Review: Mike’s Burger House

About a half hour outside of Phnom Penh, on the way to the airport, in a Sokimex gas station is a hamburger joint modeled on California’s In-And-Out Burger. It was a bit of a trek after having a big night and we had the typical PP driving experiences, getting pulled over, asked for a bribe, seeing an accident, etc., but it was a fun trip.

Vinh and I have been searching for tasty burgers here in Cambodia for a little while and had heard that Mike’s was a great new place. It has a bit of a diner feel, being in a gas station and they also serve A&W Root Beer, Snickers and Heinz ketchup. I went for the straightforward #2 bacon cheeseburger. I hadn’t eaten anything that day which always makes things taste better, but either way, it was pretty damn good. Rather, the first half was. By the time I got over my initial extreme hunger it had turned into a bit of a gut bomb. It’s big and tasty but it doesn't have the most amazing ingredients. Great for a hangover, but not the best burger I’ve had in Cambodia. – Bryse

I was intrigued by this half gas station/half burger joint. This was my 3rd time visiting Mike’s because it is so conveniently located on the way to airport. All I have to say is this: I love me a good ol’ fashioned burger. Not those fancy, gourmet-type burgers, but a big, juicy, greasy burger oozing and dripping with cheese and whatever toppings your heart desires. The last 2 times I went to Mike’s, I got the #2, which is the bacon burger, but this time I thought I’d get a little crazy and try the chili burger. The chili and fries could’ve been a bit better, but in the long run, it was a damn fine burger for a good price. Make sure you eat here when it's a day of lounging on the couch, because this burger has the ability to put you in a food coma if you let it. It’s the perfect hangover treat. On a lazy Sunday, I recommend taking a motorbike ride out to Mike’s, eating any one of their massive burgers, getting gas on the way out, then heading to the airport for blizzard at Dairy Queen. Then you may comfortably take a trip to food coma land. – EJ

Nobody should ever order any item on a menu with the word crazy, extreme or insane as part of its name. It usually ends badly as it is either a bad marketing gimmick to get someone to order it, or there is something so amazingly wrong about it that you shouldn’t order it.

“Why is it crazy?” is usually the first thought that pops in my head which is usually followed by “it can’t be that crazy.”
Most of the time it is and even though common sense tells me to not order it, I always do. It's as if my ego is insulted by the thought of someone telling me that it’s too much for me to handle.
So that’s what wass running through my mind when I ordered the Crazy Burger at Mike's. The girl who took the order looked at me a bit stunned and asked “are you sure?”. To hammer in her point, she held her hands up mimicking the height of the burger which was a good foot high.
“Why not?” I replied.
Famous last words.

Twenty minutes and a Sprite later, I was glad that I hadn't ordered any fries with the monstrosity that came out from the kitchen. Along with two patties, two slices of cheese, iceberg lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard, ketchup, two fried eggs, and bacon, there was a very interesting component that just took the burger over the top.
They managed to include the fries inside the burger, but with a twist. They battered the already fried fries and refried them.

Only problem was how to eat it. Mike, the owner offered the advice to smoosh it down. Smooshed down to 9 inches tall, it was still too much for me to handle. So I deconstructed it and ate it in 3 parts. I took out the fried eggs as I can’t stand them on burgers and dug in.

The burger itself was pretty good. The lettuce stayed crisp throughout the meal which is a huge plus for me. Unfortunately the sesame seed bun was sweet, something that is a problem with most hamburgers in Cambodia. My favorite part of the burger was the refried fries. In a stroke of pure genius, whoever assembled the burger, put the cheese on top of the fries which melted the two into a gooey yet stodgy mess.
I managed to only pile away two thirds of it before giving up on it. Definitely a burger to be shared or for someone with a serious appetite. – Vinh

Summary:
EJ: 3 out of 5 nyomies
Vinh: 3.5 out of 5 nyomies
Bryse: 3 out of 5 nyomies

Mikes Burger House
Sokimex Station 315, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Just head to Pochentong Airport on Confederation De La Russie and look for the Sokimex Station on your right.

Source: Nyam Penh

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