BunBar in Manly offers healthy burger bun options including falafel and grilled rice
Want a burger without the guilt? A new burger joint has opened in Manly offering healthy bun options including falafel and gluten-free rice buns. Find out what we thought.
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A range of healthy burger bun options to suit all dietary requirements including vegan, gluten-free, paleo and keto have been unveiled at Manly’s newest hip restaurant.
Among them is the novel sounding falafel burger, which took top chefs a year to perfect, according to the “bun innovators” behind the concept.
Suitable for vegans the filling is cucumber, tomato, tabouli, red cabbage and lettuce topped with pickles, hummus, and a tahini drizzle, sandwiched between two pieces of falafel that won’t crumble in your hands.
It’s believed to be Australia’s first.
In a Manly Daily taste test it didn’t disappoint.
Even for the meat eaters you didn’t feel cheated with the vegan option.
It was packed with flavour, fresh salad and herbs and the top secret sauce was absolutely delicious.
Gary Linz, the co-founder of the globally successful Portuguese chicken restaurant chain Oporto, is behind the new operation along with business partners Stephen Grant and Deanna Bechara.
Other healthy bun options include fluffy baked bao buns, falafel buns, gluten-free rice buns (soon to arrive) and lettuce buns.
Mr Grant, 32, who was formerly in corporate, and Ms Bechara worked with chefs for 12 months to get the right texture and taste for the new products.
“We are the bun innovators,” he said.
“In the past everyone has focused on experimenting with the burgers, but no-one has innovated the buns.
“We are the disrupters.”
The cool new 60-seat venue on Darley Rd opened earlier this month with the hope of attracting the health-conscious beach goer looking for quality food.
“Manly locals are very open-minded and want healthy options,” Mr Grant said.
“We serve boutique burgers fast, but it is not fast food.
“We care very much about the taste and the product but will get the food to people within 10 minutes, but the aim is to get it to people in six minutes.”
Along with the falafel burger, two plant-based ‘meat’ options and a yummy vegan chocolate smoothie, there are also traditional burgers including grilled beef patty, pulled smoky beef brisket, spicy grilled chicken and southern fried chicken (available soon). They can be paired with different bun options depending on your dietary requirements.
Unlike KFC and McDonald’s which have disappeared from Manly in the past 12 months,
BunBar is happy for customers to take their time in this “fast food” joint.
They serve tap beer, bottled beer, icy cocktails and rose wine.
Groups wanting drinks and nibbles are welcome, with falafel bites, chicken bites and fries easily shared.
But the burgers are the headline act and at $12.50 or under they compare favourably with any gourmet burger restaurant in terms of quality and taste.
Mr Grant said the concept was a good fit in Darley Rd which was fast becoming known as a “hot strip for food and booze”.
He said he was working with other small businesses to help promote it as the new dining destination for foodies.