Sydney’s love of burgers is so ingrained in the fabric of the city it barely warrants pointing out. Since the days of the milk bar, burgers have firmly held the position of our favourite hand-held meal – and with good reason. The simple filling-between-bread concept is endlessly adaptable, understandably popular, and always an early go-to for some of the city’s most exciting chefs.
Burgapalooza, the annual culmination of Sydney’s obsession with burgers, is on again this September, bringing ten of the best and brightest burger creatives together for an aptly carb-loaded tribute to their craft. 10,000 hungry punters are expected to descend on Albert Square Park in Parramatta this weekend, no doubt with the intention of eating more burgers they thought possible.
Only this year, things are a little different.
While a festival dedicated entirely to burgers may sound like a carnivore’s domain, Burgapalooza 2018 is aiming to be the most inclusive yet, with some solid vegetarian and vegan options available.
“We’re definitely seeing the demand for vegetarian and vegan burgers,” festival sponsor Menulog's head of marketing Tasman Page tells SBS. “In fact, vegetarian is in Australia’s top 10 favourite cuisine types ordered on Menulog. With so many customers looking for delicious vegetarian options, restaurants have a great opportunity to innovate and expand their menus.”
Down N Out's Tofu Bae, with Old Bay-fried tofu, Swiss cheese, jalapeno pepper mayo and buffalo pickles. Source: Burgapalooza
Well-known joints BL Burgers and Down N’ Out have both answered the call for veg-friendly burgers. “BL Burgers will be creating their show-stopping I’m On Protest, featuring grilled Portobello mushroom, American cheese, smokey “Facon” jam, whiskey-pickled baby cucumbers, jalapenos and onion, pimento and cheddar mayo, and lettuce, all on a smoky milk bun,” says Page.
“Down N Out will create their Tofu Bae, packed full of Old Bay-fried tofu, Swiss cheese, jalapeno pepper mayo, buffalo pickles and oak lettuce.”
On the vegan front, there’s Soul Burger’s Vegan Steven, with Sriracha aioli, pickles, vegan cheese, vegan beast patty, veggie slaw and tomato relish.
Our ‘Burger Coaches’ will help punters get back on their feet and amongst the festival, with the likes of aerobics sessions to aid digestion, massages, sweat bands and towels.
If meat is more your thing, there’s no shortage of ways to burgers to make you feel way too full on the weekend. Try Superior Burger’s Simple Pleasures, with dry-aged beef, bacon butter (BACON BUTTER!), cheese and ‘sexy sauce’ on a malted buttermilk bun; or Hardstyle Kitchen's 14-hour wood-smoked wagyu brisket Burnt Ends burger with double patty (you may need the visit the Burger Coaching Unit after this - see below), or get your Japanese-American with Ume Burger’s Cheeseburger, with a signature beef patty, smokehouse bacon, American cheese, rice vinegar pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion and Ume special sauce.
We know what you’re wondering: what happens when you hit that inevitable burger coma-state? That’s where the BCU, or Burger Coaching Unit comes in.
Hardstyle Kitchen's 14-hour wood-smoked waygu brisket burger, Burnt Ends. Source: Burgapalooza
“Our ‘Burger Coaches’ will help punters get back on their feet and amongst the festival, with the likes of aerobics sessions to aid digestion, massages, sweat bands and towels,” says Page.
We’re hoping there’s a sensible gap between eating burgers and aerobics class.
There’ll be a chilli-eating competition for the extra brave, face painting to keep the kids entertained (while mum and dad eat their weight in burgers, obviously), and competitions for burger-related prizes. It’s the festival with something for everyone.
Burger Head's Bring The Ruckus with smashed pattie and "gravynaisse". Source: Burgapalooza
Vegan, vegetarian or meat-eater – whoever you are, go forth and eat way too many burgers this weekend. Burgapalooza has you covered.
Burgapalooza runs September 22-23 at Alfred Square Park, 353D Church Street Parramatta. Follow the festival on Facebook here.
