Bites: The Local Shack @ Perth

Burgers are easily one of most versatile feeds on earth.  With a bun, you can simply stuff anything from an honest patty to a luscious foie gras (see pic here) and even deliciously grilled vegetables.  Perth is no stranger in the gourmet burger scene with Jus Burgers, and Grill’d dominating the market.  On the other hand, we still see a bunch of special places like Alfred’s Kitchen Past and Missy Moos sticking close to their roots and serving their burgers exclusively from the same place.  Past experiences at these places have never let me down, but to a certain extent some of these brands have moved from being “THE burger” to being just another burger thanks to poor quality control and a for-profit mentality. 

 

So is there still a standout in the crowd?  I was recently invited to another popular spot in town called Local Shack which serves a great combination of alcoholic beverages with delicious burgers.  To start we had crunchy chips with a herbed aioli.Golden brown crunchy goodness kept our tummies satisfied while we waited for our drinks and burgers.  It was crunchy as it should be and the aioli was just perfect.  Definitely went well around the table especially when the watermelon cocktail arrived at the table!

 

The watermelon cocktail which was the perfect drink for non-alcoholics.  The subtle alcohol taste made it easy to consume.  A mixture of Vodka and Midori gave that kick but not to the extent where one would go on a high.  I really enjoyed this drink as it was simply refreshing and the fruitiness was great considering the type of food we were about to have!

 

The burgers came looking big.  No doubt on generosity unlike some places where the patty is only half the size of the bun!  My pick for the night was the Moroccan Lamb @ $16!  Built from prime Australian Lamb, brie, roasted capsicum, and a refreshing homemade Tzatziki, this really hits the Moroccan sweet spot.  The subtle tang from the capsicum went well with a cool tatziki.  There was some heat in the burger as well probably due to the spices.  It was a great feed.  I would particularly like to point out that the lamb tasted great too. 

 

Little darling and Yv had the Bring it On @ $14 which was the Shack’s take on a good cheese burger.  Perhaps a bit more luxury with the crispy bacon, and herbed aioli included.  As expected, the girls struggled to the finish line with the little darling forced to leave her burger roll behind.  I had a little bit of hers and found the patty to be a stand out once again .  At the Shack, its not a plain patty with salt and pepper as there were herbs and other ingredients infused together.  I cannot complain about the sauces but one improvement diners will expect is the “crispy bacon” promise which was only partially fulfilled as the bacon was in no way a qualified crispy bacon.

 

Fishman had no fish for his burger but decided to fulfill his steak cravings with the Shack Steak burger  @$16.  With little complains except for the readiness of the meat, he enjoyed the burger and complement the whole package to be “still a nice burger to eat”.  Perhaps a few resting minutes before coming would have been ideal as his plate was mildly soaked with the juices from the steak.

 

Looking back at our meal here last Friday, I really found the Local Shack to be a great place for friends looking for a casual hangout.  Its laid back environment with catchy music videos paired with great burgers and drinks quickly lived up to its name, the Local Shack.  It does not throw gimmicky marketing like “healthy burgers” because seriously, let’s get real.  If I were to eat a burger, do I even count the calories? Obviously not.   

 

So this brings me back to my main question. Is there still a standout in this overpopulated scene?  Definitely yes with the likes of the Local Shack, Missy Moos and Alfred’s.  The Local Shack for me might not the BEST burger but to be honest, I have not found any burger worthy of that title yet.  More importantly, this place packs substance in their burgers!  Also, it is so depressing to find the lack of exclusivity and honesty in places like Jus Burger and Grill’d makes them no more different than McDonalds. In fact, I will not lie that Jus Burgers used to be my favourite gourmet burger place in 2008-9.  Back then it was just Leederville.  Then things started growing and the rest is history.  Sucks.

 

WenY