49 eateries signed on for the second serve of Burger Wellington, where you decided who designed the region’s best burger. No pattie was left unturned and no chip un-fried as 49 of Wellington’s finest eateries flexed their buns in the annual battle of the burger, Burger Wellington this year.
There were over 3800 votes texted in by the public this year, scoring each restaurant's burger out of 10. The top five restaurants with the highest average score became our Burger Wellington Finalists and cooked off for a panel of judges in a final bid to win the title on Monday 5 September.
The five finalists were:
- Café Polo - The Polly Burger
- Gusto Bistro - Lamb Ba'ager
- Lembas Café - This Little Piggy Went to Lembas
- The Cheeky Pipi - The Cheeky Pipi Premium Beef Burger
- Bar Saluté - Saluté Dessert Burger
And the Burger Wellington 2011 winner is Café Polo - The Polly Burger. Congratulations!
Check out photos of all the amazing burger creations from The Burger Wellington Finalists Cook Off 2011 here
A judging panel consisting of Visa Wellington On a Plate Co-director Sarah Meikle, Jason Leung-Wai from Burger Wellington sponsor BERL Economics, restaurant critic and food writer David Burton, and Greer McDonald – author of the popular Burger She Wrote blog - had the tough task of assessing the finalists based on appearance, flavour and showcase of regional ingredients.
The word from the judges is that The Polly Burger stood out because of its “great balance of flavours” and incredible texture. Even though it was vegetarian it had a certain ‘meatiness’ to it.
Chef David Thurlow says The Polly Burger was named after his wife, who is a vegetarian. “I must admit being named after my wife – there was a little bit of pressure (to win).” Now that it has won Burger Wellington, Café Polo has committed to bring The Polly Burger back to the menu and it will remain on there “until people get sick of it”.
The judges made an honourable mention to Bar Saluté's Saluté Dessert Burger for its clever nod to innovative gastronomy and its amazing 'faux burger' appearance. Chef Travis Clive-Griffin delighted the audience at the Cook Off with the intricate way in which the components of the dessert burger were put together.
Thank you to all the Burger Wellington finalists for their amazing efforts, enthusiasm and dedication to the burger cause!
Congratulations also go to Rosie Burkhart who texted in her vote for Burger Wellington, got in the prize draw and has now picked up an iPad 2 prize draw package worth over $1,500. Nice!
View the list of participating restaurants and their burgers.
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Full list of Burgers
Wellington CBD
Arizona | Crispy Arizona Venison Burger
Venison patty with smoked Black Jack cheddar, crispy pork belly and date chutney in a home-made bun
Astoria | Deliverance Burger - Sqeals like a Pig
Pulled pork with Southern BBQ sauce, dill pickle and coleslaw in an Astoria bun, with house-made potato crisps
Bay Plaza Hotel | Blue Moon Burger
Beef patty with caramelised onions, gherkins, Kapiti Kikorangi blue cheese, Wairarapa button mushrooms and rocket with home-made potato crips
Beach Babylon | Little Miss Piggy
Spicy pork patty with bacon, Kingsmeade Wairarapa Jack cheese, rocket, Tuatara beer-battered onion rings, relish and aioli in a Pandoro burger bun, with fries
Bisque on Bolton | Paua for the People
Wellington south coast paua fritter with crayfish mayonnaise and salad greens in a bap, with kumara frites
Capri Bar & Eatery | The Capri Buxom BBQ Beef Burger
Slow-roasted Wairarapa beef scotch fillet with home-made BBQ sauce, Kapiti Pakari aged cheddar, lettuce and tomato in a custom-made Pandoro Bun, with hand-cut chips
Charlie Bill - Fine Food Bistro | The Ka Pai Moolahlah Burger
Thai beef patty with a shanghai and cucumber slaw with tomato fondue in a Brezelmania chilli corn bun served with gourmet potatoes
CQ Restaurant | Cuba Quarter Burger
Free range Creole chicken patty with lettuce, Kapiti Pakari aged cheddar, cilantro and red pepper salsa in a gourmet Bakehouse bun, with fries and beer
Crazy Horse The Steak House | Crazy Horse The Burger
Prime beef and Kapiti Pakari aged cheddar patty with beetroot, tomato, gherkin and horseradish mayonnaise, with hand-cut fries
Duke Carvell's Swan Lane Emporium | The Duke's Swine Sensation
Honey-crumbed pork belly and smoked ham hock torchon, with red cabbage sauerkraut, gruyère and mustard mayonnaise on Pandoro Turkish bread
Floriditas | Burguesa de Floriditas
Thyme and parmesan-crumbed free range chicken with iceberg lettuce and chimichurri yoghurt
Fratelli | I Tre Piccoli Maiali - The Three Little Pigs
Island Bay Butchery's pork mince and fennel patty with crispy pancetta, prosciutto, rocket, tomato salsa and gorgonzola mayo in an olive and rosemary foccacia, with orgegano pattatini
Hippopotamus Restaurant | Skinny Hip Burger
Garlic-roasted Parkvale mushroom with tomatoes, rocket, Laurent's balsamic syrup, a corn fritter, Kapiti halloumi and free range egg in a home-made bun, with fries (V and GF)
Hope Bros | Lamb Bros
Minted lamb burger with a beetroot and tomato relish, cos lettuce and Zany Zeus feta in a Pandoro foccacia bun, with hand-cut fries
Juniper Restaurant and Bar | Parmesan Chicken Burger
Parmesan-crumbed chicken breast with coleslaw, tomato, cucumber, avocado, Kapiti camembert, bacon and chilli-coriander aioli, with French fries
Le Métropolitain | Allo Allo! Burger
Wairarapa beef and Island Bay Butchery gypsy bacon patty with Parkvale mushroom, caramelised onions, lettuce, Kapiti Te Horo Swiss cheese and tomato relish in a sesame bun, with French fries and aioli
Logan Brown Restaurant | Fawn and Fungi Burger
Venison patty with portabello Parkvale mushroom, cheese, sour cherry relish and rocket in a sourdough bun, with Wagyu fat potato chunks
Maginnity's | Maginnity's Burger
Wairarapa beef with sauteed spinach, portobello mushroom, caramelised onions and horseradish cream in a Brezelmania chilli corn bun
Martin Bosley's | The Crab Shack Stack
Yellow Brick Road fish cake with avocado, Harrington's bacon, tomato and lettuce, with hand-cut cheesy fries and Marty's bulldog sauce
Monsoon Poon | The Firecracker Burger
Free range chicken and duck patty with firecracker chilli, lettuce, tomato and Zany Zeus yoghurt raita dressing in a Pandoro burger bun, with French fries
Osteria del Toro | Burger Catalonia
Crispy arrow calamari with aioli, salsa romesco and rocket in a house-made Spanish-style roll, with fries
Plum | Plum in a Bun
Angus beef patty with pancetta, Kapiti Kikorangi blue cheese, beetroot relish, caramelised onions and rocket in a Cottage Lane bun, with fries, tomato sauce and aioli
Smith The Grocer | Moroccan Lamb Burger
Spiced Wairarapa lamb patty with lettuce, tomato and cheese in a Pandoro bun, with crinkle-cut fries and tzatziki
St Johns Restaurant | Strait Up Burger
Pan-seared Cook Strait groper fillet with St Johns tartare and coleslaw and coleslaw in a semolina bun, with creamy polenta chips and lemon aioli
The Backbencher Pub and Café | T. Mallard's Open Burger
Venison and beef patty with bacon, mushroom caps, grilled tomato Kapiti Kikorangi blue cheese aioli on toasted Pandoro focaccia, with chips
The Courtenay Establishment | Double Coronary Burger
A flame-broiled half-pound Randwick Meats premium ground sirloin patty with two fried eggs, Kapiti cheese and bacon between two grilled cheese sandwiches, with steak-cut fries
The Eating House | The Eating House Big Boy
Prime Wairarapa beef mince with Kingsmeade Lansdowne gouda and pickled zucchini, with fries
The General Practitioner | Prime Pâté Patty
Prime Star Wairarapa beef and bacon patty with chicken liver pate and red wine shallots , with shoestring fries and truffled mayonnaise (The General Practitioner's take on Escoffier's famous steak Rossini)
The Grill at the Amora Hotel | Amora Hotel Arabic Lamb Burger
Grilled Arabic lamb burger with rocket in a Pandoro Turkish bun with potato and kumara fries and a minted sumac-scented tahini dip
The Occidental| The Occidental Feast Burger
Moroccan-seasoned Coq Au Vin chicken with pink peppercorn sauce, gruyère, lettuce and tomato in a sesame seed bun, with fries
The Southern Cross Garden:Bar: Restaurant | The Southern Cross Vegan Burger
Home-made vegan patty with grilled vegetables, caramelised onions and spicy hummus in a Cottage Lane bun (GF available)
The Tasting Room | Bambi Beet'n Blue
Venison and Kapiti Kikorangi Blue cheese patty with truffled beetroot relish, with shoestring fries
Trade Kitchen| Tradesman's Burger
Pure Wairarapa beef with Otaki beetroot relish and Kingsmeade Ngawi brie in a house-made bun
Vivant! Restaurant & Bar| Featherston Flyer
Mozzarella-filled beef patty with roasted Parkvale mushroom and a pumpkin and cumin purée on toasted Turkish bread, with leavse and horipito chips
Wakefields Restaurant | Plaza Pleaser
Beef patty with lettuce, tomato, caramelised onions, bacon and Kapiti Pakari smoked cheddar in a Cottage Lane bun, with hand-cut fries and aioli
Wellington Suburbs
Café Polo | The Polly Burger
Zany Zeus ricotta and goat's cheese fritter with spiced beetroot, hummus and toasted walnuts in a sesame seed bun, with onion rings and hand-cut truffled fries (V)
Coco at The Roxy | Coco's Babe Burger
Cirspy confit prok shoulder with apple and cashew slaw and chilli jam, with hand-cut fries
Coucou | Le Coucou Burger
Beef patty with lettuce, tomato, Kapiti Aorangi brie, house-made pickles, béarnaise sauce, Harrington's bacon and crispy onion in a Bordeaux Bakery French burger bun
Monteith's Brewery Bar, Khandallah | The Pig and Billy Goat Burger
Seasoned Wairarapa goat patty with smoked boar bacon, red onion relish, house-smoked BBQ sauce, Kapiti Pakari aged cheddar, tomato and rocked on grilled Brooklyn Turkish pide, with fries
Soi Restaurant and Bar | The Hot Asian Chick Burger
Island Bay Butchery free range chicken with sweet chilli mayonnaise, coriander, tomato and lettuce in a Brooklyn sesame bun, with hand-cut fries
The Cheeky Pipi | The Cheeky Pipi Premium Beef Burger
Premium beef patty with grilled tomato, field mushroom, soft Kapiti Aorangi brie and beetroot chutney in a freshly baked bun
The Hop Garden | Pig and Beer Burger
Yeastie Boys-marinated pork patty with house-made hot hop sauce, lettuce, cheese and tomato on a toasted beer bread bun, with hand-cut chips and weissbier aioli
Hutt City
Burger Wisconsin Petone | The Hamlet
Grilled More Foods Petone wild pork with home-made Wadestown pear chutney, Te Horo multi-vegetable coleslaw, caramelised Te Horo onions and Seatoun aioli in a sourdough bun
Gusto Bistro | Lamb Baa-ger
Moroccan-spiced lamb patty with tomato salsa and Provolone cheese on Bordeaux bread, with hand-cut chips
The Empire | Vegelicious Burger
Spiced lentil patty with garlic-roasted Parkvale flat mushroom, beetroot, sunflower seeds, alfalfa and Kingsmead Mt Bruce Havarti cheese in a Pandoro bun, with fries
Upper Hutt
Mayfair Café | Mary Had a Little Lamb
Grilled lamb patty with Kingsmeade halloumi, beetroot confit and tzatziki in Capital Bakery's Pan de Sal Spanish bread, with herbed home-made fries
Kapiti
Lembas Café | This Little Piggy Went to lembas *Winner Burger Wellington 2010*
Waikanae free range, slow-cooked pork belly with a puha and apple salsa and rainbow coleslaw in Brooklyn Turkish bread, with crackling
Porirua
Peppermill Delicatessen | The Deli Burger
Char-grilled beef patty with caramelised onions, Kapiti Kahurangi creamy blue cheese, rocket and Ration Creek Orchard chilli apple gem, with hand-cut fries and aioli
Wairarapa
Bar Saluté | Saluté Dessert Burger
Banana and kaffir lime 'patty' with candied persimmon, coconut, mango and char-grilled pineapple on Cottage Lane ciabatta, with chunky cinnamon sugared 'fries'
The Grill at Solway Park | Roaring Stag Burger
Wairarapa venison patty with Kingsmeade Sunset Blue, bacon and mushroom, with hand-cut fries and beer-battered onion rings
