Kincaid's

I first went to Kincaid's in Fort Worth about 5 years ago.  And when I bit into that burger, I was so amazed; I could taste the freshness of the patty.  Since then, I had been to the Southlake location a few times and never been disappointed.  So, two and a half years into the Burger Babes adventure, it seemed time to head over to Camp Bowie Blvd.  


Being the middle of July and lots of people on vacation, our group was small, but we've never let that stop us before.  We grabbed a table and hung out before placing our order at the counter.  After placing our orders, we grabbed our drinks, sweet tea and diet coke.  Not sure what's in the water over there, but Tina & I both thought our drinks had a funny taste to them.  Kincaid's might want to look into a filter system is all I'm saying.


After about 10 minutes, our names were called.  At Kincaid's, your name is called and you retrieve your dinner in a white paper bag, whether it's dine in or to go.  Not sure why that makes me happy, but it does bring a smile to my face.


The side were decent, nothing too outstanding.  I'm pretty sure the fries come from a bag  in the freezer, but they are definitely seasoned really well.  I didn't even need ketchup.  The onion rings are made from thickly sliced white onions.  Again, they're good with a nice crunch, but nothing to knock your socks off.  Other choices include fried okra, chips, stuffed jalapenos, and deviled eggs.  We did try the deviled eggs; a nice tanginess, but I prefer them a bit creamier.


On to the burger...
As I unwrapped it from the paper wrapper, I was immediately disappointed with the shredded lettuce. I know I've said this before, but I really don't get shredded lettuce on a burger.  It just makes it messier and I don't think it really does anything to enhance the burger. I think shredded lettuce has its place, namely on tacos and tostados, but most definitely not on burgers.  If you're hungry when you get to Kincaid's, you won't be after you order the burger.  I think it was a 1/2 pound patty.  The cheese was beautifully melted on the patty, which had been formed by hand.  The bun was a basic white bun without any extra seasoning or fanfare.  When I bit into my burger, I was expecting that same overwhelming freshness from 5 years ago, but I don't feel like it was quite as obvious.  It actually took me a few bites to really start enjoying the burger and the patty's flavor.  As we sat there eating and contemplating the important attributes of a great burger, I started to wonder if all of my great burger experiences kept moving the bar higher and higher, making it more difficult to enjoy a burger I may have previously really liked.  Or, was it simply a case of the burger just not being at the level of greatness as it was five years ago?  Which I don't think that's the case.  After all, Kincaid's has been in this business for over 60 years and the beef is not only antibiotic and preservative free, it's cut & ground fresh daily at each location.


My overall thoughts about Kincaid's?  It's a very family-friendly place to a get a good, old school burger without any of the bells and whistles.  If you're spending the day in that part of town, maybe you've just finished a fun morning at the Amon Carter Museum, and you're hungry for some fresh beef, then I definitely advise that you try it out.  If it means fighting traffic on 121 or I-30 when there's a burger you know you like closer to you, then I would recommend staying close to home.  There are three other Kincaid's in Tarrant County.  Be sure to check out their website for exact locations and hours (they close at 8PM on Friday).

Grease Monkey

Billing itself as Arlington's Burger Shop and Social Club, Grease Monkey is exactly that. It's located in the heart of Arlington, near Division and Center. It's a casual hang out with a bar that opens up to the street. After grabbing a table, we made our way to the counter to place our orders. I wavered between the Black and Blue Burger and a cheeseburger, finally opting for the Black and Blue - a blackened burger covered with crumbled crispy bacon, melted Swiss cheese, onion strings, and a Blue Cheese dressing. I've ordered plenty of Black and Blues before, but this was the first time the patty was actually blackened. So the spice of the seasoning did throw me off, but it was a flavorful burger. After about 10 minutes, our pagers went off and we headed back to the counter for pick-up.

Doesn't this look yummy?  The burger doesn't come with any of the usual condiments, you add what you want at a side bar.  Notice the lettuce. That was probably the greatest disappointment.  It's my opinion that shredded lettuce is for tacos, not burgers.  Obviously Grease Monkey disagrees, but to each his own.  The burger was quite flavorful; I can only imagine how much more flavorful it would have been if I had gone for just the cheeseburger and not had blackened meat to distract my taste buds.  The Swiss cheese and blue cheese dressing is a great combination, giving the burger a tangy yumminess.  I really liked the crispy bacon crumbles, although a few more crumbles would have been nice.  The absolute star of the show?  The hamburger bun!  Before the buns are toasted, they're coated in a butter blend of honey, cilantro, lime, and jap spread.  Even if you're kind of iffy on the burger, the bun would most definitely sway you.  It was so delicious!!!

There are a lot of sides to choose from: fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, and fried pickles.  I think there were more, but we focused on our usual suspects.  I can't really rate either of the fries too highly. Pretty average, to be honest.  I did like the onion rings, although there was a discussion about the style.  These rings are the thin ones that tend to fall apart easily.  Those kind of onion rings are fine by me as long as the flavor is there, and it was.  But, overall, the best side on our table was the basket of fried pickle chips.  Sliced and breaded thinly, the pickles were a great addition to the meal.

Overall, Grease Monkey got pretty high ratings from the Burger Babes on this visit.  It's not going to break my top 5, or probably even my top 10, but Grease Monkey is the place to go when you want a casual atmosphere and a good, solid burger that will fill you up.  They've got the choices and options for building your own burger, as well as a couple of unique burgers, like the Chicken Fried Burger.  If you need a place to go before or after a Rangers game, this would be a great choice.  Or, if you need a place to watch the game, there were plenty of televisions with both the Rangers and the US Open on.

See you next time!

In-N-Out Burger

About six years ago, I made my first trip to California.  I was visiting one of my best friends, who had just moved out to the central coast, and I was excited to see her and experience the Golden State.  The very first place she took me?  In-N-Out Burger.  Now at this time, I wasn't quite the burger girl I am today, although I had heard of In-N-Out and knew it was a must-visit.  My initial reaction was favorable.  It was a really good burger, obviously made with fresh materials.  And the fries were pretty great, too!  So when the news broke that In-N-Out was making its way to Texas, I was pretty excited.  I chose not to visit In-N-Out until they had been open for awhile.  The buzz about this institution was phenomenal and the wait to get a burger was often a couple of hours.  Since In-N-Out's arrival to Dallas-Ft. Worth last year, I've only been a couple of times.  I have to be honest and admit, I don't really get all of the hype.  It's a good, decent burger for a fast food burger, and it's obviously made with quality ingredients.  But I haven't had one in Texas that really makes me want to make it a regular part of my life.  And a lot of times the french fries can help out an average burger.  The fries I've had both times were lackluster with a greasy taste (and not greasy in a good way).  Pretty disappointing.  I'm sure a lot of people think I'm crazy, but to me In-N-Out is justy another fast food place with a decent burger, but it's nothing to get excited about.  In fact, the one I would typically go to is within 5 minutes of both a Five Guys and a Smashburger.  So, if I have a say in the matter, hands down, I'm headed to Smashburger.  As far as chains go, they've got one of the best burgers and a variety of sides around.  Sorry California, maybe Trader Joe's will have a bigger impact on me.

Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House

Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House is another one of Dallas's most recent burger joints to open up this past year and it definitely ranks up at the top.  Open for business since October of 2011, it is a casual, neighborhood bar in East Dallas.

The patio was already full when we arrived save for one table located right in front of the TV showing the Ranger game.  And the weather was spectacular so we were already off to a perfect start.  And because it is a beer garden, there's no rush to order your meal.  We were actually able to wait for everyone to show up before we ordered.  That doesn't always happen. 

There are probably about 10 different types of burgers to choose from and all of them sounded so wonderful.  There are definitely some I plan on trying in the future.  All of their burgers are made with natural grass-fed beef and most everything is made in house which you can tell as soon as you take a bite.  I ended up going with The Coop, with the fried egg cooked just a touch hard and the patty with a touch of pink.  It was absolutely delicious:  Burgers at Goodfriend are the kind you'll want to cut in half to be to handle properly, but even then I still made a mess.  Just a sign of a good burger filled with tasty, fresh condiments.  I'm not a big fan of tomatoes, but just look at how red and fresh those slices are!  So yummy!  I'm about ready to get in the car and head back to East Dallas as I write this.

Other burgers you might consider trying are the Loretta (their version of a blue cheese burger), the Pepper Bomb (made with habaneros, serranos & jalapenos - yikes!), or the Latin Lover (chorizo burger).  If you want a burger without beef, you're in luck!  You can try a turkey burger, a lamb burger, and even a black bean burger.


I don't remember the name of this one, but it has some kind onion compote - heard it was awesome!



You can't ever go wrong with a good old-fashioned cheeseburger.

We had three sides to select from and you can't go wrong with any of them.  You can choose from waffle fries (good) or sweet potato waffle fries (better).  And if you can't decide, don't worry, they'll let you order a basket with both.  Not a potato lover?  You absolutely won't miss with the fried battered green beans.  Yes, I said fried batter green beans served with a tangy ranch-like dip.  Up until this point, Smashburger had my heart when it cam to friend green beans, but the beans at Goodfriend are way better by far.

You might still be unsure of my opinion of the burgers at Goodfriend.  I know I haven't been very complimentary.  A definite two thumbs up!  It has everything - great food on a patio with a friendly, laid-back atmosphere.  Be warned though, the kitchen doesn't open until 5, so no burgers until dinnertime.

Until next time!



Liberty Burger

Ever since Liberty Burger opened last November, it has enjoyed high accolades.  It's located at the corner of Forest and Inwood and tonight, just like every night since opening, it's had a steady stream of people coming in for fabulous burgers.  I"ve not met one person who didn't have great things to say about this burger which is made from tenderloin, chuck, and brisket.  Unless, of course, you order the bison burger, and that apparently, is just as fabulous.



Big O Rings



When you enter Liberty Burger, you are automaticaly in line to place your order. And I think there's always a line.  Because the line is long, someone is there to take your drink order, which arrives lickety split.  That is a great little piece of customer service.  Liberty Burger has a wide variety of specialty burgers, and some of them are pretty unique; the Amore includes cantaloupe.  I just had to get the Nooner.  It's been awhile since I've had a burger with a fried egg, and it was just calling my name.  The buns are homemade, and it's built with American cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, ham, hash browns, and ketchup.  I'm not really a hash browns kind of girl, so I went without them.  But after I saw someone else's Nooner, I kind of wish I had kept them on.  They looked pretty tasy and crunchy, not soggy like I think hash browns usually are.  Despite the full restaurant, it didn't take very long to get our orders.

Let's start with the sides this time.  The sweet potato fries and skinny fries are good, although I think the sweet potato fries could have used a little something.  I would say their star side is definitely the Big O Rings.  Great flavor, the perfect amount of crisp, and fabulous onions cooked to perfection.



As you can see, a Liberty Burger is a sight to behold.  The homeade buns are in perfect proportion to all of the yummy goodness and the meat is fulll of flavor, although it was cooked all the way through and I prefer my burgers with a touch of pink.  And at this point, I'm really struggling with the rest of my review.  When I placed my order, I debated omitting the ketchup.  While I am a fan of ketchup, I don't always need it on my burger, especially if there's going to be fried egg goodness.  Well, I should have gone with my gut.  Not only did the burger not need the ketchup, there was too much ketchup on the burger and that just overpowered any yumminess.  And I feel the same way about the ham as well.  Love it on my pizza, but I don't really need it on my burger.  I would have been happy with just the bacon.  Of course, I can't help but think that maybe the hash browns would have been a good balance for the ham.



Baby Bella Burger with Skinny Fries



Everyone else absolutely loved their burger whereas I liked mine.  But I also know that I didn't have the right combination of condiments.  I definitely want to go back and give Liberty Burger a second chance.  Next time I might just try a the standard Liberty Burger with no frills.  Although the Baby Bella looked pretty awesome.  Then again, so did the Wild West.  Or maybe the Libertine...

Tommy's...Well, Kind of, Sort of...

Using one of my many Groupons, Mandy and I went on another unofficial Burger Babe outing, this time to Tommy's in Fort Worth.  This was actually quite a few months ago (October, I believe), but I figure better late than never.  Of course, many of the finer details have escaped me, but two things did stay with me. Number one is that the sweet tea was really not that fabulously sweet. Number two is that Tommy's was horribly understaffed, especially since the Groupon expired the following day.

Due to the gap between writing this entry and actually eating the burger, I can't really tell you too much.  Although, maybe that in itself says all you need to know.   Be sure to order the corn nuggets; they will definitely not disappoint you.

Have you been to Tommy's? Feel free to add your own review in the comments section.

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas...except for burger reviews

Over the past year and half, I've been to Las Vegas three times.  That's pretty impressive considering I had never been before and I'm not a gambler. My two favorite things about Vegas are the shows and the food.  You'll find some pretty amazing restaurants with some fabulous food in Vegas and of course, being a burger babe I'm always looking for the best burger Sin City has to offer.

Instead of doing a different blog for every Las Vega burger place I've visited, I thought I would do a quick summary of each place.

January 2011  - New York New York
The very first time I went to Vegas I went with fellow Burger Babe Anita, and her friend, April, to see Cher at Caesar's Palace (great show, by the way).   While we were waiting for her mom to fly in, the three of us found our way to the Broadway Burger Bar. They do boast one of the healthiest burgers around, made with 100% free-range, grass fed, Estancia beef from Uruguay. To be honest, it has been over a year since I ate at Broadway so I don't remember all of the details of the meal. I had the Black and Bleu and the fries and it was a good, solid performance.  I do recall that service was slow, which was weird because it wasn't very busy and that our meal was good, but nothing to write home about. I would say if you're on that end of the Strip and you really want a burger, you won't be disappointed.  However, if you've got the time to venture out and you want a fabulous burger, then the next place might be for you.

November 2011 - The Palazzo
The second time I went to Vegas I was with the de la Islas.  Again we arrived right at lunchtime and we had just one thing on our mind...lunch!  Thanks to the beauty of Yelp, we found I Heart Burger at the Palazzo.  The burger does have a pretty hefty price tag on it, but it's definitely the best I've had in Vegas and it's probably one of the better burgers I've had overall.  Anita and I split the i ♥ bacon burger, which is a blend of ground sirloin and applewood-smoked bacon, topped with crispy bacon, bacon mayo, smoked gouda, & onion strings, all on a brioche bun.  And yes, we had the fried pickles, one of our all-time favorite sides. Super yummy!  We also had the parmesan garlic fries, a good choice for the fry lover in your group.  We splurged and had the Fremont Street Sampler - Fried Oreos and Twinkies. Need I say more?

March 2012 - Fatburger and munchbar
The last time I went to Vegas was just this past Spring Break and this time I went with my two college roomies to celebrate our birthdays.  
While we were waiting for Kim and Justin to arrive, Diane and I decided a burger was in order.  We headed down to Fatburger, at the other end of the Strip, near the MGM Grand.  I think Fatburger is a West Coast thing, kind of like In-and-Out. And I've had more than one person tell me I should try it. But to be perfectly honest, I wasn't that big of a fan. I don't really like my burgers well done and that's what this one was. In fact, it kind of reminded me of the burgers at Goff's...charred and well-done. And, for a fast food burger, it was pretty pricey.  Definitely my least favorite out of the four burgers I've had in Vegas.

We also had a Munch Burger at munchbar in Caesar's.  It's right next to Pure, which makes it the perfect stop after dancing the night away.  It might have been because we were famished and because it was late, late at night, but the Munch Burger is pretty darn fabulous!  It comes with melted cheddar, tomatoes, pickles, onions, shredded romaine, and “fancy sauce.”. I didn't figure out what the fancy sauce was, but it really didn't matter...great burger!  And the burger comes with a stupid amount of fries, which were also incredibly tasty.  On a side note, munchbar has also grilled cheese sandwiches, which I've heard are just as fabulous.  Unfortunately I didn't have the chance to try it, but it is on my to-do for next time

Sorry, no pics of any of these burgers.  I know I have them somewhere...I just have to keep looking.  If you have any Las Vegas burger recommendations for me, please make a comment on this blog. You never know when I'll get the urge to go.