Stratos - August 1, 2011

Last week's burger rave took our intrepid group to Nick Rizo's restaurant Stratos which specializes in Greek food. Greek specialties include gyros, soulvaki, moussaka and spanakopita. When we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by a friendly hostess and seated at a marble topped table near the main bar. Our server took our drink orders and I ordered Max's Greek Burger cooked medium rare which featured sauteed red onions and feta cheese and cost $9.99 on the menu. This isn't my normal choice of burgers but I was interested to taste the speciality burger of the house. About ten minutes later, the following burger was served to me:





The half pound patty was placed on top of a lightly toasted hamburger bun and and few slices of barely caramelized red onion. The patty was then topped with a generous handful of feta cheese and then topped with the buttered top bun. I was a little leery at first at the amount of feta cheese on the burger but taking my first bite I was pleasantly surprised at the earthiness of the feta cheese. The hamburger patty appeared to be a frozen patty which had been cooked over open flame but it was fairly juicy and cooked to a nice medium temperature. The patty was seasoned lightly and worked well in each bite with the cheese. I was slightly disappointed in the amount and doneness of the sauteed onion. I would have expect slightly more caramelization on the onions but instead they were crispy with a slight amount of warmth from cooking. The hamburger bun was a typical Mrs. Baird style bun but it had a nice crunch from being buttered and toasted and it held up well to the patty and feta cheese. Finally the fries were battered and seasoned fries and were cooked to a nice crunch but they were nothing special and were very similar tasting to Arby's curly fries.

Overall, I thought that Stratos served a decent burger. I probably wouldn't order it again as I enjoy the Meat Lovers Gyro much better; however if you aren't an Gyro fan, the burger is a good choice for lunch or dinner. I will be back to Stratos to enjoy their daily drink specials and Greek specialties but for now I won't be ordering another cheeseburger.

Ratings (1-25:)

Bun - 19, nicely toasted; held up well while eating the burger

Meat - 19, cooked well, good flavor, would have liked a non-frozen patty

Appearance - 19, nice contrast of feta cheese, sauteed onions and patty

Taste - 18, decent flavors, cooked well; feta added a different flavor to the burger

Overall - 75

Bonus Pictures of regular cheeseburger and Dancing Cow :)

Company Cafe - July 5, 2011

This week's burger quest took us to Lower Greenville to visit Company Cafe. The menu at Company Cafe features natural fresh items that strive to be organic and healthy. Items on the menu include burgers, ground beef and vegetarian tacos, a gluten-free chicken fried steak, salads and steak frites featuring grass-fed beef. When we entered the restaurant, we were told to sit at any open table and after sitting, our server took our drink and lunch orders. I ordered the Belmont Burger cooked medium with raw cheddar cheese and bacon which cost $12. A few minutes later the following burger was placed in front of me:



The first thing that I noticed was that the burger was served on Texas toast which was a little unexpected but gave the burger an interesting twist. Our server told us that they serve all the burgers on their Challah bread unless we wanted a gluten-free bagel. The lettuce and tomato on the burger was very fresh and made a nice side salad to go along with the sweet potato fries. The thick hand-formed patty was placed on top of the bottom slice of toast and then two slices of bacon were placed on top of the patty. Both meats were then topped with a slice of melted cheddar cheese. Taking a bite of the burger, I really liked the Challah toast and the texture that it added to each bite of the burger. I thought that the patty was very juicy and cooked perfectly but overall the patty really didn't have much flavor. The cheese and bacon complimented the burger well but the grass fed beef could have used a little more seasoning. A little more fat content to the beef might have helped as well. The bacon was two slices that had been applewood smoked and cooked crispy before placing on the burger. Finally the sweet potato fries were cooked perfectly in olive oil and lightly seasoned. Normally I don't order sweet potato fries but I really enjoyed these fries and I have a feeling they work really well in the loaded fries which cover them in melted cheese, bacon, green onions and jalapenos.


Overall I thought that Company Cafe prepared a fresh healthy burger. The Challah toast and fries were my favorite part of the burger but it is nice to know that there is a healthier choice for a burger in Dallas. I look forward to trying the Challah French Toast in the future and will return to Company Cafe in the future to try their other menu items.


Ratings (1-25:)


Bun - 21, loved the Challah bread Texas toast, great flavor


Meat - 18, great bacon, patty needed more seasoning and fat content


Appearance - 19, good looking burger, fresh ingredients


Taste - 18, healthier burger but still juicy, cooked well, fries and vegtables were flavorful


Overall - 76

Top Golf Dallas - June 30, 2011

Last week's burger quest took us to the Dallas location of Top Golf which is located on Park Lane near Abrams Road. The menu at Top Golf features a variety of sandwiches, burgers, pizza, breakfast items including Migas and granola with Greek yogurt, appetizers and a specialty golf themed drinks. After we hit a bucket of balls, we went to the open dining area on the first floor where we seated at a table and our server took our drink orders. Upon returning with my iced tea, I orderd the bacon cheddar burger cooked medium. About ten minutes later the following burger was placed in front of me:




I liked the presentation of the burger and I could smell the aromas from the hamburger patty and bacon. The fries were lightly salted and then topped with chopped herbs. The sesame seed bun was lightly toasted and the thick half pound patty was placed on the bottom bun. Two slices of bacon were placed on top of the patty which was then covered with melted cheddar cheese. The top bun was then slathered with mayonaise and placed on top. I took my first bite and enjoyed the juicy patty that had been seasoned with salt and pepper and the smoky peppery bacon. The melted cheddar added a nice texture and earthiness to each bite of the burger. The bun held up well with each bite of the burger and was light and fluffy and had a good flavor. Finally the fries were hot and crispy and had a great salty flavor with each bite. The chopped herbs really didn't add anything to them but looked nice on top.


Overall I thought that Top Golf served a pretty good burger. The ingredients were good quality and the hamburger was seasoned well. I really enjoyed the flavor of the bacon and the cheddar. It is not a burger that I will crave over and over but it is a great choice after hitting a bucket or two of balls.


Ratings (1-25:)


Bun - 19, lightly toasted, light and fluffy


Meat - 19, nicely seasoned, juicy patty, thick crispy bacon


Appearance - 20, fresh ingredients, cheese melted over bacon and patty


Taste - 19, good flavors, well cooked


Overall - 77