Friday, February 22, 2013

Friday (Restaurant) Review: Bobby's Burger Palace, Burlington Mall, Burlington, MA

Yes, I am late posting this today. Usually, I write the post up on Thursday, and schedule it to post on Friday morning. I've been behind in my reading lately, and needed something to put up here for my Friday Review post. We went to the newest Bobby's Burger Palace just last night, so I am writing this now.

I think everyone probably knows Bobby Flay, the red-haired TV personality and chef-owner of upscale restaurants like Mesa Grill and Bar Americain. He is well known for his love of Southwest food and many of his recipes feature chilies and other Southwest ingredients. Lately, he has opened a string of steak places, and the burger palaces. The latest of the burger restaurants opened about a week ago at the Burlington Mall in Burlington, MA. We decided to take a ride down there last night and check it out. I am a fan of Chef Flay. We have several of his cookbooks and have enjoyed everything we have made from them, so I was eager to try his burgers. I was not disappointed.

The restaurant is fairly small, with large tables and a curved bar-like counter. The decor is bright, in apple green, deep orange, and gold, with brown accents. A long light fixture, curved like the counter seating it hangs over, echoes the color scheme. Large, modern, food oriented artwork hangs on the walls. It is open and inviting. You come into the restaurant, place your order at the counter, and get a number sign to put on your table. Find a table, sit down, and when your order is ready, the waitstaff brings it to your table. Service was quick and efficient, although the place was not crowded when we were there, so I don't know if it bogs down when it is.

The food was excellent. The menu is burgers only. You can get beef, turkey, or chicken burgers. There are a number of different choices on the menu, with different sets of garnishes and sauces. Any burger can be "crunchified," the signature embellishment of the chain. This involves adding a stack of potato chips to the burger. None of us tried that option. Sides are fries, onion rings, and sweet potato fries. There is a kids' burger option. The usual array of soft drinks, iced tea, and water are offered. This particular restaurant does not offer alcohol, which was a bit disappointing, as I do like a good, cold beer with my burgers. Not a big deal, however.

I ordered the Napa Valley burger, which is topped with goat cheese and watercress. I asked for mine cooked medium, and that is exactly what I got. The burger was crusted nicely, and the entire interior was pink but cooked, and very juicy. The goat cheese was tangy, but not overly so, and didn't overpower the burger. The watercress added a nice bit of crispness. The Meyer lemon honey mustard was slightly sweet, but balanced. The fries were very good, and served with a dipping sauce that seemed a cross between a remoulade and aioli, without the strong garlic of a typical aioli. The onion rings were huge, and the beer batter crisp. You could taste the beer in the batter, unlike some I have had. I even enjoyed the sweet potato fries, and I am not usually a fan of those. They were served with a honey mustard horseradish dipping sauce that was very tasty, but I didn't feel it enhanced the fries.

Prices are reasonable, with all the burgers under $8. Sides are $3.

All in all, I enjoyed the meal, and will likely go there again, when I am in the Burlington area. Next time, I will try the crunchified burger!

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