Friday, January 24, 2014

THE MAGICAL MYSTERY BURGER TOUR! - Haystack Burgers



Tom* decided that the Lunch Bunch needed a new 2014 dining goal.  As such, he cultivated a list from Yelp.com of the top locally owned, non-chain, minimum four star burger spots in Richardson.  This would be called THE MAGICAL MYSTERY BURGER TOUR!  The first on the list … Haystack Burgers off Belt Line and the 75. (Yes, I still say “the” before a freeway number. It’s the SoCal girl in me.)

It was an incredibly cold and windy day, so the first joke out of our mouths was whether we should eat on the patio.  It was decent sized and I’m sure lovely on a Spring day, but definitely not today.  We walked in and were greeted with a great atmosphere. Woodsy counter tops, paintings on the walls of goats, fake boar heads, steel/aluminum chair rails and funky green chandeliers (you gotta get yourself a shan-da-leeer! Like this one! Or dat one!)
 

Instead of ordering “The Haystack”, their specialty which comes with onions, cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon, BBQ sauce and the usual burger fixings (just say no to BBQ sauce), I decided to build my own.  This monstrosity, here forth known as “The G”, included avocado, Swiss cheese, haystack onions, bacon, and all the fixings. I also included a side order of haystack onions and fries, what they call the “Half/Half”, to be shared with Pintrish (formally known as Trish the Dish). Also, they have a very long and diverse beer list, but I couldn’t read it all in time.  Looks like they have a good selection on tap too.

 
 
We collected our drinks (note they have Cherry Coke!)  along with CLOTH napkins and a choice of regular or chipotle ketchup. I was very excited about the large cloth napkins.  Used one on my lap and one as a bib; the chances of me spilling something on my chest are very, very great. They have that really cool slush/crunch ice, but the straws are a little too skinny and get clogged by the ice quickly. But that is acceptable because the seating allows for individual or large groups, so you can easily accommodate 2 or 7 in your party.

The food arrived.  Pintrish and I mao-ed on the fries and haystack onions; these came with a spicy ranch and a dip that is similar to what you’d find with blooming onions. 


I cut my burger in half because it was too big and clumsy for me to eat whole. Terribly delicious and prepared at a perfect medium. I finished the whole thing (sorry diet) and had a pleasant food belly – not burger coma.

All in all, fantastic place and will come back for more! Next time with BEER!

Ambiance – 7 (a little bit eclectic and modern at the same time.)
Burger – 8
Cleanliness – 8
Drinks – 8
Location -8
Misc. – 10 (CLOTH NAPKINS!)
Restroom – 5 (did not visit the restroom so I’m giving it an average.)
Sides – 7 (was not a huge fan of the onions or fried pickles that Laura got. The fries were okay.)
Staff – 8 (friendly, family owned)

Bonus points - 5 (good usage of promoting their social media and with a discount!)
 TOTAL SCORE: 74 of a possible 100. 

I may revisit this score based on the rest of the burger joints on the tour.  Especially as I am sure their restroom was fine and we all really enjoyed ourselves.

Right now, we just need Andy to come up with our logo for THE MAGICAL MYSTERY BURGER TOUR!… get on it Andy!

*Who picked up the new nickname "Scro" at lunch. Confidentiality clauses and non-disclosure agreements prevent me from revealing why. 

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