Archive for Onion Rings
BurgerFi in Lauderdale By The Sea, Florida
Posted by: | CommentsBurgerFi has been open for a little while now but I put off checking it out since all I would really hear about it are the Shake Shack comparisons. There is no doubt that this is indeed a Shack Shack clone down to having Concretes (Frozen Custard). They do however have more options when it comes to dressing your burger but how does the food stack up to the Shack?
Cry and Fries
CG Burgers in Kendall, Florida
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve been to the CG Burgers in Kendall 3 times and I’ve had great experiences every time. The only thing I don’t care for is the ordering system which seems to get backed up very easily. You walk in, look over the menu and order but it takes longer than it should. It might not even be CG Burgers fault, it could be just dummy customers which is what I’m leaning towards.
CG Hot Dog
I only tried the hot dog the first time and it was a great beef hot dog. He was sliced in half which I happen to like. I added some mustard and I was good to go.
CG Fries
CG Onion Rings
On the “Sides” front you have 4 options: Hand Cut Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Zucchini Fries and Onion Rings. My pick hands down were the fresh cut fries. I enjoyed them each time I ordered them. Sweet Potato Fries and Onion Rings (one time they were a bit too oily) were good. My wife had the Zucchini Fries and loved them. I’m not a Zucchini kinda dude but they look appetizing.
CG Burger w/Cheese
There are 9 burgers on the “Classics” menu. You also have the option of ordering a Kobe, Bison or Turkey Burger on the specialty side. I gotta say that I preferred the CG Burger over the Kobe (American not Japanese) Burger. The CG Burger which is a double stack with just cheese was perfect for me. When I tried to add a whole bunch of condiments it died a slow painful death. Keep it simple, at least I did.
I closed out one of the nights with a Gelato Shake of half Vanilla Bean and half Dark Chocolate. So good and the perfect end to a solid burger & fries.
CG Burgers
8525 Mills Dr
Kendall, FL 33183
786-439-2560
Yeah! Burger – Atlanta, Georgia
Posted by: | CommentsThanks to Cheese-burger.Net for writing this up & sending this our way.
Atlanta is unquestionably a great burger town. Legendary joints like the Vortex Bar and Grill and Ann’s Snack Bar were dishing out world-class cheebies well before the burger boom. Now the landscape is positively packed with primo patty purveyors: Holeman & Finch and Flip Burger Boutique opened in 2008, Grindhouse Killer Burgers entered the scene in 2009, and Farm Burger debuted in 2010. And the hits just keep on coming. Let me introduce you to the newest combatant in the A-T-L’s ongoing burger war… Yeah! Burger.
A smallish storefront in one of those ultra-chic intown warehouse districts, Yeah! Burger is the brainchild of longtime Atlanta chef Shaun Doty. The vibe is quirky and cool, a mix of old-school retro and hipster modern.
Despite mixed reviews, there always seems to be a crowd, and such was the case last week when I stopped in for a weekday lunch, a steady line of folks studying the laminated menus as they queued up to place their order.
Yeah! Burger promises a double-stack of high-quality, grass-fed third-pounders, made in-house and “free of antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides, herbicides, ammonia, and preservatives.” Got a beef with beef? You can go bison, turkey, veggie, or chicken breast instead… or try your luck with the Burger of the Month. (November’s happened to be a “crab burger,” a jumbo-lump crab cake on a bun, which really stretches the “burger” classification to me, but whatever.)
Then you start custom-building your burger. You choose from three different bun types (more on the bun in a minute), six organic cheeses, eight free toppings, eight $1 toppings, and fifteen sauces ranging from white BBQ to sunflower pesto. Fighting back the urge to let my inner gourmet run wild, I played it close to the vest for my maiden voyage. I needed a burger baseline to start with, so I opted for a plain-jane beef burger with American cheese on a white bun and no toppings.
I did ask for Yeah! sauce (chipotle-tinged mayo, perhaps?) on the side, thinking I could add it if the burger was on the dry side (the menu specifies only medium to medium-well)… or just use it as a dip for my half-and-half order of fries and onion rings.
First visual impression: my God, look at that cheese! Beautifully melted, almost liquefied, enrobing those patties in velvety awesomeness. Go on, take a closer look. I did.
First taste impression: I said earlier that Yeah! Burger has opened to mixed reviews, and I’d agree. “Phenomenal” mixed with “spectacular.” I flat-out loved this burger from the word go. The beef was thoroughly juicy, even if a tad under seasoned. The cheese was just as good as it looks, coating every single bite in creamy perfection.
But that bun! Maybe the best bun I’ve ever had. Doty personally developed the “Southern White” bun along with H&F Bread Co., a local outfit that supplies over 60 of Atlanta’s top-tier restaurants. It’s a work of art. Nice texture, just the right amount of squish, but substantial enough to not disintegrate. Right down to the last bite, with the burger still dripping profusely, the bun held its own and soaked up that liquid gold like a champ.
Yeah! Burger also features a full bar with beer, wine, spirits, and a roster of signature cocktails. Personally, I was more interested in the milkshakes, cane-soda floats, and concretes (the old-fashioned name for a DQ Blizzard), but I decided against it. This was almost a perfect burger experience, and I didn’t want to risk tainting it. Leave a tender moment alone, the Piano Man once said. Will I be back to try it again sometime? Well… Yeah!
Xtreme Eatery formerly known as Heart Stoppers Sports Grill – Delray Beach, Florida
Posted by: | CommentsThe front of their menu says “Over consumption of our food will definitely lead to obesity, at which point you should consult a physician before starting an exercise program.” At least they’re upfront about it.
Heart Stoppers Sports Grill has a hospital theme (hospital gear everywhere, waitresses dressed as scantily clad nurses). Yes, we’ve seen something similar before but there are a whole bunch of clever ideas throughout which I really liked. I was with my friend Erik D. and we ordered a few appetizers or as their menu refers to them, Artery Cloggers. We had the Chili Chest Pain Fries (love this name), Sweet Potato Fries (with a marshmallow dipping sauce) and Brewzed and Battered Onion Rings. The fries were crispy, the chili was tasty and we both liked them. Erik D. isn’t a big fan of chili and he was digging them.
The Sweet Potato Fries were fresh cut. I’m not a fan of the sweet potato but Erik loved them. 
The Onion Rings were great as was the dipping sauce (some mayo mix with spice).
I forgot to mention the Chili Chest Pain Fries and the Brewzed and Battered Onion Rings were served in bed pans.
So, what else did we get? We decided to share (a word not often heard in this blog) The Heart Attacker 1/2 pound Burger and The 1/2 lb. Ripper (a big time 14 inch long dog, Hebrew National by the way). 
The main reason I don’t like to share is the need to negotiate toppings. It went rather smoothly this time. We agreed upon mayo, cheddar cheese, bacon and an egg. We ordered The Ripper naked because we couldn’t come to an agreement. I just remembered we had also ordered 10 “Killer Wings“. The Flatliner Wings were tasty and had some good heat. All the toppings on the Heart Attacker including the bun (which was lightly toasted with a little bit of butter) were spot on.
It was good, better than good and I look forward to trying their Triple A (1/2 lb stuffed with cheese). I forgot to mention that there are 30 toppings that can be added to your burger at no extra charge. The Ripper was probably the best thing I had and I only added mustard to it. Finally when our bill came we were surprised to be given a first aid box until we looked inside.
I found eating at Heart Stoppers an enjoyable experience.
Want to get your pic on the Wall of Fame at Heart Stoppers in Delray Beach? You can enter The Heart Stopper Challenge at anytime. All you have to do is eat their 3lb Burger & Fries and beat the best existing time. You’ll replace the current champ on the wall, if not your picture may end up in their City Morgue. When we were about to leave 2 guys were doing the Heart Stopper Challenge.
It’s really a spectacle when they wheel out the burgers on a cart attached to an IV bag. The table you sit at has a giant light (operating room style) on you with a defibrillator right next to you (and you can choose to sit in a wheelchair). I honestly don’t know if those guys completed the challenge but there was another guy lining up to go next. Caveman was there today and mentioned that someone had just taken over the new record, it now stands at 31 minutes. Good luck to everyone who tries it.
1 of the 3 patties that make up The Heart Stopper Challenge
Heart Stoppers Sports Grill
1100 Linton Blvd, Delray Beach, FL
561-276-5554
Burger & Beer Joint – Miami Beach, Florida
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There was also a ridiculously amazing 4 cheese mac n cheese.
At Dave’s suggestion I ordered another burger tambien (also, for you non latinos). The Thunder Road burger had been calling my name since I arrived so I decided to give it a go.
The Thunder Road Burger has American cheese and thick hickory smoked bacon. The fries were nice and crispy. This dude was really good, one of the best burgers I’ve had. The bacon on it was unreal which makes me regret not ordering their Basket o’ Bacon starter but there’s always next time…..
Burger and Beer Joint
Burger and Beer Joint Facebook Page
1766 Bay Road, Miami Beach, FL
305-672-EATS
Charm City Burger Company – Deerfield Beach, Florida
Posted by: | CommentsCharm City Burger Company is a good hour from where I live in Miami. I originally checked them out when I happened to be in Sunrise one day and convinced a friend of mine to make the extra 20 minute or so drive from there to Charm City Burger Company. There is a front door but I always enter through the back door (please save the jokes for another time).
Couple of cool things to start with: 1) They serve Fountain Coke & Mexican Coke (believe it or not this is very important to me 2) Awesome mural, reminds me of McDonaldland for some reason
Wall Mural
and 3) Something cool is always playing on the TV, on the this occasion, Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods. Also, they recently underwent a renovation that expanded the seating a bit and made service function much smoother and added some craft beers on draft too.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you look over the menu for the first time. Most folks can’t seem to decide, so they end up ordering either of the 2 first burgers on the menu (Good Ole: Straight up regular burger with or without Cheese or Cowboy Style: Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms & Onions). My original inclination on my first visit was to get The Big Sloppy and I did. The Big Sloppy, besides being a great name for a professional wrestler is Double Meat, Double Cheese, Double Bacon, Hash Brown and a Fried Egg. Only order if you are hungry, if not you will end up stuffed.
The Big Sloppy
Sides include Tater Tots (someone who is longing for his grade school days usually orders these), Beer Battered Onion Rings (what a real man orders) and Hand Cut Fries. Everyone knows that Hand Cut Fries are just what the doctor ordered.
Tater Tots
Beer Battered Onion Rings
Hand Cut Fries
For the experienced Charm City eater you know that the Emperor is the way to go. The Emperor is an American Kobe Patty Melt with Sauteed Mushrooms, Cave Aged Gruyere Cheese and Truffled Aioli. If you’re a little more adventurous you can add Foie Gras to it. We asked for our burgers to be cooked Under (their lingo is a little different), and that’s just what we got. Take a look at the beautiful Emperor, he should be in a Burger Museum.
The Emperor
You must pace yourself because there is plenty of good eats to be found here and multiple visits or one with a bunch of friends is really the only way to try out everything effectively.
On the menu, it says “Garlic Herb Marinated , Slow Roasted and Flash Fried” about the wings, as my father would say “I believe it” . While writing this, my mouth is beginning to water (no joke). The Mahogany Soy although good was bested by the Volcano which I liked best out of the 3 (the other being Smokey BBQ). The meat was practically falling off the bone.
Smokey BBQ Wings
One of the newest additions is my friend the All Natural Hot Dog. The Hot Dog can be ordered up Grilled or Ripper style (Deep Fried) with an option of making it “Dirty”. Dirty means you’ll get Bacon, Cheese and Onions and it’s a great choice if you like a loaded up dog.
Hot Dog served up Dirty
If your palate loves spicy then you might want to try out the Volcano Style Burger (Pepper Jack Cheese, Volcano Sauce and Jalapeños) or El Diablo Chicken Sandwich (Grilled or Country Buttermilk Fried w/Volcano Sauce, Pepper Jack Cheese, Pickled Jalapeños and Garlic Sauce.
Volcano Style Burger
The Cheffy Chicken Sandwich (Candied Bacon Strips, Grilled Onions, Bleu Cheese Spread & Sweet Chili Sauce) is another must order item. The Candied Bacon Strips and Sweet Chili Sauce is just absolutely and unequivocally killer.
The Cheffy Country Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich
Most folks don’t know this but you can order a side of their Thick Cut Peppered Bacon and that would be a good move if you ask me.
Side of Bacon
And just when you think you’re done eating you’re faced with a decision, do I get a shake? The Shakes are made with Blue Bell Ice Cream and are thick, creamy and great (we’re talking shakes here). The faux Cinnamon Bun is the best, have that and you’ll be in sugar heaven but you won’t go wrong with even just the Chocolate Shake. I saw the syrup they use and I’ve been sworn to secrecy but it’s no surprise why it’s so good.
Chocolate Shake
Charm City Burger Company is worth the drive. Come hungry, bring friends and whatever you do convince someone else to drive back. You’ll thank me when you’re in your food coma relaxing.
Charm City Burger Company has won several BurgerBeast.Com Burgie Awards:
Best Burger – People’s Choice: 2009
Best Burger – Broward County: 2010
I suggest you check them out:
Charm City Burger Company
Facebook: Charm City Burger Company
Twitter: charmcityburger
1136 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL
954-531-0300
Smokey Bones – Plantation, Florida
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After my first failed attempt to eat here ended in Chili’s , it felt great to show up and be able to grab a bite. Someone I work with attempted to convince me the Smokehouse Burger at Smokey Bones was the best burger they’ve ever had, more on that later. We walk in and this place is empty, it’s also about 4 in the afternoon on a Wednesday. After looking over the menu we decide to order 1) Smoke & Fire Sampler: Hickory Smoked then grilled-seared St. Louis Ribs,
Buff-aque Wings& Mini Pulled Pork Sandwiches 2) Crowd Pleaser : Seared Spuds, Flippin’ Fingers and Smoke Rings (onion rings served with a sweet honey mustard) 
and 3) Mo’ Better Bread ( corn bread w/honey pecan butter). 
So let’s make this simple, since there’s a lot to review. Hickory smoked St. Louis Ribs (were fall off the bone), Mini Pulled Pork Sandwiches (moist and tasty) and the Flippin’ Fingers (again moist and tasty chicken strips) were really good. The Buff-aque Wings (a mix of buffalo and bbq sauces with average wings), Seared Spuds (thin potato skins with cheese and bacon) and Smoke Rings (the honey mustard was really good) were OK, nothing out of the ordinary here. Actually the best starter we had was the cornbread. It was served warm and with the honey pecan butter it tasted like fresh pancakes and I don’t even like pancakes, go figure. We also ordered the Pulled Pork Cuban and the Smokehouse Burger. If I ever come back to Smokey Bones I would get the Pulled Pork Cuban again.
It’s a pressed sandwich with pulled pork, swiss cheeese and mayo, not better than an actual Cuban sandwich though. The fries were good too. The Smokehouse Burger, after the hype was just a been there, done that to me. 
Good Burgers with a BBQ sauce, onion straws, cheddar cheese and bacon are a dime a dozen (they’re a dime a dozen to me at least). Actually, the Gables Diner version of this same burger is way better. The mashed potatos were nothing special. My suggestion, if you come here stick to the pork products and corn bread.
Smokey Bones
809 S University Drive, Plantation, FL
954-474-3833
Nexxt Cafe – Miami Beach, Florida
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The Nexxt Cafe is one of those places I get excited about. Why you ask? The portions are large and the quality of the ingredients are great. If you’re into people watching, Nexxt Cafe is the place for you, and if you prefer to sit inside away from the madness of Lincoln Road in South Beach? This is still the place for you.
John and I asked to be seated inside and decide to order 3 appetizers. If you’ve been here before, then you know that was a bad idea on our part. The large portions may prevent us from getting to our main courses. We go with the Kobe Chili Cheese Fries, Southern Fried Chicken Sliders & Buffalo Chicken Strips. The Kobe Chili Cheese Fries is really enough for 4 people. Great chili cheese fries, with 3 crispy onion rings which appear to have panko bread crumbs, making them that much crispier. 
John really loved the fries. The Chicken Sliders were awesome and again, a very large portion. 
The Buffalo Chicken Strips are my favorite item on the menu, second only to their burgers. The blue cheese served with them is really good. Once John takes a bite of these guys, he’s in heaven. 
Once we had received our appetizers we order our burgers. John goes with the Chop House Burger Melt (it was dripping with cheese) .
I go with their 7 inch burger. This thing is literally 7 inches wide and 20 ounces of Angus beef with cheese, bacon, red onion, pickles and mayo. To give you some perspective on size, I took a pic of the burger by itself and one with a plate full of fries right next to it. 
It’s juicy, real juicy as is John’s burger. I was told only 2 people have finished this burger along with the plate of fries. Guess what? I wasn’t one of them.
Nexxt Cafe
700 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL
305-532-6643
