Francis Bogside

Francis Bogside
Late September


I think this bar made one of the "hot lists" in San Antonio for restaurant openings.  Being from Chicago, people often ask me about the differences between it and San Antonio.  In Chicago, the foodie magazines write articles titled "Top 10 restaurant openings this month."  In San Antonio, the foodie magazines write articles titled "Top 10 restaurant openings this year."  So given the rarity of a new find, the Bur-gal and I headed to the newest bar from the Blue Box group, Francis Bogside.

Service and Setting

It is an Irish-style pub that has an irregular shape with plenty of nooks.  Dimly lit with several booths,  it is adorned with classic booze bar signs/advertisements and a proud display of spirits.  They have no TVs, but given it was earlier on a Saturday night, they did play a college football game on a projector.  They had a two band line-up starting at 10.  Service was fast and attentive.

Menu

I would describe it as high-end bar food.  Burgers, wings, pretzels, and pizzas with a couple surprising Thai dishes.  It is limited in number, but they are interesting.

Beverage

They have an excellent draft list with some IPA favorites of mine like Jai Alai and Space Dust.  As expected, they have a good Irish whisky offering.   Cocktail list is half classics and half new attempts.

Sides
The burger comes with house chips and a $2 up-charge for fries or coleslaw.  I was very happy with the fries.  A nice deep cook giving a thick crisp.  Their house ketchup has a little something extra to give it more flavor than Hines fancy ketchup which was enough for the Bur-gal.  I asked for some hot sauce to go with that and they brought out an awesome mango-habenero-like sauce that went great with the ketchup.

Patty
The waitress was unsure about the size of the patty, but it looks like a quarter pounder.  Feeling hungry I went double patty and egg.  Being a thin griddle paddy, there wasn't an option for doneness - it didn't matter.  This burger was so savory I am having flashbacks that are making my mouth water.  That perfect juiciness homogenized all of the other ingredients to coat the pallet and kept me napkin dabbing the corners of my mouth.  Excellent flavor coming from the grill.  One bite and I was in a state of burger nirvana.

Dress and Bun

They do a high-gloss egg wash bun with that small amount of sweetness that makes the burger sing.  It would overwhelm a single patty, but works well with the double.  American cheese, egg, and mayo topping gel everything together.  The produce was sliced a bit thin, but tasted fine.

The Verdict
I don't often write burger poetry, but some meals turn you back into a burger-romantic.  I give it an enthusiastic 5 spurs, and one I'll be recommending it to other aficionados frequently.

Down on Garyson

Down on Grayson
Mid September

On a rainy Friday night, some friends were looking for a beverage and some food.  Cam, Grant, Moos, Webb and Audrey came joined me to head over to the Pearl to eat at Down on Grayson

Service and Setting
DoG has a beautiful patio and good looking bar.   I acknowledge a group of 6 is difficult to sit, but we had to wait well over an hour.  Service was attentive, though there was some confusion on dish placement when they arrived at the table.

Menu
I was really impressed by the variety and affordability on the menu.  They have mostly American standards with a few Mexican dishes.  They have anticuchos which is a marinated steak dish my wife and I had for the first time in Peru earlier this year.  DoG declares them "San Antonio's favorite," but I am not aware of another restaurant that serves them.

Beverage
A decent draft beer list of mostly Texas craft brews.  Cocktails run $7-10.

Sides

The fries were offensively salty.  Though thinner with a good crisp, no one at the table are more than half of their fries because of the over seasoning.  The chips and coleslaw did not look a whole lot more exciting.

Patty

1/2 lb ground-chuck patty char broiled.  Not much attention paid to the doneness of the burger.   Moist but flavorless.  Ironically, salt would have helped, but I think they ran out seasoning the fries.

Dress and Bun
I like the top toasted bun which retained a nice smoky flavor.  The cheddar cheese ran like water.  Produce was decent, but shredded lettuce is only surpassed by wheat buns as far as burger sins go.

The Verdict

A nice restaurant with entirely mediocre food.  The fries were ruined, and the burger was low on flavor.  Pretty surprised to only pay $12 for a burger and fries at a restaurant this nice, but it seems in the end we got what we paid for.
3 Spurs

Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks
Early September

NFL kickoff on a Thursday night. The guys were looking for TVs and beer.  Justin, Cameron, Grant, Ian and I headed to Twin Peaks for what was my first, and most likely last visit to Twin Peaks.

Service and Setting

Pretty packed for the NFL kickoff.  There are a lot of TVs.  I think there isn't a spot in the bar where you can see fewer than 2.  They also do that sports bar pro move of muting commercials for music.  I think just behind NFL punter, DJing for commercial breaks of football games is one of my dream jobs.  Service was actually very attentive and always ready for refills.

Menu
Bar food.  Several burger options.  Maybe I don't eat at enough chains, but I was surprised to see the calorie counts on the menu.  In case there was any doubt, I am sure I have not made a wise decision for my long term health by eating a minimum of one hamburger per week.

Beverage

Domestics on draft, with a few locals.  They boast a live thermometer reading of their keg line.  While I appreciate the cold 22oz beers, it kind of puts you in a designated driver no-man's land.  I can reliably have 2 pints over 2 hours at just about any bar and safely drive home.  The idea of drinking 44oz before getting behind the wheel was a risk I wasn't willing to take.

Sides
Closer to a steak-fry style with a good amount of potato fill.  They are stingy with the ketchup cup.  Still, a pretty good accompaniment.

Patty
An embarrassment on a bun.  This burger made me mad at food.  Why should I risk love-handles for something so bland and dry it could have its own Netflix original series?  They asked how I wanted it cooked as a mere formality; it arrived grey.

Dress and Bun

I got the avocado burger.  I think they put just the legal-minimum of avocado to maintain the name.  The arugula greens and tomato were no help.  The Swiss was fine.  A sun-dried tomato mayo did add a little bit of flavor.  The bum looked better than it tasted.

The Verdict

If you need a tall beer and 100 TVs, you can consider Twin Peaks.  If you need a burger, go anywhere else.

Chester's

Chester's
Labor day weekend

My friend Phil was in town from New Mexico and had a hankering for one of our mutual favorite burger spots.  He and I used to eat there when we worked together, and Chester's is a depot of many good memories of fries with friends.

Service and Setting

Located on several major access roads to San Antonio highways, you're never too far from a Chester's.  You order at the counter and pick up a few minutes later.  The beer is on display in a several door cooler behind the counter.  Employees have always been friendly on my visits.

Menu

1/3 lb griddle burgers are offered in multiples with options of bacon, chili and green chilis.  Fresh cut fries and onion rings  accompany your meat.  They also have options for ice cream and shakes.
I got a green chili burger once; I hope it was just a miscommunication because they served the chilis in a plastic container on the side.  Fish basket and grilled cheese are the only veg options.

Beverage
The bottled beer selection rivals that of Specs.  They have everything from ciders to porters, coming from California to Brussels.  I'll say the only problem is that you have to view it from 10ft away through a cooler door.  No pricing scheme I can figure out before you order it, and pretty difficult to read subtle differences between varieties offered from a single brewery at that distance.  Also, no glasses or mugs, so everything is imbibed out of the bottle.

Sides

Fresh cut french fries done right.  Nice and crispy that keep their potato flavor instead of just oil.  I had a hot dog on the side.  They slice it the long way and dress with onions, relish and mustard.  I had to ask for additional mustard.  I didn't taste like 100% beef which offends my Chicago roots.  It was fine.

Patty

1/3 lb fresh beef cooked on the griddle.  It is probably the only burger place that can actually make a medium-rare griddle burger.  Excellent griddle flavor with a good amount of juice.  Make it a double if you're hungry.

Dress and Bun
Their poppy seed bun is iconic.  Always fresh, always delicious.  Good produce and good pickle slices.

Geoff's take: "Hard to say it's on the same level as Big'z."

The Verdict
In reality, I should probably abstain from giving a rating given the sentimental over-valuation Chester's has for me.  Despite this, I'll put journalistic integrity aside for a reliable and friendly spot that I will alway associate with San Antonio.  5 spurs it is.

Feast

Feast

Mid August

Audrey and I headed to Southtown mostly for Boozys Ice Cream, and Feast seemed like a good warm-up for dessert.

Service and Setting

Situated on Alamo St in King William, Feast sits among several good dining options.  Parking can be difficult, but with all of those new scooters around, maybe it would be best to park far away and take a $2 scooter ride to dinner.  The restaurant is decked out with white tables and clear chairs with blue icicle lights in the trees.  It's a little tacky, but about as cool as things get in San Antonio.

Menu
Self-described mediterranean-inspired American.  It's small menu of small plates.  The last item on the menu is the burger.

Beverage
A hoight-toighty beer list with some unique options that appeal to a hipster like me.  Great national craft selections that can match about any taste.  A good and reasonably priced cocktail list as well.

Sides
Here's a picture of the eggplant croquettes which were delicious.  I guess I shouldn't call them a side-item per se, but we ate them immediately prior to the burger.  The fries were only decent, but the house-made ketchup was awesome.  Great tomato flavor with a little bit of heat on the back end.

Patty
Quarter pound patty offered in single and double options. A thin girdle patty of premium 44 Farms beef.  They boast 44 Farms Beef, and for good reason.  It had a great savory quality.  Juice level was appropriate, and mopped up by a generous bun.

Dress and Bun

At first glance, we were concerned this sesame coated, burnt potato bun would over power the burger beneath.  We were pleasantly proved wrong.  It was soft and fluffy and held up to the mess of the American cheese and burger juice.  The pickles were very good.  The house sauce was probably the weak point.  It was a bit of a strange sweet sauce.  Probably like the Szechuan sauce popularized by Rick and Morty.  There are monster strips of bacon barely contained by the plate.  The pickles and cheese were generous and rounded out the flavor profile well.

The Verdict
Feast does just about everything well, and the burger is no exception.  A super-savory burger that even goes well after tuna tartare or eggplant croquets or whatever high-class small plate preceded it.  I would recommend ordering it without the house sauce.  A very respectable 4 out of 5 spurs.

Topgolf

Topgolf

Mid August

One of the reps at work threw an event for a work milestone, and invited a bunch of us for happy hour at Topgolf.  Audrey and I went for some free food, free drinks, and they didn't even charge for the frustration of proving my inadequacy with a golf club.  So put on your funny pants and privilege, we're taking a swing at some golf metaphors for food blogging.

Service and Setting

Easily visible from the I-10 - 1604 interchange, Topgolf is a national chain of high end driving ranges that caters well to groups.  Golf clubs are already at your bay which have TVs, a table or couch, food and drink service and unlimited balls dispensed from a divider between bays.  It's pretty low effort and low stress and I think golfers and non-golfers alike tend to enjoy the activity.  Ordering food and drink at your table is essentially the same as at a restaurant.  It is outdoors, but there is plenty of shade and high powered fans to cool things off.  Parking is kind of a mess.

Menu

I'd compare it to a poor man's TGI Friday's.  They have nachos, wings, pizzas, and burgers.  They do that hip-ifying thing where every food gets a one-off.  Sliders outnumber burgers, wings are boneless, pizzas become flatbreads.  I feel cooler having eaten there.

Beverage
I am not a golfer, but to me it seems that drinking is an imperative for the enjoyment of the sport.  This observation is not lost on Topgolf management.  There is equal menu space for alcohol and food.  The beer list has just about every national domestic, and a few local options.  They have elaborate punch bowls and a full bar as well.

Sides
Fries and tots with Heinz ketchup.  Fries had pretty good flavor with equal crisp to filling ratio.  Tots are for mini-golfers.

Patty
I ordered the classic burger medium-rare.  They even put an official looking flag in the bun to confirm my doneness.  The patty was like a smile is at a country club - for appearances only.  The taste was a hard slice into the rough - entirely devoid of flavor.  The kitchen stumbled into a water-hazard with the only moistness in the burger coming from whatever icicles and frost from the freezer melted back into the burger.  I have had better veggie-burgers.

Dress and Bun

The bun was about the only positive aspect of the burger.  Nice egg-finish to give it eye appeal.  I have no qualms about the cheddar cheese either.  They left the green for the astroturf as the lettuce was only white with brown spots.  I would go on, but it's clear this burger is not redeeming itself with tomato or pickles.

Audrey's take "Give me the nachos back."

The Verdict
I have had an internal struggle about reviewing this burger.  Not on its grade, it was far and away the worst burger I have eaten since beginning this project.  The question is whether the burger is under-par or over-par?  Sticking with the golf analogies, it should be a double-bogey, but if I'm comparing it to other burgers, it's sub-par.  English is tricky sometimes.  Anyway, the activity is fun, the beer is good, and the nachos were better than decent, but the burger is a sand-trap of disappointment. Our first 1-spur burger.

Longhorn Cafe

Longhorn Cafe
Mid August

Long-time supporter of the blog, Clay, has been asking about when I'm going to eat at Longhorn since it's inception.  While I don't trust his taste in music, I thought I should give his palate the benefit of the doubt.  A good cast of characters came out for burgers including Geoff, Audrey, Graham, Matt, Rachel, Dani and Clay.

Service and Setting

It looks like they have about 8 locations across South Texas, making it the largest chain we have visited.  It is a counter operation with the kitchen and grill on full display.  They have a lot of picnic tables inside and on the patio.  Easily the most dangerous playground we have seen.  It's a 4 foot tall wooden ramp that ends with a 3.5 foot wide by 7 foot long piece sheet metal that they propose is a slide.  It looks like it could double as the griddle, but I would venture to guess in the summer sun it would be too hot for burgers, nonetheless children's' thighs.  You pick up your food after being called over a PA that would make Dane Cook (when he was funny) proud.

Menu

We went for The Original Big Juicy, but they have just about every burger option for which one could pine: mushroom & Swiss, bacon, guac, bean, chili and jalapeno.  They have a good selection of vegetarian burgers options, though still no vegetarian reviewers volunteered for this trip.  The rest of the menu has a selection of other hot sandwiches, chicken and dinner plates.  Very affordable prices.

Beverage

They have a a wide array of domestic bottles including every Bud Light lime/orange/band-aid flavor you never wanted.  A few beers on tap as well.  Coke products in the soda fountain.  I think I missed the milkshake on the menu, but I didn't see anyone drinking one.

Sides

A full line-up of your fried favorites from fries and rings to pickles and poppers to tots and Texas toothpicks.  I could have gone for a few extra sauce options beyond ketchup and ranch, but they were all satisfactory.

Patty

You can go original, double patty or 1/2lb-er.  They boast fresh, never frozen beef.  The 1/3lb patty comes out very thin to cover the area of the bun.  Difficult to discern the taste among the other ingredients.  Had good enough juice to run onto the wax paper if for some unthinkable reason you smashed it down like Graham did.

Dress and Bun

I could have eaten the bun by itself as an appetizer.  Think garlic bread without the garlic or a mom's grilled cheese without the Kraft single.  Wonderful toast on it with a good butter coating.  In respect to veg, they were a little heavy handed with the lettuce, but otherwise had the right crispness and surface area to capture all of the co-mingling flavors.  We have had better pickles, but I did like the quantity.  The guacamole portion was stingy, but those eating jalapeno and mushroom & Swiss toppings had good servings. They have gluten free and wheat bun options to which I am more strongly opposed than Clay's terrible music.

Geoff's take: "Next time I’m looking for a burger on 1604, I’ll pass Longhorn and go to Bigz."

Matt's take: "I came to watch children play on the sticky slide but was disappointed."

Matt's take 2: "I had the ‘Big Juice’ classic  with all the toppings, great toasted bun not too soggy despite quantity of toppings, filled me up despite being 1/3 lb."

The Verdict

Longhorn served a quality griddle burger with some great flavors.  I think the 1/3lb patty gets pounded out a little thin to cover that large bun, and I think things would have blended together a little nicer with a slightly smaller bun and thicker patty.  The pickles and special toppings were good but not great.  Overall, the group was very happy with their burgers, and I think just a few tweaks could make take it into rare air.  For now, we give it a very respectable 4 spurs.