alive and dons a clever new costume. A humble burger can be the mannequin for an infinite number of cross-cultural wardrobe changes. However, with new safe grounds fortified in the Lord Wolseley Hotel, a strong line-up of burgers have established a cult following, brainwashing the many hopefuls who have stepped up to the plate.
We dined in a no-frills cubbyhole at the back of the pub, checked cloth graces the table tops and a nostalgic feel of the 1930s fills the place. It's a tad queer, but it all doesn't matter once the burgers make it to the table. The O.G (original gangster, should you be wondering) ($18) is a tethering stack of ground beef patty, jack cheese, onion jam, tomato, iceberg, roast garlic and lime aioli. The challenge to devour this madness is invigorating, the execution is focused with the patty cooked a nice medium rare, acquiring a steak tartare like consistency in the center; the contours of flavor distinct with the generous slathering of that piquant roast garlic and lime aioli providing pungency and then showing restraint with a gentle tilt of tang. My only gripe would be the iceburg lettuce that was placed in large chunks, haphazardly capping the burger, taking too much real estate and watering down the flavors of that heavenly aioli. The onion jam- perhaps a little too much of it- lifted the flavor profile entirely in it's sweet reduced state.
The Bird ($18) definitely received many stolen glances from me across the table, a fried chicken burger, crumbed with the imaginative litter of crushed doritos for that flavored crunch around the edges. It arrives with jack cheese (unmelted... hmph..) and a colorful slaw overhead. I ate this, beaming with genuine pleasure; the slaw executed perfectly with good texture and a good ratio of mayonnaise - the fried chicken, a sinister caramelised honey brown revealed tender innards. I would have preferred this over my O.G. , unfortunately my partner had made claims to this beast earlier and I receded in obligated respect. Next time.. I told myself.
We also had the Wagyu Aranccini ($9), just cause there wasn't enough fried food on the table (who am I kidding?) , the golden crust crumbed under the prodding fork to reveal a tomato based risotto concoction laced with tender fatty wagyu mince. Honestly, the risotto was just a tad overcooked beyond its al-dente stages; but that's just me and my overcritical gripes.
All in all, a diamond in the rough and definitely a place you would only want to share with close friends and loved ones.
Pub Life Kitchen
265 Bulwara Road,
Ultimo
t: 9660 1736
opening hours:
mon-fri 11am - midnight
sat: 12pm - midnight
sun: 12pm - 10pm
love publife, the cheeseburger is amaaazing!
ReplyDeletei'm not a big fan of the ice burg lettuce as well. but the burger was alright. bet the cheeseburger was better.
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