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.