For burger purists, it’s hard to go past a classic American-style smashed-patty burger. Sadly, this is not something that is easily found here in Australia. For Jay Gordon, it was the thing he missed most when moving home from LA, so he decided to take it upon himself to start making hand-smashed burgers from scratch. He started up an Instagram account to document his journey – Peer Reviewed Burgers – and promised to make and deliver his 30-odd followers free burgers as he mastered his new craft. Before long, Jay’s American-style burgers (and quest for simplistic perfection) started to gain a loyal following (ourselves included), all keen to get a taste of these juicy buns. Unanimously his taste testers agreed – Jay needed to open a burger joint. He called upon his long-time friend Ché Quaedvlieg who immediately jumped on board and, after much experimentation, they announced their first pop-up, which sold out in advance online in mere hours. Jay and Ché were overwhelmed by the response and set about not only planning the next pop-up, but scouting a bricks-and-mortar venue. By the time their latest pop-up (a take over of food truck New York Waffles) was announced, the burgers had started to amass a cult following – so much so that they sold out in advance in less than ten minutes. Not long after, Jay and Ché revealed the switch to their official burger-slinging name – Broken Hearts Burger Club – announcing that they would be opening a permanent burger joint in Morningside, taking over the old Wing Fix space on Wynnum Road. Now open, Brisbane at large has a spot to snag a taste of Broken Hearts Burger Club’s signature hand-smashed cheeseburger – think a soft custom-made potato bun, a generous dollop of house sauce, pickles (that Jay claims are essential and will be loved even by pickle haters), and American cheese melted upon the pièce de résistance, a smashed patty blend of chuck steak, premium steak and a little bacon to really get that coveted Maillard reaction. The menu also include the likes of a classic fried-chicken burger and rotating specials, plus a handful of sides.