Chuck Wagon 175 - another newcomer, another winner

Adelaide seems to have gone burger mad recently, with a lot of new burger places opening up. You may already have seen our review on Burgerstronomy, a recently opened burger bar in North Adelaide. A few days back, I saw some pictures on Instagram of a new place at North Adelaide called Chuck Wagon 175. I was instantly intrigued as there were some good looking burgers, onion rings and stuffed jalapeños in the picture.

So I did my research, found their Facebook page and decided we would give them a try. Not really feeling like a night out, take away was the decided method. So the precursor for the pictures is that they are in the take away containers and the usual chef plating has not been applied. For those of you trying to think of where Chuck Wagon, it's in the old Cold Rock building, at the movie theater end of the street. Right, on to the food!

Menu snippet

Interior

Chuck Wagon 175 has an extensive menu, with a focus on modern American style food, burgers, fancy hot dogs and sides to compliment. While deciding, I had a quick discussion with what appeared to be the manager. We discussed the lack of need for promotion in Adelaide for such a venue, and how word of mouth is a fantastic tool if the food is good. The place was semi full, and given that they had only been open for a few days, it seemed as if this was working for them.

I stuck to a few main items I always like to compare, the burger and the onion rings. I also ordered the stuffed jalapeños and a side of chilli cheese fries because I was hungry, real hungry. The order didn't take too long to come out, taking into account that new places are generally still teething in the first few weeks. Also, I was able to listen to the feedback of other diners whilst waiting, which was all positive.

These fries are making me thirsty!

The chilli cheese fries are almost a meal on their own! Chilli was nice, not very chilli hot but with enough warmth to let you know it’s there. The chips are your standard shoestring fries, nothing special there, and the liquid cheese on top did taste like the liquid cheeses I had on fries at Yankee stadium or at Nathan’s hotdogs in NYC, so some level of authenticity there. A good start. 

Very good onion rings

The onion rings were as good as I've had in Adelaide. Clearly freshly battered, nice and crispy fried with thick onions inside. Exactly how I think they should be. Enough said, make sure you get them when you’re there. The jalapeños were stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in thick bacon. The jalapeños weren't overly hot, but had that smokiness that balanced well with the creamy cheese and fatty bacon. An OK side, not sure if I would get them again next time. 

Chuck w/cheese

Now, onto the most important part of the meal, the burger! Chuck Wagon are very open about their ingredients, stating that their mince is freshly chopped every morning, and they use 100% Chuck (funny about that) as their burger patty. I do enjoy knowing the blend of meats that goes into a patty, as it gives you a little more insight into the tastes of the chef and what they believe a burger patty should be.

The patty is definitely a winner, still moist with a decent crust and sufficient seasoning. It is served on the rarer side of medium, which for me, is my preference. For others, including my wife, it isn't.   If I was to be negative about anything with this burger, it’s that the menu doesn't state its serving style. If you were at a restaurant, you would be informed of the chef’s preferred serving style for any cut of meat, and in addition, asked how you would like it. I think if a burger place is going to serve a patty in a similar style, then a similar disclaimer should be presented to the diner. I know this is being picky, but it resulted in the meal not being enjoyed as much by her, as she isn't much of a fan of rare meat.

After the patty, the simple additions of lettuce, tomato and onions provide fresh and crunch to the burger. The aioli isn't strong, nor does it need to be with such a juicy patty. The provolone cheese provided some creaminess, with good melt, but not overly strong, nor would you expect that from a provolone. Like many burger bars in Adelaide, Breadtop buns are being used to provide a little sweetness, softness, whilst also holding some good form til the end. I personally really enjoyed the burger, the patty is definitely the king here, and that’s how I think it should be. A stronger sauce might be a nice addition for those that like it saucy! I’d rate it on the same level as my other favourites, Burger Theory and Press. Maybe a better patty than those two.

Overall, for a burger location that is freshly opened, they have got the basics right. Do your burgers and onion rings right, and I’m going to return. It’s also great that there is some competition in the modern burger scene in Adelaide, and some more suburban locations for us all to visit. I'll eat in next time, cos they have a bunch of free condiments! 

Nathan gives Chuck Wagon 175 17/20 chops on The Chopping Board.

Food: 8.5/10 – It would be higher if there was more information about how the patty is cooked.

Ambiance: 4/5 – While I only got takeaway, while I waited, the place had a good feel to it.

Service: 4.5/5 – Friendly for sure, I was even assisted to the car with my 2 bags of takeaway!