Chur Burger

I have been mourning the loss of the best burger place I know ever since the corner cafe near my parents' place changed owners. Gone are the soft buns, perfectly cooked beef patties and delicious caramelised onions. But then the burger god took pity on me and pointed me in the direction of Chur Burger, which recently took over the former Albion Street Kitchen.

Finding the place isn't hard but deciding on what to order was a different story. After a good five minutes of debating I finally settled on the pulled pork burger with Chur BBQ sauce, red slaw, fennel mayo and then promptly pushed away the menu, before I could change my mind again.

Besides great burgers, I hear they make pretty awesome milkshakes (all with Heilala vanilla) too. However, if you are like me and feeling a little dairy overloaded on the day, no worries. They also offer soda, beer, cider and wine, or you can dive into their spirits selection for something with more of a kick.

My friend got me a bottle of 4 Pines Kolsch to try, it's a handcrafted beer brewed a short distance away in Manly. For someone who's rather particular about beers I quite enjoyed the malty citrusy crisp taste. Then again, who wouldn't love a beer with an ingredients label that reads: "water, malt, hops, yeast +♥"?

Pulled pork burger

Albeit there was a bum on each and every single seat in the house, it didn't take long for the burgers to show up. My friend's burger (grilled beef, cheese, tomato jam, mustard mayo, pickle) received high praises, I was told the tender, juicy beef patty couldn't have been cooked more perfectly. So it wasn't surprising that one bite into my burger, I could see why Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food section named these burgers the best in town. The pork was tender, slaw crunchy, BBQ sauce and fennel mayo worked wonders together, oh and the sweet, soft brioche buns didn't fall apart on me at all. The sweet potato fries deserve a mention too, they were simply addictive!

It seems the burger god did not steer me wrong. I shall be back for more! And hopefully, the music won't be so loud next time, I don't fancy having to compete with it and yell across the table while enjoying such delicious burgers. 

Chur Burger: 48 Albion Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010   

The Little Marionette - Annandale

Lately I've been spending a lot of my Saturdays in cafes, it started out as a nice way to catch up with friends, but somewhere along the line it turned into a cafe exploration around Sydney. So when I heard the young roasting house The Little Marionette churns out pretty good coffee I called upon a friend, who, has been on the hunt for the best coffee Sydney has to offer ever since his trip to Melbourne a few months ago. For convenience, we decided to leave Balmain (the original cafe) for another time and headed over to their Annandale cafe.   

Arriving well after the morning rush we took up an empty table next to the big wide open window that looked onto the street. A quick glance at the menu told us that if you are after something more substantial, like a big breakfast, then you'd want to look elsewhere. This little corner cafe focuses mainly on their coffee and does little on the food side. However, it is worth a mention that they source their pastries and pies from the well known and much loved bakery, Black Star Pastry in Newtown.

Cappuccino & cinnamon scroll

While contemplating a healthy dose of muesli with yoghurt and fresh fruit I spotted some deliciously looking cinnamon scrolls on the courter and the decision was made for me. My friend was feeling a bit more peckish so he ordered the lamb shank and red wine pie.

I'm no coffee connoisseur by any means, but I have an idea of what good coffee is since I do drink my share of it these days. And true to word of mouth, the house blend was fantastic! Rich, smooth and oh the delightful bittersweet chocolatiness (is that even a word?). 

Also known as Little Marionette on the Dale, this little corner cafe run by proudly self named "coffee nerds" definitely got my thumbs up for its delectable coffee and well chosen pastries, it also scored in the cool factor with its "secret" room behind a revolving bookcase. Oh and the huge smile I got from my friend after he took a few sips of his coffee told me that we'd return one day soon for an espresso, well, maybe a macchiato for me. It seems my dear friend might have at last found the best coffee Sydney has to offer.

The Little Marionette: 8A Trafalgar Street, Annandale, NSW 2038