I recently had a note from Bibbi Bakro who also remembered the Burger Ranch in Davenport Square. He wrote:
Just the other day, I was reminiscing about my Dad, Endre Bakro, taking us to the Three Monkeys for a hotdog and milkshake. I decided to google The Three Monkeys, and AMAZING, your blog popped up, with an article on the Three Monkeys! We lived in Glenwood for the first ten years of my life, we loved the Hawaiian burger with pink sauce from the Burger Ranch at Davenport.
See the diary entry for 18 October 2008 on this page here for the article Bibbi refers to. There has also been some discussion about the Three Monkeys on this page. By coincidence, Bibbi’s father was in the printing department of the Daily News where I started my career as a reporter. He would be grateful if anyone who knew his dad would get in touch and, especially, if there are any pictures of the presses which, if I remember, were partly visible from Field Street.
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Gerald Buttigieg
Hi Bibbi ,
Probably a slip of the memory but the presses were visible from Pine Street not Field St. One could look down into the basement where the presses were from openings in the loading bay . From there you could see the papers rolling through the process. re Your Dad, maybe a date would help.
Glenn Le Roux
Hi Bibi, I knew your dad Endre. He was a fitter and turner in the engineering department at the Daily News in field st.I joined the Daily News in 1975 as a apprentice electrician in the engineering dept.Your dad came from Hungary and there was another fitter and turner from Hungary Burt Kovacs.I left in 1982 and rejoined in 1989, assisting with the move of the printing presses to greyville opposite the race course, where i am currently.I remember your dad being an avid orchid grower. You’s lived in Glenwood at the time. Your dad retired some where arround 1995.
Bibbi Bakro
Hi Glenn, thank you very much for sharing your memories of Dad. The Daily News cartoonist Jock Leyden drew a fun cartoon of Dad in his white overalls holding one of his prize-winning orchids. I remember Burt, like Dad, he was one of the two thousand or so Hungarians who arrived as refugees in South Africa, after escaping the wrath of the Russians, due to the 1956 Hungarian uprising.
I was wondering if the Daily News has a photo archive of staff workers, including Dad on the old press in Field Street.
Stay well, best regards Bibbi
Nelson Freitas
Hi Bibbi
Don´t know what decade you refer to, but i owned Burger Ranch from 1987 to 1993. I agree the burgers were great.
shaun sherratt
ah the good ol days.i grew up in that area i remember when i was ten or eleven must have been in about 1981 or so and manuel owned the burger ranch great food and the best apple pie with soft serve.also remember manuel always telling us naughty stories.
mt Les Dyason
good old days
Burger ranch was my favourite hang out.
fresh and tasty made on a chain style open flame with a variety of sauces to choose from.
Awesome milkshakes.❣️🌶
Stephen Dyason
We grew up opposite Old Mutual Square, Clark Road 104. The BURGER RANCH was always a treat – pink sauce and “Steers” patties. My father was in real estate, Glenwood Estates and managed owned developed various properties in Glenwood. He moved from Durban in 1982. Interesting!
Ahmebd
My late uncle Edris Dildar owned the Burger Ranch on Albert Street opposite the Avolon Cinema next to A I Kagees, also the one in Umbilo and in Point Road. During the school holidays in the 70s we used to help at the shop especially the one in Albert Street. It used to be busy during the day and night.
Mike Hodkinson
I too remember the Burger Ranch in Davenport Centre from my time in digs on Corner of Brand Road and Marcus Ave in 1971! The pink onion sauce was called Bermuda Onion sauce if I remember correctly. Anyone got a recipe?