BLOG #4 - Owen's Burger Mission - Third set of Four Reviews

Read the inspiration behind my blog before you start the reviews...http://limitedgourmet.blogspot.com/2009/11/who-is-limited-palate-gourmet.html


Owen: This week's reviews come from some pretty unique places. A bar, a place with a car on top of the restaurant, a place that is more like a diner than a burger stand, and a place with a weird name.

Dad: Well, let's get right into it.

Owen: Not yet, I want to tell everyone about a place we ate in Dallas called Twisted Root. It's voted the best burger stand in Dallas but we never went there when we lived in Dallas. It was a cool surprise to do an out of town Burger Mission. We can start with our list now though.

Dad: Wait a minute Mr Smooth - You can't bring up this place and not talk about it!

Owen: OK. The best part was the name calling system. Instead of getting a number when you order, they give you a movie character name. We got Buzz Light Year. I gave the waitress my Limited Palate Gourmet business card. You know how it goes. Stardom has its perks.

Dad: Whatever dude - how was the food?

Owen: Oh yeah, REALLY awesome burgers, all kinds of cool sides and great fries. Who in the world likes fried pickles and fried green beans though? YUCK. We all really liked the burgers and Mom and Dad liked the variety - buffalo burgers, venison, turkey, and all that.

Mom: Dad liked that. I liked the toppings - guacamole, green chile, onion rings, etc.

Owen: The place was really fun too. Crazy signs and decorations. Crazy looking tables. Really wild.

Malachi: The food was awesome but their milkshake machine was broken!

Dad: If not for the broken milkshake machine, this place ranks up there with the best of what we have found in Austin. Go there if you are looking for good, artery clogging eats while in Dallas.

Owen: But it was not in Austin so it doesn't rank in our Mission. OK peeps, let's get back to Austin...


Hill-Berts http://www.hill-bertsburgers.com/

Owen: This place was definitely not my favorite but the car pulling the burger on the roof was pretty cool. Wait until Mom's opinion. Wait for it...

Owen: Oh yeah, worst milkshake that we have had at any restaurant since moving to Austin.

Malachi: Let me step in here. Since I have been designated "The Milkshake Guy", I feel that a little background might be in order. Every year, we vacation in Ocean City Maryland and there, on the boardwalk, is a place called Dumser's Dairyland. This place is the gold standard of any and all milkshakes. Really. Nothing compares. So I think we keep looking for something that can match it and that simply does not exist. Everything else pales in comparison. So if we seem underwhelmed with milkshakes throughout our reviews, this might explain it.

Dad: That being said (and very, very true), the milkshakes at Hill-berts were just bad. Poor texture and no flavor.

Mom: Service? Bad. Seriously, does a staff member sneezing over your food when it is being presented to you seem appetizing? Not even an "oops!" was uttered. I just don't get it.

Dad: It's true, our experience was bad all the way around. The burgers were OK at best. I am sure this place holds some charm for some who frequent it on a regular basis but for us, it was just bad news. No effort, no results.

Hill-Bert's 6.2 out of 10


Casino el Camino http://www.casinoelcamino.net/

Owen: I went to a bar.

Dad: Yeah Owen, nothing like getting drunk on two bottles of sarsaparilla. Boy, you are going to make for a great Dorfman by the time you get to college.

Owen: The food was really really good but it took FOREVER. It took so long, I grew three whole shoe sizes while we waited.

Dad: It did take a long time but we knew this coming in. The Burgers were SPECTACULAR. Best tasting burger from all of our reviews. The variety in toppings were dynamite - the only review to receive ten on "toppings". I had the buffalo burger (hot sauce and bleu cheese) but the menu is studded with other gems as well.

Mom: I got the Blackjack - an eggplant sandwich - it was top of line - very fresh and very, very tasty.

Owen: The waitress was too cool for us and spent more time smoking and talking on her cell phone than filling our drinks. I had to go up to the bar to get a refill - for all of us.

Dad: It's this simple - if this place hadn't failed on service (it did) and could have shortened the wait time a tad (especially for the kids - not that a bar is where you take kids for a burger ), it would have scored the best in all of our reviews. The food was so good that is was (almost) worth the high price tag.

Casino El Camino 8.0 out of 10


The Frisco http://www.frisconighthawk.com/

Owen: Pretty cool place. Good food. I liked the woman who helped us. She was really nice. Malachi didn't come with us on this Mission and missed out on a really good milkshake.

Mom: We had a nice relaxing meal with great service and I swear that I was eating at Mel's Diner in the sitcom "Alice". The amount of Texas diner "hair" on the waitress staff was very entertaining. Look! There's Flo!

The Frisco 8.0 out of 10


EZ's http://www.ezsrestaurants.com/

Owen: Well, it was just OK. We like the atmosphere of this place but it was just sort of bland. I kept saying to myself "These are not the burgers you are looking for".

Dad: We've been to other EZ's and I keep wanting to like them but the food is always just OK, just as Obi-Wan states. The Foccacia bread is always built to please though. The menu and the intention is dead on but the food just doesn't cut it. I have been to this Austin version a few times and it's always a little bit unkempt. Decent place for an in and out meal that's a step above fast food.

Mom: Poor rating on the milkshakes. Ice crystals in the milkshake shows a lack of attention to detail.

EZ's 7.4 out of 10


Owen: I am digging writing all of these reviews. Thank you for reading them. Next week, we will review Fran's, Burger Tex, Andice General Store and Terra Burger. Until then, try bathing in a chocolate milkshake; it sooths the soul.

BLOG #3 - Owen's Burger Mission - Second Four Reviews

Read the inspiration behind my Blog before you start with the reviews... http://limitedgourmet.blogspot.com/2009/11/who-is-limited-palate-gourmet.html

Owen: Dad, did you notice that six people have said that their favorite Austin Burger stand is "I know something better"? What do you think they know that we don't?

Dad: Well, we only listed ten or so restaurants there but we've visited more than that - about twenty, right? Maybe their favorite is one that we didn't list there. Or maybe, their favorite burger is not from a Burger "stand", which was part of our criteria for the project. Or maybe they DO know something better...

Owen: Yeah, if there is a better Burger stand out there, I NEED to know about it! Tell me your favorite everyone!

Owen: So, let's hit the show.

Dad: Absolutely, who's up for this round of reviews?

Owen: Mighty Fine, Ski Shores, P Terrys, and Moonies.


Mighty Fine http://www.mightyfineburgers.com/

Owen: Check out the Crinkle Cut fries - I like to steal everyone else's fries and shove them in my mouth before anyone notices. I love this place - the burgers rock.

Malachi: I was disappointed with the milkshake but we really haven't found very many good shakes on any of these burger missions.

Dad: Using Barry Corbin to voice over the commercials is genius I say, GENIUS. It would be difficult to not have a good time and a good meal at Mighty Fine. The assembly line of staff behind the counter is quite impressive (so says the operations geek), the one-way windows in the restrooms are plain fun and of course the "pimp my hand washer" device is a blast. "Give them something unique to remember you by" was not lost on this group when they designed their concept. How could a kid not love this place? And this is a review written by a kid, right?

Owen: I may be a kid but I am a Global Food Critic. I am known all the way from Pflugerville to Italy.

Dad: Nice shout out to Aunt Lint and Uncle Timmy. Hi guys! We are coming over for hummus as long as you keep all of your sharp utensils in a safe place.

Mom: I don't like Mighty Fine...

Dad: Uh-oh -- Can open, worms everywhere...

Mom: My burger was OK but I bit into some serious gristle. Not my idea of a good meal.

Mighty Fine: 8.4 out of 10


Ski Shores http://www.skishores.com/

Owen: I hate the atmosphere here. PS. I don't like lakes. Burger was good. Fries were not.

Dad: All location and nothing else. While Owen has always had an aversion to standing on a dock, the setting here is just fantastic. That is not based on any effort by Ski Shores but simply its spectacular location. Unfortunately, everything else about Ski Shores is average or worse. Food was OK, service was disinterested, price was inappropriate for the quality, tables and restaurant were dirty, etc. This property could be so much more based solely on the location.

Ski Shores: 6.3 out of 10


Moonies http://www.dining512.com/moonies.html

Owen: I thought the burgers were good (and BIG) and the fries were good too. NO SHAKES!?

Mom: No shakes but snow cones for the kids is a great idea.

Dad: Nice neighborhood place. Burgers were quite good. The stand out here is the bun - fantastic. Service was blah, decor is cheap and silly, and it's a little expensive for the product served.

Moonies: 7.5 out of 10


P Terrys http://www.pterrys.com/

Owen: The best fries ever (well, not including Thrahsers in Ocean City Maryland). I love the burgers. Mom likes this place too as she gets some sort of chicken thingy and says things like "yump,-yump" when she chews.

Mom: The chicken burger really is that good. They also scored the only "10" on our reviews for cleanliness.

Dad: No way around it - great concept and well executed (well except for the turnaround drive-thru fiasco at South Lamar - I guess you work with what you have). Sure, it's much like an In-N-Out Burger but again, the execution is there, the quality is there and they manage to produce an Austin vibe through local philanthropy and such.

Malachi: Looks like I have become the default milkshake commenter on each of these. I guess there are worse things. Shakes looked better than they tasted. I was hoping the strawberry shake would be out of this world but it was quite ordinary.

P Terrys: 8.1 out of 10


Owen: I hope you like our reviews. Next week I will review Hill-Bert's, Casino El Camino, The Frisco, and EZ. Until then, take my advice - Keep a burger with you at all times.

Blog #2

Owen's Burger Mission - First Four Reviews

Read the inspiration behind my BLOG here... http://limitedgourmet.blogspot.com/2009/11/who-is-limited-palate-gourmet.html

Owen: Dad, let's tell everyone where to get the best burgers in Austin!

Dad: What do you say we pace ourselves and tease everyone a little bit? That way, we'll build some excitement around your new found status as a Global Food Critic.

Owen: Yeah, yeah, yeah - take your time and all that. Next you'll be telling everyone to chew with their mouth closed.

Dad: How about you start by telling everyone about what types of restaurants qualified to be reviewed for your Burger Mission.

Owen: Can do. We only went to hamburger stands or restaurants that are known for their hamburgers more than anything else. We are not trying to find the best hamburger in Austin, we are trying to find the best hamburger STAND in Austin. Burgers, fries and shakes are the centerpiece of a burger stand.

Dad: Well done Owen. And how do we rate each place that we visit?

Owen: You bet. Thirteen categories - burger taste, size, bun, cheese, toppings, sides, atmosphere, cleanliness, drinks, milkshakes, service, wait time, and value. Each restaurant is rated from 1 to 10 on each category and then we give each an average.

Malachi: Zzzzzz... Zzzzzz... Bor---ing, let's get on with it.

Owen: I was still talking Malachi. Mom hates grease so she wimped out at most places and got turkey burgers and salads and stuff. But she still had a vote on the non hamburger categories.

Owen: This week, we'll tell you about the first four places that we went to - Top Notch, Huts, Phil's Ice House, and Mooyah.



Top Notch

Owen: OK, I guess. The little old lady behind the counter is what I remember most. She was as short as an Ewok and very cute but not very nice. The burgers and fries were ok.

Mom: This is the kind of neighborhood joint that many Austinites undoubtedly grew up with and are probably very fond of. Very old building with small 50's style booths. Lots of character in its own way but not someplace that I would frequent. When our cheeseburger did not come with cheese, I went to the counter to ask for it. She charged me for the cheese on the spot so I guessed we paid for it twice. Too funny. Not a way to win a new customer though.

Dad: Fries and onion rings were quite bad. Charbroiled burger is a positive. Overall experience was ok to good.

Top Notch: 7.0 out of 10



Huts http://www.hutsfrankandangies.com/

Owen: This place was awesome. Chewbacca gives it 10 "rrrraarayayaya!"

Yoda: Our first set of reviews and already two Star Wars references young Owen has, yes.

Mom: I was really impressed with the customer service here. It was exactly what it should be. Casual, friendly and attentive. We actually gave them a ten for service. Only one other stand has received a ten so far.

Dad: Huts deserves the accolades that it receives. They do just about everything very well. Great burgers with great toppings, great sides, unique atmosphere, decent value, etc.

Huts: 8.6 out of 10


Phil's Ice House http://www.philsicehouse.com/

Owen: I kind of liked the idea of two mini burgers but the bun was a little hard. I also like BIG burgers.

Dad: It's a shame that Owen's bun was a little stale because Mom and I were raving about the buns - a sourdough bun and a jalapeno cheese bun - they were awesome and really helped to complete a very nice burger. Great variety on toppings. The service was not engaged at all (and it has been the same or subsequent visits) and the entire place was pretty dirty.

Owen: Complain much, Dad?

Dad: Mom and I also dug the sweet potato fries. Good stuff.

Malachi: Awesome shakes, you can't go wrong if your shakes are from Amy's.

Phil's Ice House: 8.2 out of 10


Mooyah http://www.mooyah.com/ (now closed)

Owen: My kind of place. It's all about the burgers and fries and they were really good. The burgers came out really fast which I like!

Dad: Mooyah has since closed. They are a little Texas based chain that pulled out of Austin for whatever reason. Excellent fries and a really great price but not a lot of personality.

Owen: The milkshakes were just ok.

Mooyah: 8.1 out of 10


Owen: Next week, I will review Mighty Fine, Ski Shores, Moonies and P Terrys. Until then, keep it real, yo.

WHO is The Limited Palate Gourmet???

Owen: Hi, I'm Owen and I just turned eleven.

Dad: And I'm Dad.

Owen: My family and I moved to Austin from Dallas last year. I was not very happy.

Dad: Like any kid, Owen struggled with the move. He missed his friends, his house, his school, his soccer team, etc. At the end of the day he missed familiarity. And he missed his favorite restaurants.

Owen: Yeah, no Scotty Ps, no Fifth Street Pizza, no Italian Villa. What is up with Austin?

Dad: Austin is a unique town and you have to be able to embrace the independent spirit and time-honored traditions of mom and pop restaurants with character (and often, attitude).

Owen: I like hamburgers, pizza, chicken, french fries, and milkshakes.

Dad: Unlike the rest of the family including Owen's older brother Malachi, Owen is NOT adventurous when it comes to food. In fact, he's downright picky. Owen is, The Limited Palate Gourmet.

Owen: Yeah, so????

Dad: To help Owen find ways of embracing his new home we decided that we would eat our way through Austin. We'd start with a specific food and find the best, non-chain establishments for those foods. We decided to start with...

Owen: Did I mention I like burgers? And did I mention that I am hungry... ALL THE TIME.

Dad: Burgers it is. We thought that we would make this a family endeavor. Each week for the past few months, we have chosen a traditional burger stand throughout the Austin area to visit. We rate the restaurant on a number of factors including burger taste, customer service, side items, burger toppings...

Owen: and Burger SIZE!

Dad: Yes Owen, burger size. Plus restaurant vibe, cleanliness, etc.

Owen: Wow, we've eaten a lot of burgers. I am ready for another one. Where are we going this week? How about that new mini-burger place Moo Moos?

Dad: The idea here is demonstrate to Owen that "new" doesn't mean good or bad. "Old" doesn't mean good or bad. Just because a restaurant is part of a chain doesn't mean it is perfect nor does it mean it is awful. Owen has learned that good food and bad service do not mix well. And that great vibe and bad food don't mix well. Owen has helped us all decide what makes a great burger joint and he has learned that you have to be open minded to the entire experience if you want to be a respected food critic.

Owen: I don't like dirty restaurants and employees who act like they don't want to serve us.

Dad: We also took this opportunity to work with Owen to embrace his new home town. And he has. If nothing else, he has found a few great burgers restaurants that he can call his new favorites. He also knows the streets of Austin pretty well; better than his mom at least.

Mom: That's not funny. True, but not funny.

Owen: Mom gets lost backing out of the driveway.

Malachi: Mom uses the GPS to get from the kitchen to the bedroom.

Dad: That's Malachi, Owen's 14 year old brother. Malachi has an adventurous appetite and a witty demeanor. I am sure that we will hear plenty from him as we go through this exercise.

Owen: Doesn't he have anything better to do?

Dad: Lastly, this has been a statistics math lesson for Owen. We rate all of the individual elements and then create averages and compare. Over the next couple of weeks, Owen will share those results with you and tell you all about his favorites.

Owen: And I will tell you all about the bad ones too.

Malachi: Can we do sushi next?? I am REALLY tired of burgers.