Rockin' it at Parlour Diner
The Windsor end of Chapel Street is home to an enclave of amazing eateries, each doing their own thing and doing it well. From Asian to Mexican it's all happening in Windsor.
A casual stroll around the area will provide plenty of inspiration and there's no way you'll be stuck for choice when it comes to eating, morning, noon or night. It really just comes down to what flavor you're chasing at that moment. When it comes to chasing flavors, there's always a few classics to seek out and the eponymous burger is one such item that can’t be ignored.
Enter Parlour Diner.
Super laid back and dripping in old school style with a bit of a retro vibe, this Chapel Street spot prides itself on banging out some of the best burgers in Melbourne. At one point it was voted best burgers in the city and its not hard to see why.
The cool thing is the place doesn't try to hard and isn't trying to be anything other than good at fried chicken and burgers. The staff are knowledgeable and enthusiastic but also completely unassuming, all the while offering an excellent level of service with a bit of banter and a smile.
By all reports the fried chicken as a stand alone item is amazing, it certainty is when thrown into a burger like the Thunderbird. This towering tribute to burgerism is truly something to behold. Packed with a massive and perfectly cooked example of their finest fried chicken, some slaw, pickles, tomato, cheese and chipotle and then topped off with their Hellfire Chilli Sauce this is one seriously delicious beast to tame.
Once presented to the table one begins to wonder how to even tackle the thing - the best bet is to just squish it down and dive in. It's not pretty to watch but deeply satisfying! The chicken was crunchy and crispy on the outside and succulent and juicy inside. The perfectly melted cheese, the chilli sauce and the chicken combine to deliver a sensational burger with every bite and at the equivalent of around 45 AED this thing puts many a 120+ AED burger to shame.
Seems there’s a big difference between burgers downunder and those from the sandpit.
The burger was so good it warranted another visit a few days later and throwing caution to the wind and to any sense of eating sensibly, a Pineapple Express was underway. This is their classic Parlour Burger tuned up with a few extras that include...... yep you got it pineapple.
Putting pineapple in burgers is such an Australian thing and for me a throwback to days gone by traveling interstate and stopping at truck-stops to fill up on a greasy burger that always seemed to have pineapple and egg on it, known as a 'burger with the lot'.
Feelings of nostalgia aside, the PE was awesome with its large, juicy and beautifully hand crafted free range beef patty, double cheese and pickles. Think of it as the best cheeseburger you've ever had.
So two sensational burgers in and its safe to say that Parlour knows what their doing.
There are other things on the menu with a range of sides that are worth exploring like the onion rings which are deep fried in a pale ale batter and well seasoned with a side of chimichurri thousand island dressing. There's also curly fries and jalapeño poppers with paprika and avocado dip (really good) as well. Rounding out the offer are a range of Hops, Grape and Long Drink items as well as Jarritos Mexican Sodas.
If you're ever in Melbourne this is a must try burger joint.
Now whether these are the best burgers in Melbourne remains to be seen but they are guaranteed to be the very best burgers in Windsor without a doubt.
Get amoungst it.
