Last updated on March 15, 2016
Grilling Art is a little suburban gem. Set in a neighbourhood shopping complex in Chermside, it has a surprisingly large amount of space in its corner lot position.
It has a black and tan colour palette, making it seem just a touch more urbane. There is outdoor (undercover) and indoor seating, with a couple of booth seats indoors.
The waitstaff were prompt, showing us to our seats and bringing us menus almost immediately.
The menu, I will say, offers many options, and choosing between them was difficult. We arrived at that optimum time when both breakfast and lunch items were available. Across the pages were breakfast dishes like eggs benedict, french toast, and croissants, and even more substantial options of varieties of wraps and burgers, and alternatives of salads. Perusing online reviews, the indication seemed to be that burgers were the favourite choice. We ended up picking an Art Works burger and an Art of Ribs burger.
Drinks arrived first, and the virgin lychee mojito was delicious. A mix of muddled fresh limes, mint, lychee syrup, soda water, and ice, with couple of lychees to top it, it was a refreshing combination. The flavours all came through nicely, with just enough sweetness.
The Art Works burger, like many of the others, comes with a choice of meat. You can have your burger with beef, chicken breast, fish (salmon), or a veggie patty, so there are options that will suit most tastes. The char grilled grass fed lean beef patty was juicy and delicious. The bacon, fried egg, tomato, lettuce, relish, melted cheddar cheese, and aoli rounded out the flavours of a rather hearty burger. It was nicely saucy, if a bit messy in the eating.
The Art of Ribs burger was well recommended in some other reviews, so was the other dish we chose. Slow roasted pulled pork, onion relish, cheddar cheese, aoli, smoky BBQ sauce, and salad, in a toasted focaccia bun. What wasn’t to like? Again, generously saucy and flavourful, although the way it was presented made it hard to eat with hands. I wound up eating it with a knife and fork for fear of ingredients falling out, and sauce dribbling everywhere. The pulled pork retained texture rather than being a sloppy mess. It wasn’t overly sweet or salty.
The chips were commendably crunchy on the outside, not too oily, and appropriately seasoned.
While they have gone with the trend of serving their food on flat boards, the insightful thing they have done is pick ones with a channel around the edge so that the sauces don’t actually run off the dishes and onto the table or into your lap. I thought it important to mention this, as there are some other places that have overlooked this bit of practicality when trying to make their food presentation trendy, which unfortunately results in the diner battling escaping juices as they try to eat, or ending up with messy tables and clothes, which really takes away from the dining experience.
All in all, Grilling Art has delicious food at reasonable prices, and in a nice setting. Compared to other places that market gourmet or high-end burgers, these pack a punch for what you pay. Worth visiting, and revisiting.
Price point: Burgers $7.90 to $15.95.
Value: Great.
Details:
Address: 1/734 Rode Rd, Stafford Heights QLD 4053
Phone: 07 3359 0003
Website: Grilling Art