The burger-peddling entity known as Grill'd has been around for a while in Australia, but has only just opened up stores in Perth (one in Mount Lawley and one to follow in Subiaco). They promise healthy, low-fat burgers that are 'made with love', which to a serious mind like mine means semen. Still, despite the threat of a nutritious meal I headed on in to the Mount Lawley store to sample their wares.
The place was absolutely jam-packed, and elbows were a-flyin' as I fought my way to one of the few tables left. I scanned the menu and was faced with a lineup of intriguing burger selections, such as 'Moroccan Lamb' and 'The Zen Hen', but in the end there was only one real choice: the Grill'd Crispy Bacon & Cheese! Their claim of making healthy burgers would be put to the ultimate test, as this baby was 80% animal by-product.
HANDLING: As mentioned above, the burger came with a skewer holding the whole thing together, which made me think it would all fall apart when I began eating it. And that is what should have happened, except somehow this burger defied all the odds. The moment I removed the skewer and picked the burger up, a slice of tomato started its escape. I gnawed away at one side of the burger while the salad tried to beat a hasty retreat out the other, with the onion leading the charge. Further and further it slipped down, until I had a lengthy chain of filling dangling out the back of the bun, like a barrel of monkeys made of salad. And yet, despite this, not one piece fell out completely, except for a tiny scrap of tomato at the very end. Was this a freak occurrence, or had the Grill'd burger maestros engineered the burger to be this way from the start? We may never know the truth. SCORE: 5
In the end the burger was a mixed experience, but was a mile better than some of the other ones that have been reviewed on this blog. The inconsistent flavour and high price hurt it, but when the flavours got a-minglin' the burger really came into its own. I can't speak for how healthy it was, but it tasted good and didn't leave me feeling like I had a lump of cement in my stomach afterwards. And after my recent burger experiences that was all I was hoping for. If you haven't tried Grill'd before I would recommend you give them a shot, even if they do promise a healthy eating experience.
APPEARANCE: The first thing I noticed when my burger arrived was that it was sitting on a plate. Not a ball of foil, not a cardboard box but a real, honest-to-god dinner plate. I spent a good few minutes admiring the china before I even noticed the burger, which itself was not too shabby to look at. All of its ingredients were on display - its decent-sized meat patty, slice of cheese and salad-y undergrowth - but without it all hanging out like some cheap tart. Not a showy presentation by any means, but a quietly confident one, promising a delicious experience to follow. The only thing that concerned me was a long toothpick skewered right through the centre of the burger. Would it all fall apart when it's big moment came? SCORE: 7
INGREDIENTS: Lets take the list of ingredients straight from the Grill'd website (www.grilld.com.au): Grilled 100% lean beef, crispy trim bacon, tasty cheese, salad (tomato, lettuce & onion), relish & herbed mayo. A good lineup, as simple and straightforward as its appearance. I had the option of having the burger served in either a panini or a wholemeal bun. I chose the latter, as to me paninis are things that sit in the front of a Miss Maudes for untold ages. You can see everything being made behind the counter, ensuring your meal arrives on your table only moments after being compiled by the skilled burgernauts at Grill'd. SCORE: 7
HANDLING: As mentioned above, the burger came with a skewer holding the whole thing together, which made me think it would all fall apart when I began eating it. And that is what should have happened, except somehow this burger defied all the odds. The moment I removed the skewer and picked the burger up, a slice of tomato started its escape. I gnawed away at one side of the burger while the salad tried to beat a hasty retreat out the other, with the onion leading the charge. Further and further it slipped down, until I had a lengthy chain of filling dangling out the back of the bun, like a barrel of monkeys made of salad. And yet, despite this, not one piece fell out completely, except for a tiny scrap of tomato at the very end. Was this a freak occurrence, or had the Grill'd burger maestros engineered the burger to be this way from the start? We may never know the truth. SCORE: 5
TASTE: My first bite was mostly toasted bun, which tasted fresh yet disturbingly healthy, but a hint of smokiness pushed through, meaning I must have snagged a bit of bacon. I forged on, but the burger's initial promise quickly evaporated as I faced mouthful after mouthful of crunchy bun and too-sweet relish. The burger patty suddenly appeared thin and lacking. Still, I forged on, and was glad I did, because the closer I got to the centre of the burger, the better it tasted. Towards the middle the burger was positively juicy, all of its flavours combining together to create a veritable 'flavourgasm' (consider that trademarked!). The sweetness of the relish became tempered by the cool mayo, while the bacon infused the whole meal with smoked piggy goodness. Unfortunately the flavour began to vanish again as I worked my way out to the edge of the burger, until once against I was left with nothing but bits of wholemeal bun. SCORE: 6
AFTER EFFECTS: Nothing to report here. The burger sat pretty well in my gut, and there were no ill-effects, even after I scoffed a bagful of fries. Bravo, Grill'd, bravo... *slow clap*. SCORE: 9
VALUE: The Crispy Bacon & Cheese comes in at a pricey $11.50, which is apparently the price you pay for a healthy meal. Despite the good performance of the burger, I felt that it wasn't fully deserving of so high a price. I mean, eleven-and-a-half bucks is approaching pub food prices, and this was supposed to be a humble burger joint. If you order chips and dipping sauce to go with it (which I did) you will be looking at close to $20 for a meal.SCORE: 4
In the end the burger was a mixed experience, but was a mile better than some of the other ones that have been reviewed on this blog. The inconsistent flavour and high price hurt it, but when the flavours got a-minglin' the burger really came into its own. I can't speak for how healthy it was, but it tasted good and didn't leave me feeling like I had a lump of cement in my stomach afterwards. And after my recent burger experiences that was all I was hoping for. If you haven't tried Grill'd before I would recommend you give them a shot, even if they do promise a healthy eating experience.
FINAL SCORE: 6.5/10
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