Paddington may be a parade of Sydney’s best dressed on a weekend, but on a Monday night the streets are quiet and it can be a tall order to find dinner outside of the generous allotment of pubs in this affluent corner of the Inner East. Luckily the Grand National is all about the cheap burger on a Monday night, and it’s a doozy. A proper medium rare beef patty with cheddar melted on top comes secured in a well-toasted sesame seed bun – brioche, it’s time to step back, we’ve eaten enough of you lately. A little rocket, caramelised onion relish and a smoky savoury tomato relish are welcome additions, but it’s the swirl of béarnaise sauce that takes this humble burger from rags to riches. And on Monday nights it’s only ten bucks. Ka-ching!
From the front it looks like a tiny corner spot that lets you bring your pooch and sink a Young Henrys, Fat Yak, Peroni or Carlton out on the footpath, but it’s a much bigger establishment than it looks. Head past the bar and up the back there’s an enormous dining room styled in timber and steely blue tones. Up the front is where you want to congregate for sport, beer, burgers and maybe a cheeky $10 Aperol Spritz. This isn’t your warm and worn-in boozer like the Lord Dudley down the road, but it is an easy, friendly establishment that ticks all the boxes for a likeable local.
