Burger Project + LNC Dessert House

I BURGER PROJECT

Burger Project

Burger Project has received a lot of hype since its opening. It claims to have grass-fed beef and pre-flown wings, and pitches itself as a 'gourmet', 'healthy' burger joint.

 A American Cheese Burger 

American Cheese Burger, $9.90

The American Cheese Burger consists of grass fed beef, cheese, onion (raw, so I asked them to hold it), pickles, rose mayonnaise and A SECRET SAUCE.  Yes, you read that correctly - a SECRET SAUCE.

B Aussie Burger 

Aussie Burger, $10.90

The Aussie is a concoction of grass fed beef, beetroot, cheese, onion, pickles, tomato, lettuce and once again, SECRET SAUCE.

C Verdict on the Burgers

1.  Buns: snowy white and soft, tasting just like the buns served by any other fast food joint: quite sugary. I would say they have a 'brioche taste', but who am I kidding here? They're just fast food buns. If I'm being completely honest, I loved it, bring on all of the sugars, all of the sugars! However, I doubt they are 'gourmet' or 'healthy'. 
2. Beef: the beef patties are quite tasty, and are cooked so that they are juicy and pink in the middle. Approve. 
3. Secret Sauce: my taste buds don't really know what they are meant to be on the look-out for, so I guess I'll say I found the SECRET SAUCE unoffensive. A little underwhelming for something that claims to be SECRET SAUCE though.
4. Cheese: I would have preferred the cheese to be a little more melted, and not just a piece of Kraft being slapped on the burger. 
5. Other ingredients: as one would expect.

Overall, it's a tasty burger, and the beef really is very nice. However, my friend pointed out that for the price point of these burgers, they are very small and unsatisfying. The other components of the burgers (beside the beef) are neither gourmet nor healthy, though it is worth nothing that if you are gluten intolerant, you are able to ask for your burger 'in a bowl' at no additional cost - this involves them taking away the buns and adding some extra lettuce.

D Chips

Chili Chips, $2.90 (small)

Crispy and golden on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, these chips are great. Because I'm a brave brave mouse who goes marching through the house, I ordered the chili version (the other option is sea salt), and these do pack a punch. Every single chip is coated in a generous layer of seasoning, which is awesome but my non-chili-eating friend and I felt like we were going to breathe fire afterwards. The only way we were able to get through these chips was to smother every chip is tomato sauce. If you like chili, you'll love these, they are among the best chips I have ever had at a fast food joint. Gold star.

Rating: 3/5
Is the meal delicious? Yes, particularly the chips. Does it live up to the hype? Not really.
Cost: The burgers range from $8.90 - $13.90. The most expensive item on the menu is The Bacon Project burger at $13.90
Disclaimer: apparently the desserts are also quite nice, but we did not try them as my friend recommended the LNC Dessert House.
Website: http://www.burgerproject.com/
Address: Level 1, 644 George St (World Square, next to Din Tai Fung)

II LNC DESSERT HOUSE

 

Nestled on Sussex Street and admittedly looking mildly dodgy, LNC Dessert House is a complete win. This little joint serves some food, but as the name suggests, the main aim of the game is dessert. Asian desserts, on the whole, are less sweet than their Western counterparts, and that forms part of their charms. They also come in pretty respectable portions, so get used to sharing! 

A Ice Kacang

Ice Kacang, $8.50

This is LNC Dessert House's number 1 seller. On a giant bed of shaved ice, you add coconut milk, palm sugar syrup, condensed milk, rose syrup and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts (allergic-humans beware!).

The icy, sweet tower is served with:

• lychee (the fruit of joy - and did you know it is the sole member of the genus Litchi in the Sapindacea family? Now you do. You're welcome)
• jackfruit (it has a very distinctive sweet taste, a little bit like mango but much sweeter and a little banana-ish? Wiki tells us that 'in a study of flavour volatiles [in jackfruit], the main volatile compounds that were detected were: ethyl isovalerate, propyl isvalerate, butyl isovalerate, isobutyl isovalerate, 3-methylbuty acetate, 1-butanol and 2-methylbutanol'. Yeah, that's right. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my disappointment in the lack of footnoting function on this blog, thus robbing me of another opportunity to show-off dem AGLC skillz)
• grass jelly (a popular Asian dessert item made by boiling the slightly oxidised stalks and leaves of Mesona Chinensis, a member of the mint family, with potassium carbonate with a little starch, then cooled into a jelly-like consistency. It has a very mild flavour, but syrup is added to give it sweetness)
• green lychee-flavoured jelly (probably the sweetest item in this dish)
• colourful pearl balls (these have a bouncy texture). 

Icy and delicious, and very refreshing on a warm day. 

B Tropical Breezer 

Tropical Breezer, $10.80

This delightful dish has as its base three well-balanced sorbets: passion fruit, mango, and raspberry (it's meant to be strawberry, but they ran out of strawberry sorbet. I personally think raspberry is better anyway). Then, add some bells and whistles as you can discern for yourself from the picture. The Midas touch, however, are the drizzle of condensed milk and the fact that these sorbets are served with little dollops of thick cream. 

The cream takes the cheek-puckering edge off the sorbets, but the refreshing taste sorbet leaves in your mouth still shines through. An utterly delightful dessert to boot. 

Rating: 4/5
The desserts are delicious, but the ambiance is lacking. Bring good friends, not first dates.
Cost: All the sweet items were somewhere between $5.50-13.80. It is slightly pricey compared to other Asian desert joints, but well worth every cent. 
Address:12/339 Sussex St, Sydney