Whataburger's Green Chili Double

Good morning readers.

When I left for Atlanta in 2005, one thing I missed most from my home state was the fast food chain Whataburger, native to Texas, and available in only 6 other states. To make a long story short, since moving back to the Lone Star State I have had an abundance of this restaurant’s fare, and I am far from having my fill.

This morning, after reading a press release for their new menu option of the Green Chili Double, I decided I was not in the mood for typical breakfast fare, and in fact was craving a hamburger from this fine establishment. Furthermore, I would opt not to get my normal Double Double with jalapenos and bacon (which is also a wonderful breakfast item if the mood hits you) in lieu of the “limited time” offering.

When I got the burger home, it seemed less impressive and somewhat diminutive from what I was expecting. My wife pointed out that this burger was not adorned with toppings, and contained no other additions than the beef, cheese, and a pepper mélange as advertised.

Still a tad off put, I took my first bite into the burger, and was greeted with more flavor than the sandwich’s exterior would suggest.  The combination of the Monterey Jack cheese and roasted chilies added a wonderful creaminess to the base Whataburger flavor that I am used to and expect. The peppers also add a nice brightness and sharpness to the eating experience.

My only real criticism of the flavor is that it wasn’t quite spicy enough for me, but I was expecting that even before ordering the combo meal. I tend to like food that will bring me to tears, but this was a wonderfully full flavored burger without excessive heat. I am sure that if Whataburger were to add this to their regular menu, people like my wife would be ordering it regularly as it offers a great pepper flavor without the obtrusive heat signature.

On a final note, the perfect beverage pairing for this meal is not a rare wine selection or craft brewed beer, but Dr. Pepper. I can’t tell you why, but despite the fact I rarely drink it at any other time, this beverage and food pairing are not to be bested.

 When done please dispose of this blog post properly. 

Super Pan Latino Sandwich Shop – The Fire Burger!

One of the many treats to be found in Atlanta is a small sandwich shop, owned and operated by one time Top Chef contestant Hector Santiago that specializes in sandwiches with a Latino flair. The first time I was able to enjoy this eatery was about a year ago, and was blown away by the freshness of the ingredients, and the quality and care of the foods preparation. Everything they seemed to offer from the brisket to their pork was flavorful to the nth degree (the carnitas, for example, is like a soft, warm, fatty oral orgasm for this glutton!).

Due to limited hours of operation, and not working in driving distance to their shop, however, I found it often to go as frequently as I would have desired. This desire was compounded when they added a hamburger, steeped in ghost pepper ketchup to their Friday lineup. Being kind of a masochist when it comes to spicy food, always asking to bring my nose to a state of running and make tears of joy and pain run down my plump cheeks, I was in love with the idea of this burger. 

To make a long story short, It took me close to a year before I was able to get a Friday off and be able to visit the shop.

While I found that the burger, which is two beef patties adorned with the aforementioned fire sauce, lettuce, cheese, and pickles on a freshly made hamburger bun, was a fine burger, the overall experience failed to live up to my expectations.  The burger itself didn’t live up to the same uniqueness the rest of their menu excels at, and while my wife found it plenty hot, I was left wanting additional kick.

Pope Crisco

Didn't Really Flip Out Over Flip Burger

Being an individual that likes things that are less trendy and more down to earth, it generally will take an act of congress, natural disaster, or most pressing, the request of my wife, to explore the world of “the next big thing” in restaurants and bars. I am of the opinion that regardless of the event of visiting hip locales, I disdain paying top shelf prices for atmosphere. I would much rather pay for the quality of the food and drink than loud music, trendy chefs, and dramatic lighting. It is for this reason my wife likely held off on pressing me to go to  Flip Burger Boutique created by TV’s Top Chef contestant Richard Blais until she could use the unbeatable “it’s my birthday” card.

Before I go any further, let me say that of all food options, the hamburger is the one food item that I really have a problem with people making fancy. At its core the hamburger is a down to earth means of supplying the male body with its minimum levels of cheese, beef, and grease, and in my opinion does not hold up when it is, to put it in an apt light, feminized. I am not saying that it’s a bad thing per se, but a burger does not lend its best attributes with subtitle graces. Boldness of a sharp cheddar or American cheese is preferred, at least by me, over the melodic flavors of trendy infusions and hip, “foodie” sauces.   

To summarize, this was likely not a meal I was going to walk away from without some negative comment regarding the experience, however only one complaint is about the meal itself. Aside from being overpriced, overly loud, and overtly aware of itself, the food was in general very solid.

While I had a sip of this, and a bite of that, exploring a lot of different flavors, the sole negative issue I have with the food came from my entre. I had ordered The Butcher’s Cut, a burger that is in essence, a blue cheeseburger, with stock caramelized onions, and augmented with shallots and a red wine jam. To cut to the chase, the only problem with this item was a lack of balance on the beef to cheese flavor ratio. I guess I could rant about how their owner doesn’t know how to work with a flavor palate, but that would be pretentious, and untrue. This complaint is a common one I have with a lot of blue cheese burgers; few get the ratio just right for me. I can definitely say it was far from the worst I’ve had. 

Everything about the sandwich was fine; the qualities of the ingredients of the hamburgers were high. The beef was sweet and tender, cooked perfectly, not being too greasy nor too dry, and the buns where buttery, light and crispy. Everything kind of melted together in a very good way.

The French fries were wonderful. They fried perfectly, being just crispy enough on the outside and soft on the inside, and just having the perfect balance between potato flavor, and that of the cooking oil. They were served with bacon infused mayo that was tasty, but not needed to enjoy the spuds.

My wife had ordered a chorizo sandwich, served in a burger style, which was wonderfully mild (but still flavorful) and tender.  As a side she ordered the mac  n cheese that suspended  bits of pork belly that popped with the flavors and texture of creamy cheese and soft pasta. 

One of the real signature items of Flip Burger is that of their nitrogen created shakes, which because of their fast crystallization, exhibit a velvety texture.  My wife and I split a Krispy Kream concoction that was but tasty, but in my opinion, not unique enough to garnish the notoriety it had created for the restaurant.

Overall this meal was nice, but not quite worth the shattered ear drums or the broken bank.

Pope Crisco