Mark kept his offering simple to focus on the flavour of the Coromandel mussels because De Post is known for mussels and frites. "That is our signature dish. This burger would go well with a Stella," he says.
General manager Lianne Mills says De Post enjoys a come one, come all clientele. You'll see students through to retired locals there for Sunday lunch.
At Parnell's Tribeca restaurant, there's a burger acknowledging the boys in black heading to the rugby World Cup. Head chef Ciaran Faherty designed the All Black slider to "get behind the country". The first thing you notice is the black buns.
"It took me a week to get used to it," says Ciaran. The filling is 36 hour-cooked pork belly and shoulder, pulled with Japanese spices, miso and wasabi. It is served with a Japanese-themed salad of baby cucumber, radish, celery and Daikori. The deal also includes a small amuse bouche beef burger with tartare sauce.
He got the idea for the burger from a Japanese restaurant he visited in New York's Tribeca district last year. He says Tribeca appeals to people who like to spend their money on nice food somewhere they are treated well.
At Everybody's on Queen St, head chef Jonah Huang describes the menu as catering for everyone: "It is simple food done well with a little bit of a twist."
Jonah is in the team which has concocted the Wagyu burger with dill and house pickles for the burger day. They chose Japanese-style Wagyu beef for its high flavour, and cook the burger patty to medium to seal in that high moisture and flavour, keeping it tender. "The more juice the beef has, the more flavour content it has."
Also in the burger are house pickles, chargrilled onions, peppercorns, red wine vinegar and shallots. The buns come from Shaky Isles in Newmarket and are a light brioche style. It's a rich, delicious offering in this spacious restaurant. We enjoyed sitting on the mega couch but people on the mezzanine can check out those interesting light fittings and the whitewashed brick walls.
At Pt Chevalier's Nomad, lobster is the star of the new menu. So it's only natural Nomad's burger is filled with lobster mornay. The two burgers with steamed buns are served as a platter for two with salad, curly fries and a 750ml bottle of Estrella, a "dining beer".
"People think we are little bit crazy putting lobster in a burger but it's not," says Nomad's managing director Jared Johnstone, adding Nomad's approach is simple food, done well and with an edge. "And it needs to look good and taste good."
The restaurant opened late last year after an extensive refit including whitening the brick walls reaching all the way up to the double-height ceiling, revamping the cosy fireplace corner and modernising the central bar and kitchen. It is now especially popular with Pt Chev locals.
"We are lucky with our clientele," says Jared. "They are down to earth, chatty and nothing's-a-problem people."
There is seating indoors and out. And do check out the toilets, the decor is cool.
Grab a burger
GrabOne's Inaugural Burger Day event runs on-site until tomorrow, with 60 deals throughout the country, with specially designed burgers from every day to gourmet.
• Everybody's, 7 Fort St, city
• Nomad, 5 Pt Chevalier Rd
• De Post, 466 Mt Eden Rd
• Tribeca, 8 George St, Parnell
Donna was a guest of GrabOne.
