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).