Hogs Breath is a steak franchise with stores across the country. While the menu may be the same, there are some stores that cook their meals better than others. I’ve been here on many occasions and the meals here have been average. My most recent visit to this place saw little improvement.

Today, I ordered the Grilled Chicken and Ranch Burger. The meal was ready 20 minutes after ordering and was nicely presented. The chicken was tender, succulent and a decent size. The meat had a nice smokey grilled flavour. The ranch dressing was notably absent making it taste kind of bland. The curly fries were crunchy and perfectly cooked.

A few bites into my burger and I find a dead bug on the onion slice. I informed the waitress and she organised for a replacement meal.

About 10 minutes later, my replacement meal arrived. The chicken was well cooked but the piece was smaller. This time the chicken was covered in ranch dressing which gave it a bit more depth. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, and the beetroot gave it a nice natural sweetness. The bun was lightly toasted and was firm enough to hold the burger together.

The staff here were really friendly and the service was good. I realise that sometimes vegetables aren’t cleaned properly and dead bugs make an appearance, but what was important was how they handled it. The burger itself wasn’t that great. It was all very basic and was miles behind any gourmet burger I’ve eaten. The atmosphere was relaxed and the $9.90 lunch time meals on offer represent good value for money.

Not a bad place for a cheap feed, just keep a close eye on your food before you put it in your mouth!

WHERE: 127 Gouger St, Adelaide