Sitting on a sofa, overlooking a body of water as I choose between a mahi mahi burger served loco moco style or a Royal Hawaiian house burger, you'd think I was sitting on Waikiki Beach in Oahu, waiting for a surfing lesson to begin.

But no, I'm sitting on the patio at the Riverway Clubhouse watching hackers put their approaches on 18 into the water and thinking about the last time I did exactly the same thing.

It's the heart of summer in Burnaby, and perhaps the best place to spend it is on the spacious Riverway Clubhouse patio where you don't have to be a golfer to enjoy the summer burger specials prepared in Riverway's state-of-theart kitchen.

Executive chef Amador Apacible is working his magic under the direction of Bob Farahani, the City of Burnaby's manager of food services, and they've put together a menu that would make any islander proud.

"We're very proud of our summer Hawaiian theme," said Farahani. "We've got three different burgers - mahi mahi, chicken and beef - that you can have served any one of three styles. The loco moco has a free-range egg, the Royal Hawaiian has a big pineapple slice and the avocado is a refreshing change."

Apacible insists that we try all three and give him feedback because he can then work on improvements if necessary.

I love the loco moco and mahi mahi combination because the egg adds even more protein to my meal. Photographer Larry Wright is enjoying the chicken and avocado and we both marvel at how big the pineapple slice is on our regular burger.

Making the burgers even more special is that the buns are specially made for the restaurant and are stamped with a classic 'R'.

It's a good thing the buns are big because Apacible said there's only one thing in common when you choose your burger and style.

"You are going to get messy eating a burger here," said Apacible. "Big burgers with lots of toppings means you'll be licking your fingers and enjoying every bite."

That's certainly the case for me, as I'm also trying to enjoy a cool refreshing drink at the same time.

Our server, Adriana Kresina, is doing an admirable job keeping her many tables happy, and she's busy because sales at the Riverway Clubhouse have doubled in the last year.

Part of the success is due to the magic of Hugh Izumi, food service worker and bartender, who has been working hard to perfect some unique drinks that are evocative of a summer in Hawaii.

His lychee and mint mix is as refreshing as it sounds, but on the two or three days it gets stinking hot in Burnaby, I don't think you can beat the blueberry lemonade.

For the underage set, these drinks are something they can look forward to in future years - alcohol is involved - but Izumi has also put together a sterling list of non-alcoholic drinks.

The pineapple mojito mocktail fits the Hawaiian theme well, and if you want to try some gourmet soda, the clubhouse carries a wide selection of Fentiman's gourmet varieties, including the shandy - which our underage guest loved - and the dandelion and burdock root, which Wright couldn't get enough of.

Izumi is also keen to experiment with his drinkmixing skills, so guinea pig that I be, I'm trying a raspberry sorbet-like drink that tastes better with each sip.

And then comes the grape freezee.

Tasting almost exactly like the frozen summer treat that many kids make a summer staple, my drink is just a tad stronger, with the Curacao adding the kick and the colour for this most appetizing summer refresher.

Since we're eating and drinking in a non-linear fashion, the appetizers are next and the artichoke salad is very tastily accentuated with balsamic vinegar.

But the balsamic really comes through in the watermelon, feta and spinach appetizer.

Pardon? Cubes of watermelon, sprinkled with feta cheese and served with spinach and a dash of balsamic sounds like a chef experimenting a tad much, but we put our taste buds in Apacible's able hands and are justly rewarded.

"Feta's saltiness goes with the sweetness of the watermelon, and you add in the acidity of the balsamic, and you have a great taste," said Apacible.

It's a dish you won't taste anywhere else, and once you get over any preconceived notion of this dish, it is a seemingly perfect patio appetizer.

By now, it's been several hours out on the patio, and golfers are still racing to beat the setting sun and get their rounds in.

Apacible decides the best way to end our meal is with the monstrous house burger, served with onion rings on top, a fried dill pickle on the side and the usual restaurant mix of yam and regular fries served in a miniature deep-fry basket.

"We use sterling beef, and it's as popular an item as we have on the menu," said Farahani. "We put a lot of pride into our burgers here, and this is one we are very, very proud of."

No arguing that, as we finish sharing our fourth burger of the evening.

As the sun sets on both our meal and on the night, we can't help but think Riverway Clubhouse is one of the great secrets in the city of Burnaby.

"We're inviting golfers and non-golfers to come and give us a try," said Farahani.

"We're doing everything we can to make this one of the best places for a meal or to enjoy a great night on the patio."

The Riverway Clubhouse is located at 9001 Bill Fox Way in the Big Bend area of Burnaby.

For reservations, call 604-297-4888 or check out their Facebook account at www.facebook.com/river wayclubhouse.

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