Tried out this new burger joint that just opened up at Sylvia Park's Dining Lane.

Promises of a simpler burger and hype that the NZ Herald has partaken in, asking to order the "secret epic fries" led off to a good kick start of this restaurant, with a line nearly out the front door.

A simple menu with 3 burgers and an assortment of addons and shakes greet you as you approach the premises. Service is not the fastest with what appears to be a skeletal crew manning the kitchen. They do yell out your name once your order is ready so you have to pay attention rather than stare at your phone the whole time. Table service is not possible with the ratio of staff to customers.

The "secret epic fries" were basically fries smothered in cheese, caramelised onions, and pickles. I am not exactly a pickle fan but it was okay. Fries are apparently cut from potatoes and skin left on to be deep fried into nice crunchy fries. I have a sneaky feeling that the regular "non epic" fries would have been pretty good too.

The burger, unfortunately, left some to be desired. There was enough meat in the patties, but it was poorly flavoured - a good dash of salt would have helped - and could have been juicier. There was lettuce and onions but it did not provide much to the taste of the burger itself. The wife stated that the bun was dry but I felt that the bun was rather dense and had a chewy texture to it. I guess it is better than most candy floss-like buns but it ended up contributing a heavy hockey puck feel and texture to the burger. Not quite what I had in mind.

A few minor improvements and this could easily replace a Maccas or a Burger King. But they've got stiff competition from more well established franchises. Only time can tell where they get to.