Northside’s best burger revealed
Commercial Street Deli crowned Bartown Burger Battle champion
For the past two weeks, burger lovers on the Northside have voted for their favourite burgers and the winner has been crowned.
Commercial Street Deli, coowned by James Donato and Amanda Sheffield, has claimed victory in the first annual Bartown Burger Battle event, part of the annual Bartown Days Festival.
Contest results were revealed during the closing concert at Carmen Young Sports Complex in North Sydney on Sunday.
Danto was enjoying a day off in Inverness when he found out the business had been given the honour.
“With the feedback we were getting from customers we knew we had a shot at winning,” said Danto. “It was a nice win for sure.”
As part of the contest, which ran July 17-30, restaurants on the Northside were asked to create a specially made burger for its customers.
With that in mind, Danto and Sheffield created a bacon jalapeño burger.
“It wasn’t too spicy because we used fresh jalapeño, so we took the seeds and the membrane out of the pepper and we chopped it up and made some relish with it,” said Danto. “We used jalapeño jelly and we brushed the bacon with that and cooked the burger, so it wasn’t crazy spicy, but you did have the taste of a jalapeño pepper.”
In total, 12 restaurants participated in the contest including the Deli, Alexandra’s Family Restaurant, Bette’s Kitchen, Bianchini’s Pizzeria, Blue Mist Tavern, Carvella’s Take Out, Jane’s Restaurant, Kitchen 1409, Mariner’s Galley, The Black Spoon Bistro, Theatre Pub and Grill, and Winnie’s Wagon.
Genevieve Andrea of the Bartown Days Festival committee said the contest was an overall success.
“It was pretty good, I tried six burgers myself, so every restaurant I went into I chatted with the owners and asked how things were going and everyone basically said the same thing — it increased business,” she said.
Winnie’s Wagon was the runner-up, while Bette’s Kitchen, Kitchen 1409 and The Theatre Pub and Grill rounded out the top five. Voting numbers were not released.
Donato said they sold about 40 burgers day, selling out daily.
“The last day that we were open, the Friday, we got 30 pounds of ground beef and then we had to go back and get another 10 pounds and then we just had to shut it down,” laughed Donato, who added he and Sheffield ate burgers from other restaurants.
“I really liked Jane’s burger,” said Danto. “I’d go back for another one of those.”
Donato said the bacon jalapeño burger will remain on the menu until the end of the week and then be retired.
The Bartown Days Festival committee plans to make the burger battle an annual event.
“We liked having 12 restaurants, but if we do get more next year we are definitely not turning anyone away,” said Andrea.