Madrones Restaurant - Cheeseburger (4 stars)

7810 Wormans Mill Rd
Frederick, MD 21701
Phone:  (240) 439-4010
Website: http://madrones.net/

Single location 

Time of Visit:  August 7, 2015 at 11:50 am

My Order:  Cheeseburger

                   French Fries
                   Iced Tea

 

I am watching what I eat and have been real good all week, so I decided to take my hamburger treat today.  Madrones has been listed as having one of the best burgers in Frederick, so I went and tried it out.

Burger Rating = 4.4 (****)

 

P manners around this Black Angus patty glazed with brown sugar and topped with candied bacon, honey BBQ sauce, sharp Cheddar and caramelized onions on a toasted ciabatta bun. $13.99 Mind your manners around this Black Angus patty glazed with brown sugar and topped with candied bacon, honey BBQ sauce, sharp Cheddar and caramelized onions on a toasted ciabatta bun. $13.99 Mind your manners around this Black Angus patty glazed with brown sugar and topped with candied bacon, honey BBQ sauce, sharp Cheddar and caramelized onions on a toasted ciabatta bun. $13.99 Oven-roasted tomatoes, savory roasted garlic aioli and fresh arugula tossed in citrus olive oil dressing on a toasted ciabattresentation, Overall Rating 5

The meal came out on a white, oval plate with the burger served open-faced and a spear holding the toppings to the top bun.  The fries were alongside the burger with the ketchup and mustard in little metal cups.  It looked very nice as a first impression and I saw nothing wrong with it, a 5.

Meat, Overall Rating 5

The patty was thick, about one inch, but I have to say they cooked it right.  It was cooked all the way through and was still pretty juicy and flavorful.  It was seasoned well and even had a crust that had good browning, but wasn’t tough.  The texture was loose, but held together well.  Overall, a very well done patty, a 5.

Bun, Overall Rating 4

Another plus, they used a really good brioche bun and toasted it well.  My only criticism is that it wasn’t quite sized properly, being just a little too wide for the patty, so I can’t give it any more than a 4.

Toppings, Overall Rating 4

Cheddar Cheese:  The cheese was well melted and was a nice addition to the burger.  Even though the burger patty was thick, the flavor of the cheese still came through.  No complaints, a 5.
Red Onions:  The had three large red onion rings on it.  They were fresh and had a good bit.  However, With the rings all being large, they onion was not well distributed, with the outer burger getting a lot of onion and the inner bites not having any.  I guess I’ll give it a 4.
House-made Mustard:  This was a nice, whole grain style mustard that provided a nice flavor to the burger.  Since it was served on the side, I could spread it however I wanted.  Let’s go ahead and give this, a 5.
House Made Pickles:  These were really good, sort of a sweet pickle, but not quite.  The flavor was great.  But, there were only two small pickles, so only half the burger had any pickle on it.  Because of that, I can’t give any more than a 3.
Lettuce:  Like usual, there just wasn’t enough to add much to the burger, a 3.

Balance/Taste, Overall Rating 4

This was a great burger.  All the flavors blended well and no one flavor overwhelmed the others.  They burger also held together well and each bite had a little bit of everything.  But, because the toppings weren’t distributed equally on the burger and the bun was slightly off-sized, I can’t give this any more than a 4.

 

Other Notes:

Location and Access

This store is located in the Wegman’s Center, across the parking lot from that store.  Once you pull onto the road from Route 26, it’s fairly easy to spot.  There is plenty of parking, although the lot can get busy, especially on the weekend.

Facilities

The store has a nice atmosphere with plenty of table, although there is no outside seating.  The bathrooms are easy to find.

Staff and Service

The staff was very professional, although my waitress could have smiled a bit more.  The hostess was quick and efficient getting me to my table.  It did take a while for my food to be prepared, so this is not the spot for a quick lunch, but it came out cooked just the way I wanted it.  The waitress did warn it might take a while.

Sides

French Fries:  These were standard fries like you will find in many restaurants.  My main comment is that they could have been cooked a bit crispier.
Iced Tea:  Pretty standard iced tea, it was could and thirst quenching.

Value

In total, this meal cost me a little over $15, including tax.  That’s not outrageous for a sit down meal, but it’s not the best value either, just pretty average.

Market Burger - Single Burger (4 Stars)

145 W Main St

Purcellville, VA 20132

Phone:  (540) 751-1145
Website: http://www.marketburger.net/

Single Location

Time of Visit:  July 31, 2015 at 11:50 am

My Order:  Single Patty Burger

                     Sweet Potato Fries w/ Maple Mustard

                     Sprite

I went down to Purcellville to play a round on the disc golf course at Franklin Park.  While I was there, I decided to partake of what has been called one of Virginia’s best burgers.  It turned out to be a really good burger, but just short of the 5 star level.

Burger Rating = 4.4 (****)

 

Presentation, Overall Rating 4

The food comes out in a plastic basket containing the burger, fries, and the mustard dipping sauce.  Nice and not bad for a counter service place, a 4.

Meat, Overall Rating 4

My burger was cooked all the way through with no pink showing, yet was not dry.  They cook it on a flat top grill and give it that initial smash that gives the burger a nice crust.  The texture was good as well, fairly loose, but it still held together as a patty.  The only thing I might say would be to give the burger just a tad more browning, so it wasn’t quite perfect, so a real strong 4.

Bun, Overall Rating 5

For their buns, they use a local bakery and it is a good one.  It was a good size for the burger and had a great texture.  They also toast it to a buttery crunch that adds great texture and flavor to the burger.  Overall, one of the best buns I’ve ever had on a burger.  This one gets a 5.

Toppings, Overall Rating 4.2

American Cheese:  The cheese was well melted, but like usual could have used just a bit more to balance against the meat, a 4.
Yellow Mustard:  Regular yellow mustard, spread evenly, with just enough to add to the flavor but not overwhelm it, a 5.
House Made Pickles:  These were really good and sliced lengthwise so they stayed in the burger really well, a 5.
Fresh Onions:  These had a good flavor and were sliced really thin so as not to overwhelm the burger.  However, by being thin, they lost that good, fresh crunch, a 4.
Lettuce:  Like usual, there just wasn’t enough to add much to the burger, although it was a good piece of lettuce, a 3.

Balance/Taste, Overall Rating 5

This was a great burger.  All the flavors blended well and no one flavor overwhelmed the others.  They burger also held together well and each bite had a little bit of everything.  Also, kudos for having all the ingredients locally sourced.  I’m going to give this one a 5.

 

Other Notes:

Location and Access

The place is not the easiest place to find.  It’s right on the main street of Purcellville, but unless you’re really watching you can easily miss it.  It’s just a small storefront among many others.  Parking is also limited, with just a bit on the street in front, although there is a small lot across the street for public parking.

Facilities

The store is one of several along the street and is pretty small inside.  There are a few small tables in the front part of the store and some more in the back if you want to eat there.  It seems the tables are more of a convenience, as they seem to be set up more for carryout service.

Staff and Service

The staff was very friendly and professional.  When taking my order, the counter person asked appropriate questions to clarify my desires, but didn’t act like he was confused.  The food took a few minutes to prepare, but it was cooked to order and that is to be expected.

Sides

Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce:  These could be better described as sweet potato chips, because they were sliced into thin rounds.  Unfortunately, they weren’t cut very evenly, so some chips were thin and crispy and others were thicker and soft, with every degree between.  They did have a good flavor and the maple mustard was perfect as a dip, providing both a sweet and a tart addition to the chips.  There were also a lot of chips, more than I wanted.  It would have probably been just the right amount to share with someone.
Sprite:  The soda and all other drinks were sold in individual bottles, which is appropriate for a takeout service.  However, since I ate in the restaurant, I really missed my free refills like you get in nearly every other restaurant in the US.

Value

In total, this meal cost me $16, including tax.  That’s a lot more than I want to spend on a burger from a takeout place, no matter how good it is.  That along with the lack of drink refills left me feeling overcharged.  They do get some allowance for locally sourcing their ingredients, but it was still a little high.  Maybe if I went with someone else and split an order of fries it would have felt like a better price.