Camel Kingdom, Lakemba

Sure you could go the usual beef and chicken route at this casual burger joint in Lakemba, but why would you when there’s camel on offer?

The camel is wild, hunted in the Northern Territory and shipped to Sydney. The patties are made using only camel meat and camel fat, mixed in well with a handful of secret spices. The taste? It’s beefy in flavour but without the grease. Get it with the lot for $8 and you’ll score a slice of melted cheese and the obligatory slice of beetroot.


Camel burger with the lot $8


Venison / deer burger with the lot $8

The venison goes by the alias of the Vincent burger on the menu. It’s not particularly gamey, but after some thorough taste-testing, our money is on the alpaca burger, seasoned so it’s sweet and spicy and salty all at the same time. The alpaca comes from a farm in Illawarra, the venison from Alice Springs.


Alpaca burger with the lot $9

It’s not hugely busy here but the stray blokes and teenagers who wander in mostly settle down with burgers and fries. They do their own charcoal chickens here too – not the best we’ve had, but at $10 for a whole chook slathered with chilli sauce we’re not complaining.


Whole barbecue chicken with chilli sauce and toum garlic sauce $10

They do all kind of kebab wraps too, stuffed with lamb, chicken, turkey, falafel and yep, camel. You’ll get strips of camel fillet in this one, sourced from the topside of the camel, near the hump, which can make for a little chewiness.


Camel shawarma wrap $7


Camel tenderloin steak $20

But really you should just cut to the chase and order the camel tenderloin steak. It’s the most expensive thing on the menu but it’s worth busting open the piggy bank for this one. The meat is tender, seasoned with herbs and spices, and it all comes with a massive pile of chips and a side serve of salad. Your knife will sink through the two tenderloin fillets like butter.

Ain’t nobody humpin’ around.


Which animal will you choose?


Camel, deer, turkey and alpaca burgers


Turkey burger with the lot $10




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Camel Kingdom
156 Haldon Street, Lakemba, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9759 3304

Open 7 days 10am - 12am

This article appeared in the October 2013 issue of Time Out Sydney in my monthly Food & Drink column Eat This! [Read online] 

Read more of my Time Out Sydney reviews