GOD BLESS AMERICA

There’s a new development in the battle of the burger restaurants ... and you know it’s next level when there’s lobster in your mac and cheese

BROOKLYN DEPOT THE 4217, 10 BEACH RD, SURFERS PARADISE Open: Daily from 11am until late Call: 5526 7666

WHEN Brooklyn Depot opened in 2015 it set the standard.

We queued down the street for burgers spiked with saucy syringes and shakes spiked with even better things. We swapped suddenly inadequate salty chips for fries with frickles and gorged on peanut butter and jelly doughnut balls.

And then the Coast caught up. American fare was flavour of the month and a string of worthy eateries emerged to compete for our burger buck.

Last month Brooklyn Depot had right of reply, upping the ante with a major menu makeover designed to leapfrog back to the top of the pack.

Rather than joining the mine’s-bigger-than-yours burger battle, they’ve borrowed street cred straight outta Brooklyn.

New riches include lobster mac and cheese ($18) – break through the gremolata breadcrumb crust to find the luxe addition swimming in an equally decadent three-cheese sauce. The upper-crust crustacean is also offered on a buttery toasted roll, with spicy mayo, crisp lettuce and a handful of potato chips ($19).

Baskets of Pork Belly Thingies ($16) blow chicken nuggets out of the water.

The southern fried pork parcels are coated in a crispy, salty batter and served with two sauces: sweet barbecue and apple. They’re ridiculously addictive.

Chicken ’n’ waffles ($25) gets an upgrade, with a kingsize serve of crispy southern fried chicken. The sweet, red-velvet bubble waffle base delivers as strongly on taste as it does Instagram appeal, soaking up the side serve of maple cream syrup and flavoured butter.

Familiar flavours get a playful repackaging in cheeseburger empanadas ($16) that taste uncannily like the real thing.

Want more? There’s a brisket and cheese loaded baguette to dip in a pool of beef jus ($21), shrimp and grits tacos ($20) and homemade cornbeef wrapped into jumbo spring rolls and served with Russian dressing sauce ($18).

I didn’t have the belly room to go into burgers, but suffice to say they’ve still got it. The favourites (mine is Fugazy with onion rings, parmesan frico and truffle mayo) haven’t gone anywhere.

I enjoyed the same goodnatured, upbeat service as on previous visits.

I’ve found the Surfers eatery to be particularly good for groups, the staff splitting bills with a patience few others would demonstrate. So rally the troops – you’ll need them to do this menu justice.