A couple of months ago I visited Lunchbox Laboratory for the first time. After a pretty good meal, I dubbed it as probably my number 3 burger in Seattle (#2 for the over $10 category). But that left me still looking to see if I can find something better than I've had at Sport (over $10) or Red Mill (under $10). In that time, I've gone to a few different places, but still have not found what I'm looking for, so I decided to head back to the Lunchbox Laboratory. This time though, I was after the dork patty; a combination of duck and pork, and something that has been bouncing around in my head as something that might be pretty darn good.
This time when I went, it was a little after noon, and the line was much longer than the first time. Not a problem at all as it gave me time to check things out. While moving through the line, I stopped in a spot where I could see the burgers being prepared. It was here that I noticed every single thing is prepared to order. The burger is not thrown on the heat until it is ordered. The buns are toasted when they are needed. Even the fries are not dropped into the fryer until someone asks for them. This approach definitely created a little bit of an air of hurriedness by the two guys preparing every meal, but at the same time ensures that everything is hot and fresh, offering the best flavor possible.
When I arrived at the front, I placed my order for a Dork 101 with Sweet Potato Fries to go. The Burger was a 1/2 lb. patty topped by Havarti, Onion, and a Basil Pesto mayo. All told, it probably took about 5 minutes from the time that I ordered until my burger arrived. I took my bag and headed home to watch some baseball and enjoy my burger.
One thing I can say without a doubt is that Lunchbox Laboratory knows how to cook a burger. You can cut it in half, squeeze it, and see the juices coming out. The burger had a very mild taste, though I guess you would expect that with duck and pork. It was nearly overwhelmed by the toppings (mostly the onion), but still stood up pretty well. It was flavorful, well seasoned, and a very good burger. And the sweet potato fries were quite excellent, especially when dipped in the sweet chili mayo. Nice and crispy on the outside, moist on the inside.
It took me about two innings to polish off the good, messy burger and side of fries. I can definitely say that I was much more satisfied eating that burger than some of the others I've had, though I still don't think I can move it up past the Sport burger. The flavors were good, but not "Wow!" In fact, I think I like the beef a bit more. And, I think that Lunchbox Laboratory goes just a little overboard with the toppings. With the first burger it was the bacon, and with this one it was the onion. Now, don't get me wrong, I actually prefer a little too much over too little, but it would be nice to find that perfect balance at some point. Anyway, after this burger, and my other experiences, I'm bumping up Lunchbox Laboratory's final score a bit.
Revised Final Verdict - 3.75 Stars
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