ON Thursday I had three burgers for lunch.

My wife now calls me Wimpy, after the character in Popeye.

There was mitigating circumstances – my lunch date had stood me up and I couldn’t just eat one burger for a food review.

Thankfully they were from the excellent Corner Store Foods in Attadale.

It used to be called the Long Paddock Burger Co, which sourced meat from its ethically-run farm in Boyup Brook.

Corner Store Foods looked like a rebranding exercise with a tweaked menu and new name.

The interior reminded me of a German beer hall with long picnic tables, stone floors and exposed brickwork.

Some genteel rap was playing in the background and you had nice views of the leafy Attadale burbs through the large bay windows.

There was also a pavement alfresco with cute tables and red chairs, giving you a choice of dining areas.

It felt bright, airy and spacious, unlike other burger joints where you are hemmed in and have to listen to the people sitting directly beside you (it’s usually stories about their faltering sex life).

The menu had a range of classic beef and chicken burgers, which you could get smashed or grilled, and a solitary veggie/vegan option (Lentil Burger $16).

I’m not a fan of kitchen sink burgers, so I was happy with the modest selection including standard, classic cheeseburger, blue cheese, smashed chilli cheese and BBQ.

There was two standard chicken options – chicken bacon and avocado ($17.50) and chicken and salad ($15).

I kicked things off with a Classic Cheeseburger (grilled $14.50).

I’ll start by saying these are some of the best  “bap” rolls you will get with a burger.

Made locally in O’Connor, they were slightly toasted and tasted incredibly floury and light.

The burger was a classic – you could comfortably pick it up without everything slopping out the sides and it had a lovely mild mustard.

The 160g beef patty was delicious – juicy and just the right thickness. The accompany dill pickles, tomato, diced onion and ketchup completed the 1950s drive-in picture.

Next up was the chilli chicken burger ($16) from the Specials Menu.

Normally I shy away from these as there’s always too much chilli sauce and it becomes a sweet-sticky odyssey.

Thankfully this burger was nicely balanced with just the right amount of spicy mayo, grilled jalapeños, pickles, lettuce and tomato. The chicken fillet was tender and moist, and had a thin coating with a satisfying crunch.

The spice level was spot on and you could taste all the ingredients without your mouth feeling like the surface of the sun.

Last up was my token gesture to healthiness – the Lentil Burger.

I have Vietnam-style flashbacks to eating veggie burgers in my youth – desiccated cakes of nothingness that looked like they had been made from the stuff at the bottom of a budgie’s cage.

I remember biting into one and all the moisture instantly leaving my mouth.

This was a pleasant surprise – a moist, home-made lentil patty topped with avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion and aioli. The tomato relish was particularly nice, adding a lovely sweet tang to the burger.

Very enjoyable and I may be converted to the veggie burger brigade. In fact, doesn’t Tash Peterson stay nearby? This might be her go-to local burger.

The accompanying chips were top notch – thick, crunchy and perfectly seasoned.

Despite some tweaks to the menu and the overall service being much quicker, not much has changed since Long Paddock Burger Co became Corner Store Foods.

And I mean that in a good way – it’s still one of the best burger joints south-of-the-river.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

Corner Store Foods
4a Davis Road, Attadale
facebook.com/Corner.Store.