Burgers

Annie Gunn’s

by Stephanie on April 6, 2012

in American, Burgers, Dinner, Steakhouse

Howdy! Remember when I visited Annie Gunn’s for the Bread Pudding Challenge? Let me refresh your memory:

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Banana Bread Pudding, drowning in caramel sauce. Yum.

Well, while I visited Annie Gunn’s, I also had some savory food. As much as I’d love to eat a huge hunk of bread pudding for lunch, I knew that I needed to get some ‘real’ food into my system first.

I pored over the menu. While Annie Gunn’s is best known for their steaks, I wasn’t in the mood for something quite that heavy. I went with the next best thing – a hamburger!

Annie Gunn’s offers a number of different burgers (and even a mini burger for mini appetites!). I went with Annie Gunn’s Hamburger Special Blend. Freshly ground prime striploin, ribeye, angus tenderloin and brisket made up this unique burger. I ordered it topped with pepperjack cheese and bacon, of course Winking smile

 

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Looks pretty amazing, right? It was served with a side of fantastic french fries. Seriously…those babies were amazing!

But back to the burger.

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I ordered it cooked medium, as usual.

 

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They actually did a pretty decent job! I prefer my burger a tiny bit pinker, though. Maybe I should start ordering my burgers medium rare?

In any event, my burger was delicious. It was juicy and flavorful. The cheese and bacon added a wonderful touch. And you know I had to top it was BBQ sauce too, right? Smile Uh. May. Zing.

Service at Annie Gunn’s was a little less than stellar, to be completely honest. I was surprised – I expected a restaurant of this caliber to have flawless service.

First strike? My waitress didn’t acknowledge me until 10 minutes after I was seated! Unacceptable.

Strike two: when she finally did acknowledge me, she asked me if I would like a menu. Say what? This question would make sense if I was seated at the bar, but I wasn’t – I was at a table in the dining room. Why wouldn’t I want to see a menu? Weird question, and it was a little off-putting.

Another slight annoyance: no bread was brought to my table. I realized that every other table around me had bread, while I was left breadless. By the time my waitress came around, she had my burger in hand, so I didn’t mention the absence of bread. Not a big deal, but I was disappointed that the attention to detail wasn’t completely there.

These comments are not to bash Annie Gunn’s or try to dissuade anyone from visiting the restaurant. It’s a pretty good restaurant, and I would probably go back. But the service is something that left a bad taste in my mouth, and I feel that it’s only fair that I mention it.

Again, aside from the spotty service, Annie Gunn’s did a pretty decent job. And the food was near perfect, which is all that this food blogger can ask for. Winking smile

See you next week!

{ 3 comments }

Hamburger Mary’s

by Stephanie on March 30, 2012

in American, Burgers, Dinner, Lunch

If I had to pick one thing that I’m obsessed with (other than food, of course!) it would definitely be St. Louis University.

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I graduated from SLU in 2007 with a bachelors in Chemistry.

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I guess if you’d really like to be technical about it, I graduated a semester early, in December of 2006. But I walked in May of 2007, because I wanted to experience graduation with the rest of my friends.

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I’m obsessed with my alma mater. I sing the praises of my school all the time, and I get teary eyed every time I drive by campus. College was, hands down, the best 4 years of my life. Period.

Needless to say, there were a few tears a few weeks ago when I visited this place:

 

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Hamburger Mary’s! This place is literally a hop, skip, and jump from SLU. See? There was a point to all of that SLU talk! Winking smile

It just opened a few months ago, and I was excited to try it. My mom and sister joined me for a girl’s lunch.

From the moment you walk through the doors of Hamburger Mary’s, you know that it’s going to be fun.

Hi, Mary!

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The place itself is spacious, colorful, and a little quirky.

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And it was pretty busy for a Sunday afternoon! I guess we weren’t the only ones who wanted to pay Mary a visit.

Enough of the jabber – let’s talk about food!

My sister ordered the hot wings, paired with “Hell Mary” sauce – the hottest (other choices included BBQ and MoJo – a sort of sweet and smoky sauce). I suppose the love of spicy foods runs in the family! Winking smile 

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The portion was quite generous. I sampled a wing, and it was hot. Not Pearl Café Level 50 hot, but it definitely packed a punch! They were juicy and quite delicious.

Staying with the chicken theme, my mom ordered the Love Me Tenders – hand breaded chicken tenders served with your choice of BBQ, ranch, or honey mustard sauce.

 

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Our server was nice enough to give her BBQ, ranch, and a side of MoJo sauce. I tried all three, and I enjoyed the BBQ sauce the most. It was sweet and smoky, just how I like it! My mom enjoyed her chicken strips. I didn’t sample them, but they certainly looked (and smelled) delicious!

She also ordered a side of french fries:

 

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Hot, crispy, and delicious. You really can’t screw up a french fry. Or can you?

For my entrée, I went with The Spicy Mary hamburger with a side of fries.

 

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The Spicy Mary contained blackened seasoning, and was topped with spicy MoJo hot sauce, jalapeno peppers, melted jack cheese, lettuce, and pickles.

I ordered my hamburger cooked medium, and it was perfectly pink in the middle. Perfect.

Aside from being the perfect level of doneness for me, the burger was quite tasty! I wasn’t a fan of the bun at all – it kept falling apart – but the rest of the burger was awesome. The components worked together beautifully, and it stayed true to its name; it was very spicy!

Finally, it was time for dessert. We all agreed that the deep fried twinkies sounded the most interesting. They were supposed to be paired with a sweet raspberry dipping sauce and whipped cream, but the restaurant was all out of raspberry sauce. Boo. We settled with the whipped cream.

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These were a little burnt on the bottoms, which detracted from the experience a bit, but other than that, they were pretty good! It tasted sort of like a funnel cake. Two fat thumbs up!

Overall, Hamburger Mary’s was decent. Was any of the food mindblowing? Not really. But I enjoyed everything, and I wouldn’t mind coming back. It’s too bad this place wasn’t around when I was a student at SLU – I would have paid Mary plenty of visits, I’m sure!

See you next week!

{ 9 comments }

The Fatted Calf

by Stephanie on March 9, 2012

in American, Burgers, Lunch

A few weeks ago, I visited The Fatted Calf, a burger spot in Clayton. It was the trip that almost wasn’t. Why? Because last June, due to low sales, The Fatted Calf was set to close. For this 45 year old restaurant, it was a big deal. To some, it was a St. Louis institution!

By some miracle (increased publicity, perhaps?), shortly after that St. Louis Post Dispatch article was posted, the attendance at the burger joint really beefed up (get it? Beefed up? Okay, I’ll stop with the corny jokes…).

Anyway, I made a mental note to check out The Fatted Calf, and a few weeks ago, I finally got my chance. 1a918e6ac82f85a4d9f9c5f0e7722278

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I arrived with a few friends right as they opened. Smart move. The small restaurant started filling up quickly afterwards!

I pored over the menu and finally settled on their signature Calf Burger. This 1/3 pound burger is made with charbroiled angus beef and served on a toasted sesame seed bun. I ordered it with lettuce, onion, tomato, bacon, and The Fatted Calf’s famous soft cheddar.

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Oh, and I ordered a side of steak fries as well. You can’t have a burger without french fries!

 

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The burger itself was amazing. I ordered it cooked medium, and it was perfect. I wish I would have taken a picture of how perfectly pink the middle was. Few burger joints get it right, but The Fatted Calf was spot on! Oh, and the soft cheddar? Fantastic. It was rich and creamy…it took this burger to the next level! Oh, and my fries were hot and crispy and tasted wonderful drenched in ketchup.

At the Fatted Calf, you order at the front, grab a number for your table, and the food is delivered to you. It’s not a typical sit-down restaurant, so I can’t comment on the service. Prices, however, were reasonable! My burger and fries were less than $10. Awesome.

I highly recommend The Fatted Calf for a quick and delicious burger. I can’t wait to come back!

See you next week with another fun review Smile

{ 4 comments }

Bailey’s Range

by Stephanie on December 16, 2011

in American, Burgers, Dinner, Lunch

Good morning and happy Friday! I hope your December is going well and you’re staying nice and warm. Me? Well, I’m already sick of this weather. Is it spring yet?

On to happier subjects. Let’s talk about food! I recently went to Bailey’s Range; this new-ish burger joint is owned by the same man behind Bailey’s Chocolate Bar, Rooster, and Bridge Tap House!

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A place that specializes in burgers and shakes? How could I not adore a place like this! I also fell in love with the interior. Bailey’s Range is located in a gorgeous 2 story loft-like building downtown.

 

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I sat on the second floor, which gave me a great view of the entire place. Look at this neat community table on the first floor!

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How cool. Smile

Enough of the scenery – let’s talk about the food! I pored over the drink menu first. And then…this caught my eye.

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Do you see what I see? Sweet Sweet Bacon? A bacon shake? A BACON SHAKE?!

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You better believe it.

I was super excited about trying the shake, but unfortunately, it failed to meet my high expectations. The ice cream was too runny (not thick and shake-like at all!) and there was way too much booze in this baby. In fact, the bourbon was all I could taste! No bueno. Sad smile

After the disappointment of the shake wore off, I was ready to dive into a burger. I decided to roll with the Pork & Apple Burger – a ground pork patty, apple butter, bacon, smoky blue cheese, and chipotle aioli.

 

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With a side of fries, of course. Smile

 

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First things first: the burger. Oh my goodness, you guys. This burger was fantastic. Hot, juicy, and flavorful. Every component of the burger worked well. I enjoyed the soft (and freshly made!) bun, the creaminess of the blue cheese, the crisp bacon. It was all so good.

And the fries! Oh, those fries. They were super crispy, hot, and again – delicious. The dipping sauces (rooster sauce on the left, BBQ sauce on the right) were fantastic as well, especially the Rooster sauce. I’m not sure exactly what is in the Rooster sauce (it’s mayo based), but it was, hands down, the best condiment I’ve had in a while. So good!

Service at Bailey’s Range was fantastic. And the prices weren’t too expensive, either!

Needless to say, I’ll definitely be back to Bailey’s. They have a wide variety of burgers to choose from, and even though my shake was a failure, everything else was tasty enough for me to return.

See you next week!

{ 4 comments }

Epic Pizza & Subs

by Stephanie on December 9, 2011

in American, Burgers, Dinner, Lunch, Pizza

Oh. My. Gosh.

So I have a little blogging secret.

When I visit a restaurant, I take loads of pictures and write my review. I schedule the review to go up on the blog pretty well in advance. And since I only update the blog once a week (every Friday!), the reviews you read are usually from a visit I made a few weeks prior.

But with this place I’m about to talk about, I couldn’t wait a few weeks to write about it. I didn’t want to wait.

No. I had to talk about Epic Pizza & Subs right away. This cute little spot is located in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis.

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I visited Epic last night with my uncle.

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He’s friends with the owner, and he couldn’t stop raving about how good the pizza was. And if there’s one guy that really knows his food, it’s my uncle. He hasn’t steered me wrong. Ever. So when he suggested visiting the newly opened Epic Pizza, I was game. When do I ever turn down food? Answer: never.

The menu at Epic is pretty…well…epic.

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Lots of salads, sandwiches, sides, and pizza to choose from.

Everything sounded good, and we were hungry, so we sampled a bit of just about everything.

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Up first? The fries. These were garlic, parmesan, and herb fries. They were piping hot and delicious! I couldn’t get enough of these.

We also had cheese garlic bread:

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This was also fantastic! Cheesy, soft, warm, and delicious. This was a total carb fest. Have I mentioned how much I love carbs? Mmm.

Next up? Buffalo wings.

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These were spicy, which I loved. You all know how I feel about spicy food, right?

Can you believe we still had room for more food? We had mozzarella sticks next:

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These were super tasty, especially with the marinara sauce.

Our last appetizer? The garlic knots.

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I saved the best for last on purpose. These garlic knots were unbelievable. Unbelievable. They were soft, hot, cheesy, and super super garlicky. I’m so glad I wasn’t on a date! These were my absolute favorite.

After chatting and letting the food settle, we were ready for round two. Yes, there’s a round 2! We don’t play around. Obviously. Smile

We ordered an Epic Burger to share.

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The epic burger featured a blend of all natural ground beef, cheddar cheese (you can also choose American if that’s what you prefer), lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and Epic sauce. We ordered it cooked medium, and it was perfect. Juicy, flavorful, and thick! I loved it.

Oh, and what is epic sauce, you ask? Check this out:

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This amazing sauce featured a variety of spices, including dill and adobo peppers. And crack. I’m pretty sure the secret ingredient was crack. We couldn’t stop eating this. And you better believe that we dipped everything in here! So good.

And because we could visit a place called Epic Pizza & Subs without trying pizza, we ordered a small White pizza to sample:

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This had mozzarella, ricotta, and another cheese whose name escapes me. That’s not important. What is important is the fact that this pizza was terrific.

I think this had something to do with it:

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Check out that pizza oven! This monster cooks pizza in two minutes flat. Is that impressive or what? I had fun watching the guys play with the dough and bring the pizza to life.

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Yum. Who doesn’t love hand tossed pizza?

After all of this food, I could have rolled out of the place. But dessert beckoned. And who am I to say no to dessert?

We tried the gooey butter cake and New York Cheesecake first.

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The gooey butter cake was fantastic. My uncle and I couldn’t stop raving over how good this was. And they served it warm! I’ve never had warm gooey butter cake before, and now I’m afraid there’s no turning back. Do yourself a favor and order this. And make sure they serve it to you warm! So. Stinking. Good.

The cheesecake was amazing as well. Easily some of the best cheesecake I’ve had in my life. I especially loved the graham cracker crust. Perfect!

Just when I thought I couldn’t fit another morsel into my mouth, this comes out:

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Zeppole. This was a pastry that reminded me of a mix between funnel cake, a donut, and a cream puff. It was topped with caramel sauce and powdered sugar, and was filled with thick cream.

Service at Epic was attentive and speedy. Our food came out really quickly, and was always piping hot. And the prices were very reasonable. I absolutely recommend Epic Pizza & Subs. Two cheesy and garlicky thumbs up!

I’m still in shock at all of the food that we consumed. I have a feeling I’m going to be full for a very, very long time. Smile

See you next week!

{ 14 comments }

Let’s smash some burgers!

September 2, 2011

It’s Friday morning, and you’re craving some burgers, right? Right?! I knew it. I’m a mind reader, you know! Let’s hop to it. A few weeks ago, I was invited to the soft opening of Smashburger. It’s a small restaurant chain that has a few locations around the country. However, this was the first location [...]

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Life Isn’t Fair…

October 31, 2010

Okay, so before I even begin with this review, I’ll start with a disclaimer. If you’re: A. Overly sensitive to scathing reviews B. The owner of (the now-defunct) Newstead Tower Public House C. A huge fan of well-done burgers Then you might want to leave this page. Here’s a good option for you! I’m kidding [...]

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Burger Bar Blogger Bomb…

September 15, 2010

That’s a lotta B’s! I’ll explain it all, I promise! Anyway, me and Andy went to the Burger Bar @ Lumiere Place. No…I didn’t take a picture of the entrance (I’ll also explain that later!). The atmosphere is pretty run of the mill, so you’re not really missing much with a lack of picture, I [...]

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Seamus McDaniel’s

March 16, 2010

Okay, so I don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but when a couple of friends suggested that we go out for some down and dirty burgers, I HAD to pick Seamus McDaniel’s. It’s in St. Louis, MO, in the heart of Dogtown (our Irish district). I had never visited, but after hearing so many things about [...]

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