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MELBOURNE | The Burger Block is an Asian fusion café in Kew that specializes in unique burger flavours using Asian spices and sauces. Previously a regular café, the same family has owned this venue for 15 years. Being a family-run business, you can often see the owner Brenda or her parents cooking burgers on the pans in the open kitchen, or delivering a stacked-high burger to a table. Only a handful of tables fill the small café, but this local feel is what makes this café so endearing.
A range of breakfast items, coffees, teas, bottled juices, soft drinks, and sweet café treats are available, but the Asian fusion burgers are what entices most people to visit. Located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, there is not much competition in the area when it comes to burger cafes. Even JD’s Burgers, which is owned by Brenda’s brother, is in another suburb.
Entering the café, customers are faced with a wave of pictures lining the entire front counter, which showcase the different burgers on their menu. Brenda understands the amount of influence that food photos have these days, and is even looking at changing her menu to include a photo next to each menu item.
What sets The Burger Block apart from the countless other burger joints in Melbourne is their Asian fusion flavours. Influenced by Brenda’s heritage, as well as her travels around Asia and the world, the combination of spices used in the patties and sauces are the result of Brenda’s experimentation and creativity with mixing flavours together. Catering to all tastes, they offer fusion beef, fusion chicken, fish and vegetarian burgers, as well as a selection of “The Block Legends” to satisfy those who can handle multiple layers of beef, bacon and cheese (ranging from Levels 1-5). This venue is also quite popular amongst competitive eaters, with two burger challenges available to those who dare.
One of the most popular burgers is the Chocka Block, influenced by flavours from Australia, Japan and the USA However, we were more enticed by The Black Jack, influenced by flavours from Hong Kong and Japan, containing American cheese, bacon, grilled mushrooms, Spanish onions, lettuce, tomato, black pepper sauce and Japanese mayo. A small range of burger and side specials rotate each month, and we couldn’t help but add a side special of Cheese Sticks to one of our burgers. Other rotating specials include fried dim sims and onion rings.
With just the right amount of textural variation, caramelisation and juiciness in the burgers we tried, we were absolutely blown away by the intensity of flavours infused in the beef patties and sauces.
Heading into 2017, The Burger Block has plans to include a monthly rotation of dessert burgers (including Asian fusion flavours and non-fusion flavours) and ‘freakshakes’ to add to their expansive list of menu items. They have stopped opening on Thursday evenings after a brief stint, as Brenda found that their most popular times were during the day. On top of that, they will no longer be selling crepe cakes, instead focusing on café-style treats and, potentially, new ice cream flavours in the coming year.
With an expansive range of fusion-flavoured burgers, sides, drinks and café-style treats, The Burger Block knows how to attract customers near and far. The depth of flavour and ingredient combinations in their burgers are extremely impressive, complimented by the friendly yet laid-back nature of service that is appropriate for this local café. A must-try burger joint in the suburbs.
The Burger Block
85 Willsmere Road
Kew
Victoria 3101
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9853 5771
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.theburgerblock.com/
Open
Mon – Wed: 6:30am to 3:00pm
Thu: 6:30am to 8:30pm
Fri: 6:30am to 3:00pm
Sat: 8:30am to 3:30pm