January
Returning form a work trip, the Bur-gal picked me up from SAT late on a Saturday night. We stopped at Orderup in Alamo Heights on the way home for a quick burger date just before they closed.
Service and Setting
Tucked in off Basse road near HEB, it is surrounded by several "good food fast" places - Torchy's, Pei Wei, Sushi Zushi, and Panera. It's bright and clean. Order at the counter and listen for your name on the PA. Counter folks were friendly enough.
Menu
Pizza, Tacos, Burgers. Some would call it the American dream. But are they the jack of all trades and master of none? Well, we are here on some old Thrillist recommendation so the burger has impressed some people. The menu has a good variety of classics and burger one-offs. Several fry options, each messier than the last by the time you get to chocolate pig fries (sweet potato fries with Nutella and bacon). We went with La Bomba and ABC burgers.
Pizza, Tacos, Burgers. Some would call it the American dream. But are they the jack of all trades and master of none? Well, we are here on some old Thrillist recommendation so the burger has impressed some people. The menu has a good variety of classics and burger one-offs. Several fry options, each messier than the last by the time you get to chocolate pig fries (sweet potato fries with Nutella and bacon). We went with La Bomba and ABC burgers.
Beverage
Soda fountain, simple beer and wine list, and shakes.
Sides
We had kept it simple with a regular side of fries. In retrospect, I may have wanted to try the something more adventurous like their chipotle chorizo chili cheese fries, but these were still pretty good. They're served in a cone, Belgian style, which is probably my favorite potato to crisp ratio. The tables have a clever small circle cut into them which invites you to use as holder and stand for the fries.
Patty
Seemed to be about a third pounder. 100% ground beef, cooked to order. We ordered medium and it came out beautifully. Perfect pink center. Good juice without being too runny. Perhaps could do with some more seasoning in compared to some of San Antonio's top-tier burgers.
Dress and Bun
The aptly-named ABC burger came with avocado, bacon, cheddar. I was content with the amount of avocado. La Bomba has a fried egg, bacon and cheddar. The egg, much like the burger was appropriately cooked. Buns were pretty standard white bread. It tasted fresh enough. It held on just enough under the toppings burden, but didn't add to the experience. The lettuce, tomato, and pickle were mediocre.
The aptly-named ABC burger came with avocado, bacon, cheddar. I was content with the amount of avocado. La Bomba has a fried egg, bacon and cheddar. The egg, much like the burger was appropriately cooked. Buns were pretty standard white bread. It tasted fresh enough. It held on just enough under the toppings burden, but didn't add to the experience. The lettuce, tomato, and pickle were mediocre.
The Verdict
While I enjoyed the burger, it would be a stretch to say they've mastered it here. The patty and egg were good, but simply not enough to get excited about when it came to the other aspects of toppings and bun. I think it a great neighborhood option for a quick burger, and the fries seem to be a good reason to return for further experimentation. 3 Spurs.
