Burger Project, World Square

My kids don't do fast food. Our choice, not theirs. With the exception of one road trip years ago when we used the changing facilities at McDonald's in Nowra, they've never passed under or through the golden arches. And the one time their father took them to a certain outlet selling fried chicken has become part of family folklore. Mummy didn't hear about it till later and was furious. 

Yet fast food is a part of Australian life and our kids can't avoid eating it forever. Which is why Neil Perry's new Burger Project at World Square is a welcome development. This is fast food that tastes good and is (relatively) good for you. And with a share of the profits going to charity, it's also good for the community.

The Burger Project set-up – which Perry is planning to roll out across the country and internationally – is much like any other fast food eatery. You order and pay at the counter, you're handed a buzzer that goes off when your food's ready, meals are served on plastic trays, and when you're done, you dispose of your rubbish into recycling bins. 

We order burgers and ice-creams in separate batches and Archie and Lulu take great delight in sitting on the buzzers, which also vibrate. There are screams of joy as they race to the counter to collect their trays. 

Their cheese and bacon burgers (which you can also get with a double meat patty if you've got a serious appetite) have a fabulous smokiness from both bacon and cheese, which, melted, has the smooth texture of processed cheese slices. Burgers are served in soft, slightly sweet brioche-like buns, that squash down so you can get the whole lot in your gob. With Valrhona chocolate and salted dulce de leche milkshakes in hand respectively, Archie and Lulu are in restaurant nirvana. 

Pick of the burgers on our visit is the Korean, a beef patty with kim chi and a spicy dressing,  though Perry's mixing things up and some burgers aren't always on the menu. 

I don't love drinking wine out of the plastic cups provided (which are also extra small), but the Sparrow & Vine sangiovese is a great match for the burgers.

The reason these burgers taste so good is because of the ingredients. Everything is made fresh, the Cape Grim grass-fed chuck and brisket ground on site. In that sense there is no difference between Perry's philosophy at Burger Project and at his other restaurants; the produce does the talking.   

In addition to burgers there are three hot dogs, golden, thrice-cooked chips – the chipotle chilli are the hands-down winner – and hot wings. There's been a run on the latter, so we don't get to taste them. Rumour has it that they rock. I might just have to sneak the kids back in to try them.

THE LOW-DOWN
Do… try the house-churned ice-cream, with an indulgent sauce and toppings. 
Don't… worry if you're gluten-free; you can order any burger "in a bowl".
Vibe… fast food that you'll let the family eat.
Dish… Double cheese burger, $12.90.