Red Cow- Take Three: Oskar Blues Event

The Red Cow has done it again. Quickly climbing to the top of the Minneapolis burger scene, the Red Cow continues to knock it out of the park with their inventive food and drink events. I have been fortunate enough to experience a few of these events, including the New Years Party and the one year anniversary of thier opening. Each time, the Red Cow offers an abounding assortment of new beers and great food.

This time around, Oskar Blues Brewery, based in Colorado, was featured in a one night event. Oskar Blues is a craft beer company that has the distinction of being one of the only craft brewers that exclusively can their beer rather than bottle it. From Dale’s Pale Ale to the Old Chub and Ten FIDY Imperial Stout, Oskar Blues aims to please every beer lover’s palate.

Oskar Blues, in addition to their brewery, also owns a Hops to Heifers farm. Here they feed the cows brewers mash, consisting of malted grains leftover from the brewing process. This ensures that the all natural Angus beef will be lean and tasty!

Obviously, the Red Cow couldn’t find a better match. At the special event, the Red Cow offered all of Oskar Blues’ brews as well as a new burger featuring beef from the Oskar Blues’ farm. This burger was appropriately named “Oskar Blues Burger.” And you may have already guessed that it is a black and blue burger: Freshly seared Oskar Blues’ beef topped with fresh bleu cheese and smothered with a rosemary and cracked pepper infused apricot jam. Tyler and I both decided to grab this limited special burger.

The food, surprisingly, only took a few minutes before it arrived in front of us. The smell of the beef and fresh fries filled the air. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the taste of the beef. The beef was buttery and left a smooth feel on the tongue. The apricot jam was straight forward in its flavor profile: the sweetness of the jam paired excellently with the rosemary and cracked pepper. The bleu cheese was a bit overpowering for me. I am not a huge fan of bleu cheese to begin with. Tyler, however, was not let down with the cheese whatsoever.

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Since I am not a huge beer fan I did not try any of Oskar Blues’ beer selections. Instead, I left that up to Tyler. Here’s what he has to say:

“I have tried a few brews from Oskar Blue in the past. The brewery had never really stood out to me until I tried the new and different beers that were offered at The Red Cow during the Oskar Blues event. I enjoyed two brews that evening: the Maker’s Mark Dale’s Pale and the G’Knight. Both were fantastic!”

“Of the two, I really enjoyed the G’Knight. It has a strong peach aroma and flavor to it, along with its dark red color. It is a smooth drinking beer with little to no bitter notes. It is somewhat reminiscent to the Shiner Holiday Cheer, but the overall tones are more developed and the peach flavor is less of a punch in the face. Definitely give this beer a try if you can find it. The G’Knight was a perfect pairing with the Oskar Blues Burger.”

Hats off again to the Red Cow and owner Luke Shimp.  If you have not yet been to the Red Cow, what are you waiting for?! Get up and get there ASAP! Your mouth can’t miss out on this amazing food. Even if you are not in the mood for a burger, there is plenty of great selections to please any person! My non-burger recommendations include the cheese curds with triple berry sauce, the pork belly sliders, or the shrimp tacos. Spread the word about one of the new best restaurants in Minneapolis!

Visit The Red Cow at:

Home May 2023

3624 West 50th Street,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
(612) 767-4411.

Hubcap Grill – Houston, TX

I recently made the long awaited visit to The Hubcap Grill in Houston, TX. The Hubcap Grill is a staple in the burger scene in Houston. Featured on many top burger lists, Hubcap Grill has a reputation that is second to none. They pride themselves on serving fantastic food and drinks while providing an atmosphere to please all.

I headed to the Hubcap Grill on a Saturday afternoon. As I pulled in to the dirt parking lot, I noticed that there was already a crowd gathering near the front. Crowds are most often a sign of one thing: good food.

The menu board hanging over the order window was daunting. There were so many choices. From simple to spectacular, all of the burgers sounded delicious. The Hubcap grill offers many novelty burgers, but if you’re a frequent reader you know I kept it simple. I ordered a double cheeseburger. Two 1/3 patties stacked with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and mayo.

I did, however, go for the novelty factor with the fries. I decided on the Hell Fries. Fresh cut potatoes covered with jalapenos, cayenne pepper, and sriracha mayo. Sounded spicy enough; I can’t wait.

Fortunately my burger was ready after about ten minutes. I grabbed my tray full of goodies and had a seat at a picnic table around the side of the building. I couldn’t help but grin at the sight of the burger. This was one of the biggest burgers I’ve ever come across. It must have stood 8 inches tall. The burger patties looked way bigger than I had anticipated. Add to that the thick tomato and onion, this burger was a behemoth.

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My first bite into the beast almost dislocated my jaw. I felt a little like Guy Fieri. I really had to concentrate on how to approach this burger. The flavor of the beef was beyond comparison. Buttery, airy, expertly seasoned and cooked to a perfect medium well. The cheese melted between the patties adding even more savoriness. The veggies were fresh and complimented well. I was impressed to say the least.

The Hell Fries were the bomb. Cut and fried fresh; Hot and spicy. No need to say more.

Now, don’t get me wrong, this food was AMAZING. But I came nowhere near close to finishing all of this. Between the burger and fries, there must have been three pounds of food on my tray. Be warned- the portions live up to the Texas standard.

Above all else, the atmosphere at the Hubcap Grill trumps that of any other burger joint in Houston. Order at the window, grab a cold beer or craft soda, and head around behind the building to a picnic table. The junkyard decor, mixed with the mishmash of picnic tables, makes for a relaxed setting. This is a great place to chill with friends and enjoy the great Texas weather.

If at all possible, don’t skip the Hubcap Grill!

Hubcap Grill
1133 W 19th St
Houston, TX 77008
(713) 862-0555

The Bulldog Northeast – Minneapolis, MN

I was recently referred to another local burger joint here in Minneapolis: The Bulldog Northeast. My cousin Charity had told me about her burger experience there. She was describing a burger that had peanut butter smothered on it and topped with bacon. That was not really the draw for me, but she did say one thing that made my ears perk up: Waygu Beef.

Waygu beef is comes from a specific breed of cattle. The cattle tend to yield beef that has a great deal of marbling. This type of marbling is sought after because it can give a wonderful flavor and texture to the beef.

The Bulldog has been around for quite a few years now. It has won several awards in local publications for its food. So I thought, “Why not give it a try?”

I headed to The Bulldog on a Saturday night with my friend Tyler. Here was our experience:

Bruce: I was impressed with the atmosphere of the bar as soon as we walked through the door. The bar was huge and the place was packed. It seemed to be the place to be in Northeast Minneapolis.

Tyler:*DON QUINN! Don Quinn was there at the Bulldog! The bar is gigantic and takes up most of the main eating area. We were not lucky enough or cool enough to be seated at the bar. When we were seated at a side table I looked over the beer menu and they had a good selection of local and regional beers. I ordered a Summit Winter Ale and Bruce ordered a Dr. Pepper. The drinks came rather quickly considering how busy the bar was.

Bruce: I decided on a bacon cheeseburger with fries. Any good burger restaurant should be able to cook up this bad boy perfectly. This seemed to be the safest choice on the burger list as well. The Bulldog offers several “novelty” burgers to the more adventurous diner.

Tyler: I laughed at Bruce and his simplistic burger while I ordered the Chorizo Burger. Our orders were in and we waited and waited and waited. Keep in mind that the restaurant was very busy (we got one of the last open tables) but during our wait no one came to ask how we were doing or if we needed a refill on our drinks. By the time Bruce had eaten the last ice cube in his long empty Dr. Pepper glass, HIS burger was placed in front of him… it looked and smelled fantastic.

Bruce: Totally. The burger looked nice and buttery and the fries smelled fantastic. I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into this bad boy. But, not wanting to be rude, I decided to hold off until Tyler’s burger arrived. It seemed strange that our burgers didn’t come out together. As the food runner set my burger down I could see it in his eyes- Tyler’s burger wasn’t coming anytime soon.

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Tyler: I stole a number of Bruce’s fries (satisfying fries but they lacked salt) while I waited and before long our waitress came back and said, “How are the burgers here?” I looked at her and then looked down at my invisible burger and said, “I don’t know.” The waitress ran off to find my burger and only ten minutes later it showed up. I started by tasting just the Waygu Beef by itself, it definitely tasted differently than your average burger but not different or better enough to be a big selling point. Upon first bite of the burger itself… I tasted no Chorizo. Chorizo should have a spicy porky flavor but his Chorizo Burger had none. The burger itself was good but nothing that I would order again. Bruce, what are your final thoughts on The Bulldog?

Bruce: It was average at best. The beef was overcooked and there was no noticeable difference in the waygu beef. I’ve had lesser quality beef taste better. To me a burger is only as good as it is prepared. Unfortunately, we hit the Bulldog on an off night. It has won numerous awards for its food, but we did not see that on our visit.

I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a trendy bar to hang out at. The bar itself looks like the place to be with lots of beer on tap. If you are hungry, grab some food, but skip the burger.

* Funny story: As we were leaving, a big group of people were coming in. One of the guys in the group looked me straight in the eye and said, “Sup Don!?” I continued to walk out the door and he just kept at it: “Don…DON! DON QUINN!!!”

The Bulldog (Northeast)
401 E Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 378-2855
http://www.thebulldognortheast.com/

Review Take Two: The Red Cow, Edina MN

Over the holidays I was fortunate enough to spend some time with my burger buddy Tyler. Tyler had previously done a guest review on The Red Cow back in October (Click here to read). So, instead of giving you the in’s and out’s of the joint, let’s jump straight in:

Tyler and I actually visited The Red Cow on two different occasions.  The first was a Saturday night and the second was on New Year’s Eve. This was great because I was able to try out several burgers on the menu.
Both nights we sat right at the bar. The bartenders were extremely friendly and very knowledgeable about the variety of beers and wines available as well as the food.

Up First: The Royale. I liked the name right off the bat. It reminded me of that car scene from PULP FICTION:

Vincent: And you know what they call a… a… a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
Jules: They don’t call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?
Vincent: No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn’t know what the f*** a Quarter Pounder is.
Jules: Then what do they call it?
Vincent: They call it a Royale with cheese.
Jules: A Royale with cheese. What do they call a Big Mac?
Vincent: Well, a Big Mac’s a Big Mac, but they call it le Big-Mac.
Jules: Le Big-Mac. Ha ha ha ha. What do they call a Whopper?
Vincent: I dunno, I didn’t go into Burger King.

This Royale came complete with a certified angus burger topped with pork belly, brie cheese, arugula, and tomato jam. It sounded interesting enough to me. The Royale sounded like an almost gourmet take on a bacon cheeseburger.

My first bite into the burger was a wonderful surprise. The beef was cooked masterfully. Medium-well cooked perfectly. The flavor of the beef was great by itself. Beautifully seasoned and seared to perfection.

But the rockstar of this burger was the pork belly. It was cut thick and the fattiness took the burger to flavor town. It gave off that great pork taste without adding any extra saltiness. Pork belly was an amazing departure from bacon.

The brie and the arugula added creaminess and spice to the burger. And the sweetness of the tomato jam closed out the entire flavor profile of this complex burger. My hat’s off to the chef. Bravo.

On my second visit I was able to try a special burger offered on the New Year’s Eve menu: The Oscar– a Pat LeFrieda burger topped with blue lump crab, asparagus spears, and a creamy Bearnaise sauce.

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This burger was over the top. Again, the beef was cooked to perfection. The blue lump crab had a fantastic freshness. The asparagus was cooked to a crunchy al dente. And the Bearnaise sauce tied it all together with a buttery kick to the mouth. The Oscar is like eating a surf ‘n turf (steak and seafood) meal all in one masterpiece of a burger.

I am floored by the talent in the kitchen. I have been to many burger places that claim they have the best burgers, or that they will cook the burger however you like it. But, the Red Cow certainly delivers on this promise. The kitchen staff knows what’s up.

If you have the chance, don’t miss out on one of the newest and greatest burger joints Minneapolis has to offer.

Also- if you get a chance, sign up for their e-club. For the price of a few emails, they will send you a free $10 gift certificate as well as a voucher for a free burger (any burger!) on your birthday.

Visit The Red Cow at:

Home May 2023

3624 West 50th Street,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
(612) 767-4411.

Tasty Burger- Harvard Square -Cambridge, MA

Harvard. The epitome of excellence all summed up in one name. This bustling college campus is known for its collegiate greatness. And located only a few steps away, in Harvard Square, is another establishment striving for greatness: Tasty Burger.

Tasty Burger doesn’t bury the lede when it comes to their product. Customers can only assume that they will have a tasty burger experience by the name alone. Does Tasty Burger live up to its name?

I headed to Tasty Burger for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. After exploring the city of Boston, and taking the train out to the Samuel Adams Brewery for a tour, I was starving. As I came out of the subway station, I had only one place in mind. I had walked past it a few times on my trip and was eager to try it. The bright red colors of the sign, the white open kitchen space, and the transparent floor to ceiling windows all set the stage for what looked like an amazing burger joint.

The first things I noticed when I walked through the door were the smell and the sound. Hot seared beef was sizzling loud enough to fill the restaurant with that wonderful noise. The smell of the meat and the hot fries filled the air. I ordered a bacon cheese burger, fries, and a Coke and took a seat. The food was ready after about 10 minutes.

The burger came wrapped in paper and the fries in a fry box all on a plastic red tray. So far so good. I unwrapped the burger and saw the melted cheese still bubbling on the hot beef. Yum. The bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion all stood tall. The bun was soft and toasted.

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Bite one: Buttery. The beef and the bun. My mouth was filled with a smooth buttery taste and feel. The beef was expertly seared to a medium-well. Nice crust, perfect texture, and the exact amount of red that I like in my burger. Everything about this burger satisfied my needs.

Tasty Burger has delivered on its promise of its namesake.

The fries were hot and crispy. I added ketchup this time just to change things up. No complaints.

This place is perfect for a quick lunch, or a late night snack to sober up. And college students rejoice: its not that expensive! With an enormous menu of burgers, dogs, chicken, fries, and shakes, Tasty Burger doesn’t disappoint. Order at the counter, or head downstairs for a few beers and table service. If you are in Boston take advantage of their 3 locations. You won’t regret it!

Tasty Burger
40 Jfk St
Cambridge, MA 02138

Fielding’s Wood Grill – The Woodlands, TX

The Woodlands has yet another new burger restaurant: Fielding’s Wood Grill. Founded on the principal of fresh ingredients and home-made everything, Fielding’s has set itself apart from the burger norm. Hormone-free angus beef served on freshly baked buns of all kinds are the staple on the menu at Fielding’s, but be aware of the hidden gems on the menu.

I headed to Fielding’s on a Friday evening. It had been open for roughly a month and I was totally unaware. Tucked behind a row of trees along Research Forest Drive, Fielding’s is almost invisible to the unaware. I wouldn’t have known it was even there if it weren’t for my GPS.

As we walked in we were immediately greeted by the hostess and she gave us a few minute wait time. After about 15 minutes we were seated. We had already looked at the menu, so ordering was quick.

I ordered the Smoke Burger: house grilled bacon, aged Italian provolone, oven dried tomatoes, grilled onions, fried egg, truffle bacon mustard, lettuce, all served on a milk bun. On the side I decided on the baked and fried potato.

Our food arrived at our table after about 15 minutes. Served on a small metal cookie pan covered with paper, the burger looked mouthwatering. The smell of the onion, bacon, and seared beef filled the air. I could see some bright yellow egg yolk running down the side.

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The burger itself was very well prepared. The bacon and Italian provolone was a nice savory note to pair with the truffle bacon mustard. The burger was delicious, but was also a hot mess to eat. The yolk from the egg proved to be too runny and soaked through to the bun. Once the yolk hit the lettuce and tomato, the burger became a slippery sandwich.

The fried potato proved to be a delicious alternative to standard french fries. The potato chunks were hot, fresh, and crispy!

I would recommend Fielding’s to anyone looking for a burger experience unlike most places. The atmosphere is wonderful and the food is good. It is, however, a little on the expensive side so don’t forget your wallet!

1699 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands (Shenandoah), Texas 77380

http://fieldings.com/

Shake Shack – New York City, New York

New York City- The city that never sleeps, literally. There are people crawling the streets at all hours of the day and night. It’s a busy city with busy people. My visit was no exception. I explored as much of the Big Apple as I could in the short time I was there. Food was almost a secondary thought to me. Between the cheap pizza, street food, and high end restaurants, there is no shortage of options in New York.

Late Friday night I was exploring Midtown with my friend Bernardo. Bernardo is from Colombia and this was his first visit to the United States. We spent a few hours taking in some iconic art at the Museum of Modern Art before walking up to Times Square. After trudging through the crowds of Times Square we were hungry. Most of the restaurants around that area are very commercial and overpriced so we walked a few blocks down to find something else.

As we approached the corner of 8th Ave and West 44th St, I saw the beautiful lights of Shake Shack. I had heard of Shake Shack previously, but have never seen one; And if there’s one to see it’s this one. The big bright lights are reminiscent of Las Vegas. It was busy and inviting all at the same time.

We looked over the menu and went inside to order. There was an usher at the door telling us to keep the line moving. My question was: Where? This place was packed! Burger lovers convened here and I was starting to see why. Rather, smell why. The thick aroma of freshly seared beef and hot fries filled the air. It was a wonderful departure from the cold, and sometimes stinky, air of the city.

I stepped up to the counter and ordered a double shack burger with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce, cheesy fries, and a Coke. Bernardo, who I didn’t realize was vegetarian, ordered a fried portobello mushroom burger.

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This is normally the part of my review where I say, “We took our seat and waited for our food.” But, this is New York City. There was no way there could ever be enough seats for the volume of people who visit this restaurant. Bernardo and I acted as eagles, dodging in and out of the crowd to find newly opened seats. And eventually we did. Our food was ready after about 10 minutes.

The burger was wonderfully crafted. The bright color of the tomato and lettuce indicated its freshness. The burger sent steam right up through the cheese, creating a gooey masterpiece. The fries were piping hot and smelled delicious. I took my first bite and was amazed at how well the meat was put together. It had a fantastic fluffiness, giving the beef room to breathe. It was cooked to a perfect medium-well (my favorite). The ShackSauce went mostly unnoticed to me as the beef and cheese are the powerhouse of this burger.

Bernardo was having a similar experience with his ‘shroom burger. In his best English he could muster up he said it was wonderful. And from what I could see, it looked like a decent sized mushroom cap, breaded and deep fried to a golden crisp. If I was a mushroom fan I would have dug right in.

The fries were thin, crispy, hot, and salted and covered in melted cheese. Perfection achieved.

The menu at Shake Shack is huge. There is definitely something for everyone. If you are in New York City and are looking for a good, moderately priced burger, head to Shake Shack. You won’t regret it.

UPDATE: Kelsey And I visited the recently opened Shake Shack at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN to do a review for Burger Radio! Tune into Episode 11 to hear our full review as well as a recap of this NYC visit! 

Click here to listen!
Subscribe to Burger Radio on iTunes and follow @BurgerRadioPod across all social media! 

Shake Shack
691 8th Ave
New York, NY 10036
(646) 435-0135

http://www.shakeshack.com

The Shack- Cypress, TX

The Shack is a fairly new burger joint in Cypress, TX. Located in the middle of no-man’s land, The Shack keeps customers coming back with their extensive burger menu, ample selection of beers, and unusually laid back atmosphere. Lets just say the entire experience is unusual.

The Shack; What an appropriate name.

I headed to The Shack with a few friends on a Saturday night. The weather was perfect for an outdoor adventure. When we arrived, I was surprised to see how many people were in the parking lot. The Shack is located in the middle of farmlands. It just seems out of place, and to have this many cars there was shocking. It took us about 5 minutes to get into the parking lot before settling the car down in an open muddy spot.

As we entered The Shack, we were greeted by the hostess and informed of an hour long wait. Seeing as it took us about that long to drive here, we decided to wait it out.

The wait only took about 20 minutes and we were seated at a picnic table just outside the back door. All of the seating at The Shack is outdoors. For this time of the year it was perfect weather; Almost on the verge of being cold!

Looking at the menu, I was astonished to see how many different burgers they had. All of their burgers are made from fresh beef and have a wonderful taste on their own. But, The Shack basks itself in the glory of novelty burgers. Out of 18 burgers currently on the menu, only a handful resemble regular hamburgers. With toppings ranging from Asian fusion brisket and Cheetos to caramlized bananas and Thai peanut sauce, The Shack has just the burger for everyone.

I chose the M’s Burger, Complete with Gruyere cheese, green onion, and slab bacon. I’m not the biggest fan of novelty burgers and I wanted to see what kind of flavor this place was capable of dealing out. Plus, I just really like to say Gruyere. “GRUYERE”. Classy.

The others at the table put their taste buds on the line with choices like the mac and cheeseburger, the 1836 (with chorizo, guacamole, refried bean spread, queso fresca), and the Texas flood (cheese stuffed burger, with cheese on top!).

We were also informed that the kitchen was all out of Brisket. Too bad, because the Southern Rock Fries ,topped with brisket, bacon and cheese, sounded wonderful. I went with my second choice of cheese fries.

Now the adventure was starting to unfold. We waited, and waited, and waited (I could go on, and on, and on….). Finally an order of fries appeared! Yucca fries.  Delicious. And then we waited, and waited, and waited.

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Burgers. Served on a giant metal pizza pan. Stacked to the sky! These bad boys looked and smelled heavenly. I quickly chomped into this burger. The beef was the dominating flavor. The ratio of fat to lean in the grind was perfect. The meat was very loosely packed in the patty, allowing the burger to be airy rather than dense. The Gruyere, and the bacon paired very nicely. And the onion tied everything together.

And the cheese fries….Hey wait! Where the hell are my cheese fries! I like to eat burgers and fries, not burgers then fries. Our waitress informed us that the fry cook is “going on strike” and we may be lucky to get our fries. Hmm….

My cheese fries, as well as my friend Zach’s fries, came out about ten minutes after we finished our burgers. Not the greatest. Average at best. They would have been better paired with my burger.

Hey, what the heck!!! I just saw a waitress go by with an order of fries with BRISKET on top?

For as good as the burgers are, the service is poor. Maybe that’s the trade off. Good burgers, poor service? Well in my opinion, both quality food and quality service are achievable. This place is crawling with teenage employees with no clear direction.

It’s worth a visit for the burgers. But, I’ll let you judge for yourself.

The Shack
16602 Cypress Rosehill Rd
Cypress, TX 77429
(281) 256-1575

http://www.theshackcypress.com

SmashBurger – Spring, TX

I recently visited SmashBurger in Spring, TX. SmashBurger is still fairly new to the burger game. But, in a very short time, SmashBurger has “smashed” through the competition, climbing onto many top ten burger chain lists in addition to opening nearly 250 locations across the nation since 2007.

SmashBurger gets it’s unique name from the equally unique way of cooking the burgers. A freshly rolled ball of meat is placed on to a searing hot buttered skillet. It is then covered with parchment paper and quickly smashed down for 10 seconds. This creates a wonderfully caramelized sear on the bottom of the patty.  This crispy sear ensures that the meat will continue to cook in its own natural juices.

I visited the location in Spring, TX for lunch on a Saturday afternoon with my little buddy Marco. We were heading down towards Houston and I couldn’t think of a better place to try for lunch.

As we walked in we saw that the parking lot was full, as were all the chairs in the restaurant. We got in line to order. I decided to keep it simple on this first trip and ordered the bacon and cheese smashburger with smashsauce. Marco was a bit more adventurous and ordered the spicy baja smashburger; complete with fresh jalapenos, guacamole, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, spicy chipotle mayo on a chipotle bun.

I also threw in a few orders of the smashfries. Shoestring cut fries tossed with oil, rosemary and garlic.

We took a seat and waited for our food. After about 10 minutes two trays of steaming hot burgers and aromatic fries were set in front of us. I could hardly wait to dig in.

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I was absolutely pleased with the presentation. After hearing so much about this magical ‘crust’ on the burger, I was ecstatic to actually see it in person. It was actually visible! And the burgers were stacked with a level of professionalism that is unparalleled in the fast food industry.

I quickly woke up my taste buds with a bite into the burger. The burger had the perfect balance of juiciness that I have always looked for; a burger that did not soak into my bun! Soggy buns are the worst. All of the other flavors played very well with each other. It’s hard to mess up cheese and bacon.

Marco said that his burger was really good as well. He liked the jalapenos and the rest of the spicy elements too. I took a bite of his burger and agreed. The guacamole on it was wonderful as well.

The fries, in my opinion, were to die for. They were supremely crispy, hot, and flavorful. The shoestring cut plays into the crispy texture. But, the rosemary and garlic were the fantastic surprise. Rosemary can be very overpowering sometimes. But not this time. The fries were seasoned perfectly.

If you are ever in the vicinity of a SmashBurger, do yourself a favor and take yourself on a fast food journey.

SmashBurger

225 E Cypresswood Dr  Spring, TX 77373

(281) 466-4704

http://www.smashburger.com

The Red Cow – Edina, MN

Guest Restaurant Review by Tyler Retzer

The Red Cow… the red cow? This is the name of a Burger Shop that opened up this year in the very trendy 50th and France area of Edina, Minnesota. For me, the name brings up images of perfectly cooked Burgers (the bright hue of red on the inside) and generic Burger Shops stereotypes of what a modern Burger Shop should look and feel like. Which image will hold true?

I went to The Red Cow this last Wednesday to celebrate my mother’s Birthday. She had suggested it and I thought why not? As we walked up to the front door, we noticed that the patio was completely packed (it was a fantastic September evening) and full of energy; It was a welcoming sign. We walked in and tried to get a seat outside on the patio but the wait would have been too long so we sat at the bar.

The decor is minimalist with a plethora of rustic wood, bare metal, and exposed ceiling; The type of place where business people would go to after a long day at the office for a beer and sit next to locals who either walked or biked. The Red Cow fits in well with the general atmosphere that 50th and France tries to manifest.

We sat down just in time for Happy Hour, which I’m happy to report is EVERYDAY from 3PM to 6PM and 10PM to close. It is made up of $2 off all tap beers (their large selection include many local offerings) and reduced price appetizers. I ordered a 612 Pale Ale and began looking at the Burger menu. Aside from burgers, they offer other items including: soup, salad, sandwiches, and even breakfast items… but I focused on the Burger part… this is a Burger Shop review after all.

The Red Cow submits 17 different Burger offerings with a variety of choices: buffalo, elk, lamb, salmon, tuna, turkey, chicken, duck, mushroom, veggie, and of course Angus . All of these come with their own toppings that accentuate whatever meat might be on the bun. They do not allow you to pick your meat and toppings to make a custom Burger, but the burgers presented are mostly unique and interesting so a custom system is not needed. Every Burger comes with your choice of regular fries, sweet potato fries, and Parmesan fries and the prices range from $10.00 to $15.00. This is the prime price range for a quality Burger and fries. The Breakfast Burger (Angus Burger, peanut butter, over-easy egg, bacon, and cheddar) looked best (interesting) to me so I ordered it with a side of regular fries; Not ten minutes later and a freshly made Burger was placed in front of me.

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On first look, the Burger looked different from what I was expecting. The bun was two highly buttered and toasted pieces of thick Texas toast and they were big enough to keep everything from spilling out. I cut the Burger in half and saw that everything was layered neatly to ensure a taste of every item in each bite. On first bite, all of the flavors come together perfectly. The peanut butter (I was afraid it might overpower everything else) was a perfect complement to the salty thick Bacon and well cooked egg. The Breakfast Burger is the only name you could give this Burger because it brings numerous breakfast flavors into one nice Burger package.

My only issue with this Burger is the Angus Burger itself. It had no flavor and was over cooked. The waiter never asked me how I wanted my Burger cooked (he was too busy hitting on me) therefore, it was grey and overcooked. I’m not sure if the wait staff is told not to ask (a sign of poor quality meat) or if my waiter was too distracted to ask. Either way it is unacceptable. The fries were divine, I ate every since one that was placed in front of me.

So in the end, the red in The Red Cow doesn’t hold true but it does break the generic stereotypes of a modern Burger Shop. The decor and atmosphere is trendy and modern, the service (outside of being hit on and not asking how I wanted my burger cooked) is pleasant and quick, the bar is local and well stocked, and the selection of Burgers will keep you coming back simply to try something different. The Red Cow is a convenient, fun, and relatively affordable place to hang out after work for a beer and a snack or to make a meal out of one of their many choices for of burgers. I would come back for just the fries and a beer. Overall I give The Red Cow seven thick Bacon slices out of ten.

Visit The Red Cow at:

Home May 2023

3624 West 50th Street,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
(612) 767-4411.