The Standard - Hobart's newest burger joint

The Standard
Burgers are the new sushi. They’re popping up everywhere. Even down a Liverpool Street side alley. You wouldn’t know it was there, unless of course you knew it was there, or were of an inquisitive nature.
Fortunately word spreads fast in Hobart, and via Facebook, and there’s the crowd, playing with their smartphones, waiting for their burger orders. You’ll see them from Liverpool Street as you pass.
If you’re like This Girl, you might think it’s a private gathering. I approached some young women on the street to ask what was going on and immediately set a date to return with the Other Girl.
It does pay to be brave.
The Standard is a street food collaboration between Pilgrim’s Will Priestly, Property of Pilgrim Chef, Christian Ryan, and Sam Chung, ex-The Source.
About a month in, The Standard is looking to be a success story.
There is a constant progression of clientele waiting on a burger to go.
On our visit we met Angus, a great person for front of house. He’s friendly, relaxed and efficient. He was generous with his time and happy to answer our questions.
This Girl chose the $8 Standard, in the cheese burger tradition. Fresh salad, a tasty burger, cheese and aioli, all on a brioche roll.
A conscientious objector on the free-range free-zone, the Other Girl chose the veg burger, $9. A really satisfying, and some could even say ‘meaty’, experience that doesn’t leave you feeling like you missed out on a burger.
The size of the burgers win Goldilocks hand down, they’re just right.
And there’s nothing standard about their outstanding hand cut fries. They might look a little dodgy if you’re used to the mass produced variety, but with their little bits of skin left here and there, they are the real deal, $4.
This is takeaway and the wait is about 10 minutes, but there are a few very stylish bench seats if you can grab one. There’s constant coming and going so it’s fun to people watch and you’ll probably run into someone you know. We came across @elevateresonate whose take on The Standard was that they offer a burger steeped in the American burger tradition with a hearty country clean feel. He was right, these are no Greasy Joe’s.
They offer a handful of blackboard options but most interesting is their clandestine menu. There’s a burger special just for those who like them on Facebook.
The Two Girls think it’s the bomb. Cheap. An urban grittiness that comes with street food. Delicious burgers. They’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.
It’s early days but we have a few observations:
The Taste and MONA have set our sustainability bar high, recycling paper wrapping, serviettes and aluminium cans are opportunities to move The Standard from street-fare to street-smarts.
Speaking of bins, lifting up bin lids is just yucky.
This is a gig keeping costs down to the ground. Everyone say Amen to that. But we don’t buy the cost hike rationale. Chicken that isn’t free range is a bit ordinary in 2014.

Find them on Facebook here.
The Standard on Urbanspoon