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(1 votes, average: 7.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
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Angry Dog www.angrydog.com 2726 Commerce Street Dallas, TX 75226 (map)
Dallas! Home of the 2011 NBA champs and “America’s team”, the Dallas Cowboys. Whether you’re a fan or not, Dallas is one happenin’ place (that’s how the kids would say it, right?). I recently was sent there for a work assignment and I have to be honest… I was excited! Dallas is home to some of the top rated burger joints in Texas and the country. Lucky for me, I had a few coworkers who are not just Dallas-ites(?) but also burger lovers! You would be surprised how many of us are out there… Well, I guess if you are reading this then it should be no surprise. Anyway, the number one burger in Dallas, as voted by the people I know who live there is Angry Dog! That is a good enough endorsement for me. My experience at Good Dog in Philadelphia left me with high hopes for yet another (adj) dog themed burger joint.
I rounded up a few coworkers and early on a Tuesday evening, we headed down to the Deep Ellum section of Dallas. On the drive over, they explained to me that Deep Ellum was the happenin’ place to be in Dallas but the trend has since moved on. When we got there, I saw what they meant. There were a lot of empty shops and buildings in what looked like a pretty nice area. There were, however, plenty of people going in to Angry Dog, which is always a good sign.
We walked inside the barn door front and were immediately greeted by what is perhaps the most intimidating waiter I’ve ever seen. He had a long goatee and his rolled up shirt sleeves drew particular attention to scary size of his biceps. He politely greeted us and turned out to be a pleasant dude. This place was packed and, as it turned out, our waiter was the waiter for everyone else too. I became very skeptical about the service we were going to receive. However, I quickly became amazed at the speed that our waiter was going from table to table, refilling drinks, taking orders, and bringing out food. It was really impressive.
We scanned over our menus which had all kinds of Texas style offerings but were here for the “Best in Dallas” Angry Dog burger. It comes with a half pound patty and veggies on the side. I opted to have my onions grilled and added jalapenos, American cheese, and a fried egg (of course). An interesting twist was the option for fries or refried beans included with the burger… I got fries.
Our wait was short and our waiter speedily brought out our drinks and then our burgers without a hitch. Visually, the burger spread was not the most impressive. The bun was a regular white bun and I personally am not a fan of having to separate the burger to put on the veggies. When I opened it up, however, the grilled onions, melted cheese, and fried egg began to get me excited. I quickly assembled mine and took a bite. Mustard! As is a Texas burger tradition, the mustard is leading flavor here. It complemented the beefy patty in both flavor and adding a little juiciness to it as it was a little more well done than I prefer. With the addition of grilled onions and the other veggies, this burger was plenty juicy. .. good. The fries were good too; fresh cut and fried crispy. One of the other Burger Tymers got the refried beans. I sampled them and frankly, I don’t think the beans went that well with the burger but it was an interesting twist.
We rounded out our meal with the desert of the day which was a chocolate cake. It was quite good and a nice way to end stuffing your face with a big burger. Overall, this burger was just plain good. Nothing special, nothing gimmicky. It was a straightforward, classic burger, with so many options you are the only one to blame if you don’t like it. The price was reasonable as well. The burger, fries, and drink came in at just under $10. The best part about this meal was the atmosphere. From the picnic table seating to the house rules of “No foul language” and “Don’t harass single women”, everything about this place was Texas at it’s best. If you are in the Dallas area, you should give Angry Dog a try.
(2 votes, average: 6.50 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
Hut’s Hamburgers hutsfrankandangies.com 807 West 6th Street Austin, TX 78703-5403 (map)
On the road heading to the South by Southwest city of Austin, TX. This great city has approximately one million great places to eat and many of them happen to be burger related. For this capital city’s first Burger Tyme I headed to one of the oldest burger joints in town, Hut’s Hamburgers. Located on the quieter end of 6th street, Hut’s has been around since 1939 and is a landmark of the Austin landscape.I arrived at 11:30am on a Friday with high expectations. I was greeted by a beautiful Huts waitress who also happened to be painted on the wall. She was surrounded by framed accolades that Hut’s has earned over the many years. I made my way around the bar where people were already enjoying their lunch. I was given a seat by the window and began to peruse the extensive burger menu. There are twenty different burger options with nostalgic names like the Fats Domino (jalapenos and New Orleans seasonings), the Big Bopper (mayo, lettuce, and tomato), and the Ritchie Valens (guacamole and chopped tomatoes) burger. As stated on the menu, all burgers are made with fresh, never frozen beef patties that are purchased locally from the Johnny G’s meat market in South Austin. You also have the option to substitute the regular beef patty with bison or real Texas Longhorn. I thought this was an interesting meat choice considering the University of Texas’ (which is also in Austin) mascot is a longhorn. I guess that is one way to show school spirit.
I placed my order for the All American Buddy Holly burger which, as the name would imply, is the traditional configuration with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mayo, mustard, and american cheese. I opted for the regular beef patty and to add a fried egg since it was an option (and my favorite burger addition). I rounded out the order with a side of fries and a chocolate shake. While waiting I looked at the many photographs on the wall of people eating at Hut’s over the years. After roughly fifteen minutes my burger came out. The burger was splayed open to show the order of contents. Veggies on the bottom, patty and cheese in the middle, and egg on top. I slid everything on top and dug in. The veggies were mainly what I tasted. The shredded ice berg lettuce gave a very neutral overall flavor. While the patty looked perfectly fried and the cheese nicely melted on it, the burger lacked enough seasoning to bring out the beefy flavor of the meat. The bun was nicely toasted but was a generic, plain burger bun similar to the kind you can get at the grocery store. The fries on the side were fresh cut, which is good, but were limp and soggy, which is bad. Additionally, half of the fries were noticeably cooked longer than the rest. What these fries needed was a double frying and someone watching the timer. The milkshake was good but was more of a dessert than a drink to accompany a burger meal. In fairness, it is listed under the dessert section on the menu and not the beverages.
Hut’s Hamburgers has everything the avid Burger Tymer is looking for; history, creativity, and burger cred. Unfortunately I think they have been resting on their laurels for a little too long. From the sloppy presentation to the weak fries, I just was not impressed with what came up to a $9 burger and fry combo. Add in a soft drink or shake and you are in the double digit gourmet burger territory. I did enjoy the wide variety of burger options available to me however the burger lacked any real flavor that would make it memorable or recommendable. Huts was good enough that I would give it another chance to see if this instance was an anomaly but for now I will continue looking for the best burger in Austin.
(4 votes, average: 8.50 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
BRC Gastropub www.brcgastropub.com 519 Shepherd Drive Houston, TX 77007 (map)
“You should try the burger at BRC”. These are the words a coworker said to me that, unbeknown(st) to her, would change Burger Tyme history forever. She then said something that I did not quite understand, “The bacon jam is sooo good.”. Oh-kay. Well, this particular coworker has been around Burger Tyme for years so I trusted her recommendation and set out to do a little research. BRC is a gastropub which is something I’ve never heard of before. I’ve come to learn that a gastropub is not so much of a bar as it is a place that has a wide variety of food items on the menu along with more extensive bar type offerings. So now that that mystery is unraveled, what does the acronym BRC stand for? The answer became glaringly obvious upon our first visit. From the giant red rooster statue on the corner of Shephard Dr. and Blossom St. to the many photos and paintings of roosters which seems to be the driving theme of the interior decor, BRC obviously stands for Big Red…. Chicken… At least, that is how you should refer to it in polite, social situations.
Another bit of information that came in handy was that BRC has a special on Mondays where the burger and fries are only $6.50. Done. Say no more. I set my Burger Tyme targets, recruited some friends, and waited… Waited for Monday. Monday finally came and to BRC we went. When we arrived and made our way inside, I was surprised by how nice this place was. It was a little more trendy and upscale than I expected. I think the pictures of chickens everywhere gave this place some much needed farm yard humility. We were given our menus and began to peruse.
There is only one burger on the menu. The BRC Pub Burger. That’s it. There is not eight different burgers all marginally different with unexplainable pricing. Just one burger, one price, with the caption “BRC will be happy to try to customize the burger upon your request.”. Well, let’s see, it comes with a 100% White Hereford beef patty ground on-site daily, marinated tomato, aged cheddar, maple bacon, and something called “really nice” sauce. No need for customization here. This sounds amazing! I placed my order for the Pub Burger Special and added a Peanut-Chocolate Chip Cookie milkshake to round out this burger indulgence.
While we waited we fell under the spell of the laid back atmosphere and were in no hurry. This place is designed for enjoying company and conversations. It is dimly lit, comfortable and a little loud. After a reasonable wait my milkshake was brought to the table and yikes. This thing was huge and in what, unfortunately, looked like something a girl at spring break would drink out of. I embarrassingly admitted to the people at the table next to us that it was for my wife. For what it is worth, the milkshake was tasty. It had a nice texture with the peanut-chocolate chip cookie bits slightly blended through the shake. The burgers now made their entrance. On a plate sat an amazing looking burger and a mini fry basket full of fries. Wow! This looked much better than $6.50 burger special I imagined in my head. I picked the burger up and the first thing I noticed was how soft the bun was. It was toasted and molded wonderfully around the contents inside which helped to keep the burger together while I ate. The first bite had it all. The patty was seasoned well, and moist but not juicy. The perfectly melted cheddar cheese added plenty of creaminess to the patty. I am not typically a fan of bacon on burgers however this mapley sweet, thick cut bacon was terrific! The marinated tomato didn’t taste like anything other than a tomato but the flavor was somehow more intense. This was a straightforward, traditional style burger that is perfectly executed! The fries were great too! Hand cut, thin, and twice fried. French fry perfection!
All the words I know can’t express how much I enjoyed this burger. It was so good that I returned the following four Mondays after my initial visit. Each time it remained the same. $6.50, great burger, great fries.I did opt for the canned coke instead of the giant, girl glass milk shake on these subsequent visits. Per the initial recommendation, we ordered the Bacon Cheddar Biscuit appetizer which includes the “Bacon Jam”. It was awesome! Imagine jam… then add bacon. Brilliant!
A few chinks did, however, appear in BRC’s brightly feathered armor. The waiters were usually very nice, but the host, hostesses, and bartender can be less than friendly at times. There is definitely an air at BRC that dining there is your pleasure and not theirs.
For $6.50 this is the best burger deal in Houston on Mondays. On any other night the Pub Burger is $8.50 and fries are additional $3, the cheapest drink other than water is a $2 canned soft drink (no refills), add in tax and tip and you’ve suddenly got a good but pricey burger at a place that is not really happy you are dining there. For now, that is a price I’m willing to pay but only on Mondays.
(2 votes, average: 7.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
Arnold Burger http://www.arnoldburgers.com/ 1611 South Washington Street Amarillo, TX 79102 (map)–
Ahh, the open road. I miss it as I sit here in a darkened conference room, listening to a presentation on something that has nothing to do with anything. I’m thinking back to the very last leg (sniff) of the magical road trip. While my wife and I left Provo, UT and In-N-Out disappeared in our rear view mirror, we could not possibly anticipate the adventures we had before us. We hiked through slot canyons in Goblin Valley State Park, strolled under and around the beautiful rock formations in Arches National Park, mountain biked on the infamous Slick Rock Trail, and spent our frigid evenings camping in Dead Horse Point’s Cowboy Camp. And this was just in Moab, UT. I didn’t find a great burger there but the outdoor possibilities were great. After a few days there and feeling very road weary, we made the long drive to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado to see the ruins of the cliff dwelling Native Americans. From there, being thoroughly wowed and exhausted, we made a bee-line heading back home. Fortunately for us (and slightly by Burger Tyme design) we were passing through Amarillo, TX around lunch time on the last day of this road trip adventure. Amarillo is the home of the Big Texan steak challenge. My wife was not keen on letting me try to conquer 72oz of steak. Fortunately for me, a simple web search turned up an equally massive, and critically acclaimed burger not far from the interstate. Arnold Burger. Our GPS led us to the most unassuming building imaginable. There was no question that we were in the right place based on the big, yellow sign proclaiming we’ve arrived. When we walked in the first thing I noticed was the rather large menu on the wall. To assist in ordering they provided outlines on the wall indicating the different sizes and shapes of burgers you could order. They had every shape you could think of, from hearts to footballs to butterflies and even a Texas shaped burger! The shape that interested me the most, however, was the 24″ circle. Surely this was a pizza… Nope! It’s a burger that you can order!
The lady behind the counter noticed I was taking pictures of the menu, so I introduced myself as having a burger review site. Her name was Gayla, Gayla Arnold in fact. She was more than happy to tell me about their burgers. We talked about the different burgers I’ve reviewed, the different reviewers who had dropped by to eat their burgers, and many other burger related things. She pulled out a photo album full of news clippings and magazine articles featuring Arnold Burger, including some international articles! The most impressive story, though, was that she declined to appear on the show Man vs Food. I remember the episode in Amarillo. It was actually the first one of the series. “Why!” I asked. Surely this would be a great opportunity to get some national exposure! Her explanation was simple. She said that the producers wanted to have a “party” like atmosphere, with roller girls (featured in the episode), and a lot of ruckus in their restaurant. “That’s not what we’re about”, she said…. Man. I’ve never been so impressed by such pure, burger commitment. We also discussed how the Texas Monthly 50 Best Burgers seemed to be missing many of Texas’ great burgers, including Arnold Burger. She said that Texas Monthly actually sent a reviewer to try the Arnold Burger. The reviewer arrived, ordered about $80 worth of food, tried a little bit, and left. She was not too impressed with the level of attention the reviewer gave to the actual burger. I mentioned that there were some great Houston burgers that were also conspicuously missing, such as Christians Tailgate, Hubcap Burger, and Bellaire Broiler (to be reviewed). We came to the conclusion that the 50 Best burger list must favor places that advertise with Texas Monthly.
Well, all pleasantries aside, it was time to order! With Gayla’s assistance I was able to hone down the vast options and ordered the single meat, cheeseburger. With her recommendation I added jalapeno dressing. They had many other tempting options ranging from guacamole to cream cheese to grilled pineapple. I had to resist over embellishing the burger so that I could get a good sense of the burger underneath. My wife couldn’t resist the shaped burgers and ordered a small Texas burger. We rounded out our order with a plate of seasoned curly fries. All of this was surprisingly inexpensive at less than $9. While we waited Gayla brought us a plate of jalapeno potato bites which was a new side item they were working on and now appears to be on the menu. With great anticipation our burgers arrived. They come arranged with the burgers on the bun and the veggies on the side, add as you like. I of course like them all and placed them between the bun and the hand formed, griddle smashed patty. While I had the burger apart, I noticed the nice sear that the patty had on it. These people have obviously been making burgers for a long time and knew how to fry it up perfectly. I took my first bite and the first thing I noticed was the plain bun. It was fresh but really was unremarkable. As I chewed, the high quality of the fresh beef jumped to the forefront. The same goes for the veggies. Everything seemed to be playing second and even third fiddle to the patty, but the subtlety worked well with the fresh, juicy, beefy flavor that is obviously the star here. After a few bites, I was reminded of the addition of jalapeno dressing to my burger, as I noticed a heat building up in the back of my throat. It was a great addition. My wife also enjoyed her Texas burger. Apparently the specialty shaped buns are made in house, which was a great touch. The seasoned curly fries were as good as you could hope for and cooked to a nice crisp. This was important because my wife is picky about her fries.
This burger was a great end to an awesome road trip! My only regret was that we did not get to see one of those huge burgers… But wait! While we were eating, a family of about ten people walked in. They traveled all the way from Kansas to try, as luck would have it, one of the giant burgers! I watched in amazement as the cook piled on handful after handful of fresh ground beef. It was awesome. Even better, they use a pizza peel to flip the monster on the griddle. Unfortunately we had another 600 miles ahead and could not wait the forty plus minutes it takes to cook. All in all, Arnold burger was a great burger in it purest form. Add on top the plethora of options you can put on the burger and you have a great BURGER TYME!
Well, folks, this is the end of the 2010 Burger Tyme Road trip. We made our way around America, saw some beautiful sites, ate some wonderful burgers, spent 14 nights sleeping on the ground, and we were ready to get home. Until next time.
