Comments on: Botanical $29.50 burger badly disappoints http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/ The insiders' guide to food and drink in Melbourne. Since 2005. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:40:44 +0000 hourly 1 By: Olivia http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45429 Olivia Sun, 24 May 2009 07:57:34 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45429 It's sad to hear that the once famed Botanical is in a decline. I guess I would now head to Cafe Vue for their wagyu burger (teeny tiny, $10) and Andrew's - who never disappoints. It’s sad to hear that the once famed Botanical is in a decline. I guess I would now head to Cafe Vue for their wagyu burger (teeny tiny, $10) and Andrew’s – who never disappoints.

]]> By: Chris Dahl http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45336 Chris Dahl Mon, 18 May 2009 02:52:33 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45336 I've heard many good things about the burger at the Exchange Hotel in Port Melbourne. Plan on heading there in the coming weeks to try it for myself. I must say I had the burger at the Bot probably a year ago and it was sensational. Sucks to hear it's gone downhill. You can't beat an Andrew's Burger at 9pm on a Friday night :) I’ve heard many good things about the burger at the Exchange Hotel in Port Melbourne. Plan on heading there in the coming weeks to try it for myself.

I must say I had the burger at the Bot probably a year ago and it was sensational. Sucks to hear it’s gone downhill.

You can’t beat an Andrew’s Burger at 9pm on a Friday night :)

]]> By: Patrick http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45334 Patrick Mon, 18 May 2009 00:37:10 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45334 Thanks for this Ed. Frank and non forgiving, just the way I like it. I am soooo sick of going to the effort both financially and time wise to find a restaurant that is supposed to be of high grade and have it be bitterly disappointing, you literally feel like you are being shafted. Worst still is finding a decent place, returning expecting the same experience and have it underperform. Consistency is a dying trade and that is why paying at the rockpool, longrain is worth every penny, nothing leaves a bad taste in your mouth like having a bad restaurant experience and I am obviously not just talking about the food here. Thanks for this Ed. Frank and non forgiving, just the way I like it. I am soooo sick of going to the effort both financially and time wise to find a restaurant that is supposed to be of high grade and have it be bitterly disappointing, you literally feel like you are being shafted.

Worst still is finding a decent place, returning expecting the same experience and have it underperform. Consistency is a dying trade and that is why paying at the rockpool, longrain is worth every penny, nothing leaves a bad taste in your mouth like having a bad restaurant experience and I am obviously not just talking about the food here.

]]> By: neil http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45294 neil Sat, 16 May 2009 06:34:18 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45294 Botanical burger badly disappoints. Disappoints? Bombs for me. High end burger, that's either an oxymoron or simple appropriation of a blue collar icon. A burger never looks completely at ease on a plate, no matter how it's pimped. Always folded in paper, popped in a bag with a picture just in case you forget what you ordered - don't snigger, it's been known to happen at the drunken end of a late night and possessing the latent ability to dispense murderous red stains down the front of one's clothes. Street food at its best and where it belongs. Chefs - hands off! Botanical burger badly disappoints. Disappoints? Bombs for me.

High end burger, that’s either an oxymoron or simple appropriation of a blue collar icon. A burger never looks completely at ease on a plate, no matter how it’s pimped.

Always folded in paper, popped in a bag with a picture just in case you forget what you ordered – don’t snigger, it’s been known to happen at the drunken end of a late night and possessing the latent ability to dispense murderous red stains down the front of one’s clothes. Street food at its best and where it belongs.

Chefs – hands off!

]]> By: Ed http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45291 Ed Sat, 16 May 2009 06:03:02 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45291 Kitchenhand, I'm doing it so you can reaffirm that you don't want to. Stcikyfingers, Hewitson's aren't too bad. I used to enjoy his mini burgers. never got a frozen one. Agreed on Andrews and you just mentioning them almost got me driving up to Albert Park for one. It's lack of attention to detail, in this case in what probably isn't a very happy restaurant right now from what we hear. Steve, I see what you aree saying. I still enjoy the Rockpool Bar and Grill one though which gives a reasonable entry price to the place and wagyu for , if I remember, $18. Kitchenhand, I’m doing it so you can reaffirm that you don’t want to.

Stcikyfingers, Hewitson’s aren’t too bad. I used to enjoy his mini burgers. never got a frozen one. Agreed on Andrews and you just mentioning them almost got me driving up to Albert Park for one. It’s lack of attention to detail, in this case in what probably isn’t a very happy restaurant right now from what we hear.

Steve, I see what you aree saying. I still enjoy the Rockpool Bar and Grill one though which gives a reasonable entry price to the place and wagyu for , if I remember, $18.

]]> By: steve http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45286 steve Sat, 16 May 2009 01:23:24 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45286 Hi Ed- I think the price of the burger raises ones expectations somewhat, after all $29 for roughly a 150 g pattie which would cost just over a buck in meat content alone & you can see that they're havin a larf. Stickys point is a good one. Many cheffie types take on the humble burger as they see it in the 'easy to do' category. I find most of them 'luxe' it up to the point where they have lost the 'essence' of what a burger should be & I reckon this simply done to justify the hefty price tag, they know they can get a great margin on te dish. Hi Ed- I think the price of the burger raises ones expectations somewhat, after all $29 for roughly a 150 g pattie which would cost just over a buck in meat content alone & you can see that they’re havin a larf.
Stickys point is a good one. Many cheffie types take on the humble burger as they see it in the ‘easy to do’ category. I find most of them ‘luxe’ it up to the point where they have lost the ‘essence’ of what a burger should be & I reckon this simply done to justify the hefty price tag, they know they can get a great margin on te dish.

]]> By: stickyfingers http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45281 stickyfingers Fri, 15 May 2009 17:31:29 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45281 Years ago I was one of the contributors to Epicure's annual burger review. A number of times I was despatched to Hewitson's Tolarno for their famed burgers and each time it was horrendous. The worst of them arrived frozen in the centre, while every burger that I ate from the humble Andrew's in Albert Park was perfectly formed and cost a fraction of the price. Surely short order cooking shouldn't be so hard to get right? Years ago I was one of the contributors to Epicure’s annual burger review. A number of times I was despatched to Hewitson’s Tolarno for their famed burgers and each time it was horrendous. The worst of them arrived frozen in the centre, while every burger that I ate from the humble Andrew’s in Albert Park was perfectly formed and cost a fraction of the price. Surely short order cooking shouldn’t be so hard to get right?

]]> By: Rachel http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45279 Rachel Fri, 15 May 2009 15:07:23 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45279 Wow I love the photos of the food! It's actually quite mouth watering, even if it was disappointing.... I really want to visit australia. I will definitely be using this as a food guide. Wow I love the photos of the food! It’s actually quite mouth watering, even if it was disappointing…. I really want to visit australia. I will definitely be using this as a food guide.

]]> By: kitchen hand http://www.tomatom.com/2009/05/the-botanical-burger-disappoints-in-south-yarra/comment-page-1/#comment-45274 kitchen hand Fri, 15 May 2009 08:46:32 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/?p=1207#comment-45274 Given the state of Sydney as described in last weekend's Weekend Australian business pages, soon there won't be a high end. The $140 burger was always just an absurd look-at-me marketing technique, wagyu or no wagyu, pitched to look-at-me customers. No-one really ever got deep satisfaction out of eating a $140 burger in an empty restaurant. Given the state of Sydney as described in last weekend’s Weekend Australian business pages, soon there won’t be a high end. The $140 burger was always just an absurd look-at-me marketing technique, wagyu or no wagyu, pitched to look-at-me customers. No-one really ever got deep satisfaction out of eating a $140 burger in an empty restaurant.

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