Grill'd

Grill’d – 19/21 Nash Street, Rosalie Village Food Hub, Brisbane, Queensland

I’m in Australia for the next two weeks partly preparing for college that begins in approximately 7 weeks, partly playing my new role as brother-in-law for Christmas and partly getting a head start on the wonderful food culture here. It’s amazing how much a country’s role as a food-producer shows through in its cuisine; from the quality of ingredients to the value you get for every dollar spent, no importer can hope to match that. So – while I’m here – I intend to get all the gorgeous Aussie beef and lamb I can!

Now, there is no better way to get an idea of how access to good meat impacts daily life than by having a good burger. Plain and simple, a burger is a no-fuss daily staple that fuels everyone from a college student lunching between lectures to a go-getting executive in need of a quick bite. Grill’d is a great place to experience this and brunch for 4 amounted to a mere $51.50. Their take-away menus proudly proclaim “SAY NO TO BAD STUFF” and there are no heated shelves of pre-assembled burgers oozing grease through their wax-paper wrappers to be seen; each sandwich is made to order. I think someone ought to be sainted for that alone.

While eating bizarre creations may be fun and exciting, sometimes complete focus on a single core element is required to give it the respect it deserves. So, to give the juicy hunk of cow its due, I had a Simply Grill’d with Cheese ($9.90): a 100% lean beef patty accompanied in the most basic and classic fashion with salad greens, relish, herbed mayonnaise and cheese. It was a decision I will never regret for that first bite left me dizzy from the purest, clearest sensation of – quite possibly - the perfect grilled patty. Parallel grill marks of char explode with sharp smoky flavour while the lean chuck defies logic to yield an astonishing amount of beefy juice; there is neither greasy aftertaste nor gummy chew of fillers. The garnish is barely discernible except for the crunch it provides; all is right in the world.

Another beast to keep one’s eyes peeled for this time of year (out of spring and into summer) is lamb. Well aware of that, the other carnivore of my party zeroed in on The Full Minty ($11.90), a summer special. A grilled lamb patty crowns a carefully crafted mélange of sweet beetroot, astringent rocket, juicy tomato slices, crisp Spanish onions, creamy herbed mayonnaise and the characteristic neutralizing perfume of mint jelly. Just like the beef apparently, this excellent lamb pattie was the main focus and dwarfed everything else in presence on the palate. The potentially off-putting ovine character of lamb was very mild but it still retained meaty flavour. That unusual and complex combination of vegetables provided the right combination of flavours and textures to form a throne for the princely lamb.

The only legal companion of a burger would be Regular Chips ($4.30), the immense portion was thick cut and dusted with a mild spice mix. With the barest touch of salt, the natural sweetness and creaminess of the spuds shone. The slight dryness was easily remedied with either the creamy and aromatic Herbed Mayonnaise ($0.70) or the mild heat and sweetness of Sweet Chili Mayonnaise ($0.70). It was a pity that no vinegar was on hand though…

For those weight-watchers amongst us, the menu also included a substantial array of alternatives like salads. The Grill’d Chicken Salad ($12.50) was a tad dry as the chicken was lean and naturally not very rich in flavour or juice, more sauce was needed.

A far better choice was the Mushroom Feta Salad ($11.50) as it was graced with the earthy juice of sliced Portobello. This mushroom is often used as a meat substitute because of its character and capacity to satisfy in a manner typically limited to roast or grilled beast. Crumbled feta added a burst of sharp flavour and salinity while the bed of rocket was wonderfully generous and outclassed typical lettuce with its astringency and herbaceous character.