Is it possible to fit another restaurant in the heart of Teddington? If you squeeze it right at the Hampton Hill end of Broad Street then it would appear so – that’s exactly where this robust Aussie chain has planted its first UK outpost.
It’s a bright, clean space, with a busy atmosphere and open kitchen; ordering is DIY and service is youthful, friendly and efficient. Our pork spare ribs, basted while on the grill, were heavy on meat but light on flavour – we tried a dollop or two of the house BBQ sauce to get them going but we found it over-sweet and unimposing, taste-wise.
And the burgers? Six years ago – pre meat and buns craze – these six-ouncers would have been considered top notch. Nowadays, they’re just good, though the rashers on our bacon and cheese burger were pleasingly crunchy. Star of the sides was a decent-sized stack of thin, crispy onion rings, which alone would have made the trip worthwhile (just about). In any case, the stalwarts may have to shuffle up a bit – there’s a new kid on the block now.