First Look: NoshersCBR - the Belconnen food van producing fantastic burgers

Don’t you love it when a hole-in-the-wall food place absolutely delights you with fantastic food?

NoshersCBR is no hole in the wall, but this food van, parked in a non-ambient yet convenient location on Belconnen’s Westfield rooftop, certainly doesn’t scream, “We sell amazing food!”

But don’t just walk past Noshers; the quality of its burgers will surprise you.

Noshers’ co-owner Ahmed says this new business venture is a passion project created by three friends. One already has experience in the food industry, while Ahmed loves the business side of things. Its name is the first thing that intrigued me about the food van. What exactly is a nosher?

“When it came to our name,” Ahmed explains, “we were looking for something catchy. A ‘nosher’ is basically ‘someone who is eating constantly’.

The menu isn’t huge, but Noshers feature several jaw-expanding burgers to satisfy cheese-loving carnivores while also catering for vegan and dairy-free diners.

“It’s a new and experimental menu because we are such a new business. We are about to review how our burgers are doing. The quality of our food is important to us. We make our own chicken fillets and beef patties fresh each day – nothing is pre-frozen and you can taste the difference. Everything is fresh,” Ahmed says.

We go with Ahmed’s suggestions and order Noshers’ two most popular offerings: The Spicy Lover and The Cheesy Stuff. Each costs $12.99.

Our first impression is how good the burger buns are. Noshers use milk buns to encase their burgers’ deliciousness. Not as delicate as brioche, a milk bun is soft yet pliable and melts in your mouth without disintegrating under the burger fillings. It is such a superb choice of bun!

The Cheesy Stuff is a grilled beef patty topped with American cheese, pickles and onions and a blend of sweet chilli and ranch sauce on top. A generous handful of melty mozzarella sticks grin out from the overstuffed burger. I wish I had grabbed an extra napkin: this burger is finger-licking delicious (as a certain ‘colonel’ might say).

The Spicy Lover heroes Noshers’ gorgeously marinated, crumbed and fried chicken that is at once crunchy and juicy. Oozy cheese, jalapenos and the perfect amount of creamy special sauce, zesty with jalapeno goodness top off this delicious burger.

Side dishes include mozzarella sticks and onion rings and you can purchase ice-cold drinks too.

A big draw for Noshers is that it is open late when most other good food joints are tucked up in bed. Ahmed says that you don’t have to settle for fast food after a late movie anymore.

“We are open until 12 on weekends. We get a lot of young people coming here in the evening. About 70 per cent of our business is done at night.”

Order via Uber, Hungry Panda or go in person. Look for the strings of lights glowing near the rooftop entrance to Belconnen Westfield and score the juiciest grilled burgers this side of Canberra.

NoshersCBR is located on Benjamin Way, on the Westfield Belconnen rooftop car park, opposite Fernwood Fitness.

NoshersCBR is open seven days, from 12 pm until 11 pm, and midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Follow Noshers CBR on Facebook and Instagram.