Lucky’s Classic Burger & Malt Shop (STM) _ Pretty Tasteless Burger

Posted on November 13, 2014 by jfoodeats

Lucky’s Classic Burger & Malt Shop is a throwback to the days of Frankie and Annette, Lost in Space and Ed Sullivan. The interior offers ten large booths, four smaller booths, tables & chairs plus ten stools at the counter. The table tops are made of black Formica with mini rubber band design, each table has a juke box with nickel-tunes (selection range from Chubby Checker to Journey). Black and white photos from the 50’s and 60’s adorn the walls. The only thing missing are poodle skirts, leather jackets and slicked back hair. This restaurant is a time machine to simpler times when a burger and milkshake were the definition of a cool Friday night.

I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with fries and when the server (that would be a car hop) asked me how I would like my burger prepared I was impressed and ordered it medium rare. As I waited for the burger the server arrived with a canister containing unwrapped blue straws. Well, times have changed and it is flu season, so I passed on the straw.

The burger and fries arrived and it was a good sized burger and a large mound of fries. My bacon cheeseburger was also topped with lettuce and tomato. I cut the burger in half and it was actually cooked to medium rare. Nicely done. I then tasted one of the fries. They were basic frozen fries out of a plastic bag. They had a processed flavor to them, but were well salted. The first bite of the burger was disappointing. The meat was very ordinary, the patty was tightly compressed and not very tasty. The Cheddar cheese was well melted, somewhat tasteless as well and the bacon added the third leg to the flavorless stool. The tomato was even worse…it was less than supermarket quality and never should have left the kitchen.

I understand that Lucky’s is a diner, but the price of the bacon cheeseburger and fries was over $13 with tax and tip. For that price I expect something better than a burger served at a Sunday fair.

Gates (New Canaan) – Serves a Pretty Tasty Burger

Posted on November 12, 2014 by jfoodeats

Gates opened its doors thirty-five years ago and continues to offer an array of dishes that keep this “elder statesman” on New Canaan’s Restaurant Row bustling seven days a week. The entrance is guarded by ornate gates and once you enter you are immersed into a large, open dining area with walls adorned by murals by Janet Picard, paintings and large terra cotta planters. Wander to the left and you enter the bar with a long oak bar with 12 seats and several booths. Both areas are normally filled with locals partaking of a drink after work, families enjoying dinner and regulars having a good time with friends.

The menu includes many local favorites, but I normally focus on a the sandwiches (the Bellagio is my favorite) and the burgers. Choose from the Gates Burger with avocado, bacon and Jalapeño jack cheese, a Bacon Cheeseburger, or the recently added Gruyere Burger, which includes bacon, Gruyere cheese and onion rings. Fries are standard or substitute for onion rings or sweet potato fries for a nominal $1.50 (I always order the sweet potato fries).

I normally order a Bacon Cheeseburger with American cheese. The meat is delicious and the combination of Gate’s bacon, cheese and bun is almost a friendly reminder that a good bar is, well, a good bar burger. On my last visit I went a little off-script and chose the Gruyere Burger, medium-rare. When the burger arrived I was a little surprised. I thought the “onion rings” from the menu were a substitute for the fries, but these were “frizzled” onions sitting atop the patty. Sitting on the other half of the bun was a slice of tomato and lettuce. The regular fries completed the dish. After assembling the burger I cut in in half…it was perfectly cooked to medium rare. The beef was flavorful and the grind of the meat was still present. The melted Gruyere was good and the bacon was mild and crispy, both adding a bit of saltiness. The crispy onions were an unwelcome addition, they overpowered the other items. The grilled bun added a little sweetness. I removed the onions for the second half. The combination without the onions was much better…this was now a really good bar burger. The fries were good, if I knew they were included I would have substituted for the sweet potato fries, which are some of the best in the area.

On my next visit I will probably return to my normal Bacon-cheeseburger. In the end the only item I changed was the cheese, from American to Gruyere. As much as the Gruyere added a little nuttiness, my regular Bacon-cheeseburger with American cheese is still my favorite and maybe it will grab a slot on my next Best of Bar Burgers list.

Tierra (Westport) – Big Bold Burger

Posted on September 23, 2014 by jfoodeats

When someone says, “you gotta try this burger,” I place on the list and visit as many as possible. Last week a buddy told me that I needed to visit Tierra and try their burger, and on a beautiful afternoon I journeyed to Westport, grabbed a table outside and ordered the “Tierra Burger, Topped with Home-made Chorizo, Chihuahua Cheese, Pequillo Pepper Aioli.”

The burger was served open faced, accompanied by a mound of blue Terra chips. On one side was a generous patty topped with a thick layer of melted cheese…and I could see sautéed peppers and onions (not described on the menu) peeking from under the cheese. The other half was covered with a liberal swath of the aioli. I cut the burger in half and it was perfectly prepared to medium-rare, the darkish red of the interior glistening with juice. The kitchen also took great care in keeping the medium grind intact, avoiding the tendency to compress the patty.

I always taste a little of each of the ingredients. The beef was mild and not overly seasoned, while the crumbled chorizo, as well as the slivered sautéed Jalapeño peppers and onions were spicy and delicious. I wondered how it would all work in unison. The first bite was an explosion of flavors. The most notable was the chorizo, Jalapeño pepper and onion combination. Together these three items were fantastic. The Chihuahua cheese (similar to a mild cheddar) calmed the spiciness of these other toppings. The aioli also contributed a cooling aspect to the composition. The bun was one of the most buttery brioche I have tasted in my burger quest, but was out of balance with the other ingredients, almost fighting with them versus complementing.

Overall, the Tierra Burger is one of the most flavorful burgers in Fairfield County. The chorizo and Jalapeno peppers were the centerpieces of the combination. The beef patty was more a complement to these ingredients, versus vice versa. The Chihuahua cheese and aioli were great additions to soften the spiciness of the chorizo and peppers. If you are looking for a bold, Latin-inspired burger, Tierra is a great choice. For me, the combination of ingredients was more aligned to a fantastic taco than a burger.

Blue Door Pub (St. Paul) – Still Not a Fan

Posted on July 28, 2014 by jfoodeats

It has been several years since I visited the Blue Door Pub, so on a beautiful summer night I made the ride to St. Paul to see if the burger was better than my previous visit. People in the office keep telling me to return, so tonight was the perfect opportunity.

I was fortunate when I arrived that a table was open outside. The hostess did forewarn me that no alcohol was allowed at the outside tables but since I do not drink this was not an issue. A quick perusal of the menu and I was set. The “Blucy” ($7) was not my favorite the last time so I decided on a “Breakfast Blucy” ($9), which tops a basic Blucy with more cheese, a couple of slices of thick bacon and a fried egg. I also substituted onion rings for the fries for an additional $3.

The burger arrived in its plastic basket along with four onion rings. Fortunately they have a pile of napkins on the table, since lifting and taking the first bite of this burger is a messy feat. The initial impression was not favorable. The meat was basic, lacking any flavor and without seasoning. The bacon was strange. It looked crispy but the fatty part was soft, the same texture when it is raw, the cheese was good and the pickles added flavor to the burger. The egg contributed a little creaminess and crispy texture. There were so many toppings that the bleu cheese on the interior was lost. Together this was an OK burger, nothing special. The onion rings were not good. They were crispy on the exterior but barely cooked on the inside, still maintaining the onion’s raw pungency.

Overall the visit was no better than last time. Others may love the Blue Door, but I am still not a fan.

Vincent A Restaurant (MSP) – Outstanding Burger

Posted on April 10, 2014 by jfoodeats

At my last visit to Vincent’s over four years ago I was not impressed with the Vincent Burger. But four years later I am glad I returned because the burger I recently ate was one of the best burgers I have eaten in the Twin Cities.

To start my lunch I ordered a Caesar salad. It was a standard salad with lettuce, croutons, a single anchovy filet on top plus an interesting addition, diced tomato, all topped with a sprinkling of grated cheese. It was lightly dressed and good, not great nor memorable.

But I was interested to either confirm my previous impression of the hamburger or enjoy what others have told me is one of the best. I was both excited and cautiously optimistic when it was placed in front of me. The Vincent burger is a unique combination…a double-patty of ground beef is wrapped around braised short rib and smoked Gouda cheese; served on a brioche bun; it is a haut cuisine version of a Jucy Lucy. It arrives open faced with French fries. The burger patty was on one side of the bun that contained a thin layer of “special sauce” and the other half is topped with lettuce, tomato and raw onion. The ground beef was perfectly seasoned with just a touch of salt. The Gouda was melted and delivered a creaminess to the burger and then the short rib textures and flavors kicked in. This elevated the Vincent Burger from excellent to incredible. The brioche added a little butteriness to the presentation and the sauce gave a few sour background notes. The burger was incredibly delicious. The fries were not in the same league. They were tasteless, cool and bland, more than likely came from a big frozen bag, deep fried and added to the lunch plates.

Overall, the Vincent Burger is an outstanding combination of flavors and textures and ranks as one of the best in Minneapolis.

Matt’s Bar (Minneapolis) – Jucy Lucy in Paradise

Posted on March 11, 2014 by jfoodeats

Matts Bar is the quintessential local watering hole, everyone from the neighbor wanders over and you almost expect to see Archie Bunker discussing football with Norm. Founded in 1954, it is not the beer or the mixed drinks that brings non-locals to Matt’s, it is the allure of one of the great culinary creations of the last fifty years, the Jucy Lucy. While others may spell Jucy differently, Matt’s contends that the misspelling is symbolic of the misguided attempts to serve with inferior products. After enjoying numerous Jucy Lucies at Matt’s and other location in the Twin Cities Matt’s is definitely one of the best. As you look around the dining area, there is not a person who is not enjoying a Jucy Lucy, a traditional burger, plus a huge mound of fries.

Prepare to wait on line most nights, but when you enter the bar, you have the option of a table, booth, or grab a seat at the bar that extends the entire length of the right wall. Located at the front of the bar is a small griddle fully loaded with a maximum 12 sizzling burgers, plus a small deep fryer. The menu includes the Jucy Lucy, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, single or double, ham and cheese and grilled chicken, plus fries in two sizes, full and half.

For those who have never experienced the pleasures, and potential pains, of a Jucy Lucy, it is comprised of two patties, sealed along the edges to encase a wonderfully delicious molten cheese. They are grilled to an exterior char and placed on a basic bun. I normally choose a sing JL plus fired onions and these are no ordinary onion that are slapped on the griddle and fried, these have a secret, added ingredient, a little jolt of the grease from the deep frier, heh why not? And when ordering the fries, a half order is more than enough, I once sat next a person who asked if he could order a quarter order.

The burgers are placed on the griddle and allowed to crisp on one side before flipping. The same occurs for side two and then a small hole is cut into the top to see if the interior cheese is fully melted and allow for a little steam to escape. When finished, it is placed in a simple roll, fried onions are added and a mound of fries join paper-lined plastic “plate.”

When the burger and fries arrive, the fun begins. Do not, I repeat, do not, bite into the burger for several minutes. Those who do not head this warning with suffer the JL Burn, half on the roof of your mouth, the other half on the lips. Bide you time, enjoy a few of the delicious fries and be patient. When the time is right, take a small bite, carefully releasing the gooey cheese. There is nothing earth-shattering about the flavors, but this is a great cheeseburger with fried onions on a simple bun, and somehow it all tastes better as a stuffed creation. And one is usually not enough…on every occasion, when our group is finished with the first Jucy Lucy a second round is ordered.

Matt’s Jucy Lucy is one of my favorite renditions in MSP. It is consistently delicious, the fries are always freshly prepared, crispy and perfectly salted and the atmosphere is a relaxing neighborhood haunt.

You can’t go wrong with friends and a few Jucy Lucies at Matt’s.

Lion’s Tap (Eden Prairie) – Excellent Burgers in Relaxed Setting

Posted on March 8, 2014 by jfoodeats

The Lion’s Tap is a straight forward concept, choose a couple of menu items, do it well and people will enjoy and return. It is a perfect place to grab a burger at the spur of the moment, or bring the family for an inexpensive dinner. It is a very relaxed, family-style atmosphere mixed with a bar and maintains the history of the location, that began as vegetable stand turned bar turned hamburger and beer joint.

Since 1958 when Ma Schaefer sold the bar to her niece Irene Lyons and husband Sears Lyons the restaurant has been selling hamburgers. Originally the hamburgers were made in an electric frying pan (four at a time) and sold for $.25 each. The business was sold to Lloyd Berg in 1974 and began serving French fries. Ownership was sold to his brother, Vern Berg, shortly thereafter, the kitchen was expanded and sold again three years later to Don and June Gilbert. A few months later the restaurant was again sold to Bert and Bonnie Notermann in 1977, and the name was changed to Lions Tap.

The Notermanns added their own brought in their own “secret seasoning” to the daily made individual patties plus the buns were slightly toasted on the grill. Toppings then included fresh produce, cheese, bacon and onions. With so many owners over the years, Lion’s Tap still maintains its singular focus of great burgers, fries and beer.

The menu includes basic hamburgers, fries, sodas and a full selection of craft beers. Toppings appeal to the traditional burger lover with both American and Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, fried onions and sautéed mushrooms. Both single and double patties are available. On my visits I normally order a single bacon cheeseburger with fried onions and a side of fries. The meat has always arrived to my requested medium-rare, the strips of bacon crispy without being overcooked and the fried onions, well fried onion, and not burnt. And Lion’s Tap does deserve a special call-out for the slightly toasted bun that opens the flavor. This special seasoning adds just a tang of spice to the meat and the other ingredients are also very good. This is a simply made, delicious bacon cheeseburger. The best way to describe the crinkle cut fries is they are perfectly cooked and it is rare, if ever, that any remain on my plate.

Whether you are looking for a quick lunch with a friend or colleague or a family burger night, Lion’s Tap is my go-to burger haven in Eden Prairie.

16180 Flying Cloud Drive – Eden Prairie – MN – 952.934.5299

Open seven days per week – 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

My Top Five+ Fairfield County CT Dishes from 2013

Posted on December 25, 2013 by jfoodeats

2013 was an amazing year for food lovers in Fairfield County…several great restaurants opened, several chefs moved and are now creating incredible meals in new locations, several more restaurants announced their openings and I cannot wait.

During the year I enjoyed hundreds of courses in Connecticut and on my travels. With all of those flavors and textures, it was an incredibly difficult task in choosing my five favorite Fairfield County dishes for 2013. In fact, I did not since I couldn’t whittle the last one from this list, so it is six, plus three special categories.

Here are my favorite dishes from 2013:

elm – The “Tagliatelli Neri” is over the top umami heaven. The dish begins with hand-made cuttlefish ink pasta topped with Peekeytoe crab, sea urchin, sea urchin butter, Calabrian chili, garlic bread crumbs and brightened with Meyer lemon juice and oil. The flavors dance on the palate and textures from the silky pasta to the crunchy garlic bread crumbs, are like none I experienced anywhere else.
Match – “Pho” is an incredible Vietnamese soup that Fairfield County needs to embrace. The broth is made from oxtails, ginger, onion, cinnamon, and star anise. When served, thinly sliced rib eye is added and cooked and then finished with cilantro, noodles and Sriracha. This dish is absolutely magical in its complexity of flavors and textures.
South End – “Nonna’s Meatballs” are comprised of pork and veal (that’s right, no beef) that are lightly mixed with tons of sheep’s milk ricotta and Parmesan cheese, then lightly fried and cooked in a crushed tomato sauce. The soft and tender texture of South End’s meatballs separates them from all of the others…they are fantastic.
Nola –The “Poached Lobster & Cornbread Waffle” is one of my favorite combinations in the area with butter-poached lobster, Queso Fresco cheese, topped with a brown sauce served with sweet, crispy waffles. The outstanding flavors are complemented by the best brown sauce north of Mr. B’s Bistro in the French Quarter.
Mama’s Boy – The “Shrimp and Grits” just keep getting better. Perfectly prepared U15 white shrimp, red peppers, scallions, and Tasso sit atop Tennessee sourced grits and finished with a simple garlic butter, white wine, and cream sauce. The grits are my favorite and when paired with the shrimp create an outstanding dish.
Bar Sugo – The “Spaghetti Neri” includes squid ink pasta, smoked tomato sauce, shrimp, bread crumbs and Bottarga. The pasta and shrimp are complemented by the smokiness and spiciness of the tomato sauce, but the entire presentation is elevated by the Bottarga, which adds a delightful brininess to the dish.

Top Hamburger – The Whelk – Over 70 hamburgers comprised my 2013 Hamburger search and The Whelk’s hamburger was my favorite. Full of rich flavor, encased in a great bun and topped with some great cheese, onions and house made pickles.

Top Bolognese – Cava Wine Bar – My colleague at CTBites, Lou Gorfain, and I scoured lower Fairfield County for our Bolognese round-up and my personal favorite was Cava’s Gnocchi with Bolognese. What set this apart from the others was the soft, ricotta gnocchi that were pillows of deliciousness.

Top Pizza – Locali – This newcomer uses age-old pizza-making techniques, San Marzano DOP tomatoes and house made mozzarella. The flavors, texture and the perfect amount of char from the wood burning oven produce some of the best Neapolitan pizza this side of the Campo dei Fiori.

323 Main Street (Westport) – Looking for an Identity

Posted on September 28, 2013 by jfoodeats

After several visits, 323 Restaurant & Bar in Westport is a bar/restaurant looking for an identity. It is unclear whether this is a bar with a dining room, or vice versa. Equally unclear is the cuisine which includes Italian, Seafood, Southern, and simple grilled meats. The interior was converted from a neighborhood bar, Bogies, and now includes with a 66-seat dining area to the right and an equi-large room to the left with a U-shaped bar and tables. The décor is eclectic-rustic-formal with wood beams overlooking tables covered with clothes. HDTV with a ballgame on the wall in one room and art on the walls in the other. But most important was the experience. On a recent weekend night visit there were limited guests (4 tables) and the vibe was dull but the service was alive. I hope they can decide on a direction before it is too late.

As far as the cuisine was concerned I enjoyed some of the dishes, a few of the components in the others required a little attention (some of these items have already been modified from when I originally sampled) and others were not at all to my liking.

The “New England Clam Chowder” on one visit was one of the best chowders I have tasted…a great start to the meal. The creamy bisque was rich in flavors from the fish stock and included an abundance of clams. On a subsequent visit the broth was overly pungent, the clams were very chewy and the potatoes were mushy, almost as if it simmered too long.

The “Grilled Octopus” with Chorizo hash and olive tapenade delivered some excellent flavors and textures. The octopus was braised and then finished on the grill. It was extremely tender and the olive tapenade was a good complement. The hash lacked the appropriate spiciness and would have benefited from more chorizo to add additional spice. The menu subsequently eliminated the hash. The “Salad of Thumbelina Carrots,” et. al. was a big hit. Included in the potpourri of colors were breakfast radishes, beets, kumquats and avocados. Each was sweet and incredibly delicious; I loved the textures and flavors of each of these vegetables. I was not as fond of the ginger yogurt that accompanied the salad and thought it did not complement, and almost fought with, the sweetness of the vegetables.

The grilled meat entrees were the highlight. The best overall dish was the 323 Burger. Eight ounces of short rib and brisket blend was served with pancetta, onion jam, American cheese, pickles and 323 sauce served on a Wave Hill brioche. Served with French fries or onion rings, the burger was perfectly prepared, delivered great flavor and the accompaniments were delicious. The hand-cut onion rings were delicious but on my two visits the seasoning was uneven. The “Dry Aged Boneless NY Strip” was fantastic. It was served with broccolini with raisins, and pignoli duck fat potatoes. The steak, from Pat LaFrieda in NYC, was prepared perfectly and delivered great flavor and texture; this was one of the best steaks in the area. The potatoes were delicious; crisp on the exterior and creamy on the interior; I was not fond of the broccolini and raisin accompaniment which was undercooked. The “Salmon a la Plancha” with spring vegetable ragout, julienned pear and a black truffle sauce was flavorful. A simple salmon filet sat atop a variety of beans, peas and onions and hidden beneath the vegetables was the highlight of the dish, a truffle sauce. The sauce was earthy and delightful when paired with other ingredients.

Unfortunately there were an equal number of very disappointing dishes. My least favorite dish was the “Hand Cut Fresh Tagliarini” with Guanciale, English peas, spring onion and Parmesan cheese. The pasta was overcooked, gummy in texture and the sauce was lacking the richness I would expect from the description. The “Chicken Saltimbocca” was incredibly bitter and was returned to the kitchen. The Lobster Roll was non-memorable with limited meat and flavor and it almost joined the chicken in a return to the kitchen.

The desserts were all disappointing. On one visit the “Chocolate Torte” with butterscotch, sea salt and vanilla gelato was served with burnt edges and on a subsequent visit, the flavor and texture were lacking; the Panna Cotta with crumble was served two different ways. On one visit it was delicious and on a subsequent visit the crumble topping had a burnt flavor.

Overall the grilled meats and burgers that 323 served were delicious while the non-“grill” items did not deliver the same level of satisfaction.

323 Restaurant & Bar · 323 Main Street · Westport, CT. · 203.222.0323

The Juicy Lucy @ 5-8 Bar (MSP) is a Big 0-0 for Me

Posted on July 27, 2013 by jfoodeats

OK, maybe it’s me, but I just don’t get it. After several discussions and disagreements in the office on where to enjoy the best Juicy Lucy, I ventured back to 5-8 Club to see if I could be convinced that their burger was a great choice. This may be heresy to some, but this was not a meal that would make me rush back, in fact, it is more a DNR.

Let’s get to the positives. I think the joint is an incredibly friendly neighborhood watering hole. It is separated into two rooms, one with a bar and the other entirely tables, with the walls teeming with relics of the 40s 50s and 60s. I sat as a solo diner amongst single dads taking their young kids out for a bite, elderly couples splitting French fries and soccer moms racing to that open table. I was now firmly ensconced in pure Americana…a smile came to my face.

The waitress arrived, an energetic and incredibly hard-working high school / college teenager working for car money, college money or just entertainment money. She was great. The menu stated that the JL was 8-ounces, a pretty good sized patty, so my order was a JL with bacon and American, some fried onion straws, which I adore, a hot dog and an Arnold Palmer.

The fried onion straws were excellent. A huge mound of thinly sliced, deep-fried onions (enough for multiple guests) was crispy and perfectly salted. They were so good that there was no need to dip in any ketchup.

Good news over…

Now let me be honest about my view on the JL…the patty was just horrible. There is absolutely nothing positive I can say about the meat. First the size…the menu says “8 ounces” and I would be hard pressed to believe it was more than five ounces. Then the kitchen cooks the doneness to greater than super well done, bordering on incinerated, losing all chance that it will retain any juiciness. And the flavor was tasteless. So the burger meat receives the trifecta, three zeros on taste, preparation and size. And the bacon was a perfect complement to the burger, two meager slices of overcooked bacon. On a slightly positive note, I did like the American cheese, really well melted and with just a touch of pungency. The pickles slices were also a positive; the roll was a pretty basic, what was to be expected in a bar.

Now onto the hot dog. For full disclosure, I am a fan of a Kosher, natural casing dog so this was definitely not in my comfort zone. The hot dog was in the same category as the burger; an oversized, badly prepared “Ball Park” imitation; it was barely warm, and also served on a basic package roll. One bite and I was finished.

With so many other choices for great burgers in MSP, I would be hard pressed to place this on a top-25 places to have a burger.

Jfood Eats

Eating and Enjoying

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