BurgerFi - Weston, FL (Nationwide)

In South Florida, there is no shortage of burger places. From franchises to local stores, new burger joints keep popping up. You may have heard of one called BurgerFi (and may have already eaten there), however, I felt that it was my duty to check out for you.

I knew of the burger chain, and have seen them everywhere but while I have been away (living in New Orleans), I never knew one had opened up in my hood. I partake in burger indulging yet try to be somewhat healthy (occasionally) so Burgerfi's approach to focus on healthier, all-natural ingredients is very appealing. 

Natural Angus and never frozen patties sound great but how do these creations taste? A look at the burger may have you feeling a little disappointed (it is very petite), but it is piled with topping and biting into the branded burger which is cooked well done, you will be happy to know that it doesn't lose its juiciness. All in all, a BurgerFi Cheeseburger is a nicely balanced burger, which my 9 year old niece said was the best burger she ever had.

I think it is really disrespectful to the burger to not have fries to eat it with. The Fresh Cut Fries were tasty but left something to be desired. The addition of one of their fry topping may help with that though.

We also sampled the onion rings which were a lot better. They were huge, freshly cut rings that are generously breaded with a slightly sweet batter, then deep-fried to golden brown crispness.

The Wagyu Kobe Beef Hot Dog was more than just your regular dog. You could noticeably taste the difference in quality of the meat and I'm sure the rest of the dogs are like that too.

The Milkshake was thick but not too thick. It was of good quality and consistency.

Lastly, if you are a member of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Foursquare, you can use your status to get a Free Frozen Custard. It is creamy and delicious and you can add the toppings of your choosing.

Yeah, the food is fresh and taste great but it is important to note that the burgers and hot dogs are pretty small, and the meals are a bit more expensive than one would expect, but overall, we enjoyed the offerings at BurgerFi.



BurgerFi

Crescent Pie & Sausage Co. - Mid-City - New Orleans, LA

A place that makes their own sausage and I am in the area and hungry, lunch at Crescent Pie and Sausage is it.

The restaurant is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The decor is pretty simple but along with the look of the staff gave me the hipster vibe. However, it is not that kind of restaurant and all types of people from old to young were dining here.

Our server was a really nice guy, but it seemed to be his first day and he struggled a bit (forgetting to offer specials, etc) but he went out of his way to create a good experience. 

I ordered the special for the day, Red Beans and Rice with andouille and cornbread. The house-made andouille was exceptional! The red beans and rice, on the other hand were lukewarm; it needed more flavor. The cornbread was a little dry for me, but flavorwise was good.

Besides their sausages, the other thing they are known for are their pies. My dining companion ordered the Mid City Slammer Pizza (Andouille, Grilled Chicken, House-Smoked Coppa, Cheddar, Mozzarella and Red Sauce). Again the andouille stood out and was the star. The pizza overall was good. The crust was thin and crispy. I also liked that the toppings were the focus and it wasn't just another slice loaded with lots of cheese.

Yummy sausages and an awesome atmosphere is what I found in Crescent Pie & Sausage Co.


Crescent Pie & Sausage Co.
4400 Banks St New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 482-2426
www.crescentpieandsausage.com

Charcoal's Gourmet Burger Bar - Irish Channel - New Orleans, LA

The first thing I noticed walking into Charcoal's Gourmet Burger Bar is that the restaurant is separated into two parts: downstairs for counter pickup and upstairs for full service dining. 

The decor of the restaurant is very rustic and embodied what one would expect a burger bar to be (woods, metals and a huge bar). I would also envision it as the perfect place to watch a game but there really wasn't enough TVs and the one that they did have were oddly placed.

Our server was nice or at least she tried to be. Some of the other reviews I read about the restaurant had complaints about the service being extremely slow but I did not encounter that. After ordering, there was maybe a 20 minute wait for the food but it tasted fresh so commonsense in my mind is that does it takes some time to cook to food.

With various burger choices from veggie to elk to bison, my boyfriend (the safe eater) selected the House Burger made of beef. This is obviously not a unique choice but he still exclaimed that is was one of the best burgers he has had in a while.

He paired the burger with Onion Rings. I would never order onion rings but I liked these. The batter was light yet crunchy.

I wasn't very adventurous in my burger choice either but the sprouts, basil aioli, jalapenos, red onion, guacamole, Abita caramelized onions, and white cheddar cheese on the Turkey Burger sold me. Turkey can be dry and bland, but this was spicy, flavorful, juiciness!

I had my burger with Sweet Potato Tater Tots that were top two I have ever had. My boyfriend doesn't like sweet potatoes fries or anything of that nature and liked these a lot.

My boyfriend also got a Chocolate Milkshake and he liked it. It was the thick kind that you need two straws drink but not so thick you need a spoon and definitely not the gross watery kind.

I wanted my sweet finish too and ordered an Ice Cream Sandwich but it was a huge disappointment. The cookies were so hard that it took me sometime struggling with it before I could even get a bite. I was going to give up but finally I broke through. The cookies tasted stale and the ice cream was the icy kind that I do not like. I took about two bites and didn't finish the rest.

Besides the disappointment in the dessert, overall we were happy with the food. Seeing bison and elk burgers on the menu, I would come back and try something a little more adventurous and at the end of the day this is a burger bar and they make good burgers.


Charcoal's Gourmet Burger Bar

2200 Magazine St New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 644-4311 www.charcoalgourmetburgerbar.com

Parran's Po-Boys & Restaurant - Metairie, LA

Sometimes a girl just wants a sandwich! I have driven past Parran's Po-Boys so many times before but today I was going to go inside. The restaurant is located in a small shopping center with a small storefront, so I was surprised by how nice and inviting the restaurant was. It was cute and colorful, much different than the plain sign you see on the outside!

On my first visit, I ordered the Seafood Muffuletta. They claim to be the home of the original Seafood Muffuletta so you know I had to try it. The wait to get the food was a little ridiculous, but the restaurant was packed and it was shortly after opening and lunchtime. I waited in anticipation for my food and once I finally got to sit down and eat it, I was a little disappointed. The sandwich was huge, which I guess is a plus but I found the bread to be a little dry (like it was yesterdays bread). The sandwich was packed with fried Shrimp, Catfish and Oysters (more like one oyster). Their homemade Cajun Mayo redeemed it a little bit but a sandwich with fried ingredients, lettuce and tomato can only impress you so much when the bread isn't on point. My boyfriend had the Blackened Chicken Breast Po-Boy (not pictured) and loved it so we ended up going back a second time.

On my second occasion, I switched it up and ordered the Beer Battered Crawfish Tail Po-Boy combo with Red Beans & Rice. The sandwich was a little bit better than the last time since the bread was fresher. The Red Beans & Rice was good. It was a little too soupy for me but the flavor was good.

I am a little unsure how much I like this place, but my boyfriend loved it and the amount of people there on my first visit indicates that other people love it too. All I can say is check it out and you decide for yourself.

Parran's Po-Boys & Restaurant

3939 Veterans Blvd Metairie, LA 70002 (504) 885-3416 parranspoboys.com