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Easy Street Diner

Posted in Gold Coast

Last updated on December 7, 2016

American diner-style food started catching on here about a year ago, and Easy Street Diner in Mermaid Beach continues to ride the wave. Rated the best on Crave’s list of Top Ten Burgers on the Gold Coast this year, we certainly anticipated good things when we visited.

Blink and you’ll miss it as you travel down the Gold Coast Highway. In fact, we’d driven past it numerous times and never paid it any attention. In the middle of a row of shops, the simple black and white sign doesn’t really jump out at you. We missed it trying to get there, and after we realised where it was, drove around in circles for quite a while trying to find a parking spot on the side streets.

Easy street diner outside
The outside view of Easy Street Diner from the road.

It is, unsurprisingly, set up like a diner, with low lights, a bar and service counter near the entrance with tall stools along it for seating, and booth seats along one half of the floorspace. The rest of it is polymer-topped tables that fit four plywood seats, and more metal stools against a counter outside.

Easy street diner inside
The inside of Easy Street Diner, in low light.

We were told that there was a 25 minute wait soon after we arrived, and the waitstaff who took down our details suggested that we go to The Little Mermaid just down the road to have a drink in the meantime. A couple of the staff members from the diner rolled a keg of beer down the road past us to that venue, cluing us in that they might be affiliated. The Little Mermaid was done up like a tropical retreat, with plants hanging from the ceiling, and swing seats. It is a post for another time though, as we were phoned sooner than the predicted time, before we actually got around to ordering anything there.

Easy street diner counter
The setup at the counter, puns in the back.

We returned to the Easy Street Diner, and were shown to seats and given the menu, as well as a little wooden clipboard that had the specials and drink options. The menu has lists of burgers, po’burgers, appetisers (even spelled with a “z”), chicken wings, sides, and desserts..all the things that come to mind when you think American greasy spoon diner.

Easy street diner kitchen
A sneaky peek at the kitchen the heart-stopping food comes from.

Between us, we decided on the pork belly bites, the onion rings, and a few burgers, namely the Double Royale burger, the soft shell crab burger, and the pork belly burger.

The pork belly bites had tender meat, and an unctuous chunk of fat, as is typical for the cut. This was coated in fluffy batter, and came with a sweet dip that tasted like a sweetened BBQ sauce.

Easy street diner pork belly bites
The pork belly bites in a basket, with dipping sauce.

 

Easy street diner pork belly bites
The pork belly bites closer up.

The onion rings were crunchy on the outside, coated with the same batter as the other items. The onion on the inside wasn’t quite cooked down, so hadn’t transformed into the caramelised, soft, sweet centre that onion rings usually have, and was still a bit crunchy on the inside. Fortunately, it didn’t have the pungency of a raw onion. It came with a dip that was reminiscent of what McDonald’s used to have, a tangy, fruity sauce.

Easy street diner onion rings
The onion rings, with dipping sauce.

The Double Royale burger had juicy patties of well-seasoned meat, cooked so they were still a little pink in the middle. It was also definitely cheesy, nicely melted over the meat. The burger bun was glazed on the outside, and soft and slightly sweet, in the American style.

Easy street diner double royale
The Double Royale burger as served, optional salad on the side.

 

Easy street diner double royale
The Double Royale burger. Two meat patties, and two serves of cheese.

 

Easy street diner double royale
The salad incorporated into the burger.. It does look at bit more balanced.

 

Easy street diner double royale burger
The Double Royale burger in cross section.

The soft shell crab burger had too much batter on the soft shell crab, unfortunately, so although it was crunchy, you couldn’t really enjoy or taste the soft shell crab. It was covered in a spicy sauce which also drowned any of the crab taste.

Easy street diner soft shell crab burger
The soft shell crab burger.

 

Easy street diner soft shell crab burger
The soft shell crab burger from a different angle.

The pork belly burger, similar to the pork belly bites, had juicy meat. It had a little bit of crunchiness at the corners, and had a roasted flavour. It all quickly got soggy due to the sauce, making it a knife and fork burger rather than one you could tidily tackle with your hands. The sauce was sweet and garlicky, and went well with the pork belly. There was also slaw with it, which gave extra crunch.

Easy street diner pork belly burger
The pork belly burger. A bit of a mountain of ingredients.

 

Easy street diner pork belly burger
The pork belly burger from another angle.

 

Easy street diner pork belly burger
A close up view of the pork belly in the pork belly burger.

We found the staff to be friendly and helpful, and they promptly gave us suggestions on the popular burgers as we deliberated.

Easy street diner pixels
Some of the pixel pictures in the diner.

Easy Street Diner definitely does some tasty burgers, and hits the flavour notes we are programmed to crave of salt, sweet, and fat. It has some strong contenders for best on the Gold Coast, and there were a couple of missteps in the food we had. Still, they know how to make indulgent food that appeals.

Scores:
Food 3/4
Setting 1/2
Service 1.5/2
Total: 5.5/8

Price point: Burgers $12 to $17. Sides $7 to $15.

Value: Alright.

Details:
Address: 12/2563 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach
Phone: 07 5554 6542
Website: Easy Street Diner

Easy Street Diner Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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