Bloggers and brioche at V Burger Bar

Everyone loves a good burger binge now and then. I'm not going to lie, I'm definitely guilty of this. There's something very satisfying about biting into a juicy meat patty, savouring the slices of melted cheese and the flood of sauce that accompanies it. There's so many great burger combinations, and so many important elements that need to be considered in my opinion. You need a good structure, good balance of flavours, good combination of textures. It all plays a part in being the perfect craving satisfying meal. 

Gourmet burger bars these days seem to be working wonders in this space. And there's plenty of options around between your Jus Burgers, Grill'd, Flipside, Bistro Burger and other bespoke venues. One of the first I ever tried though was back in my uni days and was V Burger Bar in Victoria Park. It still holds a place in my heart to this day. 

Keeping this in mind I was pretty pleased to receive an invitation from the V Burger Bar owners, inviting me to attend their blogger night to launch their new brioche burger range. As a complete and utter brioche fanatic, I was really keen to attend so I RSVP'd yes and brought along my best friend Vee for the night as my date.

Brioche is all the rage these days and I have to say, I'm loving it. While burger purists might cry that it has no place in the burger scene but I'm all for it. I mean when we're talking all things bread who doesn't love this buttery, heavenly offering. I actually enjoy it so much the boy and I bought a brioche loaf from the Leederville Farmers Markets on the weekend... and it was amazing!

Arriving at the Floreat V Burger Bar we entered to see a long table of other bloggers and the different stakeholders involved with this place. It's my first time at this particular V and I can see that it looks really different to the Victoria Park version - it's bright, airy and spacious. I love that you can see into the kitchen and watch the burger creation in action. It's enough to get your mouth watering!

I've been to a heap of blogger hosted nights and I have to say, I'm a sucker for branding and themes. After all I work in marketing! Here at V they had name tag necklaces and place cards - all shaped like burgers. Cute!

After admiring the branding we sit down and accept a delightful flute of champagne each, a nice way to wind down after work on a Monday. It doesn't take long before food starts coming out to the table. There's a couple share boards presented, while we're invited to choose a burger (three different versions to choose from) and place our orders.

If you're offering me fried goods, I'm always pretty keen to sink my greedy teeth into them! Naturally this time around was no different, with V Burger Bar's crumbed mushrooms luring me in. I adore mushrooms, and these were really tasty. Crunchy on the outside and just the right texture on the inside - they weren't too soft as can often happen when you fry mushroom. The chilli mayo drizzled over the top has just the right hint of heat in the flavour profile. Very moorish! And thankfully not oily in the least which is always a risk when eating fried food.

The real star for me overall for the evening is the fried haloumi. I mean really, it's like it was designed just for me! Crunchy on the outside, melty on the inside and just the right kick of salt. I love the firmness of haloumi and this one doesn't disappoint, it ticks all the boxes. I didn't need the accompanying tomato relish as I love haloumi so much but I was told it tasted really great and was a lovely addition.

Choosing which burger to order was actually harder than it should have been. I'm so easily swayed by just one ingredient in a burger that I found myself flip flopping for some time before making a decision. Thankfully when I attended Jus Burger's brioche launch they gave me sliders so I didn't have to choose. I'm so indecisive!

Here at V Burger Bar we could choose from:

• Americana - grilled prime beef patty, melted cheddar, pickle, mesculin, red onions, tomato, aioli and house relish
• Space Mushroom - cheese filled crumbed field mushroom, spicy mayo, mesculin, tomato and red onions
• Piggy Back - off the bone pork ribs, house bbq sauce, coleslaw, aioli and an onion ring

Playing it smart Vee and I decide to choose a different flavour each. We're both on the same page - as amazing as the mushroom burger sounds, we're both too keen on our meats to give that option up. In the end I opt for the Americana and she gets the Piggy Back. 

They come to the table presented simply but beautifully with tall burgers, a side of chips and some of their delicious garlicky aioli. I love the height in the burgers, they look so impressive!

Starting with the Piggy Back, it's really good and my favourite of the two we tried. The pork rib meat is juicy and saucy, melting in my mouth as I chomp down. The slightly tart but creamy coleslaw is the perfect accompaniment - it's like a picnic feast in a single mouthful!

The brioche (the reason we're all there that night!) is soft and fluffy, housing the ingredients while maintaining structural integrity. I have to say that while I really liked the brioche, I personally prefer a more buttery glazed finish to the outside of the bun, and like it when the edges are toasted with that delivered softness retained on the inside. I think having the brioche burger at BB, a Pop Up I really fell in love with their heart attack inducingly good buns. Don't get me wrong - these ones at V Burger Bar were tasty, it's just a matter of personal tastes. 

My Americana burger was sooooo juicy! There's something very elating about biting down into a thick beef patty and the juices dripping down your chin. The flavours are very classic - tried and true - and sate me completely. I love the use of the whole pickles in there which offer bursts of sharp flavour which are countered by the slightly salty melted cheese. It's a great burger!

The chips on the side are crunchy and spot on in terms of golden goodness. They're thick cut and are ideal for scooping up the addictive aioli (which I may have dipped part of a haloumi stick in mmm-mmm!). You may think it unnecessary to acknowledge the chips - I mean they're a burger place, they should get it right - right? But you'd actually be surprised how often a meal will deliver the highest of highs for me, only for the chips to be the downfall. These ones were on the money and as I filled up on them, I became pushed to the edge of my food intake capacity. I definitely slept well that night!

We managed to stick around for a bit longer after finishing our meals, taking the time to get to know the different faces behind V including the chef. There's actually six different owners, and those who were there were great to chat to. This is one of my favourite things about blogging, I love picking the brain of those in the industry - after all a big part of me really wants to one day have a restaurant of my own. It's one of those pipe dreams that may never happen but it's fun to indulge in!

What a great and very tasty night! Was lovely to be invited and also get to see some other bloggers from the Perth food scene - some I hadn't actually met before. I love the food scene here in Perth and have actually made some really lovely friends along the way. Another bonus of being a food obsessed individual!

And just when you thought the generosity of V Burger Bar couldn't be beat, we were actually given a 'Thank You' goodie bag for attending in conjunction with our free meals. I felt so spoilt! Earl grey tea, coffee beans, a soft gooey dark chocolate brownie AND a $20 V Burger Bar voucher. Wow! I think I should be saying thank you to them!

Definitely looking forward to going back soon to use that voucher - and indulge in some more fried cheese. Yum, yum! Thanks so much V Burger Bar team, we had a blast getting to know you and getting to try your new brioche line!