Barry's Bun-believable Burgers
The great Adelaide burger rush that swept our city early in the decade was seen as a fad by many. The scene has since been refined greatly and has firmly planted itself as a staple. Imposters have been exposed and sent packing, while a few places stand tall above the rest and Barry's Burgers is one of those places. Located right at the beach end of Semaphore Road, Barry's is decidedly awesome from the get-go.
A perfectly curated playlist sets the scene for the perusal of a somewhat straightforward but ultimately tantalising menu, as well as the full range of South Australia's very own Pirate Life beers - a welcome sight after some time spent on the beach. Our pick? The beastly IIPA. Just make sure you don't have plans to drive home soon after.
The aim of the menu is clear; satisfy your craving for a juicy burger without making you feel like you need to climb Mt Lofty to balance a 3-hour food coma. All dietary requirements are catered for with gluten-free and vegan options available. The MANABOUTADL team were kids in a candy shop on our recent visit.
After browsing the menu we ordered the "Staunch Deluxe" containing two beef patties, 2 rashers of double smoked bacon, 2 slices of American cheese, Onion Jam, Housemade mayonnaise and rocket with an additional fried free range egg & Sweet potato fries. The sweet potato fries were thick and actually had substance without being over fried.
The smokiness of the patties and bacon were evident from the first bite while the onion jam was strong but not to the point that it overpowered the rest of the burgers contents, the egg's yolk was that soft that it burst as I bit into it and the rocket in place of lettuce was consistent with their approach to keep their burgers light but still fulfilling, however the most important part was the bun itself, as it had the softness of a brioche without the sweet taste and without the dense feeling of a Turkish bun while still being able to hold the weight in the burger without splitting or coming apart at the bottom.
We also ordered *Barry's original bird", the standalone chicken alternative on the menu (don't let that make you think that you can't add chicken to any of their items on the menu) containing their seasoned fried chicken, iceberg lettuce, tomato, chipotle mayonnaise and haloumi cheese because you can never go wrong with haloumi (I would also recommend adding avocado to it) and the "Baz Deluxe" filled with a beef pattie, a rasher of smoked bacon with housemade mayo, American cheese and rocket both of which are Barry's most popular items and substantial enough to appease any cravings you may have.
The menu caters for everyone, from the gluten free bun option for any burger to the vegetarian and vegan options from 11am - 9pm Tuesday - Sunday and customers can order online on Ubereats. Their beer range was impressive, containing a local range of beers (Pirate Life Pale Ale, Golden Ale, Throwback Session Ale & Stout) while their cider (Adelaide Hills) & wines are from SA, embracing the common trend for locally sourced produce & liquor.
Owner Chris Ratnaike took over the business from his sister 6 months ago
ensuring it remained a family business and was visibly enthused when we discussed the business with him and the potential for growth throughout summer and years to come. Most importantly he stressed the motto of wanting to provide burgers that made and left you feeling good and from personal experience I can validate that it did just that.
By the time we'd left the premises there were between one and two dozen people in the store and I can definitely see why, Mr Ratnaike's passion for preparing and serving food to his customers and the appreciation shines through the quality food and customer service. While being situated on a street with so many culinary options to dine at it would be plausible to suggest that there is a fierce competition for business along the road, however Chris believes in establishing what you're good at and sticking to it and he's certainly nailed his burgers.
With its close proximity to the beach and welcoming atmosphere it's only a matter of time before word spreads around Semaphore, the northern suburbs and Adelaide itself and I look forward to Chris & "Barry's Burgers" reaping the rewards of their hard work, reflected in every burger they make. Feel free to check them out at barrysburgers.com or call them on (08) 7226 3241 you won't be disappointed.