June - July 2015

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WINE&DINE
110 Jun-Jul15
Old-school American Diner charm has
arrived in Soho’s Hollywood Road – and
not a moment too soon. Set in a 19th-
century-style railway dining car, Burger
Circus offers magical burgers, fries and
shakes with all the bells and whistles.
Part of the Black Sheep Restaurants
group, Burger Circusmajestically juggles
fun, flavour, novelty and nostalgia. The
juke box churns out a mix of 1950s rock
‘n’ roll and 1980s fun pop while the busy
servers whirl around every table with
trays of warm juicy 5oz burgers and even
warmer smiles.
The circus theme is not very evident
in the dining car but comes alive on
the menu. The Shark Rider ($88) tuna
melt and The Flame Swallower ($88)
spicy chicken burger sound fabulous
but we felt we just had to dive in to more
meaty classics.
Burger Circus
22 Hollywood Road
Soho, Central
2878 7787 |
The American Acrobat ($75)
elevated the humble cheeseburger to
spectacular heights, The Magician’s
Maytag Blue ($88) with crispy bacon
and Maytag blue cheese was another
supreme balancing act while The
Double Act ($98) itself was a juicy two-
pattie delight under the big bun top! For
a little lighter fun, The Cannonbowl is
your favourite burger without the bun
and as a salad with extra lettuce. Before
ordering we were warned to keep our
burgers half wrapped as the juices and
special circus sauce squirt out with
every bite – all part of the magic of
Burger Circus. The fries were good but
the onion rings were quite simply the
best we have ever had – chunky, sweet
onion in the crispiest batter; such a
crowd pleaser.
Novel house-made sodas also got
our attention; the Strawberry Basil was
light and fragrant as was the Ginger.
Mandarin Creamsicle and Cherry
Limeade also sounded inviting – maybe
next time, with a shot of vodka ($30) for
Dad, to spruce up the juice! Other drinks
on offer include some show-stopping
MUST-TRY DISH:
The Double Act with a side of
onion rings
Shakes: Coffee Toffee Crunch was
a bit like a high-wire act without the
net – if this combo of coffee ice cream
and toffee brittle was the last thing you
ever tasted you’d die happy! The jars
of candy on the counter were more
than just for show, as Sophia chose a
milkshake with M&Ms and later another
one with Oreos; Mars, Kit Kat, Maltesers
and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup were
also on offer. For the grown-ups, Spiked
Shakes incorporating your favourite
cocktail are a wonderful late-night idea.
Burger Circus is a heavenly piece of
nostalgic Americana and how fitting that
it’s located in Hollywood Road. High on
flavour and fun, it’s a magical treat for
young and old.
Karl Woodbury and
daughter Sophia (8)
Burger Circus Milkshake