I have a longstanding burger theory. If you order the burger option from a menu you will never A, be disappointed, or B, suffer from food envy of your peers, wishing you’d had what they’d had. At Brooklyn Depot, I still stand by my first point A, however if your fellow diners decide to choose a different burger from you, then I’m afraid my theory for point B may be flawed.
Myself and Clare had the pleasure of dining at the new Surry Hills burger joint on a rainy winter Tuesday night, and the first thing to note was how busy the place was having been open for only a few weeks, which is sure to be a good sign. And busy, not just with diners inside; there was a handful of Deliveroos loitering around by the streetside take-out window (Yes that’s right, you can enjoy Brooklyn Depot from the comfort of your own sofa. Consider this as you read on).
The split level restaurant interior is kitted out aptly New York loft style; cue exposed bricks, graffiti artwork depicting some familiar Brooklynites, neon lighting and retro petrol-pumps thrown in, well, just because. Cosy diner upright booths and bench seating arrangements give the place a very sociable feel, and very Surry Hills. We like.
Be warned, inches are added to your waistline just by reading the menu, but do not let that deter you. See it as an incentive to go to the gym, and start that healthy lifestyle – tomorrow. Granted, there is the carb free option to ‘Shun the bun’, but really, if you’re going to go in you may as well go the whole hog. The menu is loaded with your typical Americana style selections; burgers, ‘dawgs’, lashings of ‘slaw and larger than life salads, with highly inspired names like ‘FUHGEDDABOUDIT’ and ‘Flip The Bird‘.
Whilst deliberating over our food we decided to embrace the whole ‘drink while you think’ mantra, and chose to sample some of the equally creative cocktails (bye bye, dry July). Thanks to some pointers from our bartender we kicked off with The Shrub Down and a Bitter Sweet Nymphony; the former a sweet and fruity concoction with a tart edge of vinegar that balanced out the sweetness; the latter a sour blend of gin and elderflower liqueur, refreshing enough to be a palate cleanser.
We eventually decided to share a couple of burgers between us and picked the very classic sounding Depot Burger; an extremely sizeable double beef patty with American cheese, grilled pineapple and depot special sauce. Cooked to perfection, that’s one hell of a burger right there.
The Filthy Pilgrim is literally a roast dinner encased in a bun. Whilst not the most aesthetically pleasing burger on the menu, the succulent turkey breast, roast potatoes, homemade gravy, cranberry sauce, brie and a herb crust is the epitome of comfort food and can only be described as a big (turkey) burger hug.
Of course no burger is complete without a side of fries, so naturally we had to order the Garbage Fries, loaded with American cheese, bacon and fried onion bits and the insanely moreish ‘frickles’ (that would be a deep fried pickle).
As if we hadn’t indulged enough, there was no option really other than to share a dessert. Informed by our waitress that the Caramel Pecan Chocolate Brownie was a big hit, we simply had to see what all the fuss was about and Oh. My. Gosh. There was definitely enough to share between the two, and the warm sticky gooeyness of this chocolate paradise is all you could wish for in brownie and more. I’m a sucker for salted caramel anyway, but this was just naughtiness to the max. Delicious.
Now one thing Brooklyn Depot is becoming pretty renowned for, is the alcoholic shakes. Our poor little bellies unfortunately weren’t up to the challenge at this point but we were advised that if you can’t handle a shake right now, there is always the option to get one ‘to go’ and enjoy on the comfort of your sofa. Next time, for sure.
This is in fact the second Brooklyn Depot restaurant to open; the first gracing the shores of sunny Surfer’s Paradise up on the Gold Coast. It’s a welcome addition to the foodie scene here in Sydney and already feels like a well established restaurant, with a stand out proposition amongst the city’s increasingly populated burger scene. Brooklyn Depot pulls off the classic American dining experience of enjoying a delicious burger and washing it down with a well-made cocktail. The bar is set high and I would be happy to wager that these guys are in it for the long haul.
WHAT: Brooklyn Depot
WHERE: 65 Holt Street, Surry Hills, Sydney NSW 2010
WHEN: 7 days a week. From 11am ’til late
WEB: www.brooklyndepot.com.au/surryhills
FOLLOW: @brooklyndepotsurryhills
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