Restaurant Roundup: Bobby's Burger Palace

As I mentioned in It's a Date, Shaun and I spent Valentine's Day 2009 at Shake Shack. Call it our love for a juicy burger or our utter refusal to get into the whole Valentine's Day price fixing, but I was excited to turn this fast food date into a Vday tradition of sorts. After all, there is something romantic about a laid back, comfortable Saturday night, isn't there?

This year, when Shaun suggested branching out from the Shack and trekking out to another upscale fast food join, Bobby's Burger Palace in Paramus, I jumped at the offer. The brainchild of Bobby Flay, Food Network personality and founder of Mesa Grill, Bobby's Burger Palace features high-end cheap-o burgers at their best. Though the name does leave a bit to be desired (I mean, really...Palace?), the food was worth the trek out to North Jersey. (Oh, and did you know there's a Nordstrom Rack out there? I didn't either...) Anyhow, a way more civilized set up than Shake Shack's Upper West Side location, BBP boasted burgers that sounded, and ultimately tasted, nothing short of divine.

For the night o'food, we decided to get a few different menu items and split 'em down the middle in an effort to maximize food tasting (for research purposes, of course). And since we were sharing, Shaun graciously gave in to my request for 'medium' burgers, as opposed to 'medium rare'. Love ya honey. First up, the burgers. Though apparently Bobby has trademarked the whole potato chips on burger routine as his signature burger fare (the Crunch Burger, if you will), we decided to play it a little less than traditional, since, let's face it, we can put potato chips on our own burgers, after all. Instead we went with the Dallas Burger...
and the Buffalo Style Burger
Each was mighty fine in its own right. Though I could have tolerated more hot sauce on the Buffalo Burger, it boasted a creamy blue cheese sauce with actual crumbles mixed in. It didn't overpower the burger, which is really the way it should be. Have you ever seen a burger look so delectable? The Dallas Burger, on the other hand, was full of sweet and smokey flavor due to a combination of barbecue sauce and coleslaw. It's all about the sweet and savory with this one, and it really shined as a drastic contract to the Buffalo Burger. Oh, and I should mention the sides; fries...
and onion rings... The Pluses: Unlike Shake Shack, with its anxiety-driven table scouting, BBP had a server actually seat guests as orders were frying away. Like I said, much more civilized.
The burgers were wonderfully cooked and full of flavor. And for a satisfying dinner under $25? It was inexpensive, to boot. Ok, with the high fat factor in this meal, I wouldn't recommend it for regular eating. It's a specialty place and should be treated as such.

The Not-so-much factor: Ok, I know that the universe doesn't revolve around Manhattan, but when it comes to Bobby Flay's burgers...I just think it should. The fact that this place is part of a mall in Bergen county just doesn't sit well with me. I need easier access...and by easier access, I mean somewhere I don't have to drive to. After all, one step inside this place and it screams "Less expensively decorated Mesa Grill..." But I suppose I should follow my own advice, above...

The Bottom Line: A super burger joint with one seriously low price. Ok, you have to drive out to Jersey to get it, but it's worth it.

How do you take it?

And by it, I mean coffee. You know, the one thing that gets you up and going each morning, priming you to deal with all that the day has to throw at you. While I'm typically a Hazelnut kind of girl of the light 'n sweet variety, since I discovered Italian Sweet Creme Coffee-mate added to regular joe, I haven't found another coffee additive that I've enjoyed nearly as much. Creamy and sweet, this creamer adds a delicious punch of flavor without taking over the coffee taste. So my question for you is, while this creamer is my morning obsession, how do you take your coffee? Do you have an allegiance to a particular flavor of coffee or coffee creamer? Do you have other tactics on how you get it together in the morning?

Kathy's Irish Soda Bread

A few weeks ago, I attended a bridal shower for a friend of mine. Kristen is the future Mrs. of Ryan, Shaun's long time best friend and one of my oldest friends (even before Shaun was in the picture...many, many years ago. Our friendship was born when I had a cast on my ankle in 11th grade and Ryan volunteered to carry book bag for me after the much-dreaded Physics class...such a gent). Anyhow, we're super excited for these two and can't wait for the big day!

A sweet soiree to celebrate her transition into married life, the shower was filled with friends, good food, lots of gifts and small tributes to Kristen and Ryan's Irish heritage including one of the most creative and fun party favors I've ever received - a mini bread pan containing a loaf of the mother of the bride's famous Irish soda bread, complete with printed recipe. Let's face it, sometimes Irish soda bread does leave a bit to be desired...but not this one. A recipe that was handed down and morphed over time, this version is more moist than most of it's kind and has impeccable flavor. After not only consuming a few slices at the shower, I arrived home where Shaun and I dug right in to the party favor goods. After expressing my love of not only the party favor idea, but of the bread itself to Kristen, I was over the moon with excitement when Kristen and her mom, Kathy, gave me the go ahead to do a write up for TAA.

So in the midst of my Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes extravaganza, I also embarked on my first batch of Kathy's Irish Soda Bread. And now I'm sharing it with you, so read on.
Kathy's Irish Soda Bread
4 C all purpose flour
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 C raisins
1 1/3 C buttermilk
Optional: 1 tbsp caraway seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Cut butter into the mixture until the butter is very fine - or mix with your hands so there are no large lumps of butter. (Note: I got down and dirty with the dough and used the best tool at my disposal; my own two hands. It's a sticky job, but it's really the only way to get 'er done). Add buttermilk and mix into soft dough. Kneed by hand a few times. Grease pan (generously!) and smooth bread evenly in pan. Cut an "X" across the top of the dough. Bake at least 1 hour, then check color and if top is wet/damp. If it is, bake additional 10 minutes (Note: in my old-as-dirt oven, my bread was done at 55 minutes. I was alerted by the extremely delectable smell wafting through my apartment. When I checked it, the bread was clearly done).
The result? I delectable none-too-crumbly bread with just a hint of sweetness brought to the table by the addition of raisins. Thanks for sharing with us, ladies!

Do you have any go-to Irish soda bread recipes? Or any other St. Patrick's Day treats or traditions that you follow? I know I have a corned beef in my fridge just waiting to jump into my slow cooker this weekend...

UPDATE: I should probably mention the type of pan to use! Kathy suggests 4 mini bread pans or one 8 or 9" round pan. I used one standard sized bread pan and the mini pan that I got at the shower. Any of these ways will work. I filled both pans about 3/4 of the way full.