Every once in a while though, I think, "Maybe it's ok. Maybe this one will surprise me. Maybe there will be an odd good staff in here that will put the love into their burger that someone who owns and is responsible for their own business will."
And then I go in, I taste the food, I experience the bland atmosphere, the unenthusiastic, underpaid, undercompensated, no benefits staff, and decide, "I AM NEVER GOING INTO A CHAIN STORE AGAIN!"
Yep. This was one of those kind of days.
So, here is my review for Sunny Street Cafe, in Arnold, MO.
How the Burger Stands Alone:
I got the Western Burger. Bacon, barbecue sauce, and a vidalia onion ring. It sounded ok; there wasn't anything more exciting on the menu. Now, Sunny Street is a breakfast and lunch place. Maybe they do better with breakfasts. But I'm judgin the burger. And here it is, folks.
Nope, it wasn't any more appetizing than it looks. It actually may have been LESS appetizing than it looks. Once I took a bite, I immediately regretted the decision to have ordered it. The burger had no taste at all. I don't even begin to understand how you create a bland burger. The only flavor on the burger came from the toppings. Other than that, it may as well have been sitting in a freezer for years. Any flavor seemed to have fled it long before it hit the grill. Not the cook's fault, unless I'm missing some sort of crazy burger bland magic and one very strange individual to want to learn how to do that. The onion rings were really just tasted like grease, not onions. The barbecue sauce was not all that remarkable. Kind of sweet and smoky, but tasted like it came in a giant vat that read, "generically sweet and smoky barbecue sauce." The bacon, however, was very good. Crispy and still very flavorful. It had, however, been poluted by the barbecue sauce of awful.
I was super hungry, and ended up eating about 1/2 of the burger due to "at least it will fill my belly."
I, Sarah the Burger Queen, threw. Away. A half of a burger. Because I couldn't take another bite.
I award this burger 1/10. I almost gave it a 0/10, but will keep from doing that, because it didn't make me physically sick. I hope I never have to award a burger that little again. Because that would mean that I ate it. Yech.
How the Sides Stack Up:
The fries were fine. I mean, they lacked a *disgusting* quality. They were french fries. They tasted like potatoes, and were fried to an appropriately cripsy level. I really don't have much more to say about them. It takes quality fries to impress me, and crap to disinterest me. So, these fries are awarded a hearty "4/10" for being only slightly below what I would consider to be average.
How the Service Stacks:
Pretty well, actually. It suffered from what I call "the chain store blues," or the inevitable truth that people who work for chain stores are not living up to their fullest potential. Waitresses receiving minimum wage in a breakfast restaurant that (probably) offers terrible benefits, if any, can't be expected to be enthusiastic about their jobs. Usually, they are only enthusiastic about their customers, who provide them with more reason to be there than the job. I remember. I worked at IHop (*shudder*). The cooks, who are certainly making less than any respectable food place, can't be expected to ooze love into their food. The food has no imagination and is aimed to be what most people will eat without thinking too much about it. Chains thrive on people's need for convenience, not their need for diversity or excitement. A chain is there to function, not to shine. Our waitress was sweet. Not invasive, not obnoxious. Not funny or exceptional. But she did her job and earned her tip.
6/10 for being above average.
Atmospheric Conditions:
Well, the local fauna are older. It's a breakfast and lunch only place, so it caters to the retired crowd. It felt like a diner in a small town, sparse, country decorations and functional tables and chairs. But the people were polite, and I had enough room to sit, talk and eat. It looked too old for how old it is, and it wasn't a "vintage" feeling. It was a "our stuff is old, cheap, and there to make you feel like we're trying to achieve a country feel." It failed. Mostly, it was just bland. 4/10.
*Sigh* Totals...1,4,6,4. A shocking total of 15. That averages out to a little under 4/10, based mostly on their kind server. I'll even bump it up to a full 4/10, based on the fact that they had awesome flavored cream for my coffee.
I want a good burger! I am going to Chicago this weekend. Any suggestions?
I wonder how much of the horribleness of the burger has to do with it being a chain restaurant and how much it's a matter of the joint specializing in brunchy food.
ReplyDeleteIf they have someone in the back who actually knows how to cook a burger medium like I ordered it, Chili's has a good burger. But most of the time it comes out cooked through.
Like I said at the top. They're a breakfast and lunch place, but I'm judgin the burger. I think I'll write a post, entitled, "Why I Hate Chain Store Food."
ReplyDelete