The July Results
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Friday July 31st, 2009
Chicken Oil
Co. – Bryan, TX
- (979)846-3306
$8.11 Cheeseburger
Final Score: Un-official stopMap
Burger Tour, On Assignment Although saddened by not being able to complete an official Tour stop today because of office travel, we couldn’t imagine not eating and judging a burger on Friday. So this Tour report is unique. It is being written by a rookie author and the establishment reviewed was not in Northwest Florida.
Today, three of our members and a standard alternate judge visited the Chicken Oil restaurant, in College Station, TX. The Chicken Oil is a place where we felt right at home – a wooden establishment with rusted tin everywhere. True to Texas style, wild game was mounted everywhere, we were encouraged to whittle on the tables, gun themed bumper stickers were abundant (“Fight Crime – Shoot Back”) and a fight almost broke out at the original Buck Hunter arcade game (not to be confused with the adjacent Buck Hunter, Safari edition). The Chicken Oil is definitely the love child of a Cracker Barrel and a Bass Pro Shop.
We remained true to the Tour’s order standards and braved the Snuffy combo, a 1/2lb hand formed patty with American cheese, although we were tempted to add a half a menu of add-ons, including the “Death” version with jalapenos and Tabasco. The bread was a fresh, seedless, traditional hamburger bun. The patty was perfectly proportioned to the bun, juicy and topped with extremely fresh condiments. Receiving exceptional comments were the bread and the onions. The condiments, which are rarely raved about, really complemented the flavor and the three basic elements (bread, meat & toppings) blended nicely.
With those accolades, is there any room for improvement? Believe it or not, the raved about bread left us imagining what it would be like if it were toasted with butter. Maybe an untouchable bread score? The meat, although juicy, fell prey to the “we don’t want to/can’t season meat before cooking” trap that is all too common in the “heart conscious” restaurant world. (We’re ordering a hamburger here! Add salt and seasonings to the meat. If we were heart conscious, we would not be ordering a hamburger…. And yes, there is a difference between adding seasonings before and after cooking.)
How did it
rate with Pensacola’s best? Remember, we’re talking about Texas here.
They truly believe everything IS bigger and better there. So, to remain
neighborly, we’ll let them believe it, but, just for us locals, it’s
around CJ’s and Top’s.
31.07.
Friday July 24th, 2009
Nellie’s
Deli – Gulf Breeze, FL
- 291-5280
$5.95 Cheeseburger
Final Score: 6.30Map
Nellie’s Deli is a classic neighborhood sandwich shop. The patrons seem to know the menu by heart, and the folks working there are genuine and friendly. We sent the Yankee up to order the burgers and he was greeted by a delightful young lady who happened to be a New York Yankees fan. Having seen his Red Sox shirt, she kindly reminded him that the Yanks currently have a 2 game lead on the Sox. Fighting back tears, and trying to regain his composure- he placed our order.
Served on a 6 inch sub roll with shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes- the burger looks more like a “Hamburger Sub.” Most traditional burger purists cringe when they see a burger served on a sub roll- but this one was actually quite nice. The bread was soft and had great taste that was appreciated by all panel members. The patty is handmade and seasoned nicely. It’s served with a touch of pink in the middle- which earned the burger extra points with some of our judges. The produce was sub-par; the shredded lettuce and tomatoes were removed by some. Others commented that a sliced onion would have been nice. The cheese was perhaps the best part of this burger- it’s placed on the patty before it’s taken off the grill- and melts nicely on top of the hot burger.
In all- each of the Judges enjoyed the burger- but no one was ready to call it the best they’ve had. As we sat there and eyeballed some of the other sandwiches around the joint- we began to wish that we’d ordered them instead- they really did look delicious.
So,
If you’re looking for a great sandwich and some good conversation-
visit Nellie’s Deli in Gulf Breeze. If it’s a perfect burger you’re
searching for- check back with us next week as the Burger Tour rolls
on.
24.07.
Friday July 17th, 2009
Jerry's
Drive-In -
Pensacola, FL
- 433-9910
$2.15 Cheeseburger
Final Score: 6.86Map
There’s something special about Jerry’s Drive In on Scenic Highway. It truly is a Pensacola landmark- it’s a beacon of sorts. Established in 1939- it was properly described by one Panel Member as “The Cheers of Hamburger Joints” a place where everyone knows your name, and you always feel welcome.
Where else can you get a cold drink, chicken gizzards, chili fries and a chocolate shake? Try visiting Jerry’s at lunch time- and you’ll find yourself in a line that extends out the front door and out into the parking lot. Surprisingly, everyone in line seemed to be in a great mood- I think it’s because they knew their meal would be well worth the wait.
The Burger at Jerry’s is small and simple. A grown man can easily finish 2- but they’re fairly priced at a reasonable $2.15.
The patty is thin and of the frozen variety. The produce is fresh, and the bun is toasted. Several Panel Members noted that by toasting the bun- it left the bun very dry and seemingly stale- a softer bun may have added one full point to this Burgers score. The patty itself does not appear to be seasoned- so a healthy dose of salt and pepper was applied by many of the Judges.
In all- the Burger finished with a final score of 6.86. Everyone agreed that the Burger was good- but none were willing to put it in the “Great” category. Quite honestly, what’s great about Jerry’s is the atmosphere, the people, the milkshakes and extensive menu. The Burger itself- it’s just good.
If this Tour were about great hangouts, atmosphere and local nostalgia- Jerry’s Drive In would receive a perfect 10. Their burger however; it gets a modest 6.86.
So if you’re looking for
chicken gizzards, cheese fries, and some of the best folks in town- hit
Jerry’s Drive In on Scenic Highway. If you’re looking for the absolute
best Burger in our Area- check back next week when the NWFL Burger
Tour….rolls on.
17.07.
Friday July 10th, 2009
Blackwater
Bistro -
Milton, FL
- 623-1105
$8.95 Cheeseburger
Final Score: 6.65Map
The Blackwater Bistro; it’s charming, historic and quaint. Everything on the menu sounds delicious. Some doubted whether upscale dining could possibly exist in Milton, Florida- and for those skeptics- the answer is YES, it can, and does.
Having said that, let me deliver the bad news: A charming, upscale Bistro isn’t exactly where you’d expect to find “The Perfect Burger.” Unfortunately on this visit, we didn’t.
The Blackwater Burger is a ½ lb. patty served with the freshest produce, on a soft untoasted bun. The patty was accused by many of being “under-seasoned” and “too dense” by one Panel Member. The topic of density brought about an interesting conversation amongst the Panel Members: There’s no doubt that the beef used in this patty is of the highest quality- and much to it’s own downfall- very lean. We suspect that the burger was patted too firmly during the shaping stages- and thus became very dense. Couple that with the exceptionally lean meat- and you’re eating one dry burger.
Now, some of you treadmill tri-athletes might enjoy eating the burger I’ve just described. It’s lean, not greasy, topped with fresh produce- and leaves you feeling relatively healthy afterward. When finished with the Blackwater Burger- you don’t feel as if you’ve overeaten or stuffed yourself. The problem is; it lacks taste- and quite frankly- we enjoy overeating.
You see; Lawyers, Politicians, and chic trend setters will all fit in nicely at the Blackwater Bistro. The one thing that doesn’t “fit in” here: is grease- and honestly- this burger could have used some. It would have added some flavor to the under-seasoned patty, and kept the burger from being so darn dry.
In all the burger finished with a 6.65, and while each Panel Member agreed that they would highly recommend dining at the Blackwater Bistro- they also pointed out that on their next visit- they would not be ordering the burger.
So, if you’re taking the wife out for a
night on the town in Historic Downtown Milton- visit the Blackwater
Bistro- if you’re searching for the best burger in our area- join us
next week as the Burger Tour…..rolls on.
10.07.
