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.
