Corner Burger
It may not be the Shangri-La but their burger game is A+.
Overview
In the heart of Epsom, on an unassuming street corner you'll find a shabby, green burger joint that looks like it may be in need of a renovation. Corner Burger (CB) is emblazoned across a green sign above the shop window, the tiles inside are green and the benches running around the back side of the room are green. Behind a tiled counter (guess what colour it is) there's a small kitchen where you'll find a couple cheerful young chefs/servers sizzling something on the grill.
So we've established that CB isn't exactly the Shangri- La, a fact that doesn't matter at all provided they serve a good burger. And, for brioche and bacon fiends these meaty creations are bloody excellent. Feeling a little exotic I went for the dukkah lamb burger, with feta, beetroot jam and aioli.
The lamb was impeccably cooked, juicy and tasty, while the feta was generously apportioned combining beautiful with the beetrot jam, all inside a pillowy brioche bun. In a blind state of hunger brought on by delicious lamb, I madly eyed my burger buddy's fried chicken burger. This masterpiece included 2.5 hour marinated chicken, rolled in the crunchiest crumbs ever then fried to perfection, before being slathered in house-made chipotle aioli and onion jam. The fried chicken was so damn-fine it could have quite easily been served by itself at many restaurants in Auckland and still thoroughly impressed. And at only $12 for all burgers it's not too pricey.
On a subsequent visit I had a go at the brisket burger, to equally delightful results. The meat inside is slow cooked for 14 hours, (with results better than most Auckland barbeque joints) then coated in delicious hickory barbeque sauce, resulting in a carnivorous creation of impressive flavour. I'm told the pulled pork is similarly prepared and perhaps even more delectable.
Don't even get me started on the fries ($6). Perfectly crunchy, with the skin on and dipped in amazing house-made aioli, these babies may just be a close second best in Auckland (after Burger Burger's truffle potato skins). So yes, despite its shabby appearance Corner Burger is an incredibly delicious newcomer to Auckland's continually improving burger landscape - one which may eventually challenge for the glorious title of Auckland's best burger.