Deck on Lunchbox Laboratory Part 2 - Seattle Restaurant Review

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

Deck on Blue Moon Burgers - Seattle Restaurant Review

It wasn't too long ago that I started writing and Twittering about food, and the one of the first Seattle area restaurants to start following me on Twitter was Blue Moon Burgers.  I followed back and decided that when I got a chance I would be sure to stop in and try a burger that I had been reading about.  Tonight, as I was deciding what I wanted to do for dinner, I got a tweet that said it was 1/2 price burger night at Blue Moon Burgers.  I figured that tonight was as good a night as any to check it out, so after my run, I headed down to Fremont for a burger, filled with high expectations.

Walking up, I liked the area.  It has a great location, with adequate outdoor seating.  I thought this could be a good place to spend a leisurely Friday happy hour.  Inside the restaurant was clean and wide open, with seating for about 50.  It was about 3/4 full with a couple of people in the line.  Looking at the menu, I decided to go with the Southwestern Burger.   The Southwestern Burger included jalepeno bottlecaps (breaded jalepenos), pepperjack cheese and a spicy sauce.  It was really the only one on the menu that really jumped out at me (I was actually planning on trying the Blue Moon Club Burger that I saw online, but it wasn't on the menu board).  I also ordered a side of the hand-cut fries.  The burger is half-price on Wednesdays if you order a side or soda.  So I was pretty excited when I got my whole meal for about $6.  I asked for the whole order to go, and stepped aside to wait for my order.

After about 15 minutes of standing around waiting for my order, I was getting a little restless.  I understand making things to order, but it seemed to be taking a little longer than it should.  In actuality, it was taking about as long as you would expect a burger to take at a place like Sport, and I had expectations that it would be more the speed of Red Mill.  Anyway, I decided to sit down at a table and wait.  This gave me time to read up on the quality beef used in the burgers from Thundering Hooves in Walla Walla, WA.  It's all 100% grass-fed beef, with no hormones or grain feed.  After about 10 more minutes, my food came out.  I thanked the gentleman and headed out the door.  

Upon arriving home, I was ready to eat.  I pulled everything out of the bag, cut the burger in half and settled in.  I picked up the burger and got ready to take a bite.  The first thing that I noticed was that the burger patty itself was a little smaller than I had expected for a 1/4 lb. burger.  It was also cooked medium to medium-well with just a hint of pink (a little more cooked than I like).  Taking my first bite I was hit by a good bit of spice, which was enjoyable.  But, I totally lost the taste of the burger.  It wasn't that the spice overpowered the burger, but more that the burger couldn't stand up to the flavors being used as the seasoning or as part of the sauce.  I took a couple more bites trying to coax flavor out of the burger, but just couldn't really find it.  I finished the first half, and turned to the fries.

Taking the first bite of fries, I was again let down.  A great french fry is crispy on the outside, but still soft and moist on the inside.  These fries were just cooked all the way through, almost like one of those natural potato chips, but without much salt.  Not to mention they were barely warm.  Now, I know I took them from the restaurant to my house, and ate half a burger first, but it couldn't have been more than 15 minutes, and they were wrapped from the time I left until I got home.  They really tasted like they had been cooked and left out where they just continued to cook under a heat lamp or above the fryer.  I ate a few more fries, trying to dig through the pile for ones that were still a little soft on the inside.  In the end, I just stopped eating them.

I really don't like writing reviews like this, especially because I was so excited for Blue Moon Burgers.  I really, really wanted it to be good.  But in the end, it just wasn't that good.  The burger was small, not juicy at all, and just unable to stand up to the flavors.  The lettuce was warm and just overwhelming (I had to pick off two chunks), and the onion was almost non-existent.  When I bite into a hamburger I want to taste the beef, complimented by whatever is added to it, with juice flowing.  You should be able to squeeze the burger and see the juice seep into the bun (like the burger from Lunchbox Laboratory).  The one highlight was the jalepeno bottlecaps, which I could have eaten an entire tray of on their own. 

If you are looking for a place to have an ok burger and a beer, and hang outside in Fremont with your buddies, then Blue Moon is a good spot.  But if you are looking for a great burger in Seattle, Blue Moon is not the place to go.  Sport, Red Mill, Lunchbox Laboratory.  All of these offer a much better burger experience.  

Final Verdict - 2 Stars

Deck on Scooter's Burgers - Seattle Restaurant Review

So, I was out running errands in Ballard the other day, when I decided that I wanted to stop and get a little something to eat.  I started by heading down Market, which anyone that has been in Ballard on a sunny Saturday knows is a mistake.  Finally, by the time I got to 24th, I was ready to head home.  I was tired of being in the car, and figured I could make myself a sandwich or something at home.  It was at that point that I noticed a little burger restaurant behind some trees out of the corner of my eye.  Being open to trying something new, I turned in. 

When I walked in, I felt like I had stepped back in time a little bit.  It wasn't that it was old and run down or anything.  Scooter's Burgers just had this retro vibe about it.  The menu board was very simple, black and white with red headers.  The restaurant didn't really have any tables, just chairs along counter rails.  There were awards on the walls, most from at least 5 years ago.  It was just the perfect little burger joint for what I was looking for.

So, when I got to the counter, what did I order?  Turkey and Swiss naturally.  I spent a lot of time trying to talk myself into a burger, but knowing that I was going to be doing fried chicken for dinner later, I decided I had to go with something lighter, and the turkey seemed like a good way to go. 

After a few minutes, I got my sandwich and headed home to dive in.  When I unwrapped it and pulled it apart, the cheese just kept stretching; so much delicious looking swiss cheese that I finally had to pull it apart with my fingers.  When I took the first bit, I was pleasantly surprised.  The turkey was very flavorful and moist, not heaping, but not skimping either.  The cheese was as expected, very gooey.  But added to that was a bit of onion and freshly sliced tomato.  This provided a little crunch and a little unexpected flavor boost.  The whole thing was served on a nicely toasted sourdough bread that just brought the whole thing together. 

It was not a huge meal, or even the thing that Scooter's is known for, but it was a great little sandwich that absolutely hit the spot.  The other thing is that it left me wanting more and wanting to go back to get what they are known for, burgers and shakes.  To me it really says something when you can deliver on something as simple as a turkey and cheese sandwich, and exceed expectations.

Final Verdict - 4 Stars