Oporto founder Gary Linz to launch new healthy burger outlet BunBar in Manly
He was one of the co-founders behind the enormously successful Oporto restaurant chain and Gary Linz hopes his new healthy fast food venture, to open in Manly, will ‘be the new fast food for today’s age.’
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The co-founder of the successful Portuguese chicken restaurant chain Oporto is to launch an innovative new healthy burger bar in Manly.
In the last year McDonald’s and KFC in Manly have closed, with some speculating that traditional fast food outlets had grown unpopular with the health conscious Manly locals.
Gary Linz, a Bondi-based restaurateur said he wanted to open his first 60-seat BunBar outlet in Darley Rd, Manly, rather than his home suburb and said he hoped it would be the first of a new chain of outlets.
If all goes to plan with the renovation, it will open late November, early December, where the former Sea Salt Society used to be situated.
Mr Linz said BunBar will be unique in that it will use non-traditional burger buns such as grilled rice buns, toasted bao buns, falafel buns and lettuce buns, as well as offer slushy alcoholic cocktails and beer on tap.
“The whole concept of BunBar is that it’s healthier than traditional fast foods, but the main thing is the taste.”
He said they had been taste testing for 12 months and there was something for everyone, including vegans, the low-carb and keto-crowd, those who want something gluten free and those who want something a bit more traditional if they’re in need of a hangover cure.
There was also a selection of new sauces and drizzles.
“I want to be the new fast food for today’s age,” Mr Linz said. “It will have more of a focus on quality ingredients and health.
“It will be on trend with eating habits
“I would not want it to be compared with Maccas or KFC.
“There is very little emphasis on health in their products.”
However, he said BunBar would be offering a fried chicken burger which would be akin to one from KFC, but of superior quality.
He said the idea would be for customers to order at the counter where they will get their drinks and they will then be given either a buzzer or a number for food collection.
Mr Linz said he had also put in a planning application to get fairy lights in the trees down Darley Rd to draw people to the area, which is just off The Corso, and create an “eat street” European vibe to that part of Manly.
A regular surfer at Manly, Mr Linz admitted he probably spends more time on this side of the harbour than in Bondi.
“I love Manly, I do a lot of surfing on the northern beaches and I like the culture of Manly,” he said.
When asked whether this would be the first of many BunBar’s Mr Linz said that he believed his new venture had all the right qualities to be a success, but there was always a little luck involved in these things too.
The demise of traditional fast food restaurants in Manly began last year when trendy eatery Betty’s Burgers opened on Manly Wharf, taking the place of two traditional fast food spots occupied by Subway and Nando’s.
This week it was announced that a fish and chip restaurant will take the place of McDonald’s.
It is believed new tenants moving into former KFC site, which has been empty for some time, are due to sign contracts shortly.
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