The Straight Beef Podcast #19
What 5 burger trends are worth watching in 2015? Michael and Scott tackle ’em all…down to the last pickled beet.
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Author: scottblu
Wanted: Burgiatrist
The Straight Beef is seeking a new member to join its merry band of burgiatrists.
Must live in the Triangle. Must be a sharp writer with an offbeat sense of humor. Must have strong social media/marketing skills. Must be in it for the laughs. Passion for burgers a plus.
Email thestraightbeef@gmail.com and convince us that you’re the burgiatrist we’re looking for.
The Pen and the Prod – An Uncomfortable Truth
Dear Buffalo wings,
What I am about to write will embarrass you, but I cannot contain my feelings any longer.
I love you.
I love you, I want you, and I need you. I am at peace when we are together, and I long for you when we are apart. You are the very definition of delicious.
There is no need to respond, Buffalo wings. Just know this: I love you now, and I will love you forever.
Je t’embrasse,
Scott
Dear hamburgers,
I understand that you saw my letter to Buffalo wings, and that you’re upset. I see now that my admission was tactless and cruel. Please know, hamburgers, that it was never my intention to hurt you.
We’ve been together for many years, you and I, and our memories exceed measure. And despite my affection for Buffalo wings (which, my dearest, I cannot deny!), my love for you shall never diminish.
You are, and will forever remain, my dearest heart.
Grosses bises!
Scott
Oh, hello, burger. Fancy meeting you here.
Hey, is that Buffalo wings?
Om nom uihrueilshuivck
Review #52: Carolina Ale House (Cary)
This review is meant to be enjoyed with a friend—Mad Libs style!
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Scott’s review: 4.25
Chad’s review: 3.25
Michael’s review: 3.25
Overall ranking: 27th out of 52.
There’s a McDifference #6
There’s a McDifference!
3710 Western Blvd., Raleigh (West of NC State)
This McDonald’s is right on the edge of the NC State campus. I know I tend to go on about the parking situation at these places, but this one ranks number one on my list of parking nightmares. There seems to be plenty of spaces, but at lunch it is almost impossible to find a space. It is so close to NC State that if you park anyplace but the dedicated parking lot, it’s a tow-away zone. Good luck finding a parking space.
When it is crowded, the service line is chaotic. The lineup policy seems to be as follows: Stand in a big, disorganized crowd. Eventually, somehow, make it to the front register. Though this adds undue stress to my outing, I let go of it once I get my food.
Atmosphere: The theme is everything NC State, with nice wall murals of State sports greats. There is an awesome full-size scoreboard attached to a rafter system you would see at an arena. The scoreboard has TVs on all sides and highlights some of the school’s past championships. The seating is all in one area, with half of the seats being hardback chairs and the other being high-back padded swivel chairs. I have to say that these high-back seats are the most comfortable seats I think I have ever sat in.
Quarter Pounder: The burger patty flavor is excellent. I was tempted to eat this one without a bun and condiments; it was very tasty. The bun was fresh, the onions crunchy. My only problem was that they didn’t put any care into assembling it. The patty was hanging off to one side, the pickles in a big clump (which I generally remove anyway), and onions were just piled off-center, and the ketchup just slapped on. After a little creative burger surgery, it was very delicious. Because of this lack of quality I will have to deduct a half point.
Fries: Are the fries burnt? They don’t taste burnt, but they are all dark brown. Oh, I see, they must cook them in really dirty oil. That is the only explanation I can come up with.
Burger rating: 4.5 out of 5 Grimaces
There’s a McDifference
There’s a McDifference!
By Dave Foley, guest burgiatrist
Review 4: 601 Corporate Center Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607
For his 4th review, Dave eats fries that “defied the laws of fry physics.”
This is one of my favorite McDonald’s, and I will often drive a little out of my way for this one.
Atmosphere: This is a brand-new McDonald’s with a décor dedicated to the 70s, complete with its bent-back laminate chairs. The wood-slatted drop-down ceiling is quite striking. This is the only McDonald’s I can remember that has a dedicated desk, computer, and chair for filling out job applications.
Quarter Pounder: This McDonald’s is consistently in my top 5 for burger taste. The meat has great flavor and is generally cooked to perfection. Nice, soft bun and symmetrical cheese placement. My only complaint is about the onions. This is a perfect example of what I was talking about in previous reviews: They place a pile of big onion chunks directly in the middle of the burger, and the chunks are too big to spread evenly across the burger, so I’m frustrated with no clear way to maximize my coverage.
Fries: As much as I like the burger here, I always seem to find problems with their fries. This time, they defied the laws of fry physics and I had practically raw fries mixed in with burnt fries. There were also salty fries mixed in with unsalted fries. This McDonalds need’s to really get together with the McDonald’s in my last review because this one has great burgers and that one has great fries.
Burger rating: 4 out of 5 Grimaces
There’s a McDifference!
There’s a McDifference!
By Dave Foley, guest burgiatrist
Review 3: 1001 Morrisville Carpenter Road, Morrisville
For his 3rd review, Dave eats a “ketchup-flavored chew toy.”
I’ve been to this McDonald’s a few times since it opened last year. The building has a high-tech look and a nice angular design, which is quite different from what you find inside.
Atmosphere
Everything in this place is circular: the lights, various plates/covers/speakers on the ceiling, chairs, tables, the main seating area, holes in the backrests of the chairs, and even the fabric pattern used for the booths. There is a small main section of seats, some booths along the edge, and a semi-private seating area in the back with bench seats with retro-circular back rests, along with a flat screen TV.
This has got to be the cleanest McDonald’s I have ever seen; even the area behind the counter is immaculate. There are hand sanitizers everywhere you look. This place is a germaphobe’s paradise.
There are big square windows (not sure why they are not round) on the bathroom doors. They are frosted, but I found it odd that they would even have a windowed door here.
Fries
The fries are really really good here…really. They always seem to be cooked to a nice golden brown, with crisp outsides and warm soft insides. They are not greasy and are salted very consistently.
Quarter Pounder
The burger, unfortunately, is not very good here. The meat is very salty, extremely overcooked, and rubbery. If I took the patty out of the bun and threw it against the wall, I swear it would bounce back in this spherical alternate universe. The bun seemed very soft and fresh, but have you ever eaten something that when you bring it to your mouth you pick up the slightest scent of something that is a little off, but you can’t figure out what it is? That was the bun. The onions were very fresh and provide good coverage, but they went crazy on the ketchup, which ends up making you feel like you are gnawing on a ketchup-flavored chew toy.
Burger rating: 1 out of 5 Grimaces
The Tao of Cow
