Mookie first opened it’s doors in September 2017 and have been dishing up delicious burgers since then. Our Editor, Amelia, has been several times and thinks that they are one of the must try burger joints in Canberra. She recently took one of Eat Canberra’s new contributors, Maryanne Irhia, there after receiving an invite to try out their new menu. Mookie have made some changes to the burgers since opening and now have delicious wings on the menu! Maryanne had never been so read more to find out what she thought and to see what we tried….
This has been a long time coming. It was extremely overdue and a bit embarrassing to be honest. I am self-proclaimed burger enthusiast and that’s because I have had my fair share of burgers. I was so excited for the launch, we had all heard of Mookie, it was a place which was to combine American and Japanese fusion – a match made in heaven. And for some strange reason since the launch, I have not dragged myself over to try it out for myself.
So on a Tuesday night at 6pm, Amelia took me to Mookie to rectify this catastrophe. For those who want to beat the peak dinner rush, this would be the perfect time to go. You have the choice of sitting inside or outside. Upon observation of the interiors, it’s fresh, it’s hip and it’s modern. The colour scheme involves a fuchsia pink and a magenta purple which gives off a clean retro vibe.
This is what we tried…
Mookie Burger – 100% pure grass fed black angus beef, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese & Mookie sauce
If you want your classic, go-to beef burger then you’ve got one. Every burger place needs one. The Mookie sauce is very tasty and compliments the simpleness of the burger. We recommend adding the maple smoked bacon and pickles to take it to the next level!
Crispy Chicken Burger – southern Fried buttermilk chicken, mookie slaw & spicy chilli mayo
A minimalist approach to a chicken burger, it only has three ingredients. A fact that I feared would be a negative actually surprisingly works in their favour. It allows the flavours to speak for themselves. The chicken is perfectly fried with the slaw and mayo adding that extra bam! Oh and you should totally add cheese….
Shroom Burger (vegetarian) – crumbed mushroom, mozzarella & cheddar cheese patty, topped with lettuce, tomato and Mookie sauce
This was one of my favourites despite not being a vegetarian and that says something! I love mushrooms and the cheeses that accompany it really make this burger rival the others. It has your standard tomato and lettuce so it bears semblance to a Mookie burger – you vegetarians aren’t missing out! It was also very filling which I enjoyed.
*NEW* Pork Belly Burger – pork belly with Asian slaw, kewpie & pork crackling
Saved the best burger ’til last! This latest edition was an amazing decision! This burger is so tasty and flavoursome, I am salivating at the thought. Think about everything you love in a pork bao stuffed into a burger. It is so different to the other burgers on offer and definitely brings something fresh and exciting to the menu.
Gem-go-bell – Potato gems, cheese sauce, jalapeños & chives
Holy moly these were good. Potato gems are a classic favourite and it was interesting to see how Mookie put their own fun spin on them! The potatoes are covered in creamy cheese sauce *cue happy tears.*
Maple bacon fries – sweet potato fries, Canadian maple syrup braised bacon lardons, topped with chives & sweet paprika
I love sweet potato. These fries covered in sweet and sticky maple do not disappoint. The size is quite generous as the containers are deceivingly deep. The seasoning is flavoursome and the bacon lardons balances the sweetness to add that touch of saltiness. You could easily share of of the loaded fries/gems between two.
Mookie Wings – spicy crumbed buffalo wings with Texas bbq sauce or devil chilli
Damn these were crunchy. They were seasoned well and the sauce comes on the side so you can go crazy with it or just add a little! We had the 4 piece but they’re also available in serves of 8. They’re a good size for a side dish and who doesn’t love the combo of burgers and wings?
Choco & Nutella Shake
The shake delivers on the high expectations of its name. You know how sometimes you get a chocolate shake and it could be more chocolatey? Well this shake was spot on. It was almost as good as eating Nutella straight from the jar, with a spoon of course 😉
We were too full to try have the concretes but that just means we’ll have to go back! Mookie also have a vegan burger available.
HOT TIP: If you get plain fries make sure you add the nori salt seasoning!
DETAILS
Address: 21 Genge St, Canberra City
Eat Canberra dined as guests of Mookie but all opinions are our own.
Images are by Amelia Bidgood and Maryanne Irhia.
About the Author
Originally from Sydney, Maryanne is on a quest to discover all that Canberra has to offer in the food and drink scene. She is a burger enthusiast whose favourite cuisine is Japanese. You can find her sipping cocktail at the bar, in her stretchy pants at a dinner feast or in active wear for a morning brunch.
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.