justy poppy's - middle park, brisbane. if you lived in the area, it would be one of those kinds of places that is too good to be true. right in the middle of suburbia, after several turns off the main road, just poppy's sits there quietly but not so hidden as all the buzz about their fare has reached many keen ears. my dining buddy was going through a phase of trying out all the great burger places, and this was one that was certainly on the radar; for the two of us it was quite a drive, but what a payoff it was. whether or not there is an agreement that they have earned the title, "brisbane's best burgers" they certainly are among the best for several reasons.
the shopping center where it is located does not have much else going from it, and looks near decrepit. on the bright side, getting a space to park the car should not be any issue. as for the actualplacein itself, it has a nice clean interior that is bright orange and the structure to go and order is well thought out. it is a squeeze into the corner, but the ordering counter is right to the side while diners can attempt to decide from the menu, stuck in the window double sided. there is a big hot box in the center, plus a massive drinks fridge and a freezer full of treats home ice cream. a handful of tables and chairs are out the front on the pavement to sit and eat your meal. it is nothing atmospheric, but it does do its job.
considering that after all is said and done, just poppy's is merely a takeaway place. in saying that, the service is actually really good. the young lady that was there when my dining buddy and i ate there was friendly and had a pleasant demeanor. she even brought out the order to us at the table, which is a nice touch to the place. the orders come out quick, clean and very efficient with everything well organised. at the time, there were not too many people hence it was not super busy.
the burgers at just poppy's are done in the traditional milk-bar style. by this, it means that they take a big, soft bun and fill it with of each ingredient. they are generous with their servings, and the burgers are basically a substantial and filling meal on their own, even with the smaller varieties. there is something for all tastes here, as it should be with a grand total of 69 burgers to choose from, all with cute names and clever taglines. these include rib fillets, vegetarian versions, chicken, lamb, pork and several types of fish as well as classical hamburger and an experimental selection. expect to see some strange, unusual and inventive concoctions as well as some standards (but hint, with the available selection just go weird). in addition to the massive burger menu, it doubles slightly as a small fish and chip shop with various little snacks. there are also the fries in many varieties to have on the side of the burger.
going for broke, and going the whole hog i went for the big burger as usual. the name was "flood it". if you thought a burger with the lot was too humdrum for you this throws basically everything but the kitchen sink between the burgers, here it goes. on the flood it, the burgers contains *inhale* a meat patty, fried egg, bacon, pineapple, cheese, avocado, haloumi, grilled onion, lettuce, tomato, beetroot, and choice of sauce - which i ordered "special". *exhale* also, i added on some banana to finish off the whole ordeal. boy howdy was it huge; getting your mouth around it is only the first challenge. this is one where you are inevitably going to be making a mess, and it is a meal unto itself.
everything is done cooked to order at just poppy's, and the salad items are also fresh, appropriately bright and crunchy as it should be. as can be expected, there was plenty of lettuce that it was already spilling out, plus the pineapple was plump, juicy and sweet, and the tomato and beetroot were both likewise. what makes a good burger is the patty, where this one was great; the beef was good quality and it held the burger together. on it, the avocado was creamy, the bacon crispy, the egg well done, perfectly cooked haloumi with the right amount of bite in it, the characteristic sweetness of onion, good and rich mushrooms and a sweet caramlised banana topping it all off. to get your daily nutrition worth in a quick meal, flood it probably would do the trick. finishing it off, the bread is good quality and tasted like they buttered it beforehand.
to share with my dining buddy, i got a serving of their cheesy weezy fries on the side. by "serving" that was the middle size, with cup and family being on either side as small and large respectively. these were also quite filling. the actual fries part was well cooked, with the expected hot and soft texture on the inside and a slight crispiness finishing it off on the outside. they also did not skimp on the cheese, which practically smothered the fries. it must have been that cheese whiz from a can that is often used in the united states. to describe the flavour, it had a bit of a tangy bite to it not unlike blue cheese.
my dining buddy got two burgers, thinking that two of the cheaper ones would equal smaller portions; he was in for a surprise. therefore, with his second one, he asked if i wanted to split it in half - i said yes. this had the simple name of "spud burger" where a homemade potato scallop acted as the patty with a simple selection of cheese, bacon, tomato, and choice of sauce. even the potato scallops are done fresh at the source, with *huge* slices of potato that are done in a well-constructed batter that is still light, but a few shades heavier than tempura. it is really simple, with a good and inoffensive combination of tomato, cheese and bacon and is also filling, but perhaps for a smaller stomach.
just poppy's well-and-truly knows what it is. this is the epitome of burgers, being spoiled for choice and having all sorts of options that allow even the most seasoned burger eater to find something they have not done before. for the sheer amount of choice that there is here, it will be hard to top both the scope and the number. now, the biggest challenge afterwards is knowing which ones sound the best and what one in particular you are going to order. nevertheless, that is all the more incentive to plan multiple return visits in the near future.