plan b by becasse

Last week, I blogged at Cosmo about wanting a wagyu beef burger from Plan B by Becasse for Christmas. Today, I got my wish!

Miss C and I went to Plan B for lunch today. I was nursing a nasty hangover and she was nursing a bottle of champers for me for Christmas – how apt! We both ordered the 800-day grain fed wagyu beef burger, and guess what? It was the best freakin’ burger I’ve ever had. Better than New York’s famed Shake Shack burgers. Better than my stepmum’s veggie burgers (which are pretty awesome). Better than a cheeseburger at midnight.

The meat patty is generous, to say the least, and full of flavour. It’s rich, juicy and incredibly seasoned – amazing. Topped with a slice of cheese (it tastes like gruyere, but I could be wrong) that has melted over the patty deliciously, a bed of lettuce, caramelised onion, beetroot (of course) and a dollop of creamy mayo, it’s perfection in a brioche bun. And at just $10, it’s amazing value (most pub burgers are more expensive, right?) Plus, it doesn’t have fries on the side, so I’m not tempted to eat more than I need. Tick, tick, tick.

Plan B is run by Justin North, the chef behind the city’s best-known French restaurant, Becasse. This year, Justin was named Chef of the Year by the Sydney Morning Herald, and his restaurants (there are four) have won about a gazillion awards. In 2007, Becasse was named in the top 100 restaurants in the world. Pretty impressive stuff. Plan B is like Becasse’s little sister – a little less ambitious, but with the same quality and attention to detail as big sis Becasse. It’s a place to get lunch to take back to the office (like a pork belly sandwich, perhaps?) or a coffee and treat (banana, caramel and salted pecan tart, anyone?). It’s small but elegantly decked out, and might just be my new favourite spot.
Plan B by Becasse
204 Clarence St, Sydney
http://www.becasse.com.au/
9283 3450

Shake Shack

Have you ever had a really good burger? I'm not talking about fast food processed-meat-and-yellow-cheese sandwiches here. I mean real beef, gooey cheese (I like Gruyere, but just about anything without the word 'tasty' as a prefix will do), salad (ruby red tomatoes, crisp spinach leaves or lettuce, roasted capsicum and eggplant, fried onion) on a freshly baked bun...it's one of the most perfect meals you could ever hope to have.

I'm a huge fan of Sydney burger joints like Burger Bun (the Aria burger is just about the best vege burger ever) and Burger Fuel (both the Newtown and Kings Cross locations). So I knew I had to try a burger from Shake Shack while in New York. I'd heard about it via Grub Street (no surprises there). Situated in Madison Square Park, in Chelsea, it was launched by celebrity chef Danny Meyer. It's known for its burgers and the eponymous shakes. We headed there one sunny Monday afternoon following a morning at MoMA.

Despite the warnings that we'd have to wait in line for up to an hour for our burgers, we were pleasantly surprised when it only took around ten minutes. Being a purist, I ordered the Shake Burger - beef, lettuce, tomato and "Shack Sauce". Being a vegequarian, Caliban ordered the only non-meat burger on the menu - the 'Shroom burger: a deep-fried, cheese-stuffed portobello mushroom with lettuce, tomato and Shack Sauce. We shared fries and drank homemade lemonade.


The burgers were delicious - the bun was soft, the meat was tender and not overcooked, the sauce lived up to the hype. Unfortunately, within around 20 minutes of consuming them, we both needed to visit the bathroom. Sorry, Danny Meyer. I have a feeling our gentrified little tummies were too immature for this fat explosion. It was fun while it lasted, though.

For more on Sydney burgers, see Good Living's Simon Thomsen rate the best here.