Week 23: My Take on a Modern Burger Joint

I think that everyone enjoys a good burger once in a while.  I grew up in small town Miramichi and I can remember when we first got a McDonald's.  It was very exciting!  In fact, other than the McDonald's in our one Walmart, it's still the only McDonald's on the Miramichi.  That's probably a good thing because the sea gulls are like a wild gang of criminals who own the parking lot, and anyone who has ever tried to sit in their car and eat their McDonald's with the windows down know what I'm talking about.  I've always loved McDonald's.  My favourite is the quarter pounder with cheese and large fries.  It's always delicious and never lets me down.

Nowadays, once simple foods like grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers have become gourmet, or the haute couture of cooking.  McDonald's has kinda become a place for children or those with simplistic  palates, like mine.  Well, I'm always open and ready to give something new a try and see if a modern burger will better fulfill my burger cravings.  One such place is called "The Works - Gourmet Burger Bistro."  They're basically a burger joint but you can get a variety of sides, shakes, etc., to supplement your burger.  The process of ordering your burger is broken down into 3 steps.  First, choose your patty:  ground beef, lean ground turkey, gourmet veggie, whole chicken breast, portobello mushroom cap, or lean domestic elk for a few extra dollars.  Second, choose your toppings.  There's over 70 different choices for toppings!  Our waitress had to come back 3 times before we were ready to order.  Third, choose your bun:  white, whole wheat, or gluten free for a bit extra.  This is what we got:
1) turkey patty; The Rick Campanelli - pesto glaze, chopped sundried tomatoes, black olives & brie cheese; whole wheat bun; sweet potato strings $12.88.    2) elk patty; The Grid - chipotle ketchup, havarti cheese, 4 double smoked bacon slices & caramelized onions; white bun; lumpy mashed potatoes $13.96.    This restaurant likes to upsize the portions as our more commonly overweight populace has become accustomed to.  The drinks come in 500 ml measuring cups and your food is plated on metal cake/cooking pans.  The burgers might be gourmet but the restaurant is still just another burger joint.  Here's what the sign says for the ladies restroom:  "Ladies Waste Removal."  Now that's classy, eh?  Here are the pics.

How did it taste?  The turkey burger was too dry for my liking and although the elk burger was quite good, tasted just like beef, it didn't really satisfy my deepest burger craving.  All in all, you can dress up the burger all you want but it still won't be a McQuarter pounder with cheese.