Sunday, May 6, 2018

The Habit Burger Grill Food Review II

The Habit Burger Grill's Golden Chicken Sandwich

Our first visit to Rockville's The Habit Burger Grill left (plenty of) room for improvement. A year later, familiar problems persist. In particular, the quality of food, which seems to have gotten even worse. Combined with a noisy kitchen, it's safe to say, this is one culinary habit worth breaking.

What a shame, considering the restaurant's still-tidy and inviting interior. Unfortunately, good A/C and music (Lorde, Rolling Stones) can't compete with a loud kitchen/order area at the front of house. Said employees are nice enough, but their constant chatter (mostly in Spanish) is at the very least, distracting, and at its worst... maddening. My order was ambitious as always. Two sandwiches (one, courtesy of the CharClub, which gives out free burgers on your birthday) one side and one shake for under 15 bucks.


I'd like to give you an exact total, but for the second time in a row, I wasn't given a receipt for my order. Is this store policy? If so, it needs to change. Then again, who wants to be reminded that their Golden Chicken Sandwich costs $6.69? Definitely not me, especially after uncovering it's appalling lack of size and flavor. The bun was cold (despite a noticeable char on the inside) and there was discolored shredded lettuce everywhere. In between, a paltry, razor-thin slab of breaded chicken with zero crunch or heat. Take away the messy glop of red pepper colored mayo, and you might swear you were eating a $7 lettuce sandwich. Yuck.

Charburger

My birthday freebie, a single patty Charburger (normally $3.55) was downright pathetic. For starters, the meat was cooked to death, with tons and tons of shredded lettuce and a couple of pickles for (supposed) crunch. There was a small slice of tomato as well; but all I tasted was burnt meat. FYI, the patty was thinner than the ones you find in a budget burger at Burger King or McDonald's. Double yuck.

Onion Rings

Onion Rings (super affordable at just $2.55) looked great, and arrived hot and crunchy. Sadly, they had no flavor (yet alone white onion) inside. Rings this pretty deserve more than a measly strand of near-invisible onion. That said, they taste a little better than last year's disappointingly bland French Fries. Bad fries and onion rings = big trouble.

Strawberry Shake

For the second time in a row, dessert (almost) saved the day. The Habit Burger Grill's luscious shakes are both affordable ($3.75) and flavorful. The strawberry tastes like real strawberries, and the whipped cream on top is fluffy and vanillaly. It's a bit thick at first; but give it a few minutes, and it's perfect. Wouldn't it be nice if they could put as much effort and love into the food?

Until then (and that's a mighty big if) it's hard impossible to recommend coming here. The far superior Roy Rogers is only a couple of blocks away; and even Wendy's (808 Rockville Pike) offers more bang (and taste) for your buck.