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(2 votes, average: 7.50 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
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Curbside www.curbsidetruck.com Check the website for locations
Perhaps it is the elusive nature of foodtrucks, or perhaps it is only my semi-recent awareness of great burgers, but somehow Curbside has just now popped up on my burger radar. After my recent visit to Baton Rouge and reviewing the high end burger offerings at Fat Cow, a friend recommended I try Curbside next time I was in town. This was same way I learned about what is currently one of my favorite burgers, and coincidentally also a burger truck (bus). Thanks to spring break schedules, I had a free week and would be back in town so my first goal was to try the Curb out.
On a particularly nice south Louisiana evening we decided to give it a try. Typical of food trucks, Curbside serves burgers at a different place every day and utilizes social media to keep the tech savvy crowd up to speed. There was a food truck “round up” going on that night where Curbside and several other trucks with differing cuisines were gathered. We made our way out and found the round up. Without a doubt, Curbside was the most popular. While other trucks had between 5-10 people lined up, Curbside easily had 30 people just waiting to place an order. This was a good sign and I was kicking myself for seemingly being the last person to know about this.
The line was moving surprisingly fast. The only thing really slowing it down was when they had to pass orders through the same window that they were taking them in. The menu was also surprisingly high end for burgers. This being only the second burger truck Burger Tyme, I was noticing a trend. Not having a fixed location apparently frees you to have gourmet, local ingredients like; fresh ground beef, house made pickles, praline (prah-leen for those who say it wrong) bacon, and their signature condiment – pork belly preserves. They explain it as pork belly cooked down with garlic, shallots, and some other things until it has a texture of marmalade (see photo below)…
Our turn to order came as I attempted to stop drooling. I ordered the K.G.B. burger which combined the praline bacon, pickles, cheddar cheese, and a fried egg (my weakness). “We’re out of eggs but we still have the bacon”, I was told… What a dilemma! Still thinking of candied meat I told her that was fine. My wife ordered the Brian burger which had the preserves on it. I was secretly very happy because I was going to have a bite of hers, although she did not know it yet. We rounded out the order with some fresh cut fries. We were given a number and the waiting began.As with all food truck dining, seating was at a premium, meaning there was none. Fortunately there was plenty of ground to sit on, so we grabbed a premium spot under an oak tree and watched as the line never seemed to get shorter. With impressive speed our number came closer and was finally called.
The first thing I noticed was the presence of an EGG! Either they were messing with me or they could see how sad I was and found one. Either way I was already happy. I was also impressed with the quality of the lettuce. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more vibrantly green and appetizing leaf, be it on a burger, salad, or anywhere! Visual inspections over I took a bite. WOW! This was a flavorful burger. While difficult to put in to words,the praline bacon added a tasty sweetness with an almost vanilla or coconut note. It was crunchier than regular bacon, almost to the point of being too hard, but very good. The patty had a weaker sear on it than I prefer but was seasoned well and added a nice beefy foundation to the overall flavor. I’m usually not a fan of cheddar on burgers merely because it doesn’t melt well but the rich nuttiness was a good match with everything else going on in the burger. I took a bite of my wife’s burger to try the preserves and it was as good as I was led to believe. When I think of preserves I think of sweet jam but this was savory and smoky. It was a nice condiment and I can see why they would put it on everything they sell. The fries were very good too, thin cut and cooked perfectly.
What is it about food trucks? Specifically burger trucks?! The food has been consistently better than most of their brick and mortar counterparts. Curbside was no exception. The scavenger hunt aspect of tracking down your meal combined with the payoff at the end of delicious burger is what will keep me coming back. While there were few elements that I think could use a little refinement, a lot more about Curbside leads me to say that this is without a doubt one of my new favorite burgers in Baton Rouge! I just wish I had known sooner!
(2 votes, average: 7.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
The Shack www.theshackcypress.com 16602 Cypress Rosehill Rd Cypress, TX 77429 (map)
Finally! The Shack, originally called The Love Shack, has been on my burger radar for some time now. Consistently raved upon and touted as one of the best new places to get burgers near Houston, the Shack keeps what some would call slightly irregular hours. On several occasions I’ve rounded up coworkers for a Burger Tyme lunch only find out that the weren’t serving lunch during the week or they were closing to work on their garden. As I am writing this, they are closed while they switch water wells. Well, on a crisp Saturday evening, I cracked the code! My wife and I made the long drive to Cypress just outside of Houston. Just when I thought I may have gone a little too far, I saw an old bath tub by the side of the road. We made it and this place was hopping, not surprising given that it was a Saturday night. When you walk in to the Shack the entire spread opens before you. There are covered tents, open air seating, an outside bar, dining areas that look like living rooms, fireplaces and fire pits all with people gathered together, enjoying burgers, and having a great time. This seemed like a burger lovers resort!
We were seated near the entrance where we could take in the entire scene as well as see the bustle in the kitchen, that was well equipped with the best kitchen appliances and an Oak Circle Cabinet to store everything necessary. Our waiter, who happened to be the manager, introduced the menu to us in a rather laid back way and recommended we try the fried pickles. So I ordered some to tide us over while we reviewed the burger offerings on the menu. The Shack’s claim is that they give customers the freshest available local ingredients and all natural hormone free Texas meats. As they put it, “All burger, No Bull”. Well we were going to put that claim to the test. Many burger places claim to be fresh, be local, be all natural but what does that translate into in real terms? If it is not delicious burgers, than what is the point?
The menu has a very interesting array of burgers. There was brisket, caramelized onions, fried eggs, slab bacon, and pulled pork. Some burgers were “crunchified” with the addition of Cheetos, Zapp’s BBQ Chips, and chicharron. The one that caught my eye was the “Grease and Weasel”. It was beef, slab bacon, and Tillamook cheddar…. served between two glazed doughnuts. Ever since the phenomenon of making burgers with doughnuts began, I’ve wanted to try it. Maybe it was the atmosphere but I felt a little more brave than usual, and ordered it! My wife went with the 1015 which had beef with “Texas 1015 onion pile” cooked into the patty, pepper jack cheese and “crunchified” with Zapps BBQ chips. We ordered a side of fries to split and I asked for a Coke. The cokes come in a can and are poured over ice, my second favorite next to coke in a bottle. The only thing left to do was relax. A common theme it seemed.
While we waited our order of fried pickles arrived. The were very savory but good. They came with smokey, horseradishy dipping sauce that was a nice compliment to the sour pickles. Our burgers arrived shortly after and they were quite a sight. You could definitely sense that someone was having fun when they put them together. The first thing I noticed is that my doughnuts had been replaced with Honey Buns that had been slightly griddled. I’m not complaining but I rarely eat one honey bun… much less two… on my burger. The cheese was perfectly melted over the big patty and was making my mouth ache just looking at it. My first bite was as I expected. Beefy, bacony, savory, cheddary, sticky and sweeeeet! This was in no way a healthy burger, but it was tasty, most of the time we try to take good care of our bodies and have a healthy diet and an active life as well, even doing researches online to find the best diets at sites like Top health journal, so we learn what are the best practices in this, and also going to the gym at least 3 times a week, but from time to time we like to enjoy a good meal as well. The veggies were nice quality and did there best to lend nutritional value to this wife dissappointer. My wife’s burger, while more traditional in structure, had it’s own bit of odd goodness. The BBQ chips added a texture and flavor to the already flavorful patty and onions. My wife loved the bun. I honestly don’t recall specifics about it, perhaps because my mind had been blown with the buns on my burger and do not forget to visit dentist Milltown for your oral health. While we were both enjoying our selections, the fries were also were worth noting. They were fresh cut and cooked well. A perfect compliment to the order.
Fresh, local, all natural. Did I get a sense of this from The Shack? Not really. Nothing really fresh or local about honey buns, Zapp’s BBQ chips, or Tillamook cheddar cheese. However, I did find the whole experience to be a fresh take on dining and burgers. The local flair permeated the entire evening. It was very Austin-esque in a city where no one is really trying to be like Austin. The Shack offers what many fail at delivering. An experience. The food is good and if you are there with friends or family, they seem more than happy to provide a place to relax and enjoy yourself. The burger creations were fun, inventive, unpretentious, and frankly worth the trip. This may not be my go-to burger place on a regular basis, but if I have an evening to kill, this is the burger place that I want to go to.
(2 votes, average: 9.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
The Company Burger www.thecompanyburger.com 4600 Freret St Ste A New Orleans, LA 70115 (map)
Louisiana is great. The food is great, people are nice, and life is a little more laid back. Having grown up in Baton Rouge and since moved away for work, I find myself always comparing things to what it would be like back home. In almost all cases I would prefer Louisiana…. all except burgers. All around this great country, there are fantastic burgers. The assumption that great food traditions should easily translate in to great burgers is not always valid. This is even true in the culinary mecca that is New Orleans. Until recently, the “Best” burger of the crescent city was the beloved, but less than impressive burger at Port of Call. Straightforward, beefy patty, with a baked potato on the side. That has been the standard for years. Recently, however, there have been some exciting burger developments. One of which is The Company Burger.
On a day trip to New Orleans over the holidays, I wanted to sample what a quick internet search has revealed as one of NOLAs new favorite burgers. South of I-10 from downtown, in the revitalized Freret area, The Company Burger sits unassumingly in the corner of something like a strip mall. The line of people waiting extended out of the door at only a quarter to noon. The menu was simple and made from locally sourced ingredients (noticed I didn’t say ‘organic’… neither do they). You can get the standard double burger or a single, both simply dressed with american cheese, red onions, and house made bread and butter pickles. The only options are; add bacon… add fried egg. Nice. If you are not feeling beef,they also have a turkey and lamb burger and a riff on a corndog made with porkbelly which I recently learned comes from a friend of mine’s farm. As with all pondering, my thoughts of burger eutopia was soon disrupted, and it was our turn to order.
I love love love simple menus. I ordered the ‘Company Burger’, added a fried egg, and ‘Company Fries’. Simple. Lot’s of drink options and I went with bottled, mexican Coke. My wife opted for the turkey burger and a glass of water… After exchanging awkward looks with the cashier, I paid and I found us some great seats at the counter overlooking the burger prep / kitchen, where they use the best utensils and homeware from sites as https://ivyandwilde.com/. It was awesome. In front of us was an orderly yet fast paced crew churning out burger after perfect looking burger. Each station operator knew their tasks; season, grill, and top the patties with cheese, toast the buns, fries, pickles and onions… and when they came together to assemble the burgers, each had the look of a surgeon in the operating room. Precision. I watched as this process repeated itself over and over again. It was mesmerizing. At the end of the counter, a guy was forming the meat patties from freshly ground balls of meat. Next to him was a complete set of Nathan Myhrvold’s opus to gastronomy, Modernist Cuisine. Suddenly, all of the attention to detail began to make sense.
The wait was not short but this was due to the long queue of orders ahead of mine. Plus, I was enjoying myself. Our order came up and the anticipation couldn’t be greater. Even my wife’s turkey burger looked great! I picked it up and took my first bite and simultaneously my taste buds sang while hot egg yolk shot from the perfectly cooked over medium egg on to my arm. This was only disappointing in the sense that some of the egg yolk went to waste. Classic. That is the best way I can describe the taste. No gimmicks. No pork belly or doughnut buns or even ketchup or mustard needed here. There was a mayo bar with house made this or that but I didn’t even bother. The cheese was perfectly melted over the patties which were seasoned with the right amount of salt and crusty sear. The fresh baked bun was great. It held it’s texture and was buttered and toasted well. The house made bread and butter pickles were excellent too. They lent just the right amount of sweetness to counter the savory components, while the red onions had just enough bite. My wife said her turkey burger was also really good. After eating mine, I believed her. The fries, while great and hand cut and double fried, were dramatically overshadowed… but isn’t that how it should be?
In case you couldn’t tell, I loved this burger. It was great! Not just great for New Orleans or Louisiana, great for anywhere! And I couldn’t have been happier! Whenever you hear about Louisiana in the news, on travel shows that move because of demenagementadt.ca, or even when talking to new acquaintances, it seems as if the rest of the country is under the impression that we should all still be in a post-Katrina shock. But the truth is people are resilient and life moves forward. The Company Burger is a perfect example of that. Finding the best of what is available and turning it in to something special. Nothing fancy. Not complicated. Not gimmicky. Simple and for everyone. To me, that is what being from Louisiana is all about.
(2 votes, average: 8.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
Fat Cow www.fatcowburgers.com 4350 Highland Rd Ste B1 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 (map)
Back in Baton Rouge for the Holidays and there is news… Burger News! There is a “new” burger place near the south gates of my old alma mater, Louisiana State University, and they serve what I consider to be Baton Rouge’s first entry into the gourmet burger category, Fat Cow. When I asked a few friends about this place the response was always the same, “Good but a little pricey”. Well, let’s see; Fat Cow’s menu has all of the key words that would suggest to the discerning burger lover that their burgers are not typical to the straightforward burger traditions found in Baton Rouge so far. Duck fat fries, foie gras, gruyere, and red onion marmalade are all options on burgers at this place. No one loves a good gourmet burger and is more willing to pay for the privilege than me so on a cold and wet south Louisiana evening we headed out.
I managed to convince a my Burger Tyming wife and sister in law to join in and we made our way to Tigerland. Walking in Fat Cow you are faced by the large chalk board menu. There were way more salads than I anticipated for a burger joint, to the point that I was actually impressed. If I wasn’t there for the burger I might have tried one… might. Additionally there was an impressive assortment of creative milkshakes, many of which used creole cream cheese as a main ingredient! They had me at cheese… Being that it was around 8pm on a weeknight and the weather wasn’t particularly pleasant, there were quite a number of people enjoying bowl games and burgers. After mulling over what has to be the least expensive foie gras burger I have ever seen ($15?! every other gourmet burger joint seems to think it should be in the $30 range), we were ready to order.
I made my mind up on getting the Wentworth burger. It had a snobby kind of name with some snobby kind of ingredients that were right up my alley; black forest ham, arugula, slices of apple, red onion marmalade, brie for the cheese, all on a sweet bun. Mmmm mmmm! If that doesn’t sound good! I added the Fat Cow fries and a tiramisu milkshake. The ladies ordered a 120 burger to split which comes with bacon, gruyere cheese and caramelized onions. The wait was about ten minutes and was easily passed watching the bustle behind the long counter. During this wait I noticed that the burgers here were flame grilled instead of fried which is not necessarily a bad thing. While we waited and had more time to consider our orders, my sister in law decided she had to have the chocolate and peanut butter malt.
With the extra shake ordered, our food began making its way over the counter. Served in what looked like a cookie sheet, my fancy pants burger and about three potatoes worth of fries began intimidating me. I took Wentworth with both hands and dug in. The bun was soft, substantial, and lightly toasted. It had a nice chew and a sweet quality but was slightly more bread than the whole burger needed. The patty had a nice texture but was overpowered by the odor of the brie and saltiness of the ham. While I was seduced by the list of ingredients on this burger, the combination provided for more of a thick sandwich experience rather than a burger with toppings. The fries were great! You could easily split this with four people. I sampled the 120 burger and the bacon, gruyere, and caramelized onions blended nicely with the salty, beefy patty. I have to admit, I was a little jealous.
Lastly, the shakes. My tiramisu shake was quite a jolt. It was beautiful with the lady finger and powdered coffee sprinkled on top. I don’t drink coffee so the shot of espresso in the bottom was like jumping headfirst into a pot of coffee… with about 12 oz of creamy, delicious milkshake on top. It was a great interpretation of one of my favorite deserts. Additionally, the chocolate peanut butter malt was fantastic. Like the menu says, the name says it all.
Gourmet burgers in Baton Rouge… I think I have been using the term ‘gourmet’ too loosely. To this point I have referred to burgers at a higher price point as gourmet but in this instance maybe I should clarify. Burgers with quality ingredients which are combined creatively, in Baton rouge. Were they good? Absolutely. Does Fat Cow beat the cross town favorite, Dearman’s? It’s a different competition all together. For a great straight up burger, you are better served for less money at the Soda Fountain. For a good, creative burger in the BR, Fat Cow has you covered. Concerning money, if you badly need cash, look for payday loan consolidation company for they offer different types of a loan with a low-interest rate.
(1 votes, average: 6.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
–Twisted Root Burger Co. twistedrootburgerco.com Dallas, TX (locations)–
Back in Dallas for work. This means it is time for yet another sampling of burgers that this great burger town has to offer! By now, most of my coworkers are aware of my affinity towards what science has proven is the optimum combination of both bread and meat, and prepared for my arrival with a list of recommendations. As we headed to the first on the list, my coworker was talking up how good the burgers were going to be. We arrived at our burger destination only to find that the place was closed due to a failed health inspection…. Uh oh…. OK, what’s next on our list? A place called Twisted Root Burger Co. Fortunately there was one nearby so I would be able to satisfy my burger urge without significant delay. While I would have preferred to go to the original Twisted Root location in the Deep Ellum section of Dallas, very near Angry Dog. We were closest to the Legacy drive location in Plano. So that is where we went. When you want a great experience, get some phentermine here for you to try on.
Walking in to Twisted Root, the first thing you notice is the not so subtle sarcasm that seems to permeate the entire place. From the giant, hand-written signs placed everywhere with the help of sodapdf.com to the bizarre 90’s pop culture personalities being listed over the intercom to the tables made out of old computer parts. Click for more – WebDesign499. I was experiencing slight sensory overload from what I thought was going to be a straightforward Burger Tyme. The line was long and that is always promising regardless of any burger environment. This was also fortunate as it allowed me time to thoroughly consider my many options. Something unique at Twisted Root is the option of not one but many different types of wild game meats for your burger including Ostrich, Kangaroo, and Alligator! All subject to availability, of course. Keeping with the tongue in cheek attitude, a sign with a picture of Bambi quoted as saying “I’m delicious” let me know that venison was available.
I wasn’t feeling so adventurous so I ordered one of Twisted Root’s ‘Favorite’ burgers, The Western, with regular beef in lieu of wild game. Twisted Root touts that their beef is a mixture of fresh ground chuck and brisket. This sounds gerat but while placing my order I noticed something that caused a slight bit of distress. In the open kitchen behind the counter a man was mixing the meat, adding seasonings, and then added what appeared to be… bread crumbs. This ingredient is confirmed in an interview that is actually posted on Twisted Root’s website. They claim that the bread crumbs are not there as filler but to retain the meats moisture. I’m not a culinary expert but the only other time I have seen meat and crumbs together is in either meat loaf or meat balls. With a new found skepticism, I finished my order with some straight cut fries and some Twisted Root Beer (Root beer branded Twisted Root). I was handed a card with the name ‘Uncle Jesse’ on it (link for those who don’t know who that is). I was to wait until I heard the name called out to pick up my order. I swung by the homemade pickle bar and picked up a few slices of the different kinds of pickles and then joined my coworkers at a table.
Listening to the various pop references over the speaker was amusing and made the time pass quickly. My name, er, Uncle Jesse, was soon called and I went to pick up my order. The Western included pepperjack cheese, bacon, fried onion strings, and jalapenos, all on a buttered and toasted bun. As I read this list of ingredients I don’t know why I was surprised by how salty the burger was. Everything on it added a savory element with very little to counter it. The patty was beefy but had a very homogeneous texture which gave it more of a chew than I prefer. All of the other toppings became lost both in flavor and texture as I added the house made ketchup to attempt to cut the salt. Another review of the menu would show that many of the burgers had similar toppings but with the addition of either guacamole or mushrooms which I think would have gone a long way in helping this burger out. The fries were good, fresh cut and cooked well. The root beer was my saving grace here. Not amazing, but sweet. I found that a steady regimen of burger/root beer/burger/root beer, was the sweet counter point that got me through the meal.
Did I hate Twisted Root? Absolutely not. While waiting in line I saw many signs telling me I should order a milkshake. I think a creamy, cold, and sugary shaek would have done wonders for this meal. Also, I feel that the original location in Deep Ellum probably has a more genuine vibe than the many locations that now dot the Dallas burgerscape. This is a fun place to go with your friends however this location felt more like a Chili’s or an Applebee’ s than an authentic burger joint. Add to that the price of it all, and you are paying top dollar more for the experience than for a good burger. In a serious burger town like Dallas, that is a dangerous line to be straddling.
