This installment: Juicy Burgers and More
Locations:
Milton Center Plaza
15 Trieble Avenue
Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Karner Corner's Plaza
5 New Karner Road
Guilderland, NY 12084
5 New Karner Road
Guilderland, NY 12084
The guys met up again this evening for the second installment of Burger Quest, an an adventure to find the Captial Region's best burger! This time we tried out Juicy Burger & More (affectionately nicknamed "Lucky Burger" by Pat, who could never quite remember the name of the place) at the New Karner Rd. location in Guilderland.
The first thing I noticed about Juicy Burger was the atmosphere. This place is unpretentiously a burger joint. There is an ordering counter and tables at which to eat your burger. There is no wealth of cheeky decorations adorning the walls. There are no pictures of the family's trip to the cattle ranch last summer. There are tables and a counter. There is something to be said for the beauty and simplicity of a modest burger joint but, on this day, we must have been in the mood for something a little more...pub-like. I do have to say, however, that this place was very clean!
Now, most people who walk into a place named "Juicy Burgers and More" are probably there for one thing...a burger. But families, dates and other "burger fearers" will be happy to find that Juicy Burger offers an "Entree Salad" menu. The house salad starts at under $4 while the tomato and mozzarella salad will run you just under $8.
When you walk up to the counter and order your burger, you will find a menu of "Steak Burgers", billed as "Fresh, never frozen, 100% USDA Choice ground Sirloin & Chuck beef...cooked in our specially designed broiler." They offer a selection of their "House Favorites," seven burgers ranging from the classic "Juicy Burger" (their original burger on a bun), $6.50, to their "Teriyaki Onion Burger" (with sauteed onions and teriyaki sauce), $7.25. What makes Juicy Burger fun, though, is their "Build a Juicy Burger" option, also $7.25, which you can top with any or all of the following additions: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Pickles, Cajun Spice, Spicy Peppers, Sautéed Onions, Sautéed Mushrooms, Bacon Strips, Roasted Red Peppers, American, Swiss, Cheddar, Fresh Mozzarella, Bleu Cheese, Cajun Mayonnaise, BBQ, Basil Pesto, Hot Sauce, and/or Teriyaki Sauce.
So on to ordering my burger. I chose bacon, sautéed onions, sautéed mushrooms, Cajun mayo, pickles, and lettuce (hey, had to have something green, right!?). I chose the Mix and Match option for french fries and onion rings to try them both. And a fountain drink.
The next thing I noticed was my total after ordering. Yikes! $13.00!? Now I know that $13 for a burger and fries is not unheard of these days, but at a place that has a walk-up counter and very little in the way of atmosphere, I did experience some sticker shock. Marc mentioned the same.
THE BURGER:
I have to say that the burger was good. It wasn't knock-my-socks-off good, but it was good. Better than average or something you could get at a run-of-the-mill diner. The sautéed mushrooms and onions were cold on the burger, which was a disappointment. For a place titled "Juicy Burgers and More" and I also slightly disappointed in the juiciness of the burger. I expected burger juice running down to my elbows. Now my burger wasn't dry, mind you. Just not as juicy as one would expect from the name of the place. The flavors of the burger with all those toppings were...good. I'm not trying to sound underwhelmed here, but I certainly wasn't overwhelmed. If I had to the describe it, I'd say the experience left me perfectly...well, whelmed.
The fries and onion rings were ok, too. Again, nothing to write home about (just on our blog, I guess!) but they weren't terrible. If french fries are important to you, I think you'll find yourself quite disappointed. I would suggest the onion rings to anyone contemplating the choice. They were far crispier and flavorful than the fries.
In conclusion, Juicy Burger was an ok experience. It wasn't the greatest overall experience in our Burger Quest, but it was far from the worst. The burger itself was pretty good while the french fries fell a little limp. The onion rings saved them a bit, though. The atmosphere left much to be desired, but if you're just in the mood for a quick meal at a burger joint, perhaps this is the place for you. Just be prepared to spend a little more than you anticipated.
THE VERDICT:
On the Burger Quest scale, Juicy Burgers and More rated the following:
Burger Juiciness: 7/10
Burger Taste: 8/10
Fries, etc.: 7/10
Atmosphere: 4/10
Value: 6/10
Total Score: 32/50 or 64%
Hi Kris, great idea starting the blog! Hoping for more great culinary adventures as we search for "Burger Nirvana"!... cue halos, streams of heavenly light and golden voices, Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!
ReplyDeleteYou were right on with your critique. The burgers were good, but over all it lacked in other areas. What I missed the most was being able to have a fine pilsner with our meal. There is just something about being in a pub, and having burgers and beers with good friends and family. You know, kinda like "Cheers!" where "Everyone knows your name" and "They're always glad you came". :) Thanks for creating it, and I hope we get a lot of good commentary.
Thanks, Pat! This ought to be a fun way to document our adventures in burger seeking!
DeleteI am going to add our trip to The Grog Shoppe, but I'm afraid the critique won't be as accurate a few months removed. Can't exactly remember details other than the funny waitress and the fact that the burger was good.