.png)
Hunger Bustin' at the Burgery
It was a Monday morning, and I was at my local Barber's getting a much needed tidy up. In the ensuing mayhem surrounding the wrangling of kids for school that morning, I'd managed to skip breakfast, and I was about ready to start chewing my own arm off. After mentioning this completely irrelevant fact to my Barber, he suggested I try out the burgers at the Smokin' Grill and Burgery Restaurant. I hadn't been there before myself, but if there's one thing that Barbers know, it's burgers (and probably also cutting hair I guess). So I decided to heed his advice and give it a go.
Located in Shop 2, 52 Durlacher Street, Geraldton (the West side of the Australia Post building), The Smokin' Grill and Burgery Restaurant has an unassuming exterior and well presented interior, with a bit of cafe feel. There was plenty of parking available directly outside in the Post Office carpark, which was handy. Between the settings inside and out, I would estimate a seating capacity of about 40 people. According to their posted hours of operation, they're closed on Tuesdays, but open every other day of the week from 10am until 9pm, with dine in and takeaway options available.
I arrived just after opening time, which was great. Because it meant that I'd hopefully not have to chew my own arm off now, and I also had the undivided attention of the master burger purveyor. Their menu is impressively extensive. With everything from grass fed beef and dry aged steak, to lamb, pork, chicken and vegetarian offerings. They also have a range of tasty sounding hotdogs. And they even have a selection of "burger salads" for anyone watching their carbs (which I most definitely was not!).
I decided to go with the Hunger Buster burger. Which came with 2 grass fed organic beef patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, beetroot, egg, house aioli, and Smokin's special tomato relish. All of this wrapped up in deliciously toasted Turkish bread bun. All of their burgers come served with steak cut chips as standard. There's also the option to change out your standard bun, for a healthy cape seed, activated charcoal, or gluten free option.
One thing that I found quite unique, and pleasantly so, was this establishment's commitment to providing a better quality spin on an old favourite. Options like alternative healthy choice buns, sustainably sourced organic grass fed beef, and free range lamb, pork and chicken. You get the distinct impression that quality of their end product is extremely important to them. And this shows in what's delivered to your table.
As it was only 10 in the morning, I went with a soft-drink to wash it all down. But for those dining at a more appropriate time of day, the Smokin' Grill and Burgery is also conveniently licensed. And who doesn't love a burger and a beer? I made an immediate mental note to ensure I revisited during respectable drinking hours to make the most of this pairing. Again, the customer is spoiled for choice, with an extensive range of beers, wines, ciders and pre-mix spirits on offer.
I would only have been waiting for just over 5 minutes, when my order appeared in front of me. And I've got to say, it looked and smelt amazing. It was one of those burgers where you have to strategise exactly how you're going to tackle it, without ending up with half of it down your shirt. Which is exactly what my hunger was yearning for at this point. I'm pretty confident that the only thing keeping my meal together was the steak knife penetrating right through the heart of it. I decided to go with the trusted "cut em in half" method, and then hope for the best.
Armed with a fistful of napkins, I began my assault on the towering gastric offering that had been placed before me. The steak cut chips were fairly standard. Similar to those on offer from most pubs and cafes nowadays (having said that, I think the old proverbial chip bar has been raised pretty high over the last decade). Everything about the burger was spot on. From the lightly toasted Turkish bread, to the fresh crisp salad. But the stars were definitely those grass fed beef patties. Bursting with a delectable aroma and flavour. They were moist, without being oily, and they managed to maintain their integrity, for the most part, while I set about devouring them and everything around them.
As evidenced by the above image, not a lot survived the onslaught of my ravenous rampage. And I managed (to the best of my knowledge) to avoid ending up with any down my shirt or in my lap. Though I did exhaust my modest supply of napkins.
Based on reviews that can be found online from other customers, my experience seems to have been on par with what others have reported. Which is "great service, great food, and lots of it."
The only thing I would say, is it's probably best to go in hungry. I was ravenous before I walked in. But was well and truly stuffed by the time I walked out.
I can see this being a great spot for a sneaky beer and burger lunch with mates. Or you could even take advantage of the kids menu and make it a family affair. And if you can't make it to them, they even offer a delivery service. Delivery fees and minimum order values vary depending on how far out of town you are. They have a map on their website, outlining a pretty extensive delivery range, which even covers out past the airport. Delivery is offered from 4:30 - 8:45pm on weekdays (apart from Tuesday, when they're closed) and from 10:45am - 8:45pm on the weekend.
If you're like I was, and you haven't had a chance to get down to the Smokin' Grill and Burgery Restaurant in Geraldton yet, then I would highly recommend making the trip. I'll definitely be popping in again. I might even bring my Barber to thank him for the recommendation.