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
What an interesting and different kind of post. I think I'd go the Alpaca and then venison first, maybe venture a taste of the camel also.
ReplyDeleteI love venison but don't come across it often enough.
I'm feeling a little de ja vu here. This used to be Camel King. I tried the camel burger ages ago and loved it, then they closed up. Maybe they busted a hump? HA!
ReplyDeleteNaw, that alpaca in the poster is too cute to eat...! :) That camel tenderloin sure sounds interesting but chewy bits would kill it for me...
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that your dedication to making some sort of camel pun was such that you closed with a completely nonsensical sentence. High five!
ReplyDeletePS Anyone who would go somewhere like this and choose the chicken only is someone I want nothing to do with. Thank heavens you're not that person.
Haha oh Helen, your puns are a riot! I've tried both camel and alpaca burger before - at Kazbah and Morena respectively. And I enjoyed them both! The camel steak sure sounds like something worth trying too :D
ReplyDeleteBig big wow! Actually, camel has been on my bucket list menu ever since Heston Blumenthals 'Scott of the Antartica' inspired feast! So pleased that someone is stepping up the indigenous menu possibilities here and Sydney and I'm game, (no pun intended ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting Bobby Brown back into my head. Most of the other readers are either too young or have good taste in music!
ReplyDeleteHa Ha I can't believe there is actually a place called camel kingdom which serves camel burgers I would imagine they would be tough and not very tasty but sounds like they were not too bad at all.
ReplyDeleteVery cool, I'm very keen on trying camel! I've had venison and alpaca (of course!) before, good stuff. May be worth a trip to Lakemba.
ReplyDeleteDear Helen,
ReplyDeleteI am curious to try to tenderloin since you say it's so tender. I always imagine camel meat to be quite tough without much fat since they walkabout so much in the desert.
I'd definitely give the camel and alpaca burgers a try! Though... alpacas are almost too cute to eat.
ReplyDeletecamel overload! haha was it gamey in taste at all like goat/sheep?
ReplyDeletevery nice, posted on hump day too ;)
I'd try camel, alpaca, venison...so all of them! Thanks for the post Helen, you always have such interesting finds xx
ReplyDeleteI've heard that alpaca is very tasty and I've never tried camel meat, but like the idea of using up beasts that are already just wandering around serving no other purpose. So glad to see you embracing that sustainability Helen. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post! Normally not inclined to try camel but the tenderloin sounds like one to try!
ReplyDeleteinteresting! not sure how brave I am to try it yet but eventually I will!
ReplyDeleteCamel burger sure sounds interesting! Another thing on my long list of things to try one day...
ReplyDeleteWoah... can't say I've tried camel meat before but I wouldn't say no to this.
ReplyDeleteI need to try a camel burger! Looks so good!
ReplyDeleteNever tried camel...the burger looks yum
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they have those cute pictures of alpacas on the wall! so off putting!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a place to visit with a group, especially as I want to try all the more unusual burgers. Quite awesome actually.
ReplyDelete