Best Burgers - Babu Burger & Grill, Wilston

Burgers are a much under rated meal. For me, they are just the ticket when I need low fuss, filling food. And I’m not alone in burger love. Apart from the multi nationals, there are many burger shops around town catering to our needs, but where is the best?

The search for a great burger is another of my self imposed quests and I’m getting results. I’ve found candidates at Freestyle Tout, The Chelsea and Beastie Burgers. On my list is The Purple Gorilla (thanks Jodie) and Burger Urge (thanks Jen).

My partner has been raving about Babu Burger & Grill for some time.  It’s a small operation in Wilston Village at Wilston with tables both inside and outside.

Owner and chef Eyal earned the name Babu during his frequent travels to India. His cuisine originates from the north of Africa and works its way to the Mediterranean. There’s a strong and subtle mixture of spices and flavours from the region including dates, lamb, rosemary, cinnamon, garlic, cumin, traditional kofta and freshly cooked felafel, hummus, baba ghanoush, tahini, and of course the burgers.

Babu (Eyal) will tell you the story behind the burgers but not too much more as the recipe is a closely guarded secret. Eyal’s early travels lead him stay with a family upstate New York. They originally emigrated from Europe and brought with them an ancient recipe for mince meat patties. As they only had two children, one who was lost in the Vietnam War and the other who left rural life to travel the world, they handed down the old recipe to him, so long as he vowed never to reveal its secrets to anyone.

What ever the recipe, the burger is good, damn good! Good enough to go back again and again. What Babu will tell you is the meat is ground daily and mixed in the restaurant and the beef is from Queensland grain fed cattle.

I was taken by the idea of a Lady Burger which had two small buns. Unfortunately they were out of the small buns so it was a Babu burger ($12.90) for me! It came served with salad - lettuce, tomato, pickle and no onion on request, plus tomato relish.

In a first, I was asked how I wanted my pattie cooked, rare, medium or well done.  And it came that way!
You can personalise your burger with everything from cheese and fried egg to garlic or chilli butter. And beetroot, gotta love beetroot on a burger.

My partner chose a Tunisian Chicken Salad. ($15.50)

The other dish my partner raves about but I am yet to try is the Mediterranean lamb cutlets marinated in apple cider, date molasses, garlic, rosemary and cinnamon served with roast potato and green salad. ($19.50) Next time maybe.

Babu Burger and Grill
83 Kedron Brook Road, Wilston Village, Wilston. p 3356 4039.