Burger Crew meeting called to order on Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 12pm (DK’s pick).
Members in attendance: Angela, Trev, Wayne, DK, and me, Innie
Next gen Burger Crew: Marty, Ellis
Special guest: Marissa
I. Ordering
Moo’s Craft Barbeque offers 2 different burgers on their BBQ-centric menu: Thicc Smoked Burger and Rampart Thicc Chili Burger. The Thicc Smoked Burger (house made dill pickles, signature aioli, smoked patty , American cheese, thinly sliced onions on a potato bun) is offered daily for $16. The Rampart Thicc Chili Burger (Smoked Prime Brisket Chili Cheese Burger: yellow mustard, scratch made dill pickles, smoked patty, american cheese, diced onions, topped with Texas Chili on a potato bun) is available only on Friday – Sunday for $17. The lines at this restaurant can get pretty long, so we all ordered in advance on their website to pick up right when they opened on Saturday (more on that later…)
All of us ordered the Thicc Smoked Burger with “sides” various BBQ accouterments.
II. Burgers
These patties indeed live up to their Thicc moniker. These were hefty beef patties, possibly sous-vided from how tender they were. The seasoning was very peppery and reminded us of the kind of flavor you’d get from a pastrami.
There wasn’t much of a sear on the burger, and although the tenderness of the meat was impressive, we missed the texture and flavor from the maillard reaction we get with a good char. There were thinly sliced onions and some pickles but the overall texture was a bit too soft and uniform for our preferences. The richness of the burger would have benefited from more acid, and the softness of the patty and bun could have been nicely offset with more onion, pickle, or anything that added a crunch factor.
III. Sides
There were fries on the menu, but this place was all about the BBQ. When in Rome, forget the fries and go for the smoked meats. I’m pretty sure that’s how the saying goes.
Between the group, we sampled their pulled pork, Korean sticky glazed pork belly, and the brisket. Their pulled pork was pretty standard, but the brisket was our favorite. The Korean sticky glazed pork belly was fatty and juicy in all the best ways, and the glaze was super flavorful; sweet, tangy and slightly spicy. In true Asian fashion, Angela said it would be pretty incredible with some rice. And if that’s not Asian enough, I suggest adding some kimchi to that mix.
Besides the BBQ, the group also ordered the Fritos pie, esquites (Mexican street corn), and the mac and cheese. The Fritos pie was as salty and rich as expected and delivered on its promise to be a satisfying vehicle for cheese, chili, and sour cream. Trev thought there was some spice in the esquites (possibly jalapenos?), but Angela disagreed. The mac and cheese was deemed fantastic, and was super cheesy with a nice crust.
IV. Miscellaneous
There is both indoor and outdoor seating available. The line for ordering can get pretty long depending on the time of day/week.
We did collectively order in advance for pickup to avoid the long wait times, but incorrectly assumed that there wouldn’t be a problem eating our orders onsite. Our intrepid leader, DK, was approached two different times by individuals working there and was told that it was highly discouraged, since they were generally too busy to accommodate takeout orders onsite. In short, not a recommended hack to save time (unless you actually do take it to go!)
Parking wasn’t too difficult, and we all managed to find neighborhood parking around the corner from the restaurant.
V. Value
The members were asked how much they would pay for their burgers. Our answers ranged from $13 to $17, with an average of $14.80, a little less than their actual prices.
VI. Verdict
Our scores were 3.3, 3.6, 3.8, 4.2, and 4.5. A few of us liked the Thicc burger more than others, but we all agree that you can’t lose with the BBQ (particularly the brisket!) Super fun and interesting find by DK!
Next Burger Crew meeting will be held on Sunday, May 21, at Trophies Burger Club.