Hamburgers are hot. They are a major part of the dude food movement and imagination is encouraged to go wild. Where once it was de rigeur to wedge a slice of tinned beetroot between the beef patty and the iceberg lettuce, now pretty much anything goes – as long as you can put it between two halves of a roll and eat it in your hands. There are a number of places around Melbourne that are pushing the boundaries of hamburger possibilities, and one of them is Three One 2 One.
It wasn’t that long ago that Three One 2 One was one of those all-day-breakfast bars, but over the last several months it has been gradually transformed into a dedicated burger joint. The experiment started with just a burger or two added to the breakfast menu, but they proved to be so popular that ‘breakfast’ has disappeared and the range of burgers expanded, including one that has quickly become legendary – the Kick Ass Mac ‘n Cheese Burger. The modern take on milk-shakes (served in a jar and topped with sweet goodies) has also been embraced.
All the new burgers have undergone a rigorous process of taste-testing, but what makes this reinvention all the more impressive is that the owner Krishna is vegetarian, so there is only one item on the burger menu that he has tasted – the veggie burger. Has the risk been worth it? Read on…
Three One 2 One is easy to spot amongst the myriad of shopfronts on this section of Bridge Road – look for the huge iridescent green rhinoceros mural on the side wall. Indeed, many people know Three One 2 One as “the rhino place”. The theme extends inside, with many miniature rhinos gracing the deliberately distressed shelves and walls. The mural pre-dates Krishna, but he has chosen to embrace it, including supporting the Save the African Rhinoceros Fund. Breakfast may have been abandoned, but the rhino lives on.
Bilby Blue and I are here for the launch of Three One 2 One’s dinner service (which commenced on Saturday, 5 March). Guests are tempted with a subset of the full menu – three burgers and three milk shakes, plus a selection of sides such as onion rings and chubby chips.
Our award for standout of the night is shared between The Ghetto Burger (two beef patties with melted cheddar, pickled cucumber and mayonnaise) and Los Pollos Hermanos (Panko crumbed chicken breast with crispy prosciutto and mushroom creamy sauce). Both are full of flavour and texture and it is very difficult to choose a winner.
The Grilled Heaven Burger (grilled chicken with avocado, sundried tomato, fior di latte mozzarella, spinach and honey mustard aioli) is a good burger, but needs a little something more to be classed as a great burger. All of the burgers are served on excellent brioche, sourced from a small specialist supplier. The brioche are sprinkled with various types of seeds – adding a subtle nutty crunch to the burger experience.
Having experienced the quality of these three burgers, I would really like to sample the Soft Shell Crab Burger and the Get in my Belly Burger (main ingredient: slow cooked pork belly). I am sure that Krishna would oblige if asked (one guest requested the Kick Ass Mac ‘n Cheese – it looks amazing!) but there is a limit to the number of burgers that can sensibly be eaten in one sitting.
The other milkshakes are Triple Orgasm (Nutella, peanut butter, oreo, strawberries, banana, vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream, chocolate ice cream on waffle cone) and Popping Banana (almond milk, chocolate ice cream, banana and maple syrup with caramel popcorn). They both look amazing, but as much as we would like to sample these flavours, we have already eaten far too much for one evening.
Verdict
Overall
If you’re in the mood for a burger, then this is the place for you.Find it at
Three One 2 One424 Bridge Road
Richmond Vic 3121
Phone: (03) 9429 4409
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