Eventually the greater public caught wind of Peer Reviewed Burgers and soon Jay had a lengthy list of hundreds of hungry burger fans eager to join him on his quest to create the perfect smash burger. It was at this point that Jay decided to take his concept to the wider public with a series of pop-up appearances. Long-time friend Chè Quaedvlieg came onboard and soon the duo had secured usage of local food truck New York Waffles to take their burgers to the streets. With COVID restrictions still in place, the boys had to arrange timed slots for folks to pick up pre-ordered burgers. The first pop-up sold out in 12 hours, while the second exhausted its allotment in 12 minutes. Peer Reviewed Burgers’ third pop-up saw all burgers sold in advance two minutes after pre-orders launched, proving that the crew’s star was on the rise. Word soon travelled back across the pond to Los Angeles – Mark Tripp himself reached out and gave his blessing to Jay on his recipe, the inspiration of which stretched back to Jay’s first Tripp Burger experience. Jay was even able to score a coveted Smashula – one of a limited number of specialised patty squishers sent to Jay by famed burger scholar George Motz, wielded by the most dedicated burger chefs. With his recipe earning the seal of approval by some burger greats and Brisbane at large, Jay and Chè figured it was time to take the project one step further and open a bricks-and-mortar burger joint, renaming Peer Reviewed Burgers to Broken Hearts Burger Club. Peter and Ross Jacobi of Wingfix approached Jay with the invitation to take over their 24-seater Morningside space, which was being vacated as Wingfix moved to Coorparoo. Jay and Chè agreed to take over the spot, transforming it into a family-friendly eatery of their own that now boasts a simple and crisp aesthetic inspired by 1950s America (think white tiles, splashes of blue and red and a brand identity created by Timba Smits) – a simple set up that allows the burgers to take centre stage without distraction.

So, now that Broken Hearts Burger Club is finally here, let’s get down to brass tacks and examine what’s on the menu. At the core of the offering is Jay’s finely honed recipe for the classic hand-smashed burger, a no-nonsense two-hander which is expertly executed by kitchen overlords Chè and Dale Hay. The classic boasts a perfectly cooked patty (made using a blend of chuck steak, a slightly more upscale cut like porterhouse, sirloin or oyster blade, and bacon – seasoned with a pinch of salt), slices of American cheese, bread and butter pickles, and a dollop of house-made pink sauce all gently smushed between a lightly toasted potato bun (which the team finishes baking in their on-site combi oven). Scope for alterations is limited, but folks can add extra patties (two is the recommended number), have their patties done Oklahoma style (that is with onions smashed into the beef) or add lettuce, tomato and onion to their burgers, if desired. No burger-eating experience is complete without a side of crispy fries (served with your choice of sauce – a ketchup and mayo blend, or Ché’s special mix of barbecue sauce and kewpie mayo) and a milkshake (flavours like vanilla, peanut butter, chocolate, strawberry and lime), while soft drinks are also on hand to wash down your feast. Eventually the Broken Hearts team will debut its take on a finger-lickin’ fried-chicken sandwich (reminiscent of the kind popularised by Popeyes, though the recipe is still being tinkered with), and will look to add rotating specials (think pulled-pork fries) to the offering down the line as well.

Broken Hearts Burger Club officially opens to the public tomorrow, Tuesday December 1. Head to the Stumble Guide for opening hours and other important details.