From The Gut

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[fromthegutfood]

BGR

BGR - Knox Street - Dallas, TX 8.4.2015

The Brain’s Take: Maybe the smokiest restaurant I've ever been too. I could hardly breathe. It was like eating a burger in an episode of Rescue Me. I felt like I was sitting in a smoker. Now, you ask BGR came about? Well, I’d been seeing signs for this burger shop for months. One day, I got home from the gym and opened my mail box to see that BGR had sent me a coupon for a free burger. And what’s better than a burger post work out? NOTHING. The catch? I just had to buy a coke and fries they said. Guess how much that was? It was the price of a burger.  $7 for a soda and fries. Please. But people. The burger is really good.

The Burger: The sesame seed bun was tip-top. The meat was actually medium rare and super juicy which was a huge plus. Despite the inhalation of a boat load of smoke, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I mean, it was so juicy. I love that. It had a delicious char-grilled flavor. No surprise there. It had a smoky essence to it. I wonder where that came from? The lettuce was crisp. The tomato slice was thick and plump. They will put slices of white onion on it too if you like. And boy, did I. They were tenderized and sweet which was a very pleasant surprise. All-in-all, it had a great flavor combination.

The Fries: The sweet potato fries were delicious. They were different. For some reason they tasted just like potatoes. There wasn’t any added weird flavor to them. Just a potato cut up and fried.

The Ambience: Enjoy the music of the 80's here. There were power ballads playing the whole time. When I walked in, Van Halen was blaring while Sage The Gemini's music video was playing on the TVs. Talk about strange. But it’s all good. And BGR is very well lit which I love. The tables are really cool. They look like mosaics with rock band names inlaid in them.

The Service: Pretty straight forward here. You walk in, get on line, order, get a buzzer, get your soda from a fountain, and wait to be buzzed. When the buzzer goes off, you go pick up your meat at the counter after it’s been grilled before your own eyes.

Price: $14 all in for the burger, fries, and soda pop.

Look, the burger was solid. There’s no doubt about it. But the smoke might keep this burger-aholic away. Other than that, I was pleasantly surprised by BGR.

Rating: 7/10 because of how damned smoky it is.

[fromthegutfood]

The Grape - Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 7.26.2015

The Brain: My fellow Americans, as Burger Claus put it last week, From The Gut is back. Yeah baby!

This week’s installment of From The Gut brings you the latest on Burger Night from The Grape. Now, I’ll be the first to admit, as a long time Dallas resident, this was my first time there. Burger Claus and I have had this spot on our list for a long, long time. Yet, for whatever reason, we never got there. Until tonight. I had no idea what to expect when I was walking up to the joint. Upon entering The Grape, I felt like I was walking into an old Italian spot out of Little Italy. It’s dimly lit and cool on the inside which added to the effect of entering The Grape while leaving the blazing Texas Sun outside. It was a solid 100 degrees around 5:30 this evening. Oh, and by the way, on this outing I was accompanied by The Ocho. To put it in his words, “This burger was groin grabbingly good!!"  Now, let’s get to the meat of it!

The Classic Cheeseburger: Classic is the perfect adjective to modify this magnificent sandwich otherwise labeled solely as a burger. It’s a grilled, fresh ground 10 ounce patty with housemade peppered bacon, vermont white cheddar, Nathan’s horseradish half-sour pickles, and dijonaise on a pain du lait bun. Now, my loyal readers know that I typically skip the cheese and add grilled onions. But, tonight was different. I ordered it as it came, and boy, am I happy that I did. Let me also mention that it comes with locally sourced veggies such as lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions sliced with thinness that only a mandolin could have provided. Now, the patty was thick and juicy. I had it medium. I couldn’t imagine having it any other way. It was perfectly pink and dripping just the right amount of juices which is awesomely difficult to perfect. Yet, The Grape has done it. The bacon was crisp, peppery, and salty. It had the perfect crunch atop the succulent patty. The lettuce was ripe. It was some sort butter leaf I believe. Soft and fresh. The tomatoes were sliced thickly as to preserve their juicy and plump nature. The pickles were sweet. The combination of them with the dijonaise added an awesome sweet flavor to complement this savory burger adorned with bacon.

The Fries: They were thickly cut and heavily salted. There was a mound of them as our waiter aptly stated. They were delicious and much to my delight.

The Ambiance: To briefly expand upon my introduction, The Grape is a true, sit-down restaurant lit by candle and dim light bulbs. It’s small inside. Not like a diner, but like an intimate restaurant that is surely a great place to take a date or grab a few tables and make a night of it with your closest friends.

The Service: ‘Twas great. We were seated quickly after being greeted by the hostess and waited on attentively by our waiter.

The Price: $14 for the burger and fries. They come together.

The Ocho and I were totally blown away by this burger. It went beyond my expectations and will now sit at the forefront of my mind when I’m craving a burger on Sunday and Monday nights.

Rating: 9.3/10

[fromthegutfood]

The Peanut Butter & Bacon Burger from Whitmans in the East Village.

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Whitmans - East Village, NYC - 7.18.15

Burger Claus: From the Gut is back!  After a recent relocation cast the future of FTG into doubt, I am pleased to report that not only will FTG continue, it will do so from both Dallas and NYC.  The Brain will continue canvassing the Dallas cow flesh community, while Burger Claus will open the NYC burger bureau.  What’s the bottom line, you say?  Same as ever: more burgers, more reviews, more hard hitting journalism, more of the time!  

For our inaugural NYC review, I visited Whitmans in the East Village (chosen for the simple reason that it was within walking distance of where I was at the time) and was joined by two colleagues, “Ma’boi,” and “Cordon Sous.”  Whitmans was founded by native New Yorkers who come from the New American school of cuisine; meaning (as far as I can tell), serve locally sourced ingredients in an authentic setting.  Whitmans is most known for their Juicy Lucy burger, but has a fairly broad burger selection.  As a location, Whitmans espouses an Americana vibe that is reflected in their burger menu, as a number of their offerings pay homage to regional variations on that most American food item of all, the hamburger.  Any restaurant with a wide array of burgers on the menu that I can walk to is going to pique my interest.  So, how does Whitmans rate?  Let’s begin:

The Peanut Butter & Bacon Burger: That’s correct, I didn’t order the Juicy Lucy (start your own burger blog!), but a quick word on this.  Originating in Minneapolis, the Juicy Lucy is one specific variant within the broader category of Stuffed Burgers.  Traditionally, a stuffed burger is exactly what it sounds like, a pattie stuffed with cheese (typically American) and griddle-seared.  Searing (cooking quickly on high heat) meat on a griddle produces a caramelizing effect and a juicier meat profile, hence the name “Juicy Lucy.”  The Juicy Lucy is unique within the broader category in that pimento cheese is used in place of American, and is an ideal feature burger at a place like Whitmans because it combines a food more prevalent in the South, pimento cheese, with a burger style more known in the North/Midwest.  Returning to the PB&B, if you have followed this blog you know that I have a soft spot for burgers that feature peanut butter.  As it turns out, there is an entirely separate category for burgers of this type, known as “Goober Burgers,” which also originate from the Midwest (Missouri, specifically) but traditionally also include mayonnaise.  Whitmans offers a slightly stripped down variant of the Goober Burger, with a beef short rib blended pattie in between a toasted potato bun, and a single piece of crispy applewood smoked bacon atop the meat.  The top half of the bun was coated with a dollop of creamy peanut butter.  At first glance, it might be tempting to consider the “bare bones” nature of the burger to be disappointing, but the minimalism allowed the subtle flavors and contrasting textures to step out.  The bacon was a highlight, perfectly crisp with a peppery flavor, serving in wonderful tandem with the smooth peanut butter.  The meat, seared to a medium rare, was excellent and just juicy enough.  As you would expect from the searing process, it had a crispy exterior (sometimes referred to as the Maillard effect) and a flavorful interior.  In conclusion, the PB&B burger is well conceived and constructed, and each piece combines beautifully.  

Blue Cheese Fries: Served a la carte, I appreciated that the cheese was actually melted over the fries, as opposed to the “inclusion via crumble” presentation that I had expected.  The fries were straight, crispy, and golden; the cheese was gooey and delicious.  We split a single order three ways.

The Ambiance: As mentioned, there is a strong Americana vibe to Whitmans.  Folk music, some American flags, and prints of old timey boxers and bird hunters on the wall should give you the picture.  There is outdoor seating, an upstairs with a bar, and a slightly more expansive downstairs (where sat).  

The Service: The service was attentive without being overbearing.  

The Price: A PB&B burger is $9, Blue Cheese fries are $5, and also they served Genesee beer for $3 a can.

My esteemed colleagues were very impressed with the Juicy Lucy, and likened their dining experience as a descent into “inexorable, flavor fueled taste-bud madness.”  Inspired by their meals, they were later seen performing freestyle rap on a street corner in Alphabet City.  Americana all the way around.

NYC, not unlike Dallas, has many burgers to offer.  I am looking forward to sampling more of what the city has to offer.  Final Rating: 8.37/10.

[fromthegutfood]

The Monterrey Melt from Whataburger

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Brain Exclusive: Whataburger - City Place - Dallas

The Brain's Take: The Burger Claus and I have been doing this thang for a hot minute now. We were wondering when the day would come that we'd make "the big time." That day came about two weeks ago when Whataburger invited us to try their Monterey Melt Chicken Sandwich. Burger Claus wasn't able to make it, so I went along with my buddy Marz. The chicken sandwich was alright. It didn't knock my socks of, but they brought Marz and me their burger version which we both found to be very tasty. The Monterey Melt: This isn't your standard fast food burger. First of all, it's a Whataburger. No other fast food chain compares.  Period. Second, this burger's mix of peppers, cheeses, and sauce send your taste buds so many sensations that your not quite sure how to handle them. But in a good way. For me, someone who doesn't really like melted cheese, I really enjoyed this burger. It almost has a sweet and savory thing going on with the combo of the fixin's and the sauce. It's undoubtedly greasy. Bring a roll of paper towels because by the time you're done, you'll need them. Don't worry, in your satiated state post burger, you'll be happily wiping your fingers while you come back down to earth. The Fries: Better than McDonald's for sure. I'm not quite sure why people say McDonald's has the best fries. They must have never had Whataburger's. The Ambiance: Pretty standard here. You've got that nice orange and white motif going on with a fair share of plastic benches and chairs too. The Service: Whataburger service is always great. We were greeted with big smiles when we ordered at the counter and just as big a smile when they brought us our food and condiments. All-in-all, for fast food, this was a pretty good burger. I really liked the flavor, the "melt," and the sauce. I'm literally writing this review on a bus driving from Niseko, Japan to the Sapporo airport and all I'm dreaming about before my flight to Hakuba is a Whataburger. Looks like I'll have to keep dreaming for a few more days. Rating: 8/10

[fromthegutfood]

From The Gut Goes East: East Hampton Sandwich Shop

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The Brain: East Hampton Sandwich Company (1.17.2015)

The Hickory Bacon Burger: This burger…I have to pause. I don’t know if Dallas restaurants keep making better and better burgers because the competition has gotten so intense, but my God this burger was good. First, let me talk about the bun. It was some sort of mixed seed bun. To me it seemed like in addition to the sesame seeds there were some other type of dark seeds on it. They weren’t poppy seeds. They literally looked like black sesame seeds. Do those exist? The bun held up pretty well throughout the entire meal. Now, the burger is made like this: bun, two patties with two slices of sharp cheddar cheese, roasted jalapenos, fried razor onions (a fancy name for thin, flaky onion rings, topped with bacon. The bacon is really well done in the sense of its dryness, chopped serving style, and ease of chewing. It was almost like Meddlesome Moth’s bacon. The two key things on this burger were the onion rings and hickory sauce. Of course the meat is key, but every burger has meat. The rings and sauce just added that “Like Whoa” flavor to it. The whole sandwich was delicious. It was sweet and savory at the same time without being too much of either sensation which I think is very hard to do. The fact that they could do all that and put totally melted cheese on there without it being gooey was a feat on its own. Mazel Tov East Hampton. Great burger.

The Sweet Potato Fries: There were twelve fries that came with my order. That is a total exaggeration, but I paid $2 and change for the order and barely got anything. Remember the little paper bag of fries that came in a McDonald’s Happy Meal back in the day? That’s about the portion size for fries. Boo.

The Ambiance: East Hampton Sandwich Company is kind of ritzy in its own way. It has marble counter tops and serves white wine. You can see the grill. But the rest of it is like a typical sandwich shop. When you enter, you get in the line, your order, you’re given a number, and your drink. It’s pretty standard operating procedure. They have a soda fountain where you’ll find your utensils and other things of that nature. The seating consists of some half booths, table tops, and high tables. It has a light coloring to the place, and a very inviting atmosphere. Be sure to notice he exposed ceiling which adds to the somewhat contemporary feeling of the place. Then, head to your table and wait for your food!

The Service: It was great. Everyone was very nice. There’s nothing out of the ordinary here. Like I said before, walk in, order, sit down, and your food is brought to you with a smile.

The Price: For the Hickory Bacon Burger it’s about $10; for the Sweet Potato Fries tack on about $2.75. The burger is way worth the $10.

I’ll be going back to East Hampton whenever I’m in that ‘hood and want a burger. Well, that’s a bit of a hyperbole because East Hampton is literally right behind Burger House. The O.G. of Dallas’ Burger Joints. Nonetheless, this burger was top notch. If they would up their portion size with the fries, I might be sold for life.

Rating: 8.8/10

[fromthegutfood]

Burger Claus: East Hampton Sandwich Company (1.17.2015)

The Hickory Bacon Burger:  A smattering of Beachwood Hickory Sauce brings a smoky flavor to each bite, while the roasted jalapenos bring some low heat.  Fried razor (think flaky) onions and crispy bacon bits drive the texture, so with each bite your taste buds are experiencing a combination of smoky low heat and crispy-crunchy goodness.  You’ll appreciate that East Hampton serves two Black Angus thin patties on all of their burgers, and the HBB comes with gooey sharp cheddar in between the patties, though you may have a hard time finding it due to the hickory. Finally, the multi-seed bun looks intimidating, but is fluffy and easily compressible (go eat one so you can figure out what that means).  This burger is complex, but very delicious.  In a word, it is “mighty.”  Burger sensations such as the ones you’ll experience when you eat it are what got the Earl of Sandwich “Earl’ed” in the first place.

The Fries: Enjoy complimentary chips (that is so New England) or order fries for $2.75.  Because we’re professional amateurs, The Brain and I split some sweet potato fries.  The portion serving is really small, regardless of whether they’re being shared or not.  my notes say, “skimpy,” although I am sure they taste fine.

The Ambiance: I always imagine East Hampton as a retro-fitted New England beach house.  It has an easy, welcoming vibe and is brightly lit.

The Service: Counter service here - no complaints.  Our food came out fairly quick and you can sit at tables, booths, or counter tops.

The Price: If the Fourth Earl of Sandwich were to walk in today and order up a burger, he might be taken aback at the price, but that would have more to do with the fact that he would be wildly unfamiliar with commonplace 21st century economic concepts such as price inflation, monetary easing, the supply of and demand for crops and it’s impact on input costs, agriculture subsidies, and many others.  He would, however, be loving these low gas prices.

East Hampton is a win on the FTG Burger Tour, and if this review hasn’t convinced you to go, I don’t know what will.  Our only hope is that this post would go viral and we’d make enough money from our yet-to-be released tee shirt sales to quit our jobs and finally get around to writing that definitive biography on the Fourth Earl of Sandwich.  9.235467/10.

[fromthegutfood]

[fromthegutfood]

From The Gut Turns 50! Burger Claus on Meddlesome Moth 1.2.2015

Crystal Creek Chuck Burger:  Other than the fact that it’s amazing, there’s nothing really unique about this burger. No gimmicks - just quality ingredients.  We ordered ours with bacon and avocado slices, in addition to the standard fixins’.  The bacon, delightfully, was served extra crispy and is an excellent pairing alongside the smooth avocados.  Of note is that you’ll find both spinach and iceberg lettuce on this burger.   Tillamook cheddar cheese (It’s pronounced “TTTTIIIILLLLAAAMMMOOOOOOKKKK” at full volume) covers the mouthwateringly thick patty, which comes from Crystal Creek Ranch in Eminence, MO and is the namesake of the burger.  I ordered my burger medium, which unlocked the chuck cut beef into a savory, smoky sweet, flavor.  Remember that “chuck” is a primal cut that comes from the shoulder area of our bovine friends enemies, and is a relatively tender (and therefore flavorful) cut of meat.  As a rule of thumb, the further the cut of meat is away from the neck or legs (which do all the work for a cow), the more flavor you’ll find.  The brioche bun was fluffy, although it did get a little soggy towards the end of the burger.  Quality ingredients combine for great flavor leading to a great burgering experience.  This is a burger that needs to move to the top of your “From The Gut Tribute Restaurant Tour” list immediately.

The Fries: Mostly forgettable, although they don’t detract from the burgering experience, aren’t a la carte, and are portioned well for a single serving.  The main story here is the burger, however.

The Service: You can expect to receive top notch service at Meddlesome Moth.  Our server, Chase, was knowledgeable, polite and discreet, and quick (although we did order immediately after sitting down).  We’ve had worse experiences, but few better.

The Ambiance: Part of the charm at Meddlesome Moth is the cool ambiance.  Three unique stained glass windows overlook the main dining room, while (as you would expect at a gastropub), a long, dark bar lines one side of the room.  I’m definitely not doing the interior justice - see for yourself.  

The Price: Not an inexpensive place to eat - but the price is more than fair.  My check clocked in at the high-teens, pre-tip.

The Comically Both Overhyped and Underhyped Super! Important! Announcement! to Commemorate our 50th Review: We’re in the final throes of designing a FTG tee shirt.  We’ll let you know when it’s out and ready.  Was that underwhelming enough for you?

Happy 2015, loyal reader, and thanks for your continued support of From The Gut.  Meddlesome Moth, if you haven’t been for a burger, is a must visit.  And yes, that is an accurate description of how cattle our butchered in my intro.  9.9/10.

[fromthegutfood]

[fromthegutfood]

From The Gut Turns 50! The Brain on Meddlesome Moth (1.2.2015)

Crystal Creek Chuck Burger: This burger, as you can see from the photos, was literally to big to fit in my mouth as is. It comes with sliced red onions, butter leaf lettuce, and sliced tomato, as well as the bun and burger of course. All of the vegetables were fresh and at their prime. But this is a burger blog, not a veggie blog. This burger comes in at what must have been a half an inch thick. I ordered this baby medium rare. It came pink, juicy, and so full of flavor that my mouth began to water just from the scent rising off of the patty. I added on the avocado slices and bacon. How could I not? Oh, I almost forgot. I had cheese on my burger. Yeah, cheese. Here’s a little secret of mine: if it’s Tillamook Cheddar and placed on the burger after the burger’s been cooked, I’m all in. The cheese was just barely melted. The avocado was perfectly ripe. The bacon was incredible. It was perfectly crisp the whole way through, and it was dry, but in a great way. It broke up well in each bite. Now, the burger. I think my eyes rolled into the back of my head after one bite. My legs might have been shaking a little bit. This is about the time James Brown yelled “GOOD GOD” in my head. The combination of everything on top of the patty itself was spine tingling good. The meat was delicious, fresh, and succulent. Yes, succulent. I couldn’t have asked for a better burger. Bravo, Meddlesome Moth. (Bravo is Italian for ‘James Brown says’, “you brought the funk!”)

The Fries: Let me say this, on night one, the were muy bueno. They were crispy, salted, and delicious. Night two, they were soggy. So for night one, they weren’t anything that would send you over the moon, but an excellent complement to the extraordinary burger. I, personally, want better fries.

The Service: Chase, my man, you did a great job. He treated us well. When we announced we were both having the burger, he smiled with all the delight of a kid in a candy store. He knew what’s up. He was on point the rest of the night.

The Ambiance: If you haven’t been to the Meddlesome Moth, when you walk in the ceiling is low. The hostesses are right there to greet you. As you gaze beyond them, there they are. They you ask? They are musical Gods. Three large, stained glass windows of Chuck Berry, Elvis, and Jerry Lee Lewis hang at about a forty degree angle and glare right at you. They glare in a good way. The place is heavily appointed in wood. There are booths, and plenty of table tops. It’s got a really great feel to it. Oh, and let me not forget the long and large bar with a very wide selection of brews.

The Price: The burger is $12. Add on avocado and bacon and you’re looking at just under $20 with tax. Folks, it’s worth every penny. Go for dinner, have the burger. You won’t regret it.

My friends, I think the wait was well worth it. It was for Burger Claus and I. Don’t you worry. From The Gut is back and better than ever. Oh, and like BC said, there’s a T-Shirt coming. Yes, a beautiful T-Shirt from From The Gut to go over mine and yours.

Rating: 9.2/10

[fromthegutfood]

Happy Veteran's Day from From The Gut!

[fromthegutfood]

Burger Claus: Record Grill - Downtown - 11.6.14

Bacon Cheeseburger: Don’t expect fancy sides, cheeky names, or even menus, at this totally unvarnished diner.  There are exactly five burgers offered at The Record Grill (here, see for yourself), and I ordered mine with bacon, cheese, mayo, mustard, and all the other standard fixings you’d expect.  The thin patty is cooked on a flat range, is served borderline medium rare, and is stone cold delicious.  On presentation alone, this looks like a burger you could make yourself, but once you sink your teeth into it, a range of savory flavors is unleashed.  The cook has got the timing down perfectly, as if this burger had been prepared any more rare, it would have been too much.  As it was, this burger straddles the line between medium rare and medium well enough to unlock extra flavor.  I’m not usually one for mayonnaise on hamburgers, but when mixed with mustard and paired with a flavorful patty like the kind they serve at RG, amazing things can happen.  The cheese was perfectly melted, although the bacon could have been crispier and the bun was non-descript, but I’m not complaining - that’s part of the appeal of a place like this anyway, right?.  If you really want me to endorse this burger, consider this: I ordered a second, and I NEVER do that (it was as good as the first, so points for consistency).  

The Fries: Check out the picture: if you’ve had fries like this before, you’ve had them a thousand times.  They were light, crispy, and delicious.  Don’t expect to be served a massive portion, which isn’t a bad thing.

The Service: This place is small enough that the service can’t be anything but fast.  I saw the cook subtly leaning over the counter to overhear our second order - a touch of tradecraft on the side too, please.

The Ambiance: If you read my introductory paragraph or clicked my Google Street View links you should get the picture.

The Price:  Two delicious bacon cheeseburgers, french fries, and a water.  $10.10 pre-tip.  That is absurd!

Both history and burger nerds will get a kick out of taking a meal at the historic Record Grill.  The food is tasty, the price is right, and that’s really all you need to know.  Actually, you should also know that there is a parking lot next door in case want an excuse other than having to go to court for stopping in.  Final Rating: 9/10.

[fromthegutfood]

The Brain: Record Grill - Downtown - 11.6.14

The Record Breaker

The Burger(s): I tell you what. These burgers are good. There is nothing fancy nor is there anything wrong with them. I ordered my usual, but a double: two patties, lettuce, tomato, onion, and buns. When it comes, it doesn’t look fancy at all either. But take a bite. Go ahead. Bite into it and you’ll see what I mean. It’s just so good. No intense seasoning is added to the burger to mask the flavor of the meat which should give you the same sense of comfort that it gave me. If there’s nothing masking the flavor of the beef, you know it’s good. It was juicy, greasy, and flavorful. There was so much juice and so much grease. And no, that is not negative. It’s a greasy, American diner burger. I would feel weird eating it if it weren’t like that. So needless to say, after savoring my burger, I was feeling bold that day. That boldness led to round two. That single patty that came during round two was just the as good as the double. There’s something to be said for consistency ladies and gentlemen. It’s key. Now as far as the “fixin’s” go, they were pretty standard. The tomato and onion were sliced and the lettuce chopped. The three added an awesome crunch. My recommendation is that you eat a light breakfast, have a burger, and order another.

The Fries: Frankly, they’re just okay. They are the typical skinny fries, fried to a golden color, and served up. I added salt and pepper to mine. Other than that, they were kind of just there in comparison to my burger.  

The Ambiance: I like to think the Quentin Tarantino would feel at home in this diner. I say that only because it reminds me of so many locations in his films like Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs.  The grill is along the entire left wall once you walk in with the cash register just on your left. You can sit at the counter or at some of the four tops lining the right wall. We sat at a four top in the back corner. When we arrived the Nut was sitting in the back, facing the door, as if he were Lucky Luciano watching the door. I felt at home.

The Service: You walk in, sit down, and order as soon as your waiter comes to you. Our burgers came out to order quite quickly, and we were doted on in between and after they arrived. When you’re done, and there’s no one rushing you out, grab your stuff and pay at the front. It’s all separate if you please, so don’t worry about that issue. Great service.

Price: I had a double burger, burger, and fries for under $9. Fact.

The Record Grill was very, very good. From the burger, to the grill, to the service, I have to say I’ve become a fan. I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot lately, but I think I’ve just been eating a lot of really solid burgers. Would you expect anything less? The only thing I didn’t really love were the fries. Those could use some work. So if you happen to find yourself in that part of town, stop in. Put Record Grill on your list as we did. You won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 7.7/10 (to explain, I was bummed out by the fries)

[fromthegutfood]

The Kat's Meow

VH Restaurant. Oak Cliff. 10.25.2014

The Kat's Meow 

For those of you that don't know, the Brain was in a music video. Yes, I said a music video (Michaelbrannianisinamusicvideo.com). I didn't just mention that for attention. The reason I did is that I went to see the artist whose video I was in perform this past Saturday at the North Oak Cliff Music Festival which led to this impromptu From The Gut post. Her name is Kat Edmonson. So after her fabulous performance, I went to say hello and by series of random events ended up being invited to dinner with her and her band. It must have been kismet because we went to VH Restaurant in Oak Cliff where I was delighted to find a delicious burger. Let's get to that!

The Burger: Kobe Beef in McKinney? You betcha. Now, technically it's not Kobe beef because it's not raised in the Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, according to rules as set out by the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association. However, I was told it was raised in similar manners.  Whatever they did, it paid off. The burger came with lettuce, tomato, bacon, and a special stone mustard all on a bun that for the life pf me I can't place the flavor of. So if y'all know what that bun is, please tell me because it's been on my mind for five days now.  I ordered it medium. It was perfect for me. The whole thing had a very smoky flavor. It was overwhelming in a great way. My mouth was watering the entire meal. All the toppings were great. Pretty standard. I mean, how much can you change up lettuce? The mustard was awesome. It had spiciness to it. Not as in jalapeños, but in the sense of "spices". You have to try this burger. It was fantastic. 

The Fries: Friends, I had broccolini. I know, I know, I should have had fries. But this broccolini was awesome! It had crushed red pepper flakes atop it which just added to the garlicky flavor. So good!

The Ambience: This is a very nice, sit down restaurant. It's a place where you might go out for dinner on a Saturday night. Its ambient lighting sets the mood. It is small and cozy kind of like the size of a small, old house. 

The Service: Excellent. They couldn't have been greater at taking are orders and taking care of us. 

 The price: $15

I must recommend VH. The burger was so good that I want to go back now. I realize that $15 may seem high, but for a sit down restaurant with its Kobe-like beef, that price is perfectly reasonable. It's a wonderful place for dinner with friends and a burger. 

Rating: 8/10