Bun Mobile. Brisbane's Best Burgers - Stop 3

Now I know this isn't what pops into mind when you think burgers, but the buns here to me look like a burger, just with a soft white bun instead of your typical seeded bun. Harold and Christine are the masterminds behind this, and they've got themselves a great social media campaign going on. They are very active on Facebook and Twitter and are also representing Brisbane as one of two food trucks on WhereTheTruck.at. It's about time Brisbane steps up in the foodie world and catch up to its' sister cities. I hate that we're always two years behind everything (Max Brenner's, San Churros, Ribs and Rumps to name a few) so it's great to see we've already got a successful and trendy food mobile.

The Bun Mobile sets up camp at various inner city spots, usually a different one each meal time. Their favourite spots are typically West End and Kangaroo Point. They are closed Sundays, Mondays and Saturday lunch which has made it almost impossible for me to catch them. I've tried on numerous occasions to track it down but it's never been convenient for me. When my friend Cora from Hungry Kittens managed to catch them the previous week, I asked her to give me a special mention on her post because there was no way I'd catch this elusive truck. This Saturday night however, Will and I didn't have any plans and lucky for us they were just at Kangaroo Point which wasn't too hard for us to get to.

I noticed they had the sriracha chilli sauce which is a staple in most Asian households, an immediate tick on my end for their choice in foods. Having a look at their menu, the flavour combinations in all their buns were spot on in any of the cuisines targeted. They have mainly Asian inspired dishes but I've seen slow cooked lamb on their specials before and today's was mexican. So this is an Asian style bun with different cuisine inspired fillings, done gourmet and moves around Brisbane. What a fantastic idea! Harold told me that they used to make their own buns but now that they are so busy, they've employed a baker to make it for them. How impressive that he can make these incredibly soft, sweet buns and then create a versatile menu that compliments it so well.

Slow Cooked Wagyu, Butter Lettuce, Soy Pickled Shitake Mushrooms, Red Dragon Sauce

  
The idea to slow cook the wagyu beef is great. Usually with steak burgers, it is very tough and you end up having to cut the steak up with a knife and fork to get a decent bite out of it. This one however was so tender. It came apart easily with each bite. The flavour of the fatty wagyu definitely shined through and was the main thing I tasted from this bun. The shitake mushrooms were a bit tough especially at the stalks. I usually enjoy these mushrooms soft with a sharp flavour but I think the pickling may have mellowed its flavour.

Twice Cooked Pork, Hoisin Sauce, Sakura Pickled Cucumber, Shallot Batons

This bun reminded me of Chinese peking duck. The combination of cucumber, spring onion, hoisin sauce and crispy meat was very typical of the entree course in peking duck. I loved how crispy the pork was and how it contrasted with the soft bun. This was a great dish and I thought it was better than the wagyu. Will preferred the wagyu but he said the steak really won him over.

 Fresh Banana, Harry's Caramel Sauce and Salted Peanut Praline 

For those of you who find the limited dessert bars in Brisbane are getting old and want to try something new, I recommend tracking this truck down after dinner and having a try of their desserts. It will definitely kill time if you are wanting to stretch your night out further. They do change their dessert each night but if they're all as good as this one, it's definitely worth it. The banana and caramel went so well with the bun. The praline was crumbed nicely over the top and the caramel was made perfect. I loved it. My only criticism is the absence of vanilla icecream. That would have sealed the deal.

So the question is, is the Bun Mobile worth tracking down? I think everyone should try it at least once. It is not something you could find remotely similar to at any restaurant or bakery. Will described it as an Asian bun but with refined and modern fillings. Now where else do you get that? It's not a rhetorical question, if you do know then please tell me! What I also enjoyed about this whole experience was sitting out near the sidewalk, watching the cars go past and enjoying the fresh air. It was like being in Asia having street food, but gourmet, fit for the Australian palete and no pollution. So my advice to you is if you are bored, want to try something new and keen on a driving adventure then definitely track them down. If they are nearby, then by all means get your hands on these buns.

The view from our fold out seats

Dish I'd Order Again: All three dishes.

Review:
Bun Mobile
Brisbane
http://www.thebunmobile.com.au/