What’s the one food item you can’t imagine going through life without? Chocolate cake? Your morning coffee? A big, juicy porterhouse? Succotash? Mine would be cheeseburgers. I like the one’s you get at bars. I like the one’s from greasy spoons, and the one’s from fancy restaurants. The only ones I won’t go near are the fast food variety (i.e. MacDonalds or In-and-Out).
So today we tried out a new-comer to the Valley called indulgeburgers & more (sorry, that’s the way it’s spelled on the menu). At the corner of Scottsdale and Shea, it’s quite close to us, which we’re very happy about. The interior is a hoot because it combines elements of a sports bar (two TV screens and a bar with stools), a fast food place (the drink machines are out in the open, but strangely your waiter brings you your drinks and refills), and a somewhat upscale restaurant (fun burger art on the pretty colored walls, banquettes, tables both high and standard height). And you don’t have to order before you sit down, something I’m getting pretty tired of.
Your server brings you a two-sided menu which is reminiscent of a standardized test form since you have to indicate what you want by penciling in little circles (golf pencils are provided). One side has appetizers, signature burgers, sandwiches other than burgers (including a fried bologna sandwich, which cracked me up), and salads. The other side is the important one - you get to create your own burger. Choose your protein - beef, turkey, veggie, grilled chicken, or salmon. Then the size and how you want it cooked. You won’t get an argument here if you say you want it rare.
Next is cheese selection. There are 10 to choose from including herb goat cheese, horseradish cheddar and gruyere. Then “regular” toppings, 4 are included in the price. Sweet dried cranberries, black olives, grilled onions, and 13 more. If you want “indulge” toppings, each one is 99 cents extra. There’s avocado, chili con carne, fried egg and another 5. Sauces, which are served on the side, number 18, including remoulade, cranberry chutney, and bangkok peanut. And finally bun choices (they’re made fresh daily): brioche, wheat, english muffin, or a bed of lettuce. The burgers are priced from $8.50 for 1/3 pound, to $13.75 for a 2/3 pound kobe. I forgot to mention that along with the menu your waitress brings you a plate of homemade potato chips sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. They’re nice and fresh, crispy, and not overly greasy. They also tend to disappear very quickly.
Side dishes, other than a pickle aren’t included in the burger price. Under appetizers you’ll find fries, both white and sweet, crispy fried onion strings, a side salad, and fried dill pickle chips. These, and a few other selections, will add between $2.99 to $5.95 to your tab. Beverages are an outrageous $2.50. And finally desserts, including brownies, sundaes, bread pudding, and chocolate and carrot cake which run around $5.50.
Our food arrived in reasonable time. I had ordered a 1/3 pound medium rare beef burger with herb goat cheese, grilled onions, black olives, roasted chiles and avocado on a brioche bun. When I eat a burger I concentrate on the over-all taste experience, not the taste of each ingredient (I know lots of people are obsessed with the quality of the ground beef), and this was a satisfying mouthful. It just kind of melted and melded together - the bun was especially pleasing. The toppings were plentiful, and the burger seemed huge, more like half a pound. I have to tell you about Ken’s burger. He asked for pineapple, pickles, avocado, tomato, blue cheese, and grilled onions on his 1/3 pounder, with a whole wheat bun. You should have seen the expression on the waiter’s face when he brought it to the table. He, deadpan, called it an “unusual” combination. In order to keep you fully informed we ordered the 1/2 & 1/2 appetizer combination of sweet potato fries and fried onion strings. They arrived piping hot and crispy, just the way I like them, with sides of ranch and ketchup. It was a large serving that we couldn’t begin to finish (and I left about a third of my burger).
These were GOOD burgers. I liked them better than DeLux or Blue Burger, mostly because of the huge choice of add-ons and the fresh buns. Now that we’re more familiar with the concept and the menu, we’d probably order a 2/3 pound burger and split it. That would reduce the cost by $2.25. I’d ask the server to not give us the potato chips until our burger arrived, and I wouldn’t feel the need to order fries or onion strings (saving another $4.75). And I’d happily drink water. That would bring the cost of lunch for two to a little over $5 each, not including tax and tip. More than reasonable.
On Saturday and Sunday there’s brunch. Benedicts, pancakes, create your own omelet. One of the already designed omelets is called “Indulge Yourself - This Is It!”. “A hearty blend of our special sausage, smoked ham, cheese, bacon cooked right in the eggs with our vegetable mixture of diced tomatoes, onions and spinach. Then we stuff the omelette with Monterey Jack Cheese, top it with shredded cheddar and Hollandaise Sauce”. I hope they give out Lipitor for dessert.
Indulgeburgers & more
10392 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale
480-998-2222
indulgeburgers.com
P.S. I’m sorry to have to inform you of the demise of Swaddee Thai (see below). It really comes as a surprise since they seemed to do a good business and the food was outstanding.
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