A shamelessly celebratory look at the many things that make Western Washington's Skagit Valley a great place to live -- brought to you by rocket cottage media!
It’s a sad fact of life that you can spend a lot of money on a mediocre hamburger. Fortunately, that’s not going to happen to you at Skagit Valley Burger Express. What you’re instead going to encounter is what an awfully lot of folks swear are the best hamburgers in the Skagit Valley. We aren’t even going to discuss the fried pickles...or the onion rings.Â
I’ve been driving past this burger joint for some time now, and what has stood out for me is the whimsical venue: a train caboose and a no-nonsense, blue collar, covered eating area. But the buzz about Skagit Valley Burger Express is even more compelling. A visit to its Facebook page reveals that nearly 7,000 people follow this little burger joint on Hwy. 20, just outside of Sedro-Woolley -- and with 286 reviews to its credit, it’s earned 4.8 stars out of 5! That’s a whole lotta love.Â
An example of a Facebook review is the following:
They use grass fed beef, which is even more points for them in my book. Cooked perfectly, and tasted super fresh. Even the tomatoes, lettuce, and onion were farmers market fresh and high quality. And then there was my friend's order, which was the Skagit burger (with a bun). Equally amazing by his account, but the true super star was the garlic and Parmesan waffle fries he ordered with his burger. The smell was like something from heaven. Topped with freshly chopped garlic and cooked perfectly, even Mr. low carb/no bun here couldn't resist and had two of his fries. Oh. My. Damn. Face meltingly good.
Having had my very first burger from Skagit Valley Burger Express, I’m here to tell you that it more than lived up to the hype. The Atomic Mushroom Burger I ordered was truly a Burger of the Gods. I’ve eaten very few hamburgers in my time that showed as much attention to detail. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection. The tomato slices were nearly as thick as the ones in the wood sculpture pictured above. The beef was juicy and delicious (and yes, it’s grass fed) -- and the generous portion of bacon was fried to perfection. Each ingredient stood out, but their combined contributions made for pure harmony. Never mind that I could barely fit my mouth around it!
The biggest challenge with a Skagit Valley Burger Express burger is just keeping it under control. It’s a burger that defies any notions of restraint.Â
Detritus of delight! Yes...those little bits of white on the fries are garlic (there’s parmesan in there as well). I could probably make a tidy sum running a breath mint concession next door.
With burgers this good, ambiance can take a flying leap.Â
Skagit Valley Burger Express is a poster child for how you market a business based on channeling customer evangelism. Five years on, they’ve built a steady buzz around the quality of their food, and as their Facebook page clearly demonstrates, they’re letting their adherents spread the good news to great effect. At the end of the day, your brand is less about how you communicate it, and more about how your customers experience it. All you need to do then is give them a voice...and keep making each burger like it was your last.Â
If loving this is wrong, I don’t want to be right!
Having grown up in California, I feel that despite being a gringo, Mexican cuisine is a part of my culinary DNA. I’m proud of that, and I celebrate it every chance I get. Although I’ve learned to love a variety of other ethnic food traditions (Thai, Ethiopian, Persian, Afghan, Greek, Japanese, Vietnamese...the list goes on), Mexican is always a dining out default my wife and I can happily embrace. And one of the places where we most like to embrace it is COA Mexican Eatery.
What I appreciate about COA’s culinary mission is that while it boasts some dishes that you won’t easily find on the menus of other local Mexican restaurants, what I believe truly sets COA apart is its interpretation of recipes most of us think we know from our experience of Tex-Mex cuisine. Familiarity may not always breed contempt, but it can create indifference -- so If your Mexican food palate has gotten a bit jaded over the years, pick any standard like chile rellenos, chimichangas, or enchiladas, and you’ll quickly discover that COA manages a fresh and thoughtful take on the classics. It’s like listening to your favorite musical artist doing an album of covers.Â
And then, of course, there are signature dishes such as COA prawns that lay down a marker for uniqueness. My most recent discovery is the appetizer plantain sopitos -- smashed plantain with a choice of meat (my personal fave is beef picadillo) topped with cabbage, pico de gallo and poblano dressing. I’ll have another margarita, por favor!
But one of the things I love most about COA is the way it loves its customers. Owner Viry Delgado hosts periodic Customer Appreciation Days (you want to be sure you’re on their email list for a heads up) that make a night out seem less like an indulgence and more like an offer you can’t refuse. On Monday, March 27, my wife and I enjoyed the COA experience with a repast that included an appetizer, drinks, and an entree apiece that came to a whopping $26 and change. That, amigos, is a heckuva deal (need I point out, however, that you should always tip your server based on the full rather than discounted price).
It’s nice to be appreciated, COA, and we always feel special whenever we dine at your place. Thanks for being a part of our Magic Skagit culinary scene -- and thanks especially for steadfastly refusing to go through the motions when it comes to interpreting one of the world’s great cuisines. You’ve been keeping it real and keeping it interesting.Â
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