Bare Grill on Bourke | Surry Hills
Bare Grill on Bourke has been killing it as of late, and today remains a hot spot for any avid burger or more recently, cheese lover alike. Bare Grill have taken their success from La Perouse to the heart of Surry Hills and with the number of craft beer serving pubs, hipsters will be arriving in flocks and their success will definitely continue. Especially if they continue to keep pumping out such quality food!
The world wide phenomenon which one could only guess started in America; has been brought to Sydney (finally!) and whether you are lactose intolerant, or just don't enjoy cheese (do those people exist?) ~ either way you really have no excuse not to try it. The concept of the idea is to grill the top end of a cheese raclette and then drip your now melted cheese onto absolutely anything you can think of. While not for the faint heart, it is an experience like no other.
Have a look for yourself...
The medley of roast vegetables is seasoned and served to the table. While looking plain, the waiter then brings out the big cheese raclette which has been sitting, burning away only to scrape the top layer onto the plate. Immediately turning something most kids will shy their nose away from, to a kids dream. Yes.. we are talking about Matt here. The vegetables were nice, probably a little too soft but had nice flavours throughout. The cheese however really makes the difference.
The Trip Burger
What an experience. Gifted the name "The Trip" for good reason, the burger high you experience when eating, no demolishing this burger is what we could only imagine having a trip actually feels like. Sitting in between two glorious milk buns is a combination of a medium-beef patty, bacon, onion rings, American cheddar, a hash brown and topped with truffle mayo.
While the list of ingredients is definitely impressive, what truly made this burger our FAVOURITE burger in Sydney is the truffle mayo. Potent, defined and bold are the three words that come to mind when trying to truly express our desire for more. This was a seriously an outstanding burger and if it probably didn't take a year of our life expectancy, it would be a regular lunch option.
oh... and of course. We asked for the cheese raclette to do its thing!!
We can't say for sure what the burger tastes like prior to being blasted with hot, melting cheese. But either way the cheese raclette option is a definite must. Trust us, we know our burgers! We also saw many diners opting for this option. It's almost like a must order at Bare Grill.
Scotch Fillet
Tony and Mike from Ompty ordered the Scotch Fillet steak, cooked medium rare. Bare Grill not only excels in burgers, but can also grill up a mean piece of meat. Serving a masterful piece of steak really comes down to two main factors. The quality of the meat and how it is cooked. Bare Grill has done wonderfully as the meat was soft and tender, yet nicely charred for flavour on the outside. The perfect option for those not wanting to be diagnosed with high cholesterol and eat a much more healthier alternative to the burger!
Continuing the trend of healthy alternatives, Bare Grill also has a range of salads to choose from. The idea to not just specialise, but branch out and try new menu items is surely paying off. Not only does it provide a healthier option for conscious eaters, but if they do it well they can be the perfect side to your burger or steak. The burrata salad was tasty indeed. Simply tomato, a thick balsamic vinegar glaze and a fresh piece of burrata and you have yourself something simple, tasty and light.
Continuing the trend on healthy options, the lamb and watermelon salad is suited more for the carnivores like Matt who need to sink their teeth into something. The balance of flavours in this dish really quite suprising. Lamb with watermelon is really something we had not considered before, but somehow it just works. To top it off (quite literally), the lamb serving is very generous. You can see from the picture above that the lamb to salad ratio is quite high; effectively making it a lamb and salad option. If this option is too healthy for you, then we are sure if you asked nice enough you could probably add the cheese raclette to it ~ even though it doesn't need it!
Sweet Potato Wedges
Salad isn't the only side dish for your burgers (can I get an Amen!). The sweet potato wedges are served with sweet chilli and sour cream and are a great plate filler. The wedges are super crunchy, even those at the bottom of the basket. Great option if you aren't feeling like a salad.
Nutella 'Bare' Shake
To finish the feast with a bang, we were presented with a 'Bare' shake. While we can only guess the contents, there was a strong flavour of Nutella throughout. It made us feel like kids again as we sipped away at our shakes, The shake wasn't actually too heavy either and the flavour was mild, so you weren't left hunched over by the end of it. The whipped cream didn't add much to the overall taste, but more for presentation. Still a great way to finish a big meal. The typical burger, fries and shake combo is blown out the door with the food at Bare Grill;
where no food is simple.
The fit-out at Bare Grill is quite impressive. There is sufficient seating, both indoor and outdoor with an open kitchen to view all the fun and drama that goes on behind the scenes of making your burger. There is a mural to remember those loved and lost which really enforces the family-first value that Bare Grill lives and works by. From the few hours we spent at Bare Grill, you can definitely feel it in the atmosphere!
Snapshots of Food dined as guests of Bare Grill on Bourke and Ompty.