You might think that a snow storm could keep a girl from getting out of JFK on time, but thanks to reliable Jet Blue, I was out 5 minutes early and home in no time. One of my favorite things about JFK's JetBlue terminal are those awesome touchscreen stations where you can charge up, order from the screen, and in about 5 minutes, someone delivers your food to you. Voila. In theory, it's great. And in the past I have done this without problem...it's great because I can charge my many gadgets and even video chat with Slider while he eats. I guess the snow storm also impacted wait staff and technical ability though because half of the touchscreens were broken and it took waaaay too long to get my veggie burger. To be honest, I was surprised by this burger, it was not at all what I expected for airport fare.
Grade: C+
What I liked: This is a hearty burger and the first few bites were great and very surprising. I ended up just eating the burger (no bun...I can't have this little project packing on the pounds!) which was more than enough food by itself.
What Missed: Tooooo potato-y! This reminded me a lot of something that Dr. Praegger (sp?) would make. He has those potato and spinach cakes, you know? It reminded me of that. I started to get really tired of such a distinct taste after a while. But it is an airport veggie burger, and as they go, I would have to say that I am impressed. So, on an absolute scale, a C. On a scale with other airport veggie burgers, probably more like an A-...I'll have to do more research before I make that final!
What Slider Liked: Nothing at all! The wireless was ridiculously slow because everyone was on, waiting for their delayed flights....so we couldn't video chat after all.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
#5, New York New York, Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop
This week I was reminded of what it is like to live on the East Coast during the winter. My my my, New York was snowed in, but thankfully I had enough time to go to dinner with my good friend from grad school, P. She lives LES, so I figured we should order from someplace near her. P swears that Otarian is the best, but their West Village shop shut down, and they wouldn't deliver from Midtown. And with impending snow, it's like the whole city was shut down. Kind of magical, actually, but I was definitely not headed to midtown. So we hit Yelp along with recos from P's other friends and came up with Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop. This burger sounded amazing...with the works, even fake bacon. I have never had a veggie burger with fake bacon, but that sounded good. I accidentally deleted the photo from my phone, but I promise you that it looked incredible. Thick burger, layers of goodness and toppings...not to mention that P and I were two hungry working girls! Probably all of that chatter (it had been way too long since we last saw each other) got our appetites going...
Grade: B
What I liked: Toppings galore! Who wouldn't like fake bacon (well, if you already like veggie burgers). I mean, the thing is called the "Big Mack Daddy," yes, spelled with a K. The special sauce, whatever is in it, was awesome, and there were a ton of pickles, something I really appreciate. Everything that was not the veggie burger was awesome! Can you guess where I'm going?
What Missed: The burger itself was way too protein-y for me. It definitely stuck together, but it was far too Boca Burgerish. All protein and no veggie. That is not for me. Also, they didn't serve anything but that owl-brand of chips. That's kind of ridic.
What P liked: I think we are in agreement here. P, weigh in if you have other thoughts on this. And let people know what is so fabulous about Otarian's burger...which I will try next time I'm in NYC.
Grade: B
What I liked: Toppings galore! Who wouldn't like fake bacon (well, if you already like veggie burgers). I mean, the thing is called the "Big Mack Daddy," yes, spelled with a K. The special sauce, whatever is in it, was awesome, and there were a ton of pickles, something I really appreciate. Everything that was not the veggie burger was awesome! Can you guess where I'm going?
What Missed: The burger itself was way too protein-y for me. It definitely stuck together, but it was far too Boca Burgerish. All protein and no veggie. That is not for me. Also, they didn't serve anything but that owl-brand of chips. That's kind of ridic.
What P liked: I think we are in agreement here. P, weigh in if you have other thoughts on this. And let people know what is so fabulous about Otarian's burger...which I will try next time I'm in NYC.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
#4, Whole Foods (Austin, TX)
My cousin wrote me the other day to tell me about an amazing veggie burger she had from Trader Joe's, the marsala burger, and sadly, we don't have a TJ's here in Austin. Can you believe it?! When I was in grad school, that was my only walking distance grocery store, so I definitely OD'd on it, but I sure do miss that one down the road from us in the 'Burgh. Maybe Pamburger can send me some of them from the new store at home...don't laugh, she did send me oodles of those Indian veggie meal starters, and they're good! Although I do feel bad that TJ's basically just stopped selling Tasty Bite and started making their own version. I digress.
As I've mentioned before, I am a working mom (we all are, but the kind who goes to an office), but I have Fridays off to hang with Slider. Yesterday, the two of us hit up our neighbor and second home, Whole Foods, to test out the veggie burger. Believe it or not, even though we spend like every other day there and almost every dollar of our paychecks, I hadn't ever tried the veggie burger. Pamburger is obsessed with the grain burgers in the Florida Whole Foods, which I agree are good....kind of dry and gross but good in that weird vegetarian way...but these are different. They serve 'em up at the Grill (the Whole Foods here is HUGE) "restaurant," where I ordered mine to go. Sorry, no picture for this one. This is their harvest walnut field burger.
Grade: C
What I liked: Pickles! They were so awesome and cut thick, that was a crowd pleaser. I also think that when I'm in the mood for veggie burger junk food, I would probably hit this one up again, but it felt pretty not good for me, which is one of the bonuses I actually enjoy about eating veg. Fries were pretty good too.
What Missed: I touched on it above. Just too fried and thin for me. It was frozen originally, so that explains it, but I guess I was just disappointed. Doesn't it just stand to reason that Whole Foods should make and AMAZING veggie burger? This was definitely not it. Crispy and not terribly flavorful, save for those awesome pickles.
What Slider Liked: He was into the swiss cheese on this burger. He kept pointing and making his signature "huh" noise until I'd give him more. He did take a few bites and liked it...and apparently he's not allergic to walnuts, so that is good news too. Fries. He ate a bunch on the walk home.
As I've mentioned before, I am a working mom (we all are, but the kind who goes to an office), but I have Fridays off to hang with Slider. Yesterday, the two of us hit up our neighbor and second home, Whole Foods, to test out the veggie burger. Believe it or not, even though we spend like every other day there and almost every dollar of our paychecks, I hadn't ever tried the veggie burger. Pamburger is obsessed with the grain burgers in the Florida Whole Foods, which I agree are good....kind of dry and gross but good in that weird vegetarian way...but these are different. They serve 'em up at the Grill (the Whole Foods here is HUGE) "restaurant," where I ordered mine to go. Sorry, no picture for this one. This is their harvest walnut field burger.
Grade: C
What I liked: Pickles! They were so awesome and cut thick, that was a crowd pleaser. I also think that when I'm in the mood for veggie burger junk food, I would probably hit this one up again, but it felt pretty not good for me, which is one of the bonuses I actually enjoy about eating veg. Fries were pretty good too.
What Missed: I touched on it above. Just too fried and thin for me. It was frozen originally, so that explains it, but I guess I was just disappointed. Doesn't it just stand to reason that Whole Foods should make and AMAZING veggie burger? This was definitely not it. Crispy and not terribly flavorful, save for those awesome pickles.
What Slider Liked: He was into the swiss cheese on this burger. He kept pointing and making his signature "huh" noise until I'd give him more. He did take a few bites and liked it...and apparently he's not allergic to walnuts, so that is good news too. Fries. He ate a bunch on the walk home.
#3, Hopdoddy (Austin, TX)
At this rate, I won't eat 100 veg burgers in 2011. As my husburger pointed out, I would have to eat one every 3 days, and I have been delinquent. I started this blog with so much gusto, I have to keep the momentum going! First and foremost, I promised a set of basic criteria for judging. Here are the elements of a veggie burger that matter most to me...followers (few but mighty) and friends, please comment if I'm missing something important to you:
- Flavor
- Texture
- Consistency (grainy, fall-aparty vs. stick to-edness)
- Does it satisfy?
- Uniqueness
- Extras/Toppings (if restaurant)
- Bread (if restaurant)
- The intangible: will I crave it again?
Last weekend, we took a family trip to Hopdoddy. It's a fancy new burger joint South of Congress that is in the tradition of Shake Shack. The line was soooo long, but it's the second time I've tried to go, so we waited it out, even though Slider was breaking my back! During the 30 minute wait to order, we decided against the beers that everyone else in line ordered, and shared a chocolate shake (mostly Slider's) that was delish. The ambiance at Hopdoddy is really cool too. Sleek, minimal, greens and browns, a nice bar in the center. And not for kids. High tables only = no high chairs. The line made me think that I must be waiting for the best veggie burger in town, or had better be...
So, I ordered my oh-so-Austinite named Janis Joplin burger and we were escorted to a nice booth. They do have a good system going on there.
Grade: B-/C+
What I liked:
Presentation - I love the parchment paper on the silver tray, and a bunch of fries thrown on there. Speaking of, I did like those fries. The burger was unique for sure, and I did like the hempseed idea, and haven't ever tasted a veggie burger quite like it. I also liked the sprouts they put on without my asking, and the avo. Those definitely added to the experience.
What Missed:
Too grainy! Little Miss Janis was falling apart the minute I lifted that (huge) veggie burger up. Also was just too sharply mustard-y tasting, and just not the right mix of seasoning for me. Pickles at the restaurant were not dill, they were like bread and butter or something gross and gaggy.
What Slider Liked:
Fries, big time. I agree, they were that perfect fresh-cut, hot and flavored salt. Yum. Rejected the veggie burger after multiple tries.
- Flavor
- Texture
- Consistency (grainy, fall-aparty vs. stick to-edness)
- Does it satisfy?
- Uniqueness
- Extras/Toppings (if restaurant)
- Bread (if restaurant)
- The intangible: will I crave it again?
Last weekend, we took a family trip to Hopdoddy. It's a fancy new burger joint South of Congress that is in the tradition of Shake Shack. The line was soooo long, but it's the second time I've tried to go, so we waited it out, even though Slider was breaking my back! During the 30 minute wait to order, we decided against the beers that everyone else in line ordered, and shared a chocolate shake (mostly Slider's) that was delish. The ambiance at Hopdoddy is really cool too. Sleek, minimal, greens and browns, a nice bar in the center. And not for kids. High tables only = no high chairs. The line made me think that I must be waiting for the best veggie burger in town, or had better be...
So, I ordered my oh-so-Austinite named Janis Joplin burger and we were escorted to a nice booth. They do have a good system going on there.
Grade: B-/C+
What I liked:
Presentation - I love the parchment paper on the silver tray, and a bunch of fries thrown on there. Speaking of, I did like those fries. The burger was unique for sure, and I did like the hempseed idea, and haven't ever tasted a veggie burger quite like it. I also liked the sprouts they put on without my asking, and the avo. Those definitely added to the experience.
What Missed:
Too grainy! Little Miss Janis was falling apart the minute I lifted that (huge) veggie burger up. Also was just too sharply mustard-y tasting, and just not the right mix of seasoning for me. Pickles at the restaurant were not dill, they were like bread and butter or something gross and gaggy.
What Slider Liked:
Fries, big time. I agree, they were that perfect fresh-cut, hot and flavored salt. Yum. Rejected the veggie burger after multiple tries.
Monday, January 17, 2011
#2, Jo's Coffee (and Good Food)
This post is out of order, because technically I also ate at another restaurant over the weekend, but I haven't written the post yet. Since I had Slider with me today, though, I couldn't take notes, so in order to give Jo's a fair shake, I figure I better get to writing.
Today we are celebrating MLK Day and so I had the day off from work. This morning, I met up with some friends of mine (B&R) and their little boys at the Children's Museum here. Even though that place gets ridiculously crowded with kiddos and hovering parents, it is still a nice way to spend a morning. Slider pretty much remains in a 10 foot area which involves the put-the-golf-ball-in-the-hole-and-watch-it-slide thingee and a slide that he could probably go on all day long if I let him. Needless to say, we all worked up an appetite. On our way home, we decided to stop at nearby Jo's coffee, an Austin spot with a modern but laid back atmosphere. The original Jo's is on S. Congress, but this is the slicker Downtown version. We ordered and then tried to make do with the 1 remaining high chair in the restaurant (they are those pricey Trip Trapps, but still, they only had 2!) even though we had 3 tots. You do the math. 1 chair + 3 nuggets = ridiculously messy floor and loud corner.
Next time, I promise to do an overview of my criteria for judging, but for now...I'll just get to the dish...
Grade: B/B-
What I liked: Simplicity and nice flavoring. Save for the grilled onions (nice touch, but they were diced, which was kind of annoying), this was a super simple situation. Burger, lettuce, tomato, nicely grilled bun. No nonsense. Not even ketchup or mustard. I did add mustard, but probably didn't need to. This was a really nicely seasoned burger, and I liked the flavor of the spinach and peppers, it really came through. Even though it looked like the burger might fall apart, it definitely remained in tact, even as I ate it with a fork. I think this is a good example of using just the right amount of mushrooms.
Publish Post
What Slider liked: At first, Slider rejected my offerings, but the third time was a charm. He actually seemed to like this burger. Or at least he didn't make a weird face, take it out of his mouth, examine it, and throw it on the floor with a yell. Not that he ever does that.
What missed: I think that I am just not a die-hard fan of the bean burger. I do like it, but after a while it can start to be mushy. Even with the other veggies in there, it tasted a little too bean-heavy for me. Bun was too thick and not tasty enough to merit so much bread. If I'm going to eat a big old bun, it had better be worth it. I'd definitely order it again, and it is a solid score, but I don't see myself craving it either.
Today we are celebrating MLK Day and so I had the day off from work. This morning, I met up with some friends of mine (B&R) and their little boys at the Children's Museum here. Even though that place gets ridiculously crowded with kiddos and hovering parents, it is still a nice way to spend a morning. Slider pretty much remains in a 10 foot area which involves the put-the-golf-ball-in-the-hole-and-watch-it-slide thingee and a slide that he could probably go on all day long if I let him. Needless to say, we all worked up an appetite. On our way home, we decided to stop at nearby Jo's coffee, an Austin spot with a modern but laid back atmosphere. The original Jo's is on S. Congress, but this is the slicker Downtown version. We ordered and then tried to make do with the 1 remaining high chair in the restaurant (they are those pricey Trip Trapps, but still, they only had 2!) even though we had 3 tots. You do the math. 1 chair + 3 nuggets = ridiculously messy floor and loud corner.
Next time, I promise to do an overview of my criteria for judging, but for now...I'll just get to the dish...
Grade: B/B-
What I liked: Simplicity and nice flavoring. Save for the grilled onions (nice touch, but they were diced, which was kind of annoying), this was a super simple situation. Burger, lettuce, tomato, nicely grilled bun. No nonsense. Not even ketchup or mustard. I did add mustard, but probably didn't need to. This was a really nicely seasoned burger, and I liked the flavor of the spinach and peppers, it really came through. Even though it looked like the burger might fall apart, it definitely remained in tact, even as I ate it with a fork. I think this is a good example of using just the right amount of mushrooms.
Publish Post
What Slider liked: At first, Slider rejected my offerings, but the third time was a charm. He actually seemed to like this burger. Or at least he didn't make a weird face, take it out of his mouth, examine it, and throw it on the floor with a yell. Not that he ever does that.
What missed: I think that I am just not a die-hard fan of the bean burger. I do like it, but after a while it can start to be mushy. Even with the other veggies in there, it tasted a little too bean-heavy for me. Bun was too thick and not tasty enough to merit so much bread. If I'm going to eat a big old bun, it had better be worth it. I'd definitely order it again, and it is a solid score, but I don't see myself craving it either.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
First official visit, Galaxy Cafe
Thanks to my sisters (I include cousin Lucy in that) for all of the posts so early on. See, when you have family, you can always get some lovin'. BeeBurger says I am cheesy (no pun intended), so I thought I should also add nerdy to that mix. I have now started up a doc to track all of the recos I get.
Drum roll, please. Onto my first formal burger review. To kick it off, I thought I was going to go to the 24 Diner, where we are pretty much regulars, on a rainy Friday afternoon with Slider. The parking lot was crazy full though, so we kept on driving, and ended up at the original Galaxy Cafe in the heart of Clarksville. I love this part of the city with the bungalow-style houses and community feel. If it weren't so damn far from where we work, maybe we would move here. I have been to Galaxy once before with Slider and Husburger, but it was the newer, shinier version at the Triangle, and that time we ordered breakfast. Maybe it was the rain or our timing, Slider and I hit mucho crowds on our visit, but I was determined to try that burger.
When Slider started moving and trying to break free of being held, I knew I'd just have to order to go. He's learning to walk (kinda) now, so restaurants these days are hit or miss. Below what you see is the "deluxe" version (that means adding avo and sauteed mushrooms) of the Galaxy Cafe veggie burger.
Grade:
B+/A- (I'll give more definitive grades once I have a better basis)
What I liked:
This is definitely my kind of veggie burger. I like dense burgers that are still more veggie/mushroom than soy, but keep their shit together. This burger was substantial and had a nice BBQ-y flavor to it, kind of smoky and with that avocado and pesto mayo, it was almost creamy, especially as you hit those last two bites. Yum. I am also a fan of the bun they used. HBurger always says it's all about the bread, and even though this is just a run-of-the-mill bun (I think), it was lightly toasted and added a nice crunch. This is the kind of veggie burger that is really solid - and it makes me want to go back and try it again. It's not a stunt, and doesn't have any one super strong flavor, but it's definitely one that delights, and I think would appeal even to hamburger-eating crowd.
What Slider loved:
The avo and the delicious sweet potato fries...he hardly left any for me!
What missed:
Mushrooms were kind of under-sauteed, like still too mushroom-y. No cheese? I think they should at least ask if you want cheese with your burger.
Drum roll, please. Onto my first formal burger review. To kick it off, I thought I was going to go to the 24 Diner, where we are pretty much regulars, on a rainy Friday afternoon with Slider. The parking lot was crazy full though, so we kept on driving, and ended up at the original Galaxy Cafe in the heart of Clarksville. I love this part of the city with the bungalow-style houses and community feel. If it weren't so damn far from where we work, maybe we would move here. I have been to Galaxy once before with Slider and Husburger, but it was the newer, shinier version at the Triangle, and that time we ordered breakfast. Maybe it was the rain or our timing, Slider and I hit mucho crowds on our visit, but I was determined to try that burger.
Grade:
B+/A- (I'll give more definitive grades once I have a better basis)
What I liked:
This is definitely my kind of veggie burger. I like dense burgers that are still more veggie/mushroom than soy, but keep their shit together. This burger was substantial and had a nice BBQ-y flavor to it, kind of smoky and with that avocado and pesto mayo, it was almost creamy, especially as you hit those last two bites. Yum. I am also a fan of the bun they used. HBurger always says it's all about the bread, and even though this is just a run-of-the-mill bun (I think), it was lightly toasted and added a nice crunch. This is the kind of veggie burger that is really solid - and it makes me want to go back and try it again. It's not a stunt, and doesn't have any one super strong flavor, but it's definitely one that delights, and I think would appeal even to hamburger-eating crowd.
What Slider loved:
The avo and the delicious sweet potato fries...he hardly left any for me!
What missed:
Mushrooms were kind of under-sauteed, like still too mushroom-y. No cheese? I think they should at least ask if you want cheese with your burger.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Faux Veg Seeking Burger
I used to be a vegetarian. 10 years ago, maybe more like 15. Now I eat bacon and sausage, and organic (or fried) chicken, yada yada. It was a slow roll, but I am now officially not a veg. But my sisters, we can call them BeeBurger and NatBurger, they both are, and I still fancy myself a vegetarian when I have to go to a wedding and check my box (beef or veg?), or when I see a veggie burger on the menu. No matter where I go, if there is a veggie burger on the menu, I have to try it.
When I had my son a year ago- we can call him Slider- I hardly cooked for a few months. My job gave us $500 for take-out reimbursement (cool, right?), so I used that to buy exactly 1 month's worth of veggie burgers from this spot down the street from us, D's. Oooooh, I loved that burger! We have since moved, and I miss it, and it's kind of like I am now on a quest to find my favorite burger. And since I'm new to Austin (where I live now) and new-ish to motherhood, that means I have some, er, free time on my hands. So lucky followers can join in my quest. I had this bright idea to chronicle my taste tests at restaurants around town and when I travel. My hubby, Husburger, said that I should do something more Julie and Julia-esque and choose a finite number. Like 100 veggie burgers. I like it. So, Husburger has convinced me. My plan is to test 100 veggie burgers in 2011, mainly at restaurants, but I'll throw in some posts on the freezer aisle, recipes, and the like. And please, by all means, if you think I should try one (no matter the location, I like to travel...or used to, before Slider started making it kind of a challenge), chime in.
I have never done anything like this, so it's an experiment to say the least. We'll see where it takes me. Maybe one day I will be brought on as an expert to talk about the rise of the veggie burger. I mean, look around, burgers are so hot right now, but veggie burgers should have their own time in the sun.
Alright world, or family, friends, and Pamburger & HBurger's (my parents') friends...let's eat!
When I had my son a year ago- we can call him Slider- I hardly cooked for a few months. My job gave us $500 for take-out reimbursement (cool, right?), so I used that to buy exactly 1 month's worth of veggie burgers from this spot down the street from us, D's. Oooooh, I loved that burger! We have since moved, and I miss it, and it's kind of like I am now on a quest to find my favorite burger. And since I'm new to Austin (where I live now) and new-ish to motherhood, that means I have some, er, free time on my hands. So lucky followers can join in my quest. I had this bright idea to chronicle my taste tests at restaurants around town and when I travel. My hubby, Husburger, said that I should do something more Julie and Julia-esque and choose a finite number. Like 100 veggie burgers. I like it. So, Husburger has convinced me. My plan is to test 100 veggie burgers in 2011, mainly at restaurants, but I'll throw in some posts on the freezer aisle, recipes, and the like. And please, by all means, if you think I should try one (no matter the location, I like to travel...or used to, before Slider started making it kind of a challenge), chime in.
I have never done anything like this, so it's an experiment to say the least. We'll see where it takes me. Maybe one day I will be brought on as an expert to talk about the rise of the veggie burger. I mean, look around, burgers are so hot right now, but veggie burgers should have their own time in the sun.
Alright world, or family, friends, and Pamburger & HBurger's (my parents') friends...let's eat!
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