Steak n’ Shake - Double Steakburger w/ Cheese (4 stars)

4511 S Laburnum Ave
Henrico, VA 23231
Phone:  (804) 236-2031
Website: http://www.steaknshake.com
Multiple locations across the United States, concentrated in the Midwest and South

Time of Visit:  May 22, 2015 at 11:15 am

My Order:  Double Steakburger with Cheese

                     French Fries
                     Sweet Iced Tea

Steak n’ Shake is one of my favorite chains, but I don’t have one nearby.  So, as I was visiting with family in Hampton, Virginia over Memorial Day, I stopped at the location in Richmond on the way down.  Although I have tried different items over the years, I stuck with my usual order this time and got the Double Steakburger with Cheese and a sweet tea.  As usual, it was a satisfying and reasonably priced, quick lunch.

Burger Rating = 3.8 (***)

Presentation, Overall Rating 3

The food comes out on a white plate, with the fries served alongside the burger.  Very basic, but attractive, a 3.

Meat, Overall Rating 5

Steak n’ Shake prepares their burgers using the smashed style, meaning they take the ball of meat and immediately smash it flat on the hot griddle.  This technique creates a great crust and seals in the juices, making a great patty.  This has always been my favorite style of burger and they do it well.  Excellent patties, they get a 5.

Bun, Overall Rating 4

They used a standard hamburger bun and gave it a good toast on the griddle.  It was just the right size for the burger and held up well.  A good bun, I’ll give it a 4.

Toppings, Overall Rating 3.2

American cheese:  The cheese was melted well on the burger and the creamy cheese balanced well against the slightly crusty burger.  A good solid 4.
Lettuce:  The lettuce was pretty average, providing not much more than a little more green for my meal, a 3.
Mustard:  Pretty average yellow mustard, a 3.
Onion slices:  There seemed to be the right amount of onion on the burger, although there were some big chunks that gave too strong a flavor in some bites.  Really average, a 3.
Dill Pickle slices:  Steak n’ Shake uses the long sliced pickles for their burgers.  Normally, this helps provide a little more sandwich stability, but for some reason, one of the pickles kept trying to escape from the bun, causing me to re-insert it many times.  Still it tasted good and added to the sandwich, so I’ll give it a 3.

Balance/Taste, Overall Rating 4

Except for the one pickle that kept trying to escape, the burger held together well all the way through.  The meat and bun were well matched in size and the toppings were evenly spaced throughout the sandwich.  Both crunchy and creamy textures and a good salty/briny flavor kept the meal tasty all the way to the end.  I can’t give it a 5 because of the wayward pickle, so I’ll give it a solid 4.

 

Other Notes:

Location and Access

The place is real easy to find, just off I-64.  It is one of the restaurants shown on the exit signs.  Once you exit, it is the first turnoff, but you need to keep an eye out, since it sits back away from the main street.  There is a good amount of parking, plus additional parking in adjacent lots, if needed.

Facilities

This store location has been here a few years, but I don’t recall exactly when it opened, but it looks pretty new.  There is enough seating, but none outside, so you can’t eat outside on a nice day.  Restrooms were adequately sized, clean, and easy to find.  Like all the locations I have visited, it also has a drive-up window.

Staff and Service

I was greeted and shown to my table very promptly.  However, it then took several minutes before anyone approached me.  You could see the staff clustered around the station in the back and several of them looked in my direction, but nobody moved and it wasn’t like they were busy yet with only about a half dozen customers.  Once the waitress did approach me, she was very friendly and took my order promptly.  It didn’t take too long for the food to arrive, even though they cook the burgers fresh.  The waitress offered to refill my drink at that time, but after bringing my drink I didn’t hear from her again.  I didn’t need anything else, but it would have been nice to have been asked.  Besides, how did she know whether I wanted dessert or not?  The service I received wasn’t bad, but needed that little extra.

Sides

Shoestring Fries:  This is my favorite style of fries, if they are cooked right and really fresh.  Unfortunately, these fries were not the freshest.  It seemed like they might have been sitting just a little.  They weren’t cold yet, so they were still okay.
Sweet Iced Tea:  I was in the South, so this tea was definitely sweet, a little more than I like.  But, I did drink two glasses of it, so it must not have been too bad.

Value

What can I say?  The burger and fries were on the $3.99 menu and their teas are always $1, so I got the whole meal for $4.99 plus tax and tip.  That’s a pretty good deal for a quick lunch.  The portions aren’t huge, but the bang for the buck was exceptional, one of Steak n’ Shakes strong points.

 

 

Red Robin - Bleu Ribbon Burger (4 stars)

5582 Spectrum Drive
Frederick, MD 21703
Phone:  (301) 620-1081
Website: http://www.redrobin.com/

Multiple locations across the United States and Western Canada

Time of Visit:  May 21, 2015 at 11:45 am

My Order:  Bleu Ribbon Burger

                     Steak Fries
                     Peach Iced Tea

Red Robin is, of course, a large chain with many locations.  I visit this location often, as it is close and you can get a good meal.  I’ll admit I made this trip because I’m a member of their Royalty Club and I had a free burger coming.  Because of that, I ordered a burger I had never tried before, the Bleu  Ribbon Burger.  Although the food didn’t score exceptionally well, the non-food factors bump up the overall rating.

Burger Rating = 3.7 (****)

Presentation, Overall Rating 4

The food comes out on a small platter, with the fries placed in a silver-colored cone/cylinder.  Very attractive, but not something that takes your breath away, a 4.

Meat, Overall Rating 4

My burger was cooked just as I like it, cooked all the way through with no pink, yet there was still some juiciness to it.  Not dripping down your arms juicy, but not dry either.  It was char-grilled but didn’t have an overwhelming charred flavor.  Very good in my opinion, a 4.

Bun, Overall Rating 4

The standard bun option for this burger is an onion bun and I didn’t change that.  It was a good, firm bun that held up well in the sandwich, but wasn’t tough or dry.  It had a good flavor and went well with the burger, a 4.

Toppings, Overall Rating 3.5

Bleu cheese:  The cheese had good texture and tasted really good.  Bleu cheese doesn’t melt well over the burger, but just softened instead.  Because it was crumbles instead of a slice, the distribution across the burger wasn’t even and some bites had a lot of cheese while others had only a little or none.  Pretty average for Bleu cheese, a 3.
Steak sauce:  I can’t say this did a lot for the burger, but it wasn’t bad, a 3.
Chipotle aioli:  I didn’t really notice this and wouldn’t have known it was on the burger, except for the slight heat it gave the sandwich.  But, again, it wasn’t bad, a 3.
Tomato slices:  This was just very average tomatoes, like you can get in any supermarket out of season, so they didn’t add much flavor to the burger.  But since they did add a nice fresh juiciness that the sandwich needed, I’ll give them a 4.
Shredded lettuce:  I don’t think shredded lettuce adds much to a burger, other than a few greens for your diet.  When the lettuce is shredded, you lose the crisp bite of a lettuce leaf.  It didn’t detract from the burger, but sure didn’t add anything either, a 3.
Onion straws:  These were certainly the dominant topping on this burger.  They were crispy and held up well until the end, a 5.

Balance/Taste, Overall Rating 3

The burger maintained its integrity all the way to the end, which I think was mainly due to the onion bun.  The standard bun Red Robin uses sometimes doesn’t hold together, especially if moister toppings are used.  The onion straws dominated the flavor, although the bleu cheese bite did come out at times.  The bun was just a little too big for the patty.  While there was a little meat in each bite, in a few bites there was very little.  Good flavors, but the balance was a little off, so I’ll give it a 3.

 

Other Notes:

Location and Access

The place is real easy to find, just off I-270, right at the entrance to the Francis Scott Key Mall.  It’s situated across the parking lot from Sears, so there is a LOT of parking available.

Facilities

This building is only a few years old and was recently remodeled when the chain did a reimaging.  There is quite a bit of seating, but none outside, so you can’t eat outside on a nice day.  Restrooms were adequately sized, clean, and easy to find.

Staff and Service

I sat at the bar this trip, so I didn’t have much interaction with the hostess, just enough to tell her I was going to the bar.  The bartender recognized me, as she had served me many times before.  As usual she was very friendly and responded quickly to my needs.  The menu has lots of options, including several non-burger entrees.  Even though they had to cook my burger to order, it still didn’t take too long.  The service was excellent.

Sides

Steak Fries:  I’m not a big fan of steak fries, as they don’t seem to get the crispiness I like.  Except for when they first came out, these fries quickly become soft.  You can have as many refills as you want, but I really only got a refill because I could.
Peach iced tea:  This tea had a good peach flavor, and I wasn’t overwhelmed with sweetness.  A good flavor and balance, but some might want it a little stronger.

Value

Since I got this burger for free, it was a good value this time, but I don’t think I would get this particular burger if I had to pay full price.  It costs a little more than most of their burgers and just doesn’t warrant the extra cost, in my opinion.

Beef, Buns and Paradise - Mammoth Cheeseburger (4 stars)

1201 East Patrick Street
Frederick, MD 21701

Phone:  (301) 631-0188
Website: http://beefnbunsnparadise.com/index.htm
Single location

Time of Visit:  May 17, 2015 at 12:30 pm

My Order:  Mammoth Cheeseburger

                     Onion Rings
                     Small Butterscotch Milkshake

 

Although I have lived in Frederick for many years, for some reason I had never tried this place.  After seeing good reviews I made a point to visit.  Their building looks like a house, so if you don’t know where to look, you might not be expecting it.  Their big sign out front does help.  The decorations are beach style and kitschy, plus there are many amusing signs.  You order by stepping inside to the counter.  The large menu is posted next to the window.  You can wait inside or out and they call your name when the order is ready.  If you are outside, you pick up your order at the side window.  Overall, a good experience and I will probably visit again to try some different things.

Burger Rating = 3.8 (****)

Presentation, Overall Rating 3

Since this is basically a carryout restaurant, the food came in individual Styrofoam containers in a bag.  Nothing fancy, but adequate, a 3.

Meat, Overall Rating 4

I like my burgers cooked well done and the patty was done right, cooked all the way through.  It could have used a little more browning on the outside.  I do give them credit for using locally-sourced, fresh meat.  A good solid burger, a 4.

Bun, Overall Rating 4

The bun was a Kaiser roll, split and lightly toasted.  It had a good flavor and held together well, a 4.

Toppings, Overall Rating 3.8

American cheese:  The cheese was well melted over the burger, a 4.
Lettuce:  Fresh shredded lettuce, but nothing fancy, a 4.
Dill Pickles:  Good dill pickles, a 4.
Onion slices:  Fresh onion, separated into rings, well distributed across the burger, a 4.
Mustard:  Regular yellow ballpark mustard, nothing wrong with it, but nothing special, a 3.

Balance/Taste, Overall Rating 4

Overall a good burger, but two criticisms:  1)  The bun and the patty did not quite match in size, such that my last two bites were nothing but bun and toppings, no patty.  2)  I like mustard, but it seems to overwhelm the flavor of the burger.  The sandwich held together well until the final bites.  Not perfect, but really good, a 4.

 

Other Notes:

Location and Access

The place was easy to find, right on the street.  A big sign out front makes it easy to spot.  Coming from the west, it might be harder to pull into if there is traffic at the light.  There is only limited parking, about a dozen spots in their lot, but there is additional parking on the street next to it.

Facilities

This is an older building, but it seems to be clean and kept up.  There is only limited seating and it is only outside, a definite negative if the weather is bad.  One big negative is there are no public restrooms.  But, it is basically a take-out place.

Staff and Service

The woman at the counter was very friendly.  When I replied that, yes, it was my first time, she made some suggestions.  Since they weren’t too busy, one of the men came around to the picnic tables to make sure everything was okay.  There was no problem in placing my order.  There were LOTS of options, so if someone doesn’t want a burger, that’s not a problem.  It does take a little while to get your order, but they make everything to order, so that’s to be expected.  When your order is ready, they announce it over the outside speaker, clearly enough to be understood.  The service was excellent.

Sides

Onion Rings:  These were GREAT!!  They were probably some of the best onion rings I’ve had.  They were batter-dipped and fried really crispy.  They even passed the bite test and each bite came off clean and the onion didn’t pull out from the coating.  These were great on their own and didn’t need any condiments.
Butterscotch Milkshake:  This was a really good milkshake.  The small size was still 16 oz. and more than enough for the meal.  It had a good butterscotch flavor and a pleasant thickness, thick but not too thick to sip through the straw.  Really good, but I wouldn’t call it the best I’ve ever had.

Value

I can’t help but feel it was a little overpriced for what I got at a take-out place.  I just don’t like to pay $15 for a meal in a bag.  It was more in line for what you might pay at a sit-down place where they wait on you, like Red Robin or Glory Days.  But, I did get a shake, and that always adds to the cost.  I didn’t feel cheated or anything.

How I Rate the Burgers

I will judge several factors in determining the overall rating for each hamburger I eat.  Each factor will be given a rating of 1 to 5, with five being the best.  I will consider each of the following seven factors.  If any factor is not applicable (e.g. I don’t have any sides with the meal), it will not be included in the calculation.  You’ll notice that five factors deal with just the burger, but that’s what this blog is really about anyway.

Location/Access – How easy is it to find?  Is it easy to get into the parking area?  Is there adequate parking?

Facilities/Ambience – Is the building clean and in good repair?  Is there enough seating?  How is the room temperature?  What kind of noise is there?

Staff/Service – Is the staff friendly?  Are they professional?  Are they clean or sloppy?  How well do they handle any special requests?  How long did it take to get your food?  Was everything correct and, if not, was it corrected to your satisfaction?

Food Presentation and Appearance – How is the food presented (in a basket, on a plate, etc.)?  How does the food look and smell?

Bun Quality – What kind of bun was used?  Is it toasted and/or buttered?  Is it too hard or soft?  Is it the right size for the burger?  Does it hold together well?

Meat Quality – Is it cooked to the requested doneness?  Is it seasoned well?  Does it have a good crust?  Is it juicy or dry?

Toppings – What toppings are on the burger?  How is each topping on its own (lettuce fresh, bacon crisp, cheese melted, etc.)?  How much is there of each?

Overall Taste/Quality – What is the overall taste experience?  Does any topping dominate or seem out of place?  Did the sandwich hold together all the way through the meal?

Sides – Since a burger is seldom eaten by itself, were all the sides of good quality and sufficient quantity?  Was everything the right temperature?

Value - Was it worth the price?

Once each factor is rated, the individual ratings will be averaged to determine the overall rating, rounded to one decimal place.  I will then assign a number of stars to give the overall rating.  Here’s how the final ratings stack up:

0.0-0.4 points, 0 Stars – A truly awful experience, I would never want to get near this burger again, short of a survival situation.

0.5-1.4 points, 1 Star – A bad burger, but edible, I would only eat this again if it were the only option around and I was really hungry.

1.5-2.4 points, 2 Stars – A less than average quality experience, I would go out of my way to avoid this burger.

2.5-3.4 points, 3 Stars – A completely average eating experience, there is nothing wrong with this burger, but nothing special either.

3.5-4.4 points, 4 Stars – A really good eating experience, this burger is above the ordinary and I would choose it from among several other options.

4.5-5.0 points, 5 Stars – Among the best of burgers, I would make special plans and go out of my way to eat one of these again.

Welcome to My Journey

Hi, and welcome to my new blog.  I'm really not sure exactly how I'm going to go about it, but my goal is to try out different hamburgers and let you know what I think of them.  And not just hamburgers, because I also plan to include sandwiches that are not just a patty on a bun with some toppings.  I will also include things like patty melts or the loosemeat sandwiches of the Midwest, things that are close to burgers, but not quite.

What is my opinion worth?  Well, in reality, taste is a very subjective thing.  Something I really like, you may not.  All I can do is try a burger, try to describe it, and give my humble opinion.  Then, if something sounds good to you, go out and try it yourself!