Thaiger - CLOSED

Overview

Hidden down a laneway filled with classic tourist trap restaurants is where you'll find — or almost walk right past — Thaiger. Admittedly, this Thai burger joint has found itself wedged next to the enormously popular Sushi Monger, so the queue for hand rolls may dwarf this little hole-in-the-wall during the the lunchtime rush. Thaiger may, at first glance, look rather insignificant — but think again.

Offering something a little different in the way of fast lunchtime options, Thaiger cooks up what can only be described as fusion burgers. Here they take the standard burger construction — tomato, lettuce and beef patties — and replace the staples with with the likes of crispy pork belly, coriander and tom yum mayo.

Roughly $15 will set you up with a burger and a side. The Crying Thaiger is a tangy Thai take on the classic beef burger, a crispy chicken concoction comes in the form of the Chick-Chick Bang-Bang, and the soft-shell crab Pou-Nim Black Burger (with a charcoal bun) is a stand out. With names like these, Thaiger is more than worthy of a queue out the door at lunchtimes.

One downside to the store's small stature is the lack of seating. They have made plans though to get some table and chair action happening in the very near future. However, they are well prepared for takeaway and we would highly recommend grabbing a seat on Bourke Street and watching the world go by, burger in hand.

This is definitely one worth trying out. The flavours these guys are creating are incredibly fresh, and while they look risky on paper, the burgers just work — and they're served in a cute little Thaiger box.