Lucky's Burgers and Brews

Lucky's Burgers and Brews
The Chihuahua

****

I learned many important lessons tonight at Lucky's. #1 always check your camera to make sure you charged the batteries so you don't have to use your cell phone to try to capture the burger's essence.  #2  it's probably not a good idea to try a restaurant out for the first time on the night they are having a food challenge. #3 & most important Do not stand too close to the food challenge or you might get an up close look at the bucket being used. The challenge burger, the Grim Reaper, was a  most impressive burger. 4 lbs of hamburger, 1 lb of bacon, 3 fried eggs, 6 slices of cheese, onion rings and a giant bun. The cheesy tots as a side were just the nail in the coffin. No one was able to finish but a few made impressive progress. It definitely made my 7 oz burger pale in comparison. I must say the sweet potato fries were some of the best I have ever had. Very tasty, crisp and flavorful. The burger was tasty but not as spicy as I expected considering it had chopped green chilis, pepper jack cheese, and chipotle mayonnaise. Maybe it was the homemade guacamole that cooled it down. Either that or the 2 hour wait in the stifling heat would make anything seem cool in comparison. I look forward to trying out the restaurant again when they aren't so busy.

Marlow's Tavern

Marlow's Tavern
Tavern Burger

**

I was really looking forward to trying Marlow's burger. I had heard really good things about it and the sample food they were serving as a teaser before they opened was great. I guess I will have to try the restaurant again when they have been open a little longer, maybe they don't have their sea legs yet. I waited almost 40 minutes for a table but that is the usual for anywhere new in Forsyth county. I liked the way the had redone the inside of the restaurant. You  would never guess it used to be a pizza place. When my burger arrived, it looked good except (of course) they made my medium somewhere closer to hockey puck status. After a few bites, I decided the only flavor on the burger was apparently sealed in the outer layer, almost as if the burger had been dipped in some flavoring or rolled in some type of rub. Maybe they were so busy for opening week that the cook got distracted and dropped it in the grill. There was an odd taste, maybe it was cleaning fluid from the underneath part of the grill. I will come back again fr another try but mostly because I have a coupon.

Miller's Ale House

Miller's Ale House
Build a burger with onions, mushrooms & jalapenos

**

It is a sad burger day when the only thing good you can say about a burger is that they managed to serve it to you at the temperature you requested. I can't say the same for the other burger at our table. When the burger first came, I thought to myself "that is the biggest pile of mushrooms I have ever seen." I then realized that was my burger hidden in there somewhere. Basically it was a taste wasteland buried in onions, mushrooms & jalapenos. I thought it was impossible to mess up sweet potato fries but the dipping sauce that came with it was an unpalatable concoction of what tasted like whipped cream mixed with cinnamon. If you do have to eat here, just order the fries and think about dessert.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Five Guys
Hamburger all the way with jalapenos

***

The best part about a visit to Five Guys is the fries. I could eat the fries until my belly exploded. I always say I should share an order of fries with my dining companion but then I would have to share! The burger itself is less than memorable.  The burger is not very flavorful. I always have to add the jalapenos to have some flavor but I am always full of fries so I don't mind as much. I was going to give blood so I needed to make sure I had lots of yumminess in my tummy to keep my iron levels up so they wouldn't reject me. I fully recommend a beefy burger as prep for a blood letting but try to make it a tastier one so that it is worth it.

Joey D's Oak Room

Joey D's Oak Room
Oak Room burger

**** 1/2

The restaurant itself is very beautiful. Everything oak (I assume) and huge windows, so that it almost felt like we were eating outside. The highlight of the restaurant is their bar. An enormous lighted glass art display that the bartender has to climb a ladder to get the "top shelf" liquor. The kitchen/grill area is an huge glassed in area in the center of the restaurant. You can watch your food being prepared and smell all the delicious options. The waiter informed us that the burger would be charred on the outside to seal in juices. Juicy it was indeed! A great burger, full of flavor. The table was covered in juice that spilled out from the first bite so definitely recommend eating it over the plate. My only regret was not ordering some honey butter croissants. I had a bite of one and it was delicious too but I probably would have to eat my burger without the bun if I ate a plate of croissants as an appetizer.

Village Tavern

Village Tavern
Mustard-Pepper Burger

****

This restaurant is always a treat to visit because of the ambiance. You expect something with tavern in the name to be a little seedy. Instead, everything is very modern looking and you almost feel like you should be in a chalet in the Alps or something. The food is always super delicious. I always like the hot crab dip with little garlic toast points even if you do have horrendous breath afterward. They recently started offering sweet potato fries as a side so you know I am loving that! The fries were crispy, salty and sweet at the same time and I didn't let a single one go to waste. The burger is marinated and covered in black peppercorns with a mustard sauce so it clears the sinuses. That just means you can taste every bite that much better. I have never had enough room for dessert but they have some tasty sounding treats that I hope to try some day.

Zebb's (Take 2)

Zebb's
Jalapeno burger

****

First off, I want to apologize for the slightly blurry picture but that is what happens when you drink 2 large beers before you attempt photography. I really do love this place. It reminds me of a toned down Vortex Grill for families. Same sassy attitude, great burgers but Zebb's definitely tops them with the fresh fries. I couldn't resist and that's why you see very few in the picture. This burger is topped with all of my favorite things in life: Grilled jalapenos, crispy bacon,

sautéed onions, Pepper Jack cheese. If there was a way to throw Brad Pitt in there too, I'd be in heaven! If you are in the area, I highly recommend this place. It has been one of my favorites since high school and you have to be doing something right to be crazy busy with business for that long.