Dining review: JB & Sons opens second burger bar in Dee Why
First Freshwater, and now Dee Why. JB & Sons has brought its burger brand to the beach.
Manly
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Two letters, one man and an indeterminable number of sons, now has a second beachy location.
George McLean and Paul Fraser (with a little help from their good mate, John “JB” Burgess). have transplanted their successful Freshwater burger and booze brand to Dee Why.
JB & Sons now wears a new mantle of dark blue rather than its coat of sunny yellow. So it’s bye-bye to the short-lived Buttercup, their bright and breezy Dee Why restaurant, and its contemporary dishes like charred broccoli and confit salmon salad, and hello to another helping of American fast food, beer and cocktails.
Come on Tuesday night, as we did and the place is pumping. With all the hard surfaces, glass, bare wood and music, this place is seriously noisy. Order a drink and the appeal is the $10 burger deal. All 10 of the burgers on the menu are, yes, just $10. No wonder the place is buzzing and there are queues for the pool cues.
There’s a burger for all tastes — fish, vegetarian, chicken and an array of meaty offerings. The Papi — another JBism — has become the boys’ signature burger with the lot. It is a perfectly respectable feed with its beef patty, plus American cheese, smoked bacon, pickle and a hoopla of burger condiments.
But it’s no match for the mighty Don. Upsize and The Don is the Trump tower of the burger menu.
On Tuesdays, ordered with a 4 Pines Indian summer ale, this normally priced $18 whopper comes with two patties, triple cheese, double bacon, double pickle, iceberg, tomato, onion ring, jalapeños, aioli and smoked barbecue sauce. It hits the sweet spot.
It’s a lot of burger for the price.
High hopes for the hot chick don’t quite reach the same dizzy heights as The Don. Hot Chick (the burger, not me) has been in the deep fryer a tad too long, but it does have redeeming American cheese, lettuce, chipotle and pickles, and mild buzz courtesy of the japalenos and chilli salt.
The jalapeño poppers and guacamole are worth a plug. The poppers aren’t pretty, but they taste great. Stringy cheese oozes from the centre of these little heat-seekers. The guac comes in an enamel dish and is served with a plentiful supply of tortillas.
JB & Sons boasts three local boutique suppliers, all brewed a mere barrel roll from the venue. Brookvale Brewery makes a hoppy lager; Nomad has two beers on tap — its Jetlag IPA and its Freshie Salt and Pepper. The latter gets mixed feedback from customers, according to our waitress, then there are two from 4 Pines. Try either the pale ale or the Indian summer ale, for a light a refreshing beer in the heat.
New to Dee Why are weekend breakfasts. There are three toasties and breakfast version of guacamole. And yes, there’s a breakfast hangover burger too, pimped up with cheese, a hash brown, fried egg and bacon in a milk bun. Enjoy one with a Honeypot blend coffee from Barrel One Roasters.
And like JB, roaster Dan Agapiou, is another local mate.
Essentials
What: JB & Sons
Where: 154-158 Pacific Pde, Dee Why
Phone: (02) 9981 7978
Open: Monday to Thursday, from noon; Friday and Saturday, 8am to midnight, Sunday, 8am to 10pm
Go for: The Don, $18; the Papi, $15; guacamole with tortillas, $8; jalapeño poppers, six for $14, plus special deals
Coffee: Barrel One
Vibe: American road trip
Bottom line: $42.50
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