When it comes to fast food ranchos choices Papua New Guinea has about as many options as Pyongyang. That means they have to create their own, such as Big Rooster and today’s subject matter Burger House.
Therefore I decided to give it a shout, particularly as restaurant burgers in PNG tend to be a bit of alright what with the closeness of Australia and all that. So, was Burger House more McDonalds, or McCancer?
Fast Food Restaurants in Papua New Guinea
Fast food in PNG is a weird hybrid. You get the standard global chains in Port Moresby and Lae, like KFC and the occasional McDonald’s style imitator, but outside of the main centres it’s slim pickings. Big Rooster dominates the chicken game, and you’ll find roadside stalls serving fried everything else. Pizza is present but inconsistent, and burgers tend to be a niche experiment rather than a fully fledged menu.
The locals have learned to make do with what they can get, so most “fast food” comes with a healthy dose of improvisation. If you’re expecting the greasy perfection of Australia or the US, be prepared for PNG’s version: inconsistent, sometimes slightly sad, occasionally surprising.
What the Burger House Restaurant
Burger House in Vision City Mall is one of those semi-corporate fast food joints trying to ride the coattails of international chains without actually investing in any quality. The interior is clean enough, with plastic tables and chairs, fluorescent lights, and a couple of TVs showing whatever loops they can get the license for.
The staff were polite but had the energy of someone enduring life rather than enjoying it. There’s a counter for ordering and a small area to sit, but don’t expect ambience. The place is functional, a pit stop for hungry shoppers rather than a destination in its own right.
The Food and Menu
The menu at Burger House Port Moresby was pretty much as you might expect, featuring mostly chicken burgers and a whole heap of fried chicken. Oh and there were also cheap Chinese style sausages that taste like they’d been made in a microwave.
Beef burger wise I was a little disappointed to say the least as there was one option. I asked for said option with cheese. There was no cheese. Yes my brave readers, that is right, and not just that, but they looked at me like a freak when I asked for it. This half had me in the mood to buy cheese from the supermarket and “invent” the cheeseburger. Alas I did not, instead just having the burger and the sausage, which were really quite bad.
OK, so I had not been expecting much, but seeing as this sits on prime real estate in the best mall in Port Moresby it was still a bit of a Jarvis Cocker for me. That’s pseudo Cockney Rhyming Slang for “shocker”.
Don’t go to Burger House. If you are really hungry and can’t wait for your hotel go to the steakhouse here instead. Do not though have the steak unless you want it burned to a crisp.
Where the Burger House
Burger House is located right in Vision City Mall in Port Moresby. It sits alongside other food options such as Subway, Big Rooster, and a small Japanese eatery. Perfect for when you’re wandering the mall looking for something edible but not adventurous.
Address: Vision City Mall, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Phone: +675 321 1234 (hypothetical)
Facebook: facebook.com/burgerhousepng
So, thats burgers in PNG! And yes things could be a hell of a lot better, but hey who knows McDonalds, or Burger King might rock up one day!