Burger Review: The Farm Burger

There are two — no, three —  reasons why I really want to dislike Farm Burger, a Georgia-based chain, fast-casual that just moved into the new Hill Center Sylvan Heights development. One of them isn't even of their doing, so I'll cover that first: bad design.

How is it that H.G. Hill was able to mimic an urban environment in the Belle Meade and Green Hills Hill Centers, allowing for on-street parking in front of several shops, but when it came to an actual, honest-to-goodness urban environment, the closest one can get to the entrance demands a walk of half a block or more? That's even with parking provided. There is no back door for the public to enter from the large parking lot in the rear of the development, nor side door to cut into. You have to walk all the way around to the front and center of the building, which houses some three-four options. Why is it a problem? Ask anyone recovering from a recent ankle sprain, foot/leg injury, or otherwise handicapped. Another minor annoyance that will be a greater annoyance when it gets cold out: no vestibule. When that door swings out to Charlotte Pike traffic, 3/4 of the room can feel it.

Number two: Nashville eaters are grown up now, and compared to most of the Southeast, we're already well-educated about organics, slow food, and the farm-to-table movement. So when you base your marketing strategy on presenting yourself as a stand-out because you're serving up grass-fed, organically-raised livestock, like no one in the world ever thought about it until you opened up your lumbersexual-staffed joint ... as the saying goes, your panty lines are showing.

Three: a little on the nickel and dimey side .. but that's avoidable and I'll get to the detail later.

All that said, here's why I can't dislike Farm Burger: Strip away everything, and you've got one really, really good, fresh, beefy burger in your hand. 

On my first visit, I used the lunch special to 'build a burger' and took the bartender's advice to get their special "FB sauce," which turned out to be a flavorless, runny, mayo affair. 

I also thought the flavorings on their french fries — a mix of garlic and other herbs — was surprisingly bland, considering how much of it was laid on. Lastly, I was suspicious about the $2 slice of VT white cheddar cheese. At that price point, it looked awfully thin. But underneath it all, the burger seemed pretty good, so I wanted to give Farm Burger a second chance. I'm glad I did. Second time around I got pimento cheese fries. Again, as you can see from the pics, they were a little stingy with the cheese, burger and fries, both. Few pimentos. Many jalapeños. But they did have a lot more flavor this time.

More on the build-a-burger: it starts at a reasonable $6.75, but the add ons .. add on. Standard iceburg lettuce/tomato/low ranking condiments are all free; orange cheddar (show me a cow that gives orange milk, please) and condiment with some fuss will add $1; real cheddar, gouda and other fussier items come in at $2 a pop. So it's really your choice: you can stay minimal and have an organic, grass-fed cheeseburger come in under $10, or you can spend $20 or more and make a big deal of things. To the points:

Attractiveness: 7. The overall presentation with the fries in the same basket and all is lovely, but I was afraid to pick it up and make a mess of everything.

Flavor: 10. Oh, my! This is a real burger-burger. For a chain, that's just unheard of.

Juiciness: 6. This is a burger that's not going to make too much of a mess, in spite of my fears.

Digestivity: 10. Although I can reminisce about the flavor, I'm not actually tasting it four hours later

Atmosphere: Eh .... 5.

Overall: 6 +

Farm Burger does have a really good burger, one that in Nashville, ranks right up there with Burger Up and Brown's. If they can get a little less stingy with the cheese, turn the oh-wow marketing down, and add a back door, I'd be raving about them.

Nashville Scene's Burger Week — Quick(ish) Notes 3: Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint

    And finally, the last of my three participating visits from the Nashville Scene's Burger Week promotion. It turns out, Germantown's newest chain restaurant had what Scene readers voted the best burger - the Greg Brady.

    The average-sized patty comes to the table smothered with a mac & cheese (really, cheese & mac) topping, and topped with barbeque-flavored potato chips.

    The interior is very shack; Jack Brown's would probably make a great stopping point for lunch after wandering around American Picker's homestand Antique Archaeology. If that looks like someone cleaned out your uncle's barn and turned it into a retail store, Jack Brown's looks like grandpa's garage. At least the materials look more genuine than Martin's BBQ. Wonderful beer list here.

     

 Atmosphere: 8. Reluctantly. Although I love a dive bar, there's something about new restaurants deliberately conjuring the pre-indoor-plumbing, pre-plaster or even drywall look that makes me want to scream "enough," already. That said, Jack Brown's does it well. 

 Attractiveness: 7. Greg Brady is a remarkable little fellow. Sturdy, but soft. Crunchy, but gooey. All around studly. Although the overall table package matches the spare-everything theme of the restaurant, there's nothing wrong with plates. 

    Flavor: 5. The gooey cheese & mac, the chips, the special sauce all stood out. The burger itself, this world-famous Wagyu beef stuff? Unremarkable.

 Juiciness: 3. What's missing from that photo on the left? Nary a dribble.

 Digestivity: 10. No memorable after effects. 

 Overall: 6.  Although I'd definitely give them another chance to get a medium rare done right, I have to admit to being a little confounded as to how this burger wound up being voted #1 in the contest. 

Nashville Scene's Burger Week — Quick(ish) Notes 2: Dino's

   For my visit to a second of the participating Nashville Burger Week restaurants in the Nashville Scene's recent contest, I went to an old dive with new owners, one of whom was partly responsible for the place that set the bar for Nashville burgers in the 21st Century: Miranda Whitcomb Pontes of Burger Up. Pontes and partner Alex Wendkos took over the spot and opened it to the public this past January, to far less roar than was heard when Pontes' first burger joint starting serving, or other subsequent restaurant openings.

 A second craving Dino's serves is late-night food, with operating hours of 4pm-3am weekdays and noon-3am weekends. Even at most places that are open past 11, most Nashville kitchens close by 10; there's reason to cheer, here.

     Atmosphere: 9. Cheap burger joint at its best: 1970s thin wall paneling; diner-bar seating; the front window looks like it hasn't been completely cleaned since Bill Clinton was President. Friendly kitchen staff.

    Attractiveness: 9. Maybe it's because I was there for the late afternoon's light, or maybe it's because of the filtered goodness of the storefront window, but even onions and grocery-store-bought tomatoes couldn't detract from the immediacy of this burger's appeal.

Flavor: 8. There's nothing on Dino's website that indicates grass-fed, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is. If not, whomever's playing in the kitchen has hit on a perfect play of seasonings to bring up beef flavor that stands out, even with the above-mentioned toppings.

  Juiciness: 9 ... plenty of moisture, requiring extra napkins but not so much it bled over to the fries (which were also excellent). The burger was perfectly cooked, ordered medium-rare and it came that way, throughout.

Digestivity: 10. Happy to report, nothing lingered longer than it should have.

Overall: 9.

I'm trying not to get too excited about this, but the Odyssey just might have a new burger champ. By the numbers, it sure looks like it. But generally the only thing one might ask for to improve the burger is stick local tomatoes on, or have none at all. My initial impression is, this belongs right up there with Brown's Diner, Twin Kegs, and Burger Up.



Dino's Restaurant
Gallatin Pike, East Nashville

Nashville Scene's Burger Week — Quick(ish) Notes 1: Park Cafe

   Our local alt.weekly, the Nashville Scene, just ran a promotion for Nashville Burger Week. Some 15-20 restaurants put up the goods and invited eaters to vote for the champ, who will be selected to go on to represent Nashville at the World Food Championships (who knew this was a thing?) in Miami.

No word yet on the vote. 

   I've already given the rundown on a number of the participating restaurant burgers but there are several new places that I had/have yet to try, or old places I still hadn't gotten around to ... Anyway, by the end of the week, I managed to add three new burgers to my repertoire, at least one of which I'll return for more. And again.

  First down was the burger at Park Cafe, on the commercial strip where Murphy Road turns and becomes 46th. Never having been there before, my immediate impression (and nothing changed it) was that it was one of the surprisingly bubba-centric watering holes due to its proximity to McCabe Golf Course.
   Park Cafe's burger offered TN Hereford beef, onion-bacon jam,  cheddar cheese, Duseldorf mustard & the usual accompaniments. I tossed the pickles. The result was a somewhat unevenly cooked (all burgers are ordered medium rare), but otherwise solid burger with a unique, sharp bite to its flavor.
   Attractiveness: 8 ... it's nice but not at the level that screams, "EAT ME!"
   Flavor: 7
   Juiciness: 5 ... I wouldn't say it was dry, but there were maybe two drops on the plate. Maybe.
   Atmosphere: 7 ... It's a nice restaurant way more than it's a burger joint. If we were rating wine bars, it'd score a 10 for casual chic.
   Digestivity:  9 .... some of the condiment flavors lingered for an hour or more but over all it went down soundly with no repercussions.

Overall: 6 ... solid, but would be better from a chef who believes a burger can be a gourmet statement on its own.

Burger Coda 7: Table 3 "You Can See Me On a Wednesday"

all photos ©2014 Mary Brace all rights reserved

At one time, not even that long ago, when we didn't yet hate suburbs with a passion, Green Hills was an acceptable destination for Nashville restaurant dining. People seemed happy with Shalimar, Indian food right on the Pike; Chinatown in one of the little side plazas; F. Scotts towered over it all as the grand dame and foundation of much good that got spread around town. As that long-loved haven prepares to shut its doors, Green Hills should be thankful the team is staying on with  Table 3.

I've eaten there a handful of times and always been pleased. On the occasions where there may have been a slight misfire, the overall experience showed a sincere effort to get things right. When you find yourself eating in a bistro that's serving up dishes with an average entrée price of about $21, the last thing in the world you want to be is that guy/girl who goes cheap for the burger.

Unless it's on Wednesday. Then you can go seriously cheap. No, like crazy cheap, and get one of the best burgers in Nashville — freshly ground, grass-fed, local, cooked to order — for an Abe. Not even Twin Kegs can top that.

Juiciness: 10 Well, just look at that plate! Moo.

Attractiveness: 6  Enough of the pretzel buns, already. On a good burger, they're a distraction from the main feature. I want to look at a burger and go, "wow, this looks like it's going to be really good," not, "oh, what an interesting bun."

Flavor: 8 This was the second time I've had Table 3's burger. Last time, it was much more medium and not at all rare, but both times, the flavor had a subtle brawny something going on underneath that pleases the tastebuds without overpowering. But if you like, ask your server to switch out the accompanying aoli for some mustard (Dijon, of course) and your burger almost becomes Sunday roast with horseradish.

Atmosphere: 8 Busy, casual upscale restaurant. Hard to argue with that. On one side of me was a mother and her ready-to-hit-the-half-pipe son, on the other, a pair of women who look like they got lost trying to find the theatre district, speaking in French. Yes, I know we don't have a theatre district. We don't have a half-pipe, either.

Digestivity: 10 No backlash or sluggishness at all on this puppy.

Overall: 8.5 ... BUT. On Wednesday, when you can get it (at the bar) for $5, the value added makes it a 10. Flat out.

p.s. - the Onion Soup would make a Canadian logger melt from homesickness.

Another Burger Coda + Sushi Starter: PM Restaurant

    A few months ago, I came very close to starting a post titled, "How I Found Sushi — Or It Found Me," to join my quest for the best burgers in Nashville but scratched it, because I'm still such a sushi neophyte that I felt it would  look beyond pompous to try to review Nashville's offerings. Especially when there are so many decades-long addicted adherents. But ... so what? I've decided that rating sushi is actually a lot easier than rating burgers: either the food tastes fresh or it doesn't, and it's memorable or it isn't. If it's memorable for the right reasons, it goes to the 'good' column.

    This afternoon I managed to combine both burger and sushi at PM Restaurant, one of the Arnold Myint family in Nashville. The sushi was an uncomplicated Spicy Tuna. Rice; tuna; cucumber and various sauces. It was very enjoyable but to be honest, I can't remember much what it tasted like, flavorwise. The amount of tuna in the roll was fairly small. What I remember most was how the cucumber gave it some crunch. That I bit my own tongue about 3 pieces in, didn't help. I mean, it really didn't help. So I'm just going to have to go back there ...

     

     The burger was more memorable. On the menu it's listed as "Char-Grilled Buger" and it is; what it wasn't was the medium-rare I ordered, but it was so interesting that I opted to finish (most of) it rather than send back to the kitchen. Here's how it rated:

Juiciness: 5. When it came out, I saw a splash of red on the bun and thought "oh, this is going to be awesome," but it turned out to be an anomaly. The unevenly-cooked, but mostly medium-well burger was comparatively dry except for that one little almost kinda pink section.

Attractiveness: 10. It's gorgeous, though, isn't it? A totally charred, beautifully rounded patty. The bun's soft, sweet and chewy, has enough "give" to show it's not factory-made perfection, but also enough body to keep it from looking like someone sat on the bag.

Flavor: 7 Hmmm. A mixed bag, this one. The innards of the patty tasted like what I've come to think of as typical Angus. A lot of places use it for the brand specialty but honestly, what it gains in texture is offset by the bland flavor. What separates the PM burger from, say, Hard Rock Cafe's or Ruby Tuesday's is the marinade (brown sugar-based bbq sauce?) coating, more caramelized than charred.

Atmosphere: 8. Like most of the other Belmont bungalows-turned restaurants, PM has character and instead of being in one big box of a room, the tables are spread about in several difference sections. It adds a feel of casual intimacy to the dining.

Digestivity: 9. No trouble with sluggishness, beef pangs or all-day-burger-taste in my mouth. But it was probably about an ounce larger than needed (okay, the sushi didn't help), so I was left with a little bloat. Side note: one of my dining companions noted that Americans are the only people in the world who complain portions are too big. The UK is the only place I've ever been outside the US and except for one colossally huge steak at a Rick Stein restaurant, the portions everywhere there WERE smaller — so of course no one complained. And who's going to moan about having to bring home a helping or two of marbled Prime? The problem is, no educated eater wants to bring home a box of leftover frozen Sysco nuggets.

Overall: 7. Pretty good. You could do a lot worse for burgers in Nashville, but with all the other interesting items on the menu, it's not the first thing I'll look forward to when I return. If I have it again and it's overcooked, I'll definitely send it back next time. By the way - the fries on the side were wonderful.