Sunday, December 21, 2014

BGR: The Burger Joint Food Review II

Hot Dog with Regular Fries

My first visit to BGR: The Burger Joint didn't go so well; but I was eager to give them another try. No burgers this time... just a Hot Dog, Regular Fries and a shake. Turns out, BGR is better, but not by much. Perhaps one needs to visit several times to capture the true essence of MSN's #7 Chain Burger.

Tis the season to be jolly however; so what better time to try BGR's Egg Nog Shake? Thank goodness I did. Yes, it's expensive ($5.49) but it totally captures the decadence and sweetness of egg nog. I made sure to order it without whipped cream, and that decision appeared to pay BIG dividends. Unfortunately the rest of my meal wasn't as well-received.

Egg Nog Shake

Hot Dogs aren't cheap either ($3.99) but at least they're long and served hot. They're all-beef, but not very juicy (yet alone flavorful) and the bun never came close to hitting the grill... Cold buns suck. Fries (a comparative bargain at $2.99) were hot and crispy, but painfully pedestrian. I'm so tired of boring French fries: If I want Ore Ida, I'll eat at home. A few had burned edges, which was a bigger problem during my first review. To be fair, at least you get a lot of 'em (fries, not burned edges.)

Service is relaxed, but passable. It also remains way too dark inside, and the decor can best be described as shabby unchic. Christmas tinsel? In 2014? The Dupont Circle location is also filled with 80's album art (U2's War, Purple Rain) and a few random lunch boxes, which seems to scream "Update me!"

Outside of a tasty shake, The Burger Joint has failed to impress me; yet, it continues to garner positive reviews elsewhere. Next time, I plan on venturing out to downtown Bethesda, where a change of scenery may prove beneficial. I'm determined to like this place: I wonder what the "missing ingredient" is...