Austin Burger News

Tagged: cheddar RSS

• Chris 9:20 am on August 31, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, grill (7), thick-patty (2), wood fire   

  A Visit to Max Parfait 

  Finally made it out to the HOPE Farmers Market on Sunday to cash in my Max Parfait LunchDeal coupon.  Overall, tasty burger, cooked well (still pink–see pix below) and good fries.  The bun is homemade and is nicely toasted on the grill (exterior bun grill marks is a major plus).  The burger patty is thick but not huge–I found the burger size to be just right–and is laced with some herbs, as you can see in the cross section picture below.  Had a good flavor.  I’m generally not a fan of mixing stuff into the meat before cooking, but this worked well.  Nothing overpowering in the spices.  The beef is cooked over pecan wood, which is a plus.  I got the cheeseburger (with cheddar, of course), which I recommend, but was a bit taken aback by the $1 surcharge for cheese (seems a tad steep, but I imagine it’s quality cheese).

  Fries are called “Belgian Fries”.  Not clear on what makes a fry Belgian (I did find some info at belgianfries.com, of all places, but no way to know if this is authoritative), but these were delicious, had a slightly sweet taste to me, and were seasoned with just the right amount of salt.  They fry them in olive oil.

  On the downside, it took a long time to get our food, but it’s a small trailer and of course everything is made to order, so it takes a while.  And the HOPE Farmers Market was not the most inviting environment on a hot August day.  Dusty hot surroundings.  Unkempt Austin Hippies wandering about, Yoga occurring inside one of the unconditioned spaces, incense wafting from another, etc.  There was a pleasant band playing there, which was a plus, but I found the farmers market very run down feeling, and hot, and dusty, and…hot.  Maybe it’s more pleasant during the spring at the height of the produce season.

  Oh yeah, also sampled the portabella sandwich, was good.

  So, would definitely eat at Max Parfait again.  Would love to see them land in a Brick and Mortar location with some air conditioning!  Currently, you can find the Max Parfait trailer at the Barton Creek Farmers Market on Saturdays, and the HOPE Farmers Market on Sundays.  Check their website for the latest details or follow them on twitter.  Hopefully they can aim that trailer up north during the weekdays.

  

  The Trailer

  

  The Setting (Hot)

  

  The Veggies

  

  The Band (they were good!)

  

  The Menu

  

  The Fries (Delicious)

  

  The Fries (Detail)

  

  The Burger (note bun scrapage from over-grilling)

  

  The Burger (with Cheddar)

  

  The Burger (Cross Section)

  

  The Portabella Sandwich

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  • Max Parfait 9:42 am on August 31, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    Hey Chris…thanks for making down to see us. It sounds like we didn’t bring our “A” game for you. I’m really sorry about that. We’re still working out some kinks, and hopefully your next visit can be a big improvement.

    Regarding the cheese, yes, it is a premium aged cheddar…a little pricier, but I think it’s well worth it for the flavor it gives the burger.

    We’ll keep our eyes open for potential locations up north…please say hello next time you stop by!

    • Chris 1:50 pm on August 31, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      No worries, everything tasted great. Will be back, but might try the Barton Creek farmers market next time

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• Chris 9:18 am on July 14, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, grill (7)   

  Must Try Max Parfait 

  Just learned of yet another trailer that sounds like it has the makings of a great burger and fries.  I have yet to experience any trailer grub because I am just never in South Austin, where most of this trailer explosion seems to be occurring.  Max Parfait may entice me to head south.  Full details at their site, but the quick summary: wood-fired grill (this is one key to taking a burger from good to great), all-natural beef, homemade bun, fresh hand-cut “belgian” fries cooked in olive oil (a la Elevation), cane sugar sodas.  Sounds like a winning combination to me (no mention of cheddar though).

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  • Zdean 1:16 pm on July 14, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    Yes, WE HAVE CHEDDAR! We’re also working on finding a local source for our cheddar, which will make it even better…
    Also, since we’re in a truck, we’ll be getting mobile in a week or so to take our burgers throughout the city…stay tuned

    • Chris 3:43 pm on July 14, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      Fantastic! Looking forward to giving it a try.

  • Frayton 3:25 pm on July 14, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    Sounds like great stuff.

    In the meantime: I wish someone would make a real grilled chicken sandwich in town that wasn’t either… 1) a pre-frozen big chunk (sorry Top Notch) or… 2) ground like beef, which just doesn’t work for a primo chickenburger (sorry P. Terry’s). Something thin, pounded out a bit like a really good CFS should be, but grilled to perfection, weight-wise on the lighter side, just a bit of protein… chickenburger folks don’t need some big slab o’ meat… they are not big eaters, they need to save some space for the fries….

    Okay Burger Nation, I know this may not be the right arena to put this out there, but I don’t know of a Chicken Burger News blog….!

    thanks for listening.

    signed,

    The Burger News Guy’s brother

    • Chris 3:45 pm on July 14, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      Heh heh, good luck, hermano. Surely there will be a grilled chicken trailer somewhere soon. In the meantime, you might consider jumping back to the red-meat side…you never know.

    • Max Parfait 4:15 pm on July 14, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      BNG’s Bro- great news! We’re going to have a pulled chicken bbq sandwich in a couple of weeks to round out our menu…fire grilled chicken & homemade bbq sauce on a homemade bun…it’s fantastic. We’ll let you know when it’s ready to be fired up!

    • Your Mom's 12:05 pm on August 28, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      you should try our “don ho” sandwhich (chicken breast) at Your Mom’s Burger Bar. http://www.yourmoms.net

• Chris 1:03 pm on June 7, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, griddle (10), thin-patty (10)   

  Steak ‘n Shake Thumbs Up 

  Yes, another chain, but this place gets props from Respected Burger Heavyweight George Motz of Hamburger America and the venerable burger blog A Hamburger Today, so have been wanting to try it.  So out to Round Rock I went, via the shiny new 45 Tollway.

  First, a little background, gleaned from the above posts and the Steak ‘n Shake website–their beef is fresh, never frozen.  They have been around since 1934, based in Illinois.  They cook the burgers on a griddle using the smash technique, resulting in razor thin patties with some crispiness to the edges.

  I was surprised when I walked in to see that it is a sit-down restaurant with waiters.  Was expecting the typical fast food experience.  Then I was double surprised to see my food served on a real plate.  I mean a real porcelain plate.  Not a paper-lined plastic basket, not a school-cafeteria style bakelitey plate, but an actual breakable plate.  Nice touch.

  I opted for the badly-named “Cheesy Cheddar Steakburger ‘n Fries”.  I had to get some clarification before ordering it because the picture and description on the menu led me to believe that the “cheddar cheese” would be that liquified type of cheese glop, the kind you see at concession stands at sporting events that is spooned out of a hot vat with a ladle.  The waitress explained that they take actual grated cheddar, melt it in a cup, and then add it to the burger.  Thumbs up.

  Burger was quite delicious for what it is.  Cheese was plentiful and cheddary.  Meat-to-bun ratio good.  Fries were ok–frozen thin cut fries.  Good for what they are, but I always prefer fresh cut fries.  They were very similar to the fries at Freddy’s Steakburgers, or should I say that Freddy’s fries are very similar to Steak ‘n Shake’s…I can now see where Freddy’s got its “inspiration”.  They should have also taken the cheddar idea from Steak ‘n Shake (no cheddar to be found at Freddy’s).

  So, thumbs up to Steak ‘n Shake.  Just wish they had a location closer to central Austin.  There’s one down south and one in Round Rock.

  

  As delivered...real plate!

  

  Cheesy Cheddar Burger

  

  Fries OK

  

  Cheesy Cheddar Cross Section

  

  Ahhhhh

  

  Their Famous Slogan

  

  Round Rock Location

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  • sean 10:09 am on August 30, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    Their burgers are frozen and thawed for use. Wendy’s is the “fresh, never frozen” boaster.

• Chris 8:56 am on May 7, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, griddle (10), thin-patty (10)   

  Culver’s 

  Made it out to Culver’s on Braker/Kramer for the first time in a few years.  Used to go fairly often when my office was closer.  Decided to check up on them.  Still the same–good quality fast food burger, weak fries, no Coke, Pepsi.

  Culver’s is a chain based in Wisconsin, with two Austin locations.  Their claim to fame is the “ButterBurger”, which appears to be a regional burger style from the midwest.  Sollys Grill in Milwaukee seems to have invented it, and unlike at Culver’s, butter plays a very prominent role in their burger.  Photos of Solly’s butter burger show the burger practically floating in a pool of butter.  I found no evidence of butter on my Culver’s burger, so I guess they are paying homage in name only.  But they do boast fresh, never frozen beef, and burgers are cooked to order.  Plus they have cheddar, which is a rarity at QSRs.

  The burger reminds me quite a bit of Freddy’s, another chain that has recently entered the Austin market.  Both offer pretty thin/smashed patties, with the default offering a double patty burger.  Freddy’s does not have cheddar though.

  Overall, a quality fast food burger.  Pluses: cheddar (did I mention that already?), roomy booths (room for six), table delivery, clean environs.

  Minuses: weak fries, no Coke, Pepsi.  And still a fast food burger.

  But I’m a fan.

  Further details and reviews found at auslunch.com.

  

  Cheddar!

  

  Cheddar (but wish it were a bit more melted)!

  

  Edge Detail — a Bit of Crisping

  

  Under the Hood — Weak Tomato

  

  Cross Section — Bottom Veggie Placement

  

  Zzzzzz

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  • Paula 10:41 am on May 7, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    Tip from a Wisconsin girl: order the root beer at Culver’s, they make their own.

    • Chris 11:32 am on May 7, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      Now that’s some good info there. Thanks for the tip Paula!

      • Frayton 9:13 pm on July 5, 2010 Permalink | Reply

        I go there for the fried cod. Best fried fish I’ve found in a fast-food place. Fries are, as you noted, kind of middle of the road, but at least they’re the crinkle cut. I go to the one out on Wm Cannon and Brodie and walk up to the convenience store for a Coke and sneak it in (the Midwestern-accented lady manager winked at me and said I could do this, she’s used to it apparently).

        • Chris 9:31 pm on July 5, 2010 Permalink | Reply

          I’ve also had the fried cod a few times and it is good. Nice tip on the Coke Sneak. Thank god for Dr. Pepper is all I can say.

• Chris 11:19 am on April 15, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, grill (7), thin-patty (10)   

  Top Notch 

  Made it out to one of my favorite burger places for the first time in a long time, Top Notch on Burnet Road.  It’s a rare original in Austin, going on 40+ years now.  There’s a very family friendly feel to it with the mother-daugther combo usually running “the front of the house” (I learned that phrase on Top Chef).  The burger is flame-kissed over charcoal briquettes, thin patty.  Fries are frozen.  Onion rings are made in-house and are tasty.  The fried chicken is good.  The classic signage is great.  They offer curbside service in addition to a dining room.  They bus your tables for you (you pick up your food at the counter).  Coke, not Pepsi.  There is nothing not to like about Top Notch.

  One thing that resonates with me about Top Notch is the configuration of the #2 with cheddar.  It’s the burger I always order, and it’s so perfectly conceived that I don’t have to alter anything about it–comes with grated cheddar, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickle and diced onion on a toasted bun.  That’s the perfect cheeseburger setup in my book.  The fact that Top Notch has this precise burger configuration as a standard menu item indicates a harmonious concordance between my burger psyche and Top Notch that’s hard to deny.

  The beef at Top Notch cannot boast a hormone-free grass-fed antibiotic-free etc. provenance, like so many of the new burger spots, and the fries are not fresh cut…but it has something special about it that more than compensates for any of those shortcomings.

  Map of Top Notch.

  

  Flame kissed

  

  Standard American Burger Specimen

  

  Cheddar!

  

  Cross section

  

  Ho hum fries

  

  Onion rings--very tasty

  

  Dessert available

  

  Old school interior

  

  Great sign (tshirts available inside)

   

• Chris 10:19 am on March 21, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, grill (7)   

  EZ’s Brick Oven and Grill 

  EZ’s is almost a local chain.  Based out of San Antonio with only one Austin location and five in San Antonio.  Their Austin location is in the former 2J’s Hamburgers spot on North Lamar, across the street from Central Market.

  They sport a wood fired brick oven for pizza and flame-kissed burgers, along with chicken and salads and other options (full menu pdf).  My experience has been very hit or miss here.  Sometimes the burger is outstanding–juicy and full of grill flavor.  Other times it’s dry and overcooked.  They do offer cheddar and a few specialized burger options, like a poblano burger and a “bean burger” with fritos and refried beans.

  Fries are unremarkable curly frozen fries.  Onion rings are tasty and appear to be made fresh in house. Kids eat free on Wednesday nights–beware the clown.

  I think I will request a specific doneness next time and see if that results in a more consistently juicy burger.

  

  Watch out for clowns on Wednesdays

  

  A bit dry

  

  House-made bun

  

  Cross section--veggies on bottom

  

  Boring fries

  

  Good onion rings

  

  Nice sign, a rework of the old 2J's sign

   

• Chris 10:15 am on February 8, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, grill (7), thin-patty (10)   

  Dave’s Hamburgers 

  This post finds me inside a mall eating at a food court.  That’s how sad the burger scene is here in North Austin.  Learned of this place just the other day so decided to give it a try.  It’s a local mom-n-pop joint in an unlikely spot–the food court at Lakeline Mall, next to the Chick-Fil-A and the Subway and the other generic food court eateries.

  My low expectations (given the locale) were exceeded by the friendly staff (defninte mom-n-pop feel to it) and the good enough burger.  I got the 1/4 lb. combo.  They use fresh beef and cook it on a grill, so there was some flame-kissed flavor.  Cheddar cheese is available, which is a plus. The bun reminded me of Moonie’s–a tad sweet tasting.  Top and bottom bun toasting in evidence.  Both buns were slathered with ample mayo–no DBS (dry bun syndrome) here.

  Fries were ho-hum frozen seasoned fries.

  So not bad for a food court.  Friendly mom-n-pop spot.  Conveniently located across from Frederick’s of Hollywood.  Certainly not a great burger, and I wouldn’t make a special trip to the mall just to eat there, but it’s worth a stop if you need a break between Dillards and Spencer’s.

  

  

  Note top-toasting

  

  Ample toppings and mayo

  

  Cheddar

  

  Cross section

  

  No Dry Bun Syndrome here!

  

  Bottom bun exterior toasting--a nice touch

  

  Boring fries

  

  Typical food court setting

   

• Chris 4:12 pm on January 12, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, griddle (10)   

  Moonie’s on Anderson Mill & 183 

  Stopped in for lunch at the new Moonie’s location today.  They have only been open six days.  The place was busy, almost all the tables were full.  No problems with service though.  Looks like they have it down.  Order at the counter, they bring you the food.  It’s a large restaurant (seems larger than their Cedar Park location).  Nice space on the corner of the strip mall, so lots of windows.

  Burger and fries were about how I remember them from my first visit to their Cedar Park location almost two years ago.  Bun is sweet.  Patty is 6oz., griddled.  Cheddar available.  Fries are crispy-coated frozen-ish fries.  Bun top-toasted.  Overall, burger was OK, but very dry unfortunately.  Bottom bun suffered from Dry Bun Syndrome, which did not help.  Fries are good for what they are.  Onion rings looked good but I did not try any (pricey at $2.99).

  So overall, a decent but not great burger in a pleasant atmosphere.  A nice option at least to have up here in North 183 Land.

  Moonie’s Burger House
  13450 Resarch Blvd (183 & Anderson Mill)

  

  As delivered to the table

  

  Under the hood--note very nice bun toasting

  

  Top-Toasting Detail--a nice touch

  

  Cross Section...too dry!

  

  Too dry, too round, weak crust

  

  Pleasant digs

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  • Hamburglar 3:03 pm on January 13, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    Looks a little sparse on the mayo. Do you feel obligated to leave a tip since they bring the burger out to you?

    • Chris 3:16 pm on January 13, 2010 Permalink | Reply

      No tipping required. Mayo level is a tad sparse, especially considering the overcooked patty, and bottom bun suffering from Dry Bun Syndrome did not help there.

  • Marty 7:38 pm on January 16, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    I concur with the mayo portioning. A little on the light side so the burger was a little dry but then I added ketchup, which I always love on a burger and it moistened it right up. I would have gone and asked for a little mayo but the line was too long. My only real drawback is the single register. The place was packed at lunch on a Saturday and they really could have used another at least for the rush. Although the line was long, it did move pretty well but they lost a lot of potential customers because they saw the line and went elsewhere. But the order to table time was quite reasonable.

  • Christina 3:00 pm on January 25, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    I went to the new location friday night and the place was packed. They did seem to fix some of the issues with wait time. They had 1 person writing orders and another ringing them. The line moved quickly and the food came out in less than 10 minutes. That was nice to see. As usual I thought the food was terrific. I also enjoy cheddar so I ate the bacon/ cheddar burger which was too much for me The taste was exceptional and i do love their fries. I had the burger, fries and a huge drink all for $7. I felt no obligation to tip. I would agree the atmosphere in the new one is very cozy !

  • Debora 10:09 am on February 25, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    I like the atmosphere and the singing trio on Wednesdays is unique. Management needs to do something about the long line during peak hours by adding a second register. There should also be a To-Go pick up line for orders that were called in ahead of time. The line is definitely the biggest issue and I’ve been there twice in peak hours and seen several potential customers leave due to the long wait in line.

  • Keli 1:16 pm on March 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    I guess I am the only one that found the fries to be not so tasty.

  • Laura 11:17 am on June 12, 2010 Permalink | Reply

    Wow, I disagree….my entire family loves Moonies. One of the better burgers in Austin.

• Chris 9:32 am on December 17, 2009 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar   

  Cheddar Pour First-Hand Report 

  A friend actually ordered and consumed a Cheddar Pour burger from J&J the other day.  Here is his photo (which settles the bun-or-no-bun confusion of my first Cheddar Pour post) and his assessment (emphasis mine):

  

  Wow. Bun nicely greased too!

  I think my colons may actually drop out of my body.

  Pretty good burger underneath it all – 1/2 lb flattened, irregular patty – maybe a spatula mash on a griddle? Fresh fixins – tomato, lettuce, pickle, onion. Toasted buns. Fresh diced jalapenos available at the salsa bar.

  It’s really something you have to try – words are inadequate to describe how much f*cking cheese is on this thing.

  Didn’t try any sides with the burger, but did get a couple of breakfast tacos, which were huge and good and cheap – buy 1 get 1 free. Probably 6 eggs on each, for under $2 total. Crazy. Place won’t be around long with the quantities they’re serving and low prices. (Burger was less than $7.50, which including a pound of cheddar is pretty cheap as well…)

  Burger was a good 7 inches across, with 1/2 lb patty, piles of veggies, and, as you can see, half of a cow’s daily output of cheese. Definitely not a fast food burger.

  
  

  J & J Barbeque & Burgers
  4005 W Parmer Ln
  http://www.jj-bbq.com/ (pretty horrendous website, warning: obnoxious music will play when you visit)

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  • Hamburglar 3:21 pm on December 17, 2009 Permalink | Reply

    that looks extremely unappetizing

• Chris 7:21 pm on November 25, 2009 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cheddar, griddle (10), thin-patty (10)   

  Elevation Burger Still Juicy 

  Popped in to Elevation for lunch today. Got the meal deal at $6.99 for cheeseburger, fries and a drink. I like the Elevation burger–it’s juicy, tastes fresh and comes with real cheddar. Fries are very good also. The burger is nothing amazing, but it’s a solid griddle burger.

  Imagine eating one of these with 10x the meat and cheese…see previous post for contest details.

  

  Disagree with veggies down under...but good burger nonetheless

  

  Nascent crust formation, ample grasa

  

  Love their fries, cooked in olive oil