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.
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