Frazer Vs Burger: Brooklyn’s Royale Jalapeno Blue

Brooklyn Pizza & Bistro – Royale Jalapeno Blue
Beef patty with bacon, grilled mushrooms, Blue cheese, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, pickle and thousand island sauce.
$7.95, served with a side of french fries

Hailing from a city consumed by gourmet burger chains, I’ve grown accustomed to craving pimped-up patties.  In this series, I hit the streets of Phnom Penh to sniff out the very best burgers on offer.

The Burger Joint

Over in the hipster haven of Tuol Tom Poung, Brooklyn takes its residence on street 123 – a short walk from Russian Market. With a bright, welcoming decor, you’ll easily unwind and feel at ease as you slip into a food coma of New York inspired indulgence.

Be sure to have a nosy at the dessert counter, as their cheesecakes are a real sweet treat.

The Burger

Stuck between the combinations of beetroot, egg and pineapple on the Aussie Royale, or the Jalapeno flare alongside blue cheese and mushrooms, I tossed a coin and settled for the Royale Jalapeno Blue.  All burgers are advertised to come with a generous garnishing, with a choice between thousand island or Sriracha mayo; I wasn’t asked what sauce I wanted, and didn’t bothered specifying, which leads me to believe 1000 island is the default choice.

On the Side

The chunky fries are served in a charming little metal basket, and probably weren’t necessary due to me sampling the fantastic buffalo chicken wings ($5.99 for 6) and super chunky Jalapeno poppers ($4.95). The fries themselves were fine. Perhaps not as crispy as they perhaps should have been, yet the condiment selection of tabasco, sriracha or ketchup helped them along the way and ensured I hoovered every last one up.

First Impressions

Full disclaimer: I’m not the biggest fan of blue cheese.

I’ll always try and be open minded and fair, at first I felt the blue cheese taste overpowered the entire creation. The burger was stacked tall with a chunky beef patty and impressively generous toppings. It was perhaps the perfect amount of toppings to make the creation truly gourmet without becoming a monstrous parody of exaggerated American portions.

Within a few more bites, the cheese became more subtle and I was really able to enjoy all the foodie combinations.

The jalapenos were subtle, the spicy tang muted by the cheese. Yet the bacon, mushrooms and perfect beef patty really shone through. I found myself in minutes of silence as all I could care about was taking bite after bite, the chef had absolutely nailed it. If this is what the food is like in Brooklyn, I may have to consider a move to New York.

The Verdict

Being in Tuol Tom Poung did raise my expectation to be paying higher prices for a burger. $7.95 is very fair value for the quality and portion size.  I’d give the Royale Jalapeno Blue 7/10 –  I think my main reservation is that the jalapeno was very subtle for it to be highlighted in the name, but it’s delicious – and if you like Blue cheese then you’ll likely be questioning why this isn’t closer to that perfect 10 review.

20 Street 123, Tuol Tom Poung, Phnom Penh

Looking for an alternative in the area?
Check out the review below:

Frazer Vs Burger: Dos Besos Mexicali Burger