Frankie's latest burger rocks!

There’s just something about the phrase “Limited Edition”, especially when it’s regarding food – that makes it oh so much more desirable.

I was invited to sample Hard Rock Café’s latest creation; The GUINESSS Irish Stout and Jameson Irish Whiskey infused-burger alongside their refreshingly sweet Jameson Irish Mule cocktail. A limited edition pairing in honour of St Patrick’s Day that was guaranteed to make your taste buds feel luckier than a leprechaun brandishing a four-leafed clover.

Well, burger me – who could say no to that??

Having been begrudged a burger of substance for quite some time now, I felt this was the perfect opportunity to come out of patty rehab and really reward my appetite with something incredible.

We arrived early evening, the atmosphere already abuzz with James Brown singing up the big screen, cocktail enthusiasts sinking well-deserved Hard Rock Hurricane and fellow food lovers pouring over the varied and classically American menu.

We were seated by a lovely hostess and welcomed by our server for the evening, Andy. Andy was incredibly friendly, funny and the kinda guy you’d want to be friends with, as with all of the Hard Rock team. They seemed to have really nailed the whole; “you wanna be in our gang, our gang” attitude and I was totally ready to sign up.

With no need to look at the menu, both myself and my dining buddy opted for the St Patrick’s Day special, upgrading our fries to an order of the GUINNESS cheese sauce fries with extra bacon bits and a portion of the parmesan fries with garlic aioli.



Our Jameson Irish Mule’s arrived, cool, icy and delicious. A twist on the traditional Moscow Mule, Hard Rock shakes up the original recipe and subs traditional vodka for Jameson Irish Whiskey and mixes with ginger beer and fresh lime. A perfect pairing for your busty burger, this tipple provides delightfully refreshing flavours without feeling too heavy before embarking on the main event.



Our burgers arrived, in all their stout and whiskey infused glory, Andy gave us the low-down on what magnificence had gone in to creating such a marvellous monster. One Certified Angus Beef patty, original bacon jam, GUINNESS infused cheese sauce, both made fresh on-site every day by the hands of the talented chefs (a factor I particularly love). Juicy tomatoes, tossed rocket and a whole lotta love.

I was pretty confident I wasn’t going to be needing no luck of the Irish with this beast.

Both hands were required as we picked up our burgers and attacked it head on as we sank our teeth into a gloriously satisfying first bite.




The burger was a succulent balance of meat and juice. A rich, smoky and seriously naughty concoction, generous layers of the house-made bacon jam gave each bite a wonderfully sweet kiss, counteracted by the salty bubbling cheese that had become the patty’s second skin.

Now this burger is no neat affair and you know what? It’s all the more delicious for it. Once you sink into that first bite, you won’t be able to stop and that’s when ALL common decency goes out the window. You’ll shamelessly lick the line of decadent bacon jam juice running down your hand, mop the remnants of burger residue up with just about anything (the bun, a fry…your fingers!) But I have a feeling the Hard Rock are so on board with that, they just really get you – you know?



The fries deserve so much more recognition that a simple side; these babies were anything but. Classic, seasoned Hard Rock fries are served by the bowlful smothered by the ingenious festive cheese sauce and topped with crispy bacon bits. Infused by the cheese sauce, these chipped potatoes carried the rich notes of GUINNESS superbly, providing an extra hit of that deliciously gooey, velvet stout flavour.

I always find the mark of a truly delicious burger, is the lack of need for additional condiments.

Putting ketchup on this burger or even the fries for that matter would have been nothing but sacrilege. Every element had been designed to marry together in perfection, from the meatalicious chunk of patty, to the naturally peppery St Paddy green rocket.

In a city that’s now in abundance of burger joints, it’s utterly refreshing to be reunited with a burger selection free from gimmicks, crazy toppings and is just about that well-seasoned, perfectly portioned meat with creative flavours to really hit that bun right outta the park (and into my mouth.)

I can’t recommend enough for you to “meat” up (ha!) With your burger-loving buddies immediately to devour this masterpiece while you have the chance. The GUINNESS and Jameson Bacon Cheeseburger will be keeping residence right up until April 10th of this year, giving you the perfect opportunity to savour this extended holiday and hit St Patrick’s Day hard.

Follow Frankie on Twitter @FrankAboutFoods!

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Posted: Monday 21st March 2016
ID: 3462 - 1635