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Wednesday, Jul. 15, 2009
Burger Battle upsets: Judges pick Dutch's over Charleys; Whataburger falls to Mooyah
Burger Battle upsets: Judges pick Dutch's over Charleys; Whataburger falls to Mooyah
DFW.com Staff
DFW.com/Ralph Lauer
Fred's serves up the most Bodacious burger, The Diablo with Jalapenos, cheese and a mess of fries.
DFW.com
The Love Shack's signature burger is even called the Dirty Love Burger -- but don't dare call the place dirty.
DFW.com
The bacon cheeseburger, front, and California avocado burger are signature burgers at OC Burgers in Watauga.
Two weeks ago we introduced our Battle of the Burgers bracket, which included 32 of the best in DFW. Last week, we revealed the results from the first half of the first-round matchups. We now reveal the second half, along with how you, the reader, voted.
Whether you voted or not, be sure to vote in Round 2! It's online now! Deadline: July 27. Click here to go to the reader bracket and vote.
3. Charley's vs. 6. Dutch's
Judges' Choice: Dutch's
It's easy to see why Charley's is beloved: From the lo-fi window service, to the scuffy picnic tables, to the burgers themselves, which arrive in a (grease-soaked) paper wrapper, this place launches you back to a no-frills era of good, cheap eats. The problem for Charley’s: It squared off against Dutch's, the brainchild of chefs Grady Spears and Lou Lambert, a place that elevates the hamburger to a gourmet experience. The patty is beautifully seasoned, the cheese melts perfectly into the meat — and the bun sends it sailing straight over the top. Thick and starchy with a gently sweet kick, it brings all of the flavors together triumphantly. Call it pretentious. Call it nouveau. We call it damn good. And the winner in this tough matchup.
Readers' Choice: Charley's
2. Fred's Texas Cafe vs. 7. Trailboss Burgers
Judges' Choice: Fred's
When our Fredburger arrived with a receipt on top, bled through with grease, we cringed. But once we sunk our fangs into the thick, obviously juicy 1/2-pound patty (from "100 percent pure Texas-raised ground beef"), we forgot all about that, and the sheen of grease on the bun lid. Our favorite part was the generous chunk of gorgeously melted American cheese -- cut off of a block. In comparison, the double-pattied Trailboss was a disappointment. It was moist, but with an inferior quality of beef, the Trailboss reminded us of the burgers at a little league concession stand. Nothing wrong with that, in fact it's kinda sweet, but the Boss just isn’t tough enough to knock off Fred's.
Readers' Choice: Fred's
1. Kincaid’s vs. 8. M&O Station Grill
Judges' Choice: Kincaid’s
Even if you think Kincaid’s is a tad overrated, there’s no denying that it serves up an effective, middle-of-the-road burger: juicy patties, melted cheese, sturdy but none-too-bready buns, onions, tomato, lettuce and a tangy smear of mustard all blend into a seamless whole. M&O’s Original burger is similar in style to Kincaid’s (it adds mayo), but the execution is uneven. Our bun came out a tad too grilled; the chef also went a little heavy on the mayo. M&O remains an impressive upstart, but it has a ways to go before it approaches the old-school mastery of Kincaid’s.
Readers' Choice: M&O Grill
4. Love Shack vs. 5. Tommy’s
Judges' Choice: Love Shack
This was a showdown between old and new, chefly style vs. staunch tradition, and it was nearly impossible to pick a winner. The Dirty Love burger is a triumph of tastes: prime tenderloin and brisket, peppery bacon and a light quail egg blend nicely (we could have done without the shredded lettuce and love sauce). But Tommy’s is a juicy 1/2-pounder with great flavor, perfectly melted cheese, jalapeños and a heavenly bun. We nearly keeled over having to make a choice, but the nod goes to ... Love Shack. (Can’t we declare ties?)
Readers' Choice: Tommy's
3. Fuddruckers vs. Burger Street
Judges' Choice: Fuddruckers
Not as big a blowout as you might expect, because Burger Street grills up a well-seasoned, unfussy burger. The veggies are fresh, the meat tasty and the bacon plentiful. But Fuddruckers is simply playing in a different league. Our medium-rare Southwest burger was big and sturdy, tender and tasty, and the pepper jack cheese enhanced the beef without overpowering it. The buns, made on-site, were heavenly, too. On top of that, Fuddruckers is a control freak's dream because you can pick the size patty you want (1/3, 1/2 or 1 pound) and the way you want it cooked, and go wild at the self-serve fresh-toppings bar. Slam-dunk victory for Fudds.
Readers' Choice: Fuddruckers
2. Whataburger vs. Mooyah
Judges' Choice: Mooyah
We’re very sensitive to Whataburger’s sacred-cow factor, and as fast-food burgers go, this is about as good as it gets ... especially at 2 a.m. But Mooyah’s flavorful freshness outshines Whataburger’s consistent, customizable reliability. As you bring a Mooyah cheeseburger to your face, you can smell the fresh-baked bun, and as you bite into its juicy, perfectly balanced contents, you can taste everything that makes it so special — melted cheese, pickles that resemble the cucumbers they once were and tomatoes that are bright red and taste like, well, tomatoes. Whataburger is a beacon of late-night joy, but what’s between those doughy-white buns just doesn’t whet the palate quite like what we discovered at North Texas newcomer Mooyah.
Readers' Choice: Whataburger
1. Pappas Burgers (Fort Worth) vs. 8. Chapps (N. Richland Hills)
Judges' Choice: Pappas
Without question, Chapps makes a solid burger (though our bun was just a wee bit dry). And it defeats Pappas on the tidiness front. But unfortunately for Chapps, Pappas’ beef patty is so succulent, perfectly seasoned and moist, it would be an exceptional meal even if it stood alone as a naked steak. It’s hard to imagine anything displacing Pappas.
Readers' Choice: Pappas
4. Steak 'n Shake (Fort Worth) vs. 5. Red Robin (Hurst)
Judges' Choice: Red Robin
Two of the most accomplished burger chains in the country squared off in a thrilling matchup. Steak ’n Shake’s scrumptious “steakburger” is a remarkable value ($3.99 with fries). But the Red Robin gourmet cheeseburger was a feat of elegant construction and unexpectedly fresh-tasting ingredients, including a generous (but not overpowering) hunk of Cheddar cheese and a sweet and tangy pickle relish. The price ($8.49) is on the high end, but the burger delivers triumphantly; don’t be surprised if Red Robin ends up sweeping this bracket.
Readers' Choice: Red Robin
3. Jakes vs. Burguesa Burgers
Judges' Choice: Jakes
Jakes ended up winning this in a cakewalk, but not for the reasons you might think. Judging just on the merits of its patties and cheese, a symphony of the savory, salty and greasy, the Latin-themed upstart Burguesa might have triumphed over the Dallas powerhouse. But following the rules of the Showdown, we ordered the house special at each spot — and Burguesa’s La Monumental proves to be a junked-up mess of avocado, refried beans, ham and a crunchy tostada; there’s so many flavors and textures clashing that you lose sight of the actual burger. The Jakes Special is a straightforward double-meat burger with a nice tangy kick, courtesy of some Thousand Island dressing. It might not pack the biggest punch of the burgers we’ve tackled so far, but it gets the job done splendidly.
Readers' Choice: Jakes
2. Keller's Drive-In vs. 7. Burger House
Judges' Choice: Keller's Drive-In
As a nonflashy drive-in, Keller's sets the stage for a simple, old-fashioned experience, and what you get is a piping hot piece of heaven on a poppy-seed bun that’s gone in seven bites. Burger House’s offering is from the same school of thin-patty simplicity, but it’s served on a sesame-seed bun. We prefer sesame seeds ... so why does Keller’s win? Three words for Burger House: Too. Much. Mustard. A little makes our day; a big, cold glop makes us grimace. So we’re sticking with Keller's, even though we’ll be picking poppy seeds off our passenger seat till October.
Readers' Choice: Keller's Drive-In
1. Twisted Root vs. 8. Goff’s
Judges' Choice: Twisted Root
Goff’s, a Dallas favorite for 50-plus years, recommended a “#9 with cheese and #2 sauce.” The sauce was a lovely hickory-smoked concoction. Spread atop a char-grilled burger, piled with chopped iceberg lettuce, pink tomato slices (we passed on the relish sauce) and fat chunks of grated Cheddar, it was a yummy taste explosion. But so was Twisted Root’s burger, thanks to the marriage of two luscious toppings: blue cheese, melting soulfully into a larger dollop of tangy buffalo sauce. But when the beef stood alone, ungarnished, Goff’s was a bit flat next to the Root’s perfectly seasoned, peppery patty.
Readers' Choice: Twisted Root
4. Scotty P's vs. 5. Wingfield's
Judges' Choice: Scotty P's
We can understand why our friends at D Magazine rated Wingfield’s burger as the best in Dallas. It's a hard sandwich to forget because it’s extreme in every way -- extremely aromatic, extremely enormous, extremely greasy. Unfortunately, bigger is not always better in burger world, and we found Wingfield’s one-way ticket to cardiac arrest to be downright unappetizing. Meanwhile, Scotty P’s shows that reining it in can produce delicious results. Major points for a perfectly buttered toasted bun that crunches with every bite. The more we ate, the hungrier we got.
Readers' Choice: Scotty P's
MID-CITIES, ARLINGTON & BEYOND BRACKET
3. Al's Hamburgers vs. 6. Jackson's Grocery and Grill
Judges' Choice: Al's
If there is a burger no-no, it may be unmelted cheese. Especially two sweaty slabs of Velveeta. This was the undoing of Jackson’s Giant Burger, a tasty half-pounder generously priced (just over $5 with fries and drink) and with nice trimmings. But the Velveeta was such an affront, the positives could not outweigh that big negative. Al’s, on the other hand, served up a double cheeseburger that was oozing with real cheese. The Arlington burger institution also provides nice fresh veggies, but its double thin patties were lacking a bit of flavor. Let’s call Al’s what it is: solid but not spectacular, with no Velveeta anywhere in sight.
Readers' Choice: Al's
2. Johnny B's vs. 7. Clown Burger
Judges' Choice: Johnny B's
Clown Burger’s quirky, small, community ambience was a perfect match for its tasty, thin, wiiiide double patties. With the beef’s slightly crispy edges (can we get a yum?), it reminded us of a bigger, more down-home version of a Steak 'n Shake burger. That’s why it was a worthy opponent for Johnny B’s double cheeseburger: two succulent beef patties smothered in American cheese and sandwiched between a grilled sourdough bun, which had a pleasant if oddly familiar sweet taste (we kind of wish we didn’t now know that came from a brush of margarine). But in the end, Johnny B’s made us drool just a bit more.
Readers' Choice: Johnny B's
1. Five Guys vs. 8. Airways
Judges' Choice: Five Guys
Everything about the Five Guys cheeseburger is exceptional. From the perfectly cooked double thin patties encased in melted cheese to the incredibly fresh toppings (kudos for having fresh, not pickled, jalapeños), this burger hit on every level. There was a bit of a bun breach, but the messiness was worth it. Airways billed its charcoal-grilled burger as having “less fat and less cholesterol,” and it definitely delivered on the char flavor (Burger King, anyone?). Otherwise, it was an ordinary burger that needed to be extraordinary to topple Five Guys.
Readers' Choice: Five Guys
4. OC Burgers vs. 5. Denton County Independent Hamburger Co.
Judges' Choice: OC Burgers
Denton County’s finest is a big ol’ charbroiled burger with shredded Cheddar and bacon. Very tasty. But the California avocado burger at OC Burgers, the surf shack/burger joint it’s a restaurant, not a standin Watauga, is simply awesome: Juicy, charbroiled double meat patties, melted cheese, lots of creamy avocados and a secret sauce that did not taste like that cloying Thousand Island dressing made for one of the best burgers we’ve had ever. Watch out, Five Guys, in the next round.
Readers' Choice: OC Burgers
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