I don't know if people will get that title, I thought it was witty, but in retrospect it may just be contrived, and now I don't feel like putting in the effort of trying to think of a new one. So, I know, when people hear that I went to Uno's for a burger they'll be wondering why I ordered a burger at a pizza joint. I had some good luck with Jake's and I knew that Uno's does more than just pizza. Unfortunately, as it is with chains that have been around for so long, the quality tends to deteriorate. While they tried to spruce things up with those new booklet menus like Cheesecake Factory, the essential product delivered was still the same; that is to say, not as good as it could've or should've been.
The burger as you can surmise, was a burger, with bacon and cheese and BBQ sauce. So let's go back to the basics, the meat was okay, but for a place this pricey, the portions were undeniably stingy. The patty was okay, nothing fancy, a little on the greasy/watery side, which either means frozen or poor quality (too high fat content, 15-20% depending on means of cooking is ideal) meat or both. The bacon was bacon, and the cheese was cheese, they neither added to nor detracted from the burger. The lettuce, onion, and tomato were not exceptionally better than something you might find at Applebee's or even a nicer fast-food chain like Five Guys or In-N-Out. The sauce was well, overly sweet, and kind of runny, though I couldn't tell if that was the sauce or the burger. Supposedly it was supposed to be their signature "Wowza" sauce made with Sam Adams lager, but frankly, I really didn't taste a whole lot that differentiated it from something slightly fancier than Kraft BBQ sauce from the supermarket. Maybe I just don't know my BBQ sauce. Overall, it didn't mix well with the burger, but rather overpowered a lot of the other flavors. It really was an immemorable blur.
The fries were... well, what you'd expect from a high school cafeteria; bulk purchase, frozen, and deep fried. It's pretty hard to get these wrong, I'd have been sad if they did. At the very least, because some people have a hard time understanding what my dad says in English, I got a free BBQ chicken pizza out of it. It wasn't that good either, but it was free. Uno's? Well, I wouldn't go there for their burgers, though nowadays, I'm not sure I'd go there for anything else either.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
It's not a great neighborhood but it's not that bad either
What?! Two Applebee's reviews?! My standards are really slipping aren't they? Perhaps that's what some of you are thinking, or perhaps this has you questioning my credibility, but, hey, I'm indiscriminate like that with burgers. Besides, I'm at Applebee's, what the heck else am I going to get? That being said, my parents wanted to come here for the two entrees for $20 thing so I figure, anytime I come to one of these places, I'm going with a burger, I mean, that's at least something they can't screw up TOO badly right? So far so good.
So this burger looked pretty interesting to me, namely because all the other burgers didn't really look like burgers (basically other food with burger meat, Philly burger? Quesadilla burger? Com'on, not to say that they're bad but they certainly ain't no burgers, generally speaking). The meat was pretty well prepared, the cheese melty, and the bun performed its job serviceably, without falling apart or getting in the way of the burger consumption. The chipotle mayo was applied somewhat lopsidedly, but I suppose I can't expect too much from an Applebee's kitchen. That being said, it was mostly the candied jalapeno's that caught my attention, both on the menu and on my palate. They gave the burger a nice tangy flavor. I personally like a little more kick, but this was still okay. Add in pickle chips and gets more tangy. It was an interesting experience, which ultimately made the chipotle mayo somewhat useless, unless there's some subtle mixing of the flavor happening that I didn't notice.
Fries are fries are fries. I know, I say it a lot, but this is Applebee's, there's not much to say about it. I mean, com'on, they serve tortilla chips with their spinach and artichoke dip, if that's normal, then I guess I'm a snob. But hey, free refills (drinks only). Dude, it's Applebee's, if you're coming here, I'm sure there's a good reason, I'm not going to say more.
So this burger looked pretty interesting to me, namely because all the other burgers didn't really look like burgers (basically other food with burger meat, Philly burger? Quesadilla burger? Com'on, not to say that they're bad but they certainly ain't no burgers, generally speaking). The meat was pretty well prepared, the cheese melty, and the bun performed its job serviceably, without falling apart or getting in the way of the burger consumption. The chipotle mayo was applied somewhat lopsidedly, but I suppose I can't expect too much from an Applebee's kitchen. That being said, it was mostly the candied jalapeno's that caught my attention, both on the menu and on my palate. They gave the burger a nice tangy flavor. I personally like a little more kick, but this was still okay. Add in pickle chips and gets more tangy. It was an interesting experience, which ultimately made the chipotle mayo somewhat useless, unless there's some subtle mixing of the flavor happening that I didn't notice.
Fries are fries are fries. I know, I say it a lot, but this is Applebee's, there's not much to say about it. I mean, com'on, they serve tortilla chips with their spinach and artichoke dip, if that's normal, then I guess I'm a snob. But hey, free refills (drinks only). Dude, it's Applebee's, if you're coming here, I'm sure there's a good reason, I'm not going to say more.
Monday, October 3, 2011
The grace of simplicity
I had this burger in the town in the middle of southern Minnesota called Wells. Literally, there was no place that I could check-in on Yelp for like 30 miles. This is probably one of the two dining establishments within that distance as well, the other being a Dairy Queen a couple blocks the other way. That being said, you figure I'd go for pizza at a place called Jake's Pizza, but I noticed that enough of their stuff used hamburger steaks to figure that their burgers should be pretty good too. I oped for the Canadian Bacon Cheeseburger variety (as opposed to the American bacon kind) which essentially was a ham and Swiss sandwich with a burger patty underneath. That's pretty sweet.
The patty itself was juicy and well cooked, gave a full meaty flavor, which was something of a surprise for this type of a joint, but when you think about it, it's just good old fashioned home cooking. The bun was your run of the mill bun. The ketchup and mustard I added myself, the pickles were pretty normal pickles, the Swiss was nice and melty under the three slices of grilled Canadian bacon. All in all, good times. The bacon wasn't too stringy, and everything had a very full, hearty, natural flavor to it.
The fries were your run-of-the-mill frozen kringle cut fries, which, when deep fried are very good. I did have to salt and pepper them myself, but it's hard to go wrong with kringle cut. I would never say that anyone would have to go all the way out to Wells, MN just to try a burger at this pizza joint, but I must say it was a good burger. I know it's not saying much since there are only like two places to eat around the area, but it is a pretty dang good place to stop and eat if you're there. Well done Jake, well done.
The patty itself was juicy and well cooked, gave a full meaty flavor, which was something of a surprise for this type of a joint, but when you think about it, it's just good old fashioned home cooking. The bun was your run of the mill bun. The ketchup and mustard I added myself, the pickles were pretty normal pickles, the Swiss was nice and melty under the three slices of grilled Canadian bacon. All in all, good times. The bacon wasn't too stringy, and everything had a very full, hearty, natural flavor to it.
The fries were your run-of-the-mill frozen kringle cut fries, which, when deep fried are very good. I did have to salt and pepper them myself, but it's hard to go wrong with kringle cut. I would never say that anyone would have to go all the way out to Wells, MN just to try a burger at this pizza joint, but I must say it was a good burger. I know it's not saying much since there are only like two places to eat around the area, but it is a pretty dang good place to stop and eat if you're there. Well done Jake, well done.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
I totally needed this
I had heard nothing but good things about Uneeda Burger out in Fremont. Why the heck does all the good food have to be in Fremont? I guess it's the happening place. First the best sandwich (Paseo) and now the best burger. I kid you not, this is definitely one of the best if not the best burger joint I've ever been to. I came with my small group before heading out back to the East Coast, and I can tell you, I was not disappointed at all, even with all the hype. We had a lovely conversation with a very amicable general manager who knew his stuff. After hearing that his personal favorite burger was the Sonora (#5 on the menu) I opted to get it.
My first take on the burgers were that they were all very well thought out. There isn't as extensive a selection as some other burger joints would boast, but I would posit that there was definitely something for everyone there. The meat was cooked to perfection. Full beefy flavor, not too greasy, not undercooked so that it bled, just the right amount of tenderness and juiciness to fully appreciate the quality of the meat. The Sonora also was served on a nice artisan bun, grilled well, not overloaded, not overwhelming. The fixings included a chili-relish made from roasted Anaheim peppers among other things. While I was originally hesitant because I prefer a kick over a slow burn, the latter of which was used to describe the chili relish, it worked. It wasn't overwhelming, it in fact, did what it was supposed to, complement the burger. The mixture of onions and cilantro and whatever they put in the relish gave it a nice tang, almost like a ceviche but not quite. It's hard to describe and just saying that it was good hardly does it justice. The relish, in addition to being a fixing was something of a condiment in and of itself, mixing with the cilantro to give a nice tangy flavor with that hint of burn afterwards.
While I was disappointed to find that they no longer served waffle-fries, I certainly was not disappointed in the least by the fries. This was my first poutine experience, and I must say the Canadians are on to something here. While it does trend towards the heavier side it was good. Additionally, the beer-battered onion rings had a great sweetness in the batter, and the regular (now hand-cut) fries were great as well. All in all, everything about this place was well thought out and executed nearly perfectly. I know I don't say this much, but this is definitely a place you have to go out of your way to go to if you're looking for a quality burger in the Seattle area. Best burger in Seattle, I don't care what Oprah says.
My first take on the burgers were that they were all very well thought out. There isn't as extensive a selection as some other burger joints would boast, but I would posit that there was definitely something for everyone there. The meat was cooked to perfection. Full beefy flavor, not too greasy, not undercooked so that it bled, just the right amount of tenderness and juiciness to fully appreciate the quality of the meat. The Sonora also was served on a nice artisan bun, grilled well, not overloaded, not overwhelming. The fixings included a chili-relish made from roasted Anaheim peppers among other things. While I was originally hesitant because I prefer a kick over a slow burn, the latter of which was used to describe the chili relish, it worked. It wasn't overwhelming, it in fact, did what it was supposed to, complement the burger. The mixture of onions and cilantro and whatever they put in the relish gave it a nice tang, almost like a ceviche but not quite. It's hard to describe and just saying that it was good hardly does it justice. The relish, in addition to being a fixing was something of a condiment in and of itself, mixing with the cilantro to give a nice tangy flavor with that hint of burn afterwards.
While I was disappointed to find that they no longer served waffle-fries, I certainly was not disappointed in the least by the fries. This was my first poutine experience, and I must say the Canadians are on to something here. While it does trend towards the heavier side it was good. Additionally, the beer-battered onion rings had a great sweetness in the batter, and the regular (now hand-cut) fries were great as well. All in all, everything about this place was well thought out and executed nearly perfectly. I know I don't say this much, but this is definitely a place you have to go out of your way to go to if you're looking for a quality burger in the Seattle area. Best burger in Seattle, I don't care what Oprah says.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Good ol' home cookin'
Well, I can't say I expected too much, I mean, Burney Bros BBQ makes a point to be a BBQ place, but I figure their burger can't be all that bad. I mean, it's another piece of grilled meat right? In retrospect, it may not have been the wisest decision, but I had neglected my readers long enough. I made my homage to the BBQ sign in downtown Lake Forest Park by getting the BBQ burger, which was actually surprisingly good. Had I decided to check-in before I ordered, I would probably have noted that the two other establishments in the food court had check-in deals and you wouldn't have this review.
The meat was juicy, very, very juicy. It's topped off with a grilled BBQ sauce and the guy gives you a dipping BBQ sauce on the side. I opted for the spicy sauce, which was good, but once you dipped it, it kind of was all you could taste. It wasn't bad, but not super ideal for a burger. Lettuce and tomato were the iceberg and slice affair, nothing fancy. If you want, they have condiment packets. The bun was your typical sesame affair, did a good job holding up, amazing what difference a well toasted bun makes.
The fries were your typical bulk order frozen fries. Since there didn't appear to be space for a food warmer in the back, they have to fry them fresh, which is a plus. Crispy, lightly salted, all-in-all what you expect from the typical burger side.
I have to say that I wouldn't go out of my way to go to this place, but it's not bad, and I think it's one of the two places in downtown Lake Forest Park you can get a burger, the other likely being Lake Forest Grill, which seems like a more sit-down establishment. If I come back, I'd probably opt for the brisket sandwich or something, but if you're craving a burger, this isn't a bad option.
The meat was juicy, very, very juicy. It's topped off with a grilled BBQ sauce and the guy gives you a dipping BBQ sauce on the side. I opted for the spicy sauce, which was good, but once you dipped it, it kind of was all you could taste. It wasn't bad, but not super ideal for a burger. Lettuce and tomato were the iceberg and slice affair, nothing fancy. If you want, they have condiment packets. The bun was your typical sesame affair, did a good job holding up, amazing what difference a well toasted bun makes.
The fries were your typical bulk order frozen fries. Since there didn't appear to be space for a food warmer in the back, they have to fry them fresh, which is a plus. Crispy, lightly salted, all-in-all what you expect from the typical burger side.
I have to say that I wouldn't go out of my way to go to this place, but it's not bad, and I think it's one of the two places in downtown Lake Forest Park you can get a burger, the other likely being Lake Forest Grill, which seems like a more sit-down establishment. If I come back, I'd probably opt for the brisket sandwich or something, but if you're craving a burger, this isn't a bad option.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
A rush of stuff, not quite a touchdown
Maybe a field goal? I've been to Mike's Cafe once before for brunch and wasn't overly impressed with the spread, but it's pretty close to the church I attended in Palo Alto and so I figured it'd be worth a shot, that and it was convenient as I was visiting. I came with a friend with the intention of getting brunch, but since I've had a number of eggs benedicts recently and not quite so many burgers (I apologize to my neglected reading audience).
The Blitz I suppose is fairly aptly named. It's on a 1/2 lb patty, which was pretty good, nothing spectacularly done about it. On top was some generic cheddar, two strips of bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and two hefty onion rings. I imagine the onion rings would've been good separately, but they didn't go too well with the burger as neither the batter nor the onions were very strong. BBQ sauce was nice and sweet and tangy, but did taste like fairly generic out-of-the-bottle BBQ sauce, I added a couple of dabs of jalapeno Tabasco for good measure. The bun was a bun, a fairly normal sesame affair.
The fries were also pretty typical, seemed kind of like a frozen variety of McDonald's knockoff. Not as oily, not as salty, you need to season it a little yourself for some flavor. Overall, it's not bad, if you're in the neighborhood and you're hungry it's not a bad place to stop by.
The Blitz I suppose is fairly aptly named. It's on a 1/2 lb patty, which was pretty good, nothing spectacularly done about it. On top was some generic cheddar, two strips of bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and two hefty onion rings. I imagine the onion rings would've been good separately, but they didn't go too well with the burger as neither the batter nor the onions were very strong. BBQ sauce was nice and sweet and tangy, but did taste like fairly generic out-of-the-bottle BBQ sauce, I added a couple of dabs of jalapeno Tabasco for good measure. The bun was a bun, a fairly normal sesame affair.
The fries were also pretty typical, seemed kind of like a frozen variety of McDonald's knockoff. Not as oily, not as salty, you need to season it a little yourself for some flavor. Overall, it's not bad, if you're in the neighborhood and you're hungry it's not a bad place to stop by.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Stardom is relative I suppose
I only knew this place by name because what we usually referred to as "99" was Ranch 99 Chinese supermarket in the West Coast, so seeing one in New York threw us off a little. The font for the numbers was kind of similar too, but then the horseshoe around it informed us that it was a restaurant of some sort and we didn't think much of it. Later, on a visit back to New York (the state not the city) from Washington (the state not the city) a friend and I were trying to decide where to eat and we were suggested to try this place in lieu of its reasonable price.
The burger, called the All Star Steakburger, was basically a pretty thick, bacon cheeseburger. Everything on it was okay. The meat was okay, the fixings run-of-the-mill, they did have bacon, but everything was plain to the point of being unremarkably immemorable.
The fries were fries, and cole slaw was cole slaw. Overall comparability I'd rate it with Denny's or something. Not somewhere I'd go out of my way for for a burger, but something safe if you happen to be passing by.
The burger, called the All Star Steakburger, was basically a pretty thick, bacon cheeseburger. Everything on it was okay. The meat was okay, the fixings run-of-the-mill, they did have bacon, but everything was plain to the point of being unremarkably immemorable.
The fries were fries, and cole slaw was cole slaw. Overall comparability I'd rate it with Denny's or something. Not somewhere I'd go out of my way for for a burger, but something safe if you happen to be passing by.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Experimental failure
Okay, maybe my title is a bit too harsh, but in my opinion, this place certainly wasn't worth all the hype it had going into it. Seriously. I came to Lunchbox Laboratory with high expectations, perhaps too high. Despite it being happy hour, and my coworkers treating me out, I still can't really honestly say that I would ever feel justified returning here. Not to say it was bad, but I personally don't think it was good enough to justify the price you pay, at least for the Tear Jerker.
The patty was a regular patty. They say kobe beef, and I'm sure the quality is better than your run-of-the-mill stuff you'd find elsewhere. Maybe I just got the wrong burger (again). The fixings on the burger were again nondescript. Your standard iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato, a thick pickle wedge, some cheese. Of course being the Tear Jerker, it came with roasted jalapenos and some other stuff. The sauce was a buffalo sauce base, meaning: hot sauce and butter, basically the stuff you put onto hot buffalo wings. The bun was a bun, it served well enough. To be honest, the burger was spicy, and it was a good spicy, but there was so much of it you tasted only the buffalo sauce and jalapenos, the burger itself only adding texture. For all I knew, I could've been chewing on boca slathered in hot sauce on a bun.
All in all it wasn't bad. The tater tots were a nice touch on the side, though you could get sweet potato fries as well, which were a plus. I'm not a huge fan of shoe string fries, but they have them as well. It's a decent place to go, but frankly, to me, way too overpriced. The burgers are a bit small and frankly not really worth the menu cost. It's a novelty place, but that's about the only reason I'd go back.
The patty was a regular patty. They say kobe beef, and I'm sure the quality is better than your run-of-the-mill stuff you'd find elsewhere. Maybe I just got the wrong burger (again). The fixings on the burger were again nondescript. Your standard iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato, a thick pickle wedge, some cheese. Of course being the Tear Jerker, it came with roasted jalapenos and some other stuff. The sauce was a buffalo sauce base, meaning: hot sauce and butter, basically the stuff you put onto hot buffalo wings. The bun was a bun, it served well enough. To be honest, the burger was spicy, and it was a good spicy, but there was so much of it you tasted only the buffalo sauce and jalapenos, the burger itself only adding texture. For all I knew, I could've been chewing on boca slathered in hot sauce on a bun.
All in all it wasn't bad. The tater tots were a nice touch on the side, though you could get sweet potato fries as well, which were a plus. I'm not a huge fan of shoe string fries, but they have them as well. It's a decent place to go, but frankly, to me, way too overpriced. The burgers are a bit small and frankly not really worth the menu cost. It's a novelty place, but that's about the only reason I'd go back.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Bang for your buck
I still posit that In-N-Out is still the best deal around for burgers, but given that I do not have access to a double-double, this may have to do, probably not. Anyways, when P.C. Catering gives you a BBQ bacon double-cheeseburger (called the Texas Cheese) with fries for $5, you figure you'd give it a go.
Anyways, everything is pretty run-of-the-mill. Patties I think were frozen. Bacon is bacon, add some BBQ sauce, some grilled bell peppers and onions, melted pepper jack cheese, you get... well, the Texas Cheese.
Same could be said for the fries. Frozen, from a bag, into a deep fryer, add some Jack's All-Purpose Seasoning, and you get, fries. Good, not great, and sometimes, that's good enough.
Anyways, everything is pretty run-of-the-mill. Patties I think were frozen. Bacon is bacon, add some BBQ sauce, some grilled bell peppers and onions, melted pepper jack cheese, you get... well, the Texas Cheese.
Same could be said for the fries. Frozen, from a bag, into a deep fryer, add some Jack's All-Purpose Seasoning, and you get, fries. Good, not great, and sometimes, that's good enough.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
O rly?
I'm pretty sure that the people who made the sign post that says dbl chz combo have no idea what lolspeak is, but that doesn't make it less funny. That being said, I find it sad that I used to like this place. Maybe because I just had lower standards back then, or maybe because it's a franchise and this particular one wasn't very good. All in all, Herfy's Burgers was pretty disappointing to say the least.
The patties were your run-of-the-mill fast food burger joint type patties. Not the worst I've had, not the best. Comparable to say, somewhere between Dick's and Wendy's. The bun is your typical sesame seed bun, contains the burger, not much more to say about it. Fixings were normal, I like the melty cheese, but American is a little overpowering in a sense, and condiments I really couldn't tell what was on there. I think fry sauce, but when your fry sauce is just a mixture of ketchup and mayo then I don't really consider it a special condiment, because it's just premixing two condiments I would normally put on a burger anyways.
Bonus points for kringle fries, but that's about it. I can tell they stay in business by attracting students who want burgers and there being no other place around. In my book, it's somewhat overpriced if that's the consistent quality you're getting. So if you're craving a burger and there's nothing else in sight, then go for it. I personally, will opt for something else next time.
The patties were your run-of-the-mill fast food burger joint type patties. Not the worst I've had, not the best. Comparable to say, somewhere between Dick's and Wendy's. The bun is your typical sesame seed bun, contains the burger, not much more to say about it. Fixings were normal, I like the melty cheese, but American is a little overpowering in a sense, and condiments I really couldn't tell what was on there. I think fry sauce, but when your fry sauce is just a mixture of ketchup and mayo then I don't really consider it a special condiment, because it's just premixing two condiments I would normally put on a burger anyways.
Bonus points for kringle fries, but that's about it. I can tell they stay in business by attracting students who want burgers and there being no other place around. In my book, it's somewhat overpriced if that's the consistent quality you're getting. So if you're craving a burger and there's nothing else in sight, then go for it. I personally, will opt for something else next time.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
I don't think this is quite Apple approved...
I know, I know. I've been here before. I've reviewed a burger here before, but before you start. I've decided that I'm rating the merits of each burger rather than the merits of each burger joint. That being said, I decided (since it was in one of the more convenient locations that I drive by regularly) to give iBurger and Shakes another try. Why it's called iBurger, I have no clue, I'm sure it has some deeper hidden meaning or is something along the lines of trying to hop onto the Apple fad of putting a lower case "i" in front of everything to try to make it cool.
For some reason unbeknownst to me, all foods California are defined by avocado, so naturally, a Cali Burger must have avocado on it. This burger is no different. The patty was a typical 1/4 lb affair, well grilled, and the buns were your typical sesame seed affair, also well toasted. Neither were bad, but neither did either one stand out in good way. The fixings, as previously discussed, include sliced avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and swiss cheese, all fresh. The smooth creaminess of the avocado was nice. There was a hint of smokiness in the house sauce that I liked, but there was a lot of other stuff going on so it was somewhat elusive pinpointing that flavor. I liked it, but I would've liked more of it.
The fries are your typical bag-of-pre-fried-frozen-potato-sticks affair thrown into a deep fryer. Can't really go wrong with that. All-in-all what sells this place is the location. It's convenient, though the knock on the location is that it is a ridiculous pain to find parking there. If you happen to just need a meal passing by, it's not a bad stop off, and this isn't a bad burger. Albeit a little pricey for what you get, but I've seen worse.
For some reason unbeknownst to me, all foods California are defined by avocado, so naturally, a Cali Burger must have avocado on it. This burger is no different. The patty was a typical 1/4 lb affair, well grilled, and the buns were your typical sesame seed affair, also well toasted. Neither were bad, but neither did either one stand out in good way. The fixings, as previously discussed, include sliced avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and swiss cheese, all fresh. The smooth creaminess of the avocado was nice. There was a hint of smokiness in the house sauce that I liked, but there was a lot of other stuff going on so it was somewhat elusive pinpointing that flavor. I liked it, but I would've liked more of it.
The fries are your typical bag-of-pre-fried-frozen-potato-sticks affair thrown into a deep fryer. Can't really go wrong with that. All-in-all what sells this place is the location. It's convenient, though the knock on the location is that it is a ridiculous pain to find parking there. If you happen to just need a meal passing by, it's not a bad stop off, and this isn't a bad burger. Albeit a little pricey for what you get, but I've seen worse.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Simplicity sometimes is key
So I remember coming here when it used to be a pseudo-Hawaiian burger joint. In fact, Rain City Burger still has the same mahalo trash can that the old place (I can't remember the name for the life of me) used to have. After perusing their menu (which mind you was relatively extensive but to me honestly fairly run-of-the-mill) I ultimately decided to go with what they call the Huskies Burger, which I assume was named for some reason for the UW Huskies.
The burger in and of itself was fairly well made. A 1/4 lb patty with 2 large onion rings on it. The patty itself, being only 1/4 lb, was somewhat overwhelmed by everything else on the burger, but from what I could taste, the meat was good quality beef. The bun was your typical sesame bun. The fixings were lettuce, tomatoes, and onion rings. The onion rings I could tell were fresh, which were nice. They weren't super crispy which gave an interesting (in a good way) flavor and texture to the burger as a whole. There's supposed to be some sort of "Rain sauce" on the burger, but honestly, the onion rings sort of overpowered everything.
The fries (which you have to get extra) were pretty good, your run-of-the-mill semi-soggy stuff. Some people like it, some people don't, I personally don't mind. I always have a soft spot for burger joints that carry malt vinegar as a side condiment. All-in-all, it's not a bad joint, but there's nothing outstanding about it either. It's pretty much what you see is what you get. So if you're ever wandering around the neighborhood, and are looking for something to eat, this isn't a bad place to stop.
The burger in and of itself was fairly well made. A 1/4 lb patty with 2 large onion rings on it. The patty itself, being only 1/4 lb, was somewhat overwhelmed by everything else on the burger, but from what I could taste, the meat was good quality beef. The bun was your typical sesame bun. The fixings were lettuce, tomatoes, and onion rings. The onion rings I could tell were fresh, which were nice. They weren't super crispy which gave an interesting (in a good way) flavor and texture to the burger as a whole. There's supposed to be some sort of "Rain sauce" on the burger, but honestly, the onion rings sort of overpowered everything.
The fries (which you have to get extra) were pretty good, your run-of-the-mill semi-soggy stuff. Some people like it, some people don't, I personally don't mind. I always have a soft spot for burger joints that carry malt vinegar as a side condiment. All-in-all, it's not a bad joint, but there's nothing outstanding about it either. It's pretty much what you see is what you get. So if you're ever wandering around the neighborhood, and are looking for something to eat, this isn't a bad place to stop.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
A lapse in sound judgment
So my buddies decided to take me out to try this thing for my birthday. The Behemoth at the Ram was a fairly new item and I approached it with mixed feelings. I have to say though, the food at the Ram has significantly improved as of late, maybe I should go back more often.
Anyways, the burger itself wasn't anything special, besides the three patties, the excess fixings made it actually quite difficult to eat. Overall, the lack of condiments other than mayo meant you could experiment with whatever stuff was on the house, I stuck mostly with A1 and BBQ sauce. The beef was good, but not exceptional, it was good enough to keep me going for a little while. All-in-all I don't really recommend trying this unless you really want to for some reason.
Fries were good. Not much else to say.
Anyways, the burger itself wasn't anything special, besides the three patties, the excess fixings made it actually quite difficult to eat. Overall, the lack of condiments other than mayo meant you could experiment with whatever stuff was on the house, I stuck mostly with A1 and BBQ sauce. The beef was good, but not exceptional, it was good enough to keep me going for a little while. All-in-all I don't really recommend trying this unless you really want to for some reason.
Fries were good. Not much else to say.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
The price is right, very right
Yeah, I can't think of any witty titles anymore, but I'm hoping that's not really why you read the blog. I suppose my writing is somewhat inconsistent at least in quality, but I'm hoping that I make up for it with my readability and witty exposition (or so I like to delude myself into thinking). That being said, I was in the Bay this weekend for a wedding and decided to visit an old haunt of mine, a local sports bar by the name of St. John's Bar and Grill. Why do I like this place? Simply put, because they have great deals. Every day there is something half off on their menu. From cheesesteak to chicken sandwiches to appetizers, and most importantly, to burgers. Saturday happened to be burger day, and when you're paying almost as much for your beverage as you are for your burger, you know you're getting a good deal (as well as getting fleeced on the beverages, but I guess that's true everywhere). They have a fairly large selection of burgers, all of which are pretty good, so I opted for the jalapeno burger this time.
The meat was a full, hearty (estimated 1/3 lb) patty. Very juicy, well cooked. The bun was a lightly toasted onion bun, typical thing that you can find at the supermarket, but it does add a nice flavoring to the burger. The fixings consisted of your typical iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato, and rings of white onion, plus sauteed jalapeno peppers. The peppers were pretty fresh and gave the burger a nice kick. I think there was some mayo and mustard (possibly ketchup) in the burger, but the flavor of all the ingredients made it so you didn't need a whole lot in terms of condiments. The jalapenos gave that kick but weren't overbearing in that it was too hot to handle.
Typically they don't give sides, so my friends ordered an order of garlic fries to split. Very heavy on the garlic, pretty good stuff. The normal side is a small bag of Lays chips, but hey, if you're paying less than $4 for these burgers, it's okay if fries aren't included. Great joint to catch games and just get some affordable grub. Good burgers, great deals. Even at full menu price it's not out of this world expensive. If you're in the area, I'd say it's a place to drop by.
The meat was a full, hearty (estimated 1/3 lb) patty. Very juicy, well cooked. The bun was a lightly toasted onion bun, typical thing that you can find at the supermarket, but it does add a nice flavoring to the burger. The fixings consisted of your typical iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato, and rings of white onion, plus sauteed jalapeno peppers. The peppers were pretty fresh and gave the burger a nice kick. I think there was some mayo and mustard (possibly ketchup) in the burger, but the flavor of all the ingredients made it so you didn't need a whole lot in terms of condiments. The jalapenos gave that kick but weren't overbearing in that it was too hot to handle.
Typically they don't give sides, so my friends ordered an order of garlic fries to split. Very heavy on the garlic, pretty good stuff. The normal side is a small bag of Lays chips, but hey, if you're paying less than $4 for these burgers, it's okay if fries aren't included. Great joint to catch games and just get some affordable grub. Good burgers, great deals. Even at full menu price it's not out of this world expensive. If you're in the area, I'd say it's a place to drop by.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Just because it's "organic" doesn't make it better
Now I'm not here to bash on the whole "organic" thing. I'm sure it's better for you, but that is not indicative of it tasting better, and honestly, when I buy food, that's what I care about more. So, while I know Portage Bay Cafe is all about being sustainable and organic and local and all that, I can't say I was huge on what they simply dub Burger on their menu.
Overall, the whole natural ingredients thing do taste better, but just because you have good ingredients it doesn't necessitate a better burger. I liked the char and the full beef patty of the hand-pressed patty, and it was substantial, a little over-cooked for my liking, but it was beefy. The lettuce and tomato were fresh and the bun was a nice doughy local baked concoction (reminded me of those "pub buns" that you can buy at the supermarket, I liked them) which were good. I think there were supposed to be some red onion sauce or something on the burger, but honestly I couldn't taste it. All in all, it's not a bad burger, but it's essentially a very nice thing that comes out of a backyard BBQ, not necessarily something I'd go out of my way to get. Tack on the fact that cheese and bacon cost an addition dollar a piece, it's not really worth it.
The sides were basically home fries sauteed with chili powder/taco seasoning, nothing extraordinary. I think I like regular fries better, but this is more of a breakfast joint, so I guess they get a break on this one.
Overall, the whole natural ingredients thing do taste better, but just because you have good ingredients it doesn't necessitate a better burger. I liked the char and the full beef patty of the hand-pressed patty, and it was substantial, a little over-cooked for my liking, but it was beefy. The lettuce and tomato were fresh and the bun was a nice doughy local baked concoction (reminded me of those "pub buns" that you can buy at the supermarket, I liked them) which were good. I think there were supposed to be some red onion sauce or something on the burger, but honestly I couldn't taste it. All in all, it's not a bad burger, but it's essentially a very nice thing that comes out of a backyard BBQ, not necessarily something I'd go out of my way to get. Tack on the fact that cheese and bacon cost an addition dollar a piece, it's not really worth it.
The sides were basically home fries sauteed with chili powder/taco seasoning, nothing extraordinary. I think I like regular fries better, but this is more of a breakfast joint, so I guess they get a break on this one.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Perhaps it's better when you're hungrier
I can't say that this place was horrible, but I can't say that it's out of the ordinary. It certainly has changed since I first ventured here years prior to the creation of this blog. I decided one day to swing by the Burger Hut for a burger. Now, it's apparently a Halal Burger and Kabob Hut, as ownership has changed since my first foray. The main selling point of this place was that it was one of the few places open for students with late night food cravings, as the doors weren't locked until 3AM, a time at which, I imagine everything tastes better. The prices were more reasonable than previously, I opted for the Mushroom Burger.
The burger itself wasn't anything particularly out of the ordinary, the patty was seasoned with some pretty good spices (which I will venture is Middle Eastern/Mediterranean in nature) which was cool. The bun is your run of the mill sesame bun, the fixings your typical mushrooms, Swiss, lettuce, and tomato. I think there was ketchup on there, but I couldn't really taste it. Overall, the spices and from the sautee (of the mushrooms) kind of overpowered all other flavors. It wasn't bad, but nothing I'd go out of my way for.
The fries were fresh, but just fried, meaning, no seasoning, meaning, they tasted like crispy potatoes. A little bland.
The burger itself wasn't anything particularly out of the ordinary, the patty was seasoned with some pretty good spices (which I will venture is Middle Eastern/Mediterranean in nature) which was cool. The bun is your run of the mill sesame bun, the fixings your typical mushrooms, Swiss, lettuce, and tomato. I think there was ketchup on there, but I couldn't really taste it. Overall, the spices and from the sautee (of the mushrooms) kind of overpowered all other flavors. It wasn't bad, but nothing I'd go out of my way for.
The fries were fresh, but just fried, meaning, no seasoning, meaning, they tasted like crispy potatoes. A little bland.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Nostalgia ruins things later
Typically it does. First note though, I will be doing something a little different this time, I'm going to nix the whole grading mechanism and the more I think about it the more I find it somewhat contrived. So now, I'll just go with my (witty) exposition to discuss the merits of each burger (rather than place) that I have consumed. I had actually been somewhat looking forward to going to Cheesecake Factory (as you can tell by the dim lighting in the picture) for a while. I recall generally disliking the place and then once going for somebody's birthday, ordering the Kobe burger and being blown away. Perhaps it was the low expectations that time and the higher ones this time, perhaps it was the Palo Alto Cheesecake Factory that time and the Bellevue one this time, who knows? I would posit that it's likely the menu change (as I've experienced with Red Robin), which now boasts a greater selection of burgers (which apparently I guess you can get any of which with kobe beef), was the cause of the decline (at least in my perspective) in the quality of the product.
The beef was good, albeit the patty was a little small for the bun, but it had that full beefy flavor. The sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions added a nice fragrant sweetness to the flavor. No condiments, but you really didn't need a whole lot as all the natural flavors mixed together quite well. That being said, it was plain. I didn't really appreciate the shredded iceberg, not that I don't like it, but for a place like Cheesecake factory, it seemed a little sub-par, other than that, the bun was a nice toasted kaiser roll affair, nothing fancy, did the job. Overall, it's a good burger, and the burgers are probably what I'd stick with on the entrees at Cheesecake Factory if/when I return. It's got that nice, safe, know-what-you're-going-to-get factor to it, so if you're ever there for any reason, and you don't know what to get (it's hard to decide when the menu is a catalog), go with the burgers, the kobe is a safe bet. $13 is a little pricey, but you could do worse, and besides, it's Cheesecake Factory, not like you're going to pay much less for anything else.
On a side (semi-unintentional pun) note, the fries are your run of the mill affair. You do get it a cup, which I guess is fancier? Either that or a way to give you less without looking stingy. Who knows? It's not like we're here for fries anyways. That being said, it goes well with the burger, it's hard to do fries poorly, though it's not unheard of. Cheesecake, they hit status quo.
The beef was good, albeit the patty was a little small for the bun, but it had that full beefy flavor. The sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions added a nice fragrant sweetness to the flavor. No condiments, but you really didn't need a whole lot as all the natural flavors mixed together quite well. That being said, it was plain. I didn't really appreciate the shredded iceberg, not that I don't like it, but for a place like Cheesecake factory, it seemed a little sub-par, other than that, the bun was a nice toasted kaiser roll affair, nothing fancy, did the job. Overall, it's a good burger, and the burgers are probably what I'd stick with on the entrees at Cheesecake Factory if/when I return. It's got that nice, safe, know-what-you're-going-to-get factor to it, so if you're ever there for any reason, and you don't know what to get (it's hard to decide when the menu is a catalog), go with the burgers, the kobe is a safe bet. $13 is a little pricey, but you could do worse, and besides, it's Cheesecake Factory, not like you're going to pay much less for anything else.
On a side (semi-unintentional pun) note, the fries are your run of the mill affair. You do get it a cup, which I guess is fancier? Either that or a way to give you less without looking stingy. Who knows? It's not like we're here for fries anyways. That being said, it goes well with the burger, it's hard to do fries poorly, though it's not unheard of. Cheesecake, they hit status quo.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
An amendment, but not a big one
Okay, okay, okay. Since Red Mill Burgers are touted as "the best burger in Seattle" I had tried it and decidedly shot that down, only to find I ordered the wrong burger. This time, I got the right one, you know, the burger that Oprah has said is something you must consume before you die. Though, honestly, given it's Oprah, that would be like everything (zing!). Sorry Oprah, won't happen again.
So overall, this burger was much better than the last. The area of the burger is much larger, so 2 1/4 lb patties is much more appreciated than just 1. The beef was well cooked and beefy. The fixings were good: slices of bacon, melty cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, all the basic good stuff you want in a burger. Love the Mill Sauce, didn't taste enough of it. I'll keep this short and sweet.
Fries were good, nothing special, onion rings still don't impress me, for all the hype they're.... meh.
Not going to re-grade, but this is probably the burger I'd go for at this place.
So overall, this burger was much better than the last. The area of the burger is much larger, so 2 1/4 lb patties is much more appreciated than just 1. The beef was well cooked and beefy. The fixings were good: slices of bacon, melty cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, all the basic good stuff you want in a burger. Love the Mill Sauce, didn't taste enough of it. I'll keep this short and sweet.
Fries were good, nothing special, onion rings still don't impress me, for all the hype they're.... meh.
Not going to re-grade, but this is probably the burger I'd go for at this place.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Did that really just happen?
It's really sad that I should say this, but I came in here with rather low expectations, or rather let's say, reservations, and Johnny Rocket's pretty much met all of them. Now, I'm not saying that it's inedible, but really? I suppose it's an experiential thing, but I can't say much when I have adolescent boys asking me if he can shoot spitballs at the teenage girls over in the next booth. We (my friend and I) also spent a nickel on those table-side jukebox thingies to play a song that we could barely make out over the sound of table conversation, adolescent hormones, and the open kitchen.
Now as I said, the burger in and of itself isn't horrible. The meat quality was decent, the bun was a bun, the fixings were a little not fresh, but nothing I haven't seen before. The Houston was supposed to be a "spicy" burger, so they added some pickled jalapenos, not that spicy. The sauce was pretty nice, like a cajun aioli type of deal.
The fries were fries, and the lack of description really means they were that nondescript. The fact that they serve it to you on a plastic plate the size of a stenopad makes you feel like this is a high school cafeteria all over again, only you just paid like $10 for it. Seriously, this makes Denny's look awesome.
Rating of the Burger:
Meat: B-
Bun: B-
Fixings: C-
Condiments: B+
Sides: B-
Price: $7-$10
Overall Rating: C-
Recommended Burger: Eh... if I had to... Bacon Cheddar Double
Now as I said, the burger in and of itself isn't horrible. The meat quality was decent, the bun was a bun, the fixings were a little not fresh, but nothing I haven't seen before. The Houston was supposed to be a "spicy" burger, so they added some pickled jalapenos, not that spicy. The sauce was pretty nice, like a cajun aioli type of deal.
The fries were fries, and the lack of description really means they were that nondescript. The fact that they serve it to you on a plastic plate the size of a stenopad makes you feel like this is a high school cafeteria all over again, only you just paid like $10 for it. Seriously, this makes Denny's look awesome.
Rating of the Burger:
Meat: B-
Bun: B-
Fixings: C-
Condiments: B+
Sides: B-
Price: $7-$10
Overall Rating: C-
Recommended Burger: Eh... if I had to... Bacon Cheddar Double
Monday, January 17, 2011
I think this is where it all came from...
Hamburger... German town called Hamburg? Okay, I don't specifically mean necessarily this particular restaurant, but I do mean burgers and Germany, and if I were more snobbish, I'd go into the whole history of the hamburger, which honestly I could care less about. I'm sure the history of the burger is very meaningful, but the taste of it is what's important to me. So my friends and I went to Bratz in U-District, partially because I knew my friend was craving a German pretzel (which he didn't end up getting) and also partially because it was close. I will admit that it is entirely possible (likely) I spelled it (the burger name) wrong.
The burger was something very simple, the patty had a nice char to it, but wasn't over-cooked, so it still retained that full meaty flavor. The bun was closer to a roll than a bun, which meant that it didn't hold the burger exceptionally well, and the fixings were your typical backyard BBQ variety of iceberg lettuce and sliced tomatoes. They had this interesting tangy BBQ type sauce (probably the stuff they use on their bratwurst) which was really good, but kind of covered up by the flavor of the char, I would've preferred it stronger.
The fries were a nice seasoned affair, and as I told my friends, I give them props for the fancy basket. Not a bad place to go overall, definitely somewhere I'd go again, maybe not for burgers though.
Rating of the Burger:
Meat: B+
Bun: C
Fixings: B-
Condiments: B-
Sides: B+
Price: $8-$10
Overall Rating: B-
Recommended Burger: Frikadelle Burger
The burger was something very simple, the patty had a nice char to it, but wasn't over-cooked, so it still retained that full meaty flavor. The bun was closer to a roll than a bun, which meant that it didn't hold the burger exceptionally well, and the fixings were your typical backyard BBQ variety of iceberg lettuce and sliced tomatoes. They had this interesting tangy BBQ type sauce (probably the stuff they use on their bratwurst) which was really good, but kind of covered up by the flavor of the char, I would've preferred it stronger.
The fries were a nice seasoned affair, and as I told my friends, I give them props for the fancy basket. Not a bad place to go overall, definitely somewhere I'd go again, maybe not for burgers though.
Rating of the Burger:
Meat: B+
Bun: C
Fixings: B-
Condiments: B-
Sides: B+
Price: $8-$10
Overall Rating: B-
Recommended Burger: Frikadelle Burger
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