On a truly pumping Saturday, we waited just over 20 minutes in the queue to enter the Durbanville branch of Rocomamas, The not-normal ‘smashed-to-order’ burger joint that also offers ribs, chicken wings and tasty sides was launched by CEO Brian Altriche in July 2013. They let you do it your way and create your own meal. It was between regular meal times, but that means nothing here. You’d be hard-pressed to find a time it’s not packed from end to end with folk just on the safe edge of ‘hanger’. It’s now a franchise majority-owned by the Spur Group that’s mushrooming up across the country and fast making a name for itself with the youth. That’s not to say it offers kiddie menus and a room of games, though – far from it.
There’s edgy black and orange décor with Green Day-type rock but to be honest it's barely noticeable over the excited chatter of patrons. Couple that with slatted wooden tables and matching backless benches, as well as black and orange metal seats, mosaic wall sections, brick and steel finishes, rib cage-style light fittings and the Rocomamas star logo everywhere and you’ll have an idea what it’s like. It's a relaxed vibe with people singing along when they do hear the music, and clapping enthusiastically when something breaks. (There were enough pepper grinders knocked off tables and beer glasses smashing to the floor in the hour we were there for this to stand out). It’s a look that’s biker chic, ideal for the guys to get together and sample a few craft beers, while also family friendly, a great spot for the gang to get together for a weekend treat for surviving another tough work week.
That’s exactly why we were there: We’d survived a tough work week and intended treating ourselves with so-big-you-have-to-hold-it-in-two-hands gourmet burgers, block-your-straw thick shakes and a sprinkle of spicy flavour on the side. Boy, did we get that hot sauce! But more on that later…
I went with two of the specials advertised on the table – first, the Instagram-must ‘candyliscious’ freak shake. It’s a swirly pink concoction in a Consol mug just brimming with whipped cream, hundreds and thousands, a twist of pink Fizzer and swirls of berry syrup. It’s also dotted with berry-flavoured Jelly Tots and dripping melted white chocolate down the side of the glass, both inside and out, just asking to be licked up with a finger. It got a few admiring glances on its way to our table, as did the neighbouring table’s chocolate version, the aptly named ‘slow death by chocolate’ – there’s also a ‘peanutology’ version, brimming with peanut butter, malted chocolate balls and more.
To eat, I devoured the limited edition Le Bomb, which comprises two 100g beef smash patties smothered in cheddar cheese, bacon, salsa BBQ sauce and a feta cheese bomb. “Get it in your belly before it becomes nothing more than the stuff of smash legends,” Rocomamas advises. I was happy to comply, as the smash burgers really do smash expectations. This was pure burger bliss without any chilli overkill.
My chili-loving husband, on the other hand, threw all caution out the window – knocked it off the table, if you will – when he went for a chicken ‘Rockstar’ burger, which he customised with extra chili and ranks up there as “one of the most delicious, non-violent chicken burgers ever,” along with a portion of jalapeno-filled cheese bombs and bowl of chili dipping sauce. If you're a lover of all things spicy, definitely add a portion of these to your order. They're soft, gooey balls of cheesy goodness, but be warned, these are violent! I ventured a taste and instantly had a case of chilli-tongue, which meant I was unable to absorb flavour for a while. Only advisable if you truly love your hot food. He washed down this ‘only for adult palates’ meal with the Adult shake – standard vanilla with a shot of Jack Daniels that’s served Dom Pedro-style, along with lashings of chocolate syrup, whipped cream and hundreds and thousands.
With beef, chicken and veg smash burger patty options all served on breadboards, the burgers are juicy, saucy and spill-licious, also dubbed “the most Instagrammed in South Africa”. The shoestring fries are served piping hot in a metal basket and even better when ‘turbo-charged’ – that’s Rocomamas-speak for topping them with more super-hot chili cheese or a milder, super-tasty chili con carne. The best part is that a meal here will hardly break the bank, with the freak shakes and adult shakes both R50, regular shakes at R35 and only the ribs over R100 on the food menu.
The down side? Portions are so generous you’ll need to keep revisiting to try everything that grabs your eye on the menu. Luckily the staff are happy to tip any unfinished food into a take-away baggy. We left with big smiles on our faces and plans to return again soon... their ‘killer waffles’ are on my to-do list, as is breakfast. Maybe I'll just have the waffles for breakfast...
*Leigh Andrews was a guest of Rocomamas. Click here and here for more on Rocomamas, and use the store locator for your nearest branch. You can also visit the Rocomamas website and follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest special offers.
