Comfortable Meaty Food

Sheez, at least there has been a post between this one and the barbecue orgy!

So.  What do you do when a Texas Deppity bangs on your door and hands you an EVICTION CITATION that asks for your presence in court in a week or else?

Well, first you gasp a lot, and then you think about it for a couple of days, and then you decide that what would really help your state of mind would be a burger from this place you've been hearing so much about.

Or am I projecting, and that's just me?

Now I'm really not one to eat when I'm upset - in fact, I lose weight quickly when stressed - but I guess this time is different.  I just couldn't stop thinking about meaty meatburgers and crunchy fries.

So I went to Mighty Fine Burgers.

I got there really early because I woke up hungry hungry this morning.  There were already twenty people in line sporting Dell badges, but I got to sneak ahead of them to place my order.  They wrote it on a bag for me.

I got a junior (1/4 pound) cheeseburger with just about everything, because salmonella be damned, tomatoes are yummy this time of year!

And if you're wondering, the odd color choices on the bag are red/ketchup, yeller/mustard (aren't we Texan, wink wink) and white/mayonnaise.  Not sure why I opted out of mustard.  I usually love the stuff.

I grabbed a seat in the brightly lit restaurant and waited for my name to be announced through the giant red earhorn at the counter.  I suppose it might have been more interesting to watch the employees behind the glass forming beef patties and cutting potatoes for crinkle-cut fries, but I was a little overwhelmed by all the brightness.

After a wait of maybe five minutes, I heard my name and retrieved my bag.  Unwrapping it at the table, I found this.

The fries were undersalted, so I grabbed the Lawry's seasoned salt and totally poured a huge amount onto the fries because the shaker holes are way enormous.  Oops.  I closed the bag back up and shook the fries around, which helped, but a few of them were beyond redemption.

People go on and on about these fries on Yelp, but I wasn't impressed - and it wasn't just because I'd completely salted the bag, they were also mostly soggy.  And I did get them out of the bag quickly to try to avoid that happening.

The burger also fell a little short, though it was certainly pretty.

 

The vegetables were good and fresh and crunchy, and the crinkle-cut pickles were a cute touch, but the beef patty was rather mushy and flavorless and the bun was completely nondescript.

The place is having no trouble drawing customers from all of the offices in the area, though.  I took a picture of the order counter at 11:18 while I was eating my burger and things were still pretty quiet.

At 11:30, as I was finishing my burger, I looked up and was shocked.  I guess a lot of people have early lunch around here!

I LOVE the look the seated woman in black is (probably inadvertently) shooting at the guy in the tight black shirt.

My total was $8.04.  I think Billy's burgers are way better than Mighty Fine, and you can get beer there, so I don't see a reason to head back up to see these guys.  Apparently the men's room has a two-way mirror so you can gaze out over the dining room while you pee, so maybe if you're a guy you'll want to check that out.  Me, I'd rather have the burger and fried okra and pitcher of Shiner at Billy's.

Mighty Fine Burgers, 10515 N. Mopac Expressway #205, Austin.  512.418.0444. 

Comments

[michelle of bleeding espresso]

Well crap. I'd have gone for the burger too.

And that inadvertent look? Maybe not so inadvertent...looks like that guy is charging at her in a very angry way. Maybe an extra-seasoned fry would appease?

[Too Much Coffee Man]

The picture of the half-eaten burger is almost too clinical, but it does pretty well illustrate the mushiness.

Fried okra sounds way too good. You must direct me to this "Billy's" when I get there (this is Paul, by the way - I'm test-driving a new pseud).

[Boots in the Oven]

Songnatrice, it's so funny what the camera catches that our eye sometimes doesn't! I think he was trying to see who was done with their food so he could snag a table. And an over-seasoned fry probably would have helped.

Too much Coffee Man! I used to have a friend who was so into that comic... Billy's is definitely a good time.

[thekidds]

The best burger, in our personal opinion, is at Phil's Icehouse on Burnet Road. You can have Amy's ice cream for dessert without leaving the building!

We go to Billy's for frito pie and Guinness. And taking pictures of Pokey and Gumby.

[Boots in the Oven]

We'll definitely have to give Phil's a try - we have to drive right by it on our way to Billy's! I've been waiting for my brother-in-law to come into town with his wife and their four year old, since the playground looks like a fun time for the little ones.

[Bill]

Depending on my burger mood, I'm partial to the Crown and Anchor (thinner) or, Austin Cliche, Casino. At Casino you have to deal with the cooler than you crowd, but damn if those aren't some tasty hunks of beef.

Good to see you last night...

[Boots in the Oven]

I haven't been to either of those, though it seems like a lot of people are into the Casino - I'ma have to try it out.

We had a GREAT time at Fino with your delicious drinks! I think we got a couple good shots of your new bitters, which I'll totally put up on Flickr.