Critic's Review
On a cool Saturday I wasn't going to go out to eat, I didn't buy anything perishable at Publix, so I decided to check out Shula Burger. I hadn't been there since opening day.
I thought about getting "The Don", which is a burger and a hot dog on a bun, but decided that I should just have another burger. I didn't like the tater tots, and I usually don't eat fries; should I try the fried banana peppers for $4.29? and why is the combo with fried pickles more than they are individually? Then I noticed that they now offer a side salad, which seemed like a better idea. I got a Caesar.
The interior is nicer than your average burger joint. Screaming baby included.
This is a fast casual place; they give you a number to put on your table and they bring you the food. They give you a cup and you get your beverage; they have brewed iced tea and fresh lemon.
There's an open kitchen, sort of, and servers grab stuff and bring it to the tables.
I brought my drink to the table and settled in; I guess waiting at a table is better than waiting at the counter.
Notice that they have Truvia; contrary to popular belief, Truvia is NOT Stevia. It's a coca-cola product that is primary Erythritol, a sugar alcohol. Probably worse for you than sugar. It's not nearly as sweet as Stevia. I'm getting used to drinking stuff without the sweeteners.
I was waiting for awhile and no food, so I decided to wash my hands. Considering that this is a new building, I was surprised at how crumby the bathroom was. When I got back, the salad was on the table, and the number was gone. Of course I hadn't gotten the burger yet, so I hoped that they made a note.
The salad was very good. Too many croutons of course; would anyone really eat all of these? A creamy dressing with cheese. Almost Outback-like.
The burger came out shortly.
The typical, modern burger with the stamp in the bun. I'd ordered it with lettuce, tomato, pickles and garlic mayo, just to try it. The garlic mayo was probably the mistake. It didn't taste bad but it made the burger a lot more messy than usual. This burger wasn't as good as the one I got the first time, but I did like it.
One half of the burger was medium rare the other other was medium well, which was kind of strange. It's a pretty skinny burger for $6.79; a double is $9.78, which seems like a lot considering that it doesn't come with fries. Something else that's interesting is that it's 2.99 to add a burger patty to a burger, but only $2. to add a burger patty to a salad. Just goes to show you how much a burger SHOULD cost.
Conclusion
This is a nice experience; the service is good and they have some interesting things on the menu. The burger was good, but it's still a fast-food burger patty. Burgers aren't cheap anymore; at least you don't have to sit on plastic furniture.
Review 10/17/12
Shula Burger opened today, and while I usually don't like to go to openings because of the crowds, since we're in the heart of off-season I figured it was safe. The other downside is the doting, and the 46 people who come by to ask how everything is. Such things usually only last a day or two, but I felt like a burger, so I checked it out.
Inside, Shula Burger looks like a fast food joint. It's smaller than most of the newfangled burger joints; smaller than most McDonalds too. In this part of town, a small store is all they need.
They have all of the fancy type burgers, but I just wanted to try their cheapest burger, which is the Shula burger, which is just a plain old American Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and pickles. At $5.99, it's 60 cents less than 5 guys basic full sized cheeseburger, which are now a whopping $6.59. They didn't ask how I wanted it cooked; the counterperson said that they cook them medium unless it's requested well done. I prefer medium rare, so I just said that medium is fine.
I also ordered sweet potato tots and a freshly brewed iced tea; they give you a little stand with a number and a cup. $12.59, which isn't really all that cheap. What's good is that if you don't want the fries you don't have to pay for them, like you do at places like ROK:BRGR. They bring the food to the table, which seems nice but has logistical problems, as all of the condiments are at a table in the back. So you either have to gather your condiments in little cups and bring them to your table, or after your food is delivered you have to bring it over the the table. Good things are that they have fresh lemon and splenda, so you can make your iced tea the way you like it. And the tea is good.
The food came out just as I got to the table.
The aluminum plates make all the difference. The burger looked pretty good; I tasted a tot and it just tasted like a ball of sweet potatoes. I cut the burger in half to see what was going on inside.
Holy smokes. That's not medium. But I like it pink, so probably better for me. I first tasted the burger without adding anything to it. Very good. The burger was actually seasoned. I salt my meat pretty rigorously, but this didn't need any extra salt. I added some ketchup and mustard, and I really enjoyed the burger. I think in the realm of new age burgers, this was as good as any out there. Better than BurgerFi or CG Burgers for certain. Maybe it was because they didn't overcook it. But it was a good burger.
As for the tots, I tried salting them and I tried them with ketchup. But they just didn't do it for me.
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