The Caravan Cafe in Seymour doesn’t look like much. And it really used to be a caravan when Stella Salakowski opened it back in 1956 after arriving from Poland a few years earlier.
Salakowski sadly died on Mother’s Day this year, aged 94. Her last visit to the cafe was in March in a wheelchair and she wanted to get up and help. I was going to say “flip” burgers that that would debase her artform, the one she performed under she retired at the age of 90 after a stroke.
The actual recipe for the pattie is so secret that even Salakowski’s priest wasn’t allowed into the room when she mixed it. She passed the recipe to her daughter Barbara Zegir, who at the age of 62 has worked in the cafe since she was ten years old and is now taking one year off.
From today Jenny Dee, who is related by marriage, is keeper of the secret.
This burger is the stuff of legend. I know people who would just drive to Seymour on a Saturday night to eat one or two. The key to this burger is in the balance of the egg, pineapple, cheese and pattie – plus the bun. The bun itself has a crisp slightly caramelised crust (not as much as the excellent Rockpool wagyu burger, the best in Melbourne).
The meat pattie is not to large or small. And that’s a key point. There are a lot of people out there who equate good with size and they are wrong. This burger leaves you wanting more rather than wondering when you will get to the end of it.
At $7 the burger with the lot gives Neil Perry’s $17 wagyu a run for its money. In reality the two burgers are completely different beasts eaten in completely different contexts.
So when you are driving up the Hume Highway go straight past the first service centre you see. Don’t even think of Maccas. Turn off and drive through the main street of Seymour. The cafe is on your left by the pub.
It is a five minute diversion that is worth the effort.
Friday lunchtime we had to queue behind eleven people. Be prepared.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I love a good hamburger Ed & eating one ina country town is hard to beat. I understand the power that the graviational pull a good hamburger can have, I once went to Warnambool especially for a Kermonds hamburger & wasn’t disappointed.
Years ago, Terry Durack pronounced Andrews hamburgers in Albert Park(I think?) the best in Melbourne, a big call, I thought the burgers from Dannys in Nth Fitzroy certainly gave it a run for its money.
Sadly I am yet to find a similar hamburger Epiphany here in Tas, in fact when we arrived at town that I wont name my little bloke & I sought out the reputably best chippy for a real country hamburger. The stench of the pre-sealed, grill marked & fetid meat pattie caused me to slam-dumk both burgers into the bin inside the place before we even got out the door, much to the bewilderment of my boy & the disbelief of the owner.
Well done Ed.
We visited the week after Mother’s Day this year, and Barb was running the shop. Just a little note on the window mentioned the passing of her mum the week before. I’m not surprised she is taking a year off to do something else.
But of course through all the sadness the burgers were indeed brilliant. Your photo shows the burger in all its glory.
It’s been a while since I’ve had a truly good burger — I had a bad one at a pub here in Adelaide that put me off ordering them for a while.
Not that I’m in the area often, but when I am the Caravan Cafe will be at the top of my list for lunch.
Gobbler, I’ve heard of Kermonds. I’m of to the Coonawarra via Dunkeld in a few weeks so perhaps i can drop by and try them. Danny’s is now in St Kilda as well. the product is good but I think the quality of the mince they are using could go up a notch. Andrews definately has the edge on them and has a massive Facebook following. Of course, now we also have those posh organic burgers such as at Grill’d. they aren’t bad but could do with more fat to deliver more flavour.
Ken, it was that little note I saw so I gave them a call for my Hun column.They are glorious.
Tim, i think as the Gobbler says when they are bad they can be very bad. Just the thought of racid fat is making me ill.
My boyfriend took me away to Mansfield for a romantic weekend… and detoured via Seymour just so we could have one of these burgers. I was initially a bit cheesed off at the detour, but then very happy as you were Ed, at the quality of the burger. We also had a bit of atmosphere, eating our burgers at the Seymour vs Euroa Aussie Rules game (a country footy match is one of Australia’s great experiences).
+1 for Kermonds – And a great place to step back into time as well. I think I might make an excuse and take the family for a drive up to Seymour to see what all the fuss is about.
We love the burgers at Seymour so much so ,Ed ,that on the day my husband and I were leaving for a trip to Italy we had to stop off the freeway to eat one before we left, we had many memorable meals in Italy, as well as not so but the day we landed back in Melb and made our way home we would have stopped again had it not been 3am!! man what a hunger we had for a burger with the lot that night.These days my husband travels to Melb for work regularly and he stops in everytime, the lady always sends her regards to me too which is lovely. We think the detour is worth it every time.
Dear Ed and all the great customers of the famous caravan cafe in Seymour. I am now running/managing/cooking (what ever you want to call it) those terrific burgers at Seymour. I was so touched and happy to read all the great compliments about the burgers and the service that i felt really humbled that someone appreciates what we are doing so much that they are letting everyone else in on the secret. It has made me feel really important that im lucky enough to be the one making people happy and full all in the love of a great burger everyday that im at work.Its not just my job as of this moment, anymore, i promise to do everything in my power to keep up the excellent service and the best quality burgers your tastebuds have ever tasted! We are adding to our menu and changing a few things but never the taste or secret receipe of those mouthwatering burgers so i welcome you all back whenever you get the urge for a decent satisfying feed with good service thrown in, with now a BIGGER smile.
Steve, on ya bike!
Rosalinda,I’m sad it took me so long to take the detour.
Jenny, thanks for coming along and commenting. I look forward to dropping by again and saying hello. It just shows that people appreciate a good product produced with care.
Hey Ed, I wrote an article last month about the famous Caravan Cafe burger: http://www.oppenheim.com.au/2008/06/04/caravan-cafe-a-burger-to-remember-seymour-style/
Very tasty indeed!
Ive travelled the Hume on many an occassion and always love to stop in for a burger there at Seymour I dont even think i knew it was called caravan cafe we just call it the hamburger stand at Seymour or once i met some mates at “the HOLE in the WALL!”Didnt matter what i call it we all know where we mean to be to get a great tasting burger. The service from Jenny and her crew is very good and pleasent the burger is fantastic so what more can you ask for hey? I honestly think its the best in country Victoria! Can’t wait for my next one all this burger talk makes me long for a trip to melbourne so i have an excuse to go there for another one with the lot.
From 1969 until 1971 I used to stop most Friday nights on the way to Shepparton and on the return to Melb on Sunday nights (back to work)to buy Burgers with my mates, and later my wife.We knew the Burgers were excellent and very filling.My wife is also of Polish background but didn’t realize the “COOK” was also !The line up then was often 10 to 20 people deep.We would often buy a 7oz beer at the Pub next door while waiting.Also, many young people from Shepparton would often drive the 60 miles (100 Klm’s)on a Friday/Saturday night to simply buy Burgers and drive home again.Hard to believe now. Best wishes to all staff and customers.Ron
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