05/20/2014
The Crystal Beer Palace was already on the list of places to go while in Savannah GA. Seal the deal because the guy at the packaged goods store suggested it also. (local insight, always good) Rumor has it, the Palace is the place to get a great beer and tasty burger. Their menu is quite extensive. Southern dishes, meat and salads. The beer selection matches. The scene is cool. Large booths on one side and a beautiful old bar on the other. Sports on the television and spirits stacked on the shelves. Time to order.
I chose the Classic Crystal Burger. Half a pound of griddled ground chuck with lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo & pickle. Swiss cheese. Good looking burger. Cooked almost exactly the way I hoped. A little too much mayo. Note to self, no mayo on my burger. Flavor was there. They aren't afraid to use seasoning. Not over done though. Decent roll. I had the sweet potato fries. At first, yummy. Again forgetting that some things are better in smaller amounts, I was pretty done with sweet tatoe fries at the end.
Rating. Good flavor. Cooked very much how I like it. The mayo thing is my fault. Same for the fries. Over all, it was good food for my buds.
4.5 of 5.0 Price was fine, atmosphere was cool, service was better than average. All the other food we ordered was good quality and taste. I probably wouldn't go back but, if you go to Savannah, it's worth the while. Your friends that don't eat burgers will have some great choices for alternatives.
Crystal Beer Palace, Savannah GA
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Tuesday's on Sunday
05/17/2014
On the road to Savannah, looking for food that's palatable. Huddle House? Subway? Having four adults in the car can sometimes complicates the selection process. Especially when you are cruising along at 80 MPH. Our next exit had the familiar logo of Ruby Tuesday. My brain automatically thinks "burger!" The crowd agrees that RT might work for all of us. Exit right, turn right at stop sign.
Hanging at a chain restaurant isn't exactly searching out the tastiest burger but, it has it's own challenges.
The burger. Most places these days shy away from bringing you a burger that has pink meat inside so, I'm not given the option to get a medium rare. Onion rings as the side for sure. The burger stood up the reputation as did the bun. I've been to Ruby Tuesday before. Sorry Red Robin, I sometimes confuse the two places. Go figure.
Rating. Consider this a chain vs. chain kind of rating. If it went against a fresh packed cooked in front of me burger, I'm not sure how it would fair.
3.5 - 4.0 out of 5
Price is the usual $9 these days. Onion rings were tasty.
On the road to Savannah, looking for food that's palatable. Huddle House? Subway? Having four adults in the car can sometimes complicates the selection process. Especially when you are cruising along at 80 MPH. Our next exit had the familiar logo of Ruby Tuesday. My brain automatically thinks "burger!" The crowd agrees that RT might work for all of us. Exit right, turn right at stop sign.
Hanging at a chain restaurant isn't exactly searching out the tastiest burger but, it has it's own challenges.
The burger. Most places these days shy away from bringing you a burger that has pink meat inside so, I'm not given the option to get a medium rare. Onion rings as the side for sure. The burger stood up the reputation as did the bun. I've been to Ruby Tuesday before. Sorry Red Robin, I sometimes confuse the two places. Go figure.
Rating. Consider this a chain vs. chain kind of rating. If it went against a fresh packed cooked in front of me burger, I'm not sure how it would fair.
3.5 - 4.0 out of 5
Price is the usual $9 these days. Onion rings were tasty.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
North Avenue Grill lives up to reputation
The North Avenue grill has been around for a while now. The word on the street, great burgers. Really? I must stop in some day. That day came. No regrets. It's good stuff.
The grill setting is fun. Sit in a booth or hang at the counter. The staff greets you as you walk in and thanks you on the way out. Nice.
It's "build your own" so, I get thrown off a little bit. Toppings are extra at some point. I didn't make it there. Simple food for a simple guy, I guess.
The burger was cooked exactly the way I like it. Just enough pink. Juicy, flavorful. The fries were way delicious. Peel on, cooked just right and quite a large order.
Rating: 4.5 of 5
Seasoned right, tasty bun and fresh toppings. Neat place, sort of the throw-back stuff I like. The leftovers fared well.
North Avenue Grill
The grill setting is fun. Sit in a booth or hang at the counter. The staff greets you as you walk in and thanks you on the way out. Nice.
It's "build your own" so, I get thrown off a little bit. Toppings are extra at some point. I didn't make it there. Simple food for a simple guy, I guess.
The burger was cooked exactly the way I like it. Just enough pink. Juicy, flavorful. The fries were way delicious. Peel on, cooked just right and quite a large order.
Rating: 4.5 of 5
Seasoned right, tasty bun and fresh toppings. Neat place, sort of the throw-back stuff I like. The leftovers fared well.
North Avenue Grill
Made the call @ Port of Call (NOLA)
There was all kinds of information on the internet about best burgers around New Orleans. One place that stood out from the crowd was Port of Call. A short walk from where I was staying. I passed it a couple times while out on a run. Smells are always free! There was always a crowd waiting outside. I finally found an opportunity to go for it.
It didn't feel like a burger place inside. You walk through a bar to get in to the back room where there is a combination of booths and tables. The kitchen is right off the dining area so wait traffic runs back and forth past you the whole time. Not that it bothered me, just saying. There's no fries on the menu. Just potatoes. Big baked potatoes with crazy piles of toppings if you so wish.
I ordered my burger medium rare, cheddar cheese, onion, tomato and lettuce. It was a substantial burger. The 1/2 might be after cooking, it was thick. Medium rare to me is a fair amount of pink maybe a splash of red. This was pretty much red. I think that's where the flavor dropped off. Not bad but, I think with just a little more heat and the rest time before serving this could have been a good one to right about. It also seemed a bit void of seasoning. The roll was tasty and the toppings were fresh.
Rating: 4 of 5
Overall price and atmosphere were okay. Again, maybe my expectations were too high and mal-adjusted my buds. I was glad to see a place that wasn't afraid to serve their meat cooked fairly rare.
Port of Call, NOLA
It didn't feel like a burger place inside. You walk through a bar to get in to the back room where there is a combination of booths and tables. The kitchen is right off the dining area so wait traffic runs back and forth past you the whole time. Not that it bothered me, just saying. There's no fries on the menu. Just potatoes. Big baked potatoes with crazy piles of toppings if you so wish.
I ordered my burger medium rare, cheddar cheese, onion, tomato and lettuce. It was a substantial burger. The 1/2 might be after cooking, it was thick. Medium rare to me is a fair amount of pink maybe a splash of red. This was pretty much red. I think that's where the flavor dropped off. Not bad but, I think with just a little more heat and the rest time before serving this could have been a good one to right about. It also seemed a bit void of seasoning. The roll was tasty and the toppings were fresh.
Rating: 4 of 5
Overall price and atmosphere were okay. Again, maybe my expectations were too high and mal-adjusted my buds. I was glad to see a place that wasn't afraid to serve their meat cooked fairly rare.
Port of Call, NOLA
Monday, March 17, 2014
Local Patty on St. Pat's-The Burger Co. LA
The name made me do it. The Burger Company. I wonder what they make? Ground fresh daily from all natural, hormone and antibiotic-free meat.
The store/restaurant was a bit nondescript. Clean and sort industrial inside. The order counter and grill area were stainless steel. You could watch the guys cook your food if you wanted to. Otherwise, Rocky V was showing on the monster HD television. When the movie finished, it was 80's music over the sound system. Something else I thought was sort of cool/home spun, the signs were all written on craft paper flip charts.
If you wanted seconds on a beverage (they serve beer and liquor) there was a separate window so you don't mess with the people ordering their first round. Nice. The building must be well ventilated because you really couldn't smell the grill much. A little bummed.
Food came fast. The beer was super tasty. Onion rings are Red Onions, nice twist. The fries were decent but, I think I was expecting something really spectacular. That wasn't the case. Still obviously fresh cut, cooked and tasty.
The Turkey Burger had a sauce that sort of finished strong. The patty was cooked nicely and the rest of the ingredients were fresh. Overall, tasty.
What about that burger? On it's own, the meat was tender and juicy. Taste was lacking. Maybe the patties are meant to compliment the tasty cheese, pickles and onions. I applied the housemade mustard, fantastic.
4 of 5 I'd send someone on the journey. The food was fast, tasty and the store was clean. A bit pricey. But, maybe because we had a beer.
What we had...
Company Burger: The classic American cheeseburger - two patties, housemade b&b pickles, American cheese, and red onions. Onion Rings: Thick cut red onions, buttermilk hand-battered Hand cut and twice cooked. Turkey Burger: Tomato jam, green goddess dressing and arugula. Beer: NOLA-New Belgium Chicory-molasses Milk Stout
Our bill: $34 with a tip.
The store/restaurant was a bit nondescript. Clean and sort industrial inside. The order counter and grill area were stainless steel. You could watch the guys cook your food if you wanted to. Otherwise, Rocky V was showing on the monster HD television. When the movie finished, it was 80's music over the sound system. Something else I thought was sort of cool/home spun, the signs were all written on craft paper flip charts.
If you wanted seconds on a beverage (they serve beer and liquor) there was a separate window so you don't mess with the people ordering their first round. Nice. The building must be well ventilated because you really couldn't smell the grill much. A little bummed.
Food came fast. The beer was super tasty. Onion rings are Red Onions, nice twist. The fries were decent but, I think I was expecting something really spectacular. That wasn't the case. Still obviously fresh cut, cooked and tasty.
The Turkey Burger had a sauce that sort of finished strong. The patty was cooked nicely and the rest of the ingredients were fresh. Overall, tasty.
What about that burger? On it's own, the meat was tender and juicy. Taste was lacking. Maybe the patties are meant to compliment the tasty cheese, pickles and onions. I applied the housemade mustard, fantastic.
4 of 5 I'd send someone on the journey. The food was fast, tasty and the store was clean. A bit pricey. But, maybe because we had a beer.
What we had...
Company Burger: The classic American cheeseburger - two patties, housemade b&b pickles, American cheese, and red onions. Onion Rings: Thick cut red onions, buttermilk hand-battered Hand cut and twice cooked. Turkey Burger: Tomato jam, green goddess dressing and arugula. Beer: NOLA-New Belgium Chicory-molasses Milk Stout
Our bill: $34 with a tip.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
The Clover Grill, NOLA covers it, with a hubcap! (03/16/14)
Really, a hubcap from a truck is used to steam and cook your burger.
The Clover Grill is snuggled in the middle of the French Quarter, New Orleans LA. Recommended by one of those online review sites it meant that I would need to challenge the reviews.
It's a frozen patty so, don't get too excited. No matter. The grill top is never cleared completely from the previous items cooked on it. So, flavor is naturally built in. Liquid butter, food service cheese and buns. Still, not afraid. The cook is working super hard cooking everything from gravy and biscuits to burgers. Technique is art as he cooks omelet after omelet, rarely using a spatula. A waffle cooks while our burgers simmer on the griddle top. The smells combine and the cook continues his movements like a routine in the gym. Drop the fry basket, start toast, blend more eggs, grab a couple of slices of cheese. More smells. I got a Barg's Root Beer to wash my Cheddar burger down. Sparing no mayo, lettuce onion or tomato the cook builds my burger. I am so ready. The bun is cooked on the same surface as all the other food so, flavor pops. A sweet finish after all the onions and meat flavors.
Price with onions and cheddar cheese as my options was around $8.50. Pretty normal.
If you go, sit at the bar. I don't think we would have enjoyed the wait time without the cook show.
I can't complain about the frozen patty nor the food service products. The taste was there.
Rated: 4 of 5. Price was a bit high for frozen patty and counter/grill venue. Fries were only okay. Loved the show. Could have done without the music cranking. I'd go back for breakfast.
http://www.clovergrill.com/
The Clover Grill is snuggled in the middle of the French Quarter, New Orleans LA. Recommended by one of those online review sites it meant that I would need to challenge the reviews.
It's a frozen patty so, don't get too excited. No matter. The grill top is never cleared completely from the previous items cooked on it. So, flavor is naturally built in. Liquid butter, food service cheese and buns. Still, not afraid. The cook is working super hard cooking everything from gravy and biscuits to burgers. Technique is art as he cooks omelet after omelet, rarely using a spatula. A waffle cooks while our burgers simmer on the griddle top. The smells combine and the cook continues his movements like a routine in the gym. Drop the fry basket, start toast, blend more eggs, grab a couple of slices of cheese. More smells. I got a Barg's Root Beer to wash my Cheddar burger down. Sparing no mayo, lettuce onion or tomato the cook builds my burger. I am so ready. The bun is cooked on the same surface as all the other food so, flavor pops. A sweet finish after all the onions and meat flavors.
Price with onions and cheddar cheese as my options was around $8.50. Pretty normal.
If you go, sit at the bar. I don't think we would have enjoyed the wait time without the cook show.
I can't complain about the frozen patty nor the food service products. The taste was there.
Rated: 4 of 5. Price was a bit high for frozen patty and counter/grill venue. Fries were only okay. Loved the show. Could have done without the music cranking. I'd go back for breakfast.
http://www.clovergrill.com/
The pleasure was all mine, Roosevelt NOLA (03.15.14)
I don't know why but, I go to a fancy restaurant and order the burger. This time wasn't any different. I guess it has to do with standards they hold for steak/meat. We ate at the Lounge rather than the full restaurant. A little more casual. We had a booth which made it cozy. The menu offers small plates and entrees. The burger falls into the entree category.
The burger: I didn't understand dry aged meat, before I had this one, sorry. I now know that the process helps to tenderize the meat and concentrate/increase flavor. I can tell you, it worked. The burger cooked perfect medium rare, had flavor on it's own. If that wasn't enough, the braised onions had such a sweet edge that, combined with the roll/bun really made it work. The egg thing made me a bit apprehensive. I can now say I've had an egg on my burger and liked it. Maybe it's a one time thing? I'm not sure yet.
The fries, delicious. No need to dip in anything.
The menu describes what I enjoyed as the Lounge Burger. Priced $21
dry aged cox farm’s beef/ nola blonde braised onions / aged white cheddar / sunny egg / bacon / arugula / hand cut fries
The price was/is shocking but, I have to say that I'm not feeling stupid or sucker punched. Most steaks don't taste that good. The scene really did add to the experience. Live music began shortly after we finish.
Rated: 4.5-ish. Overall, great stuff. Pricey for a dressy-casual setting (I do have to remind myself, it's also NOLA not MKE). The server was very attentive. I won't go back for another but, you should if you can.
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