Discussion of Bluegrass Burger review

I checked out Bluegrass Burgers this past weekend. Living in the neighborhood, I have been longing for a place other than a pizza joint to grab some casual fare. I enjoyed my burger and sweet potato fries. I did have one issue with Robin's review however. The following sentence was missing something...

With diet cola and iced tea, lunch for two came to $18.65 and a $3.35 tip. A solo burger and iced tea another day was $11.21 plus $3.

...an explanation point (!). Again, the burger was very good and the sweetpotato fries some of the best I've had but....Robin, you paid $14.21 for a combo meal! I paid $11.47 for a cheeseburger, sweetpotato fries (not really enough to split if 2 were dining) and a coke....that's before tip (I don't remember what I tipped, but probably not $3 for counter service). Do the math, with tip for two people you're passing $25. $50 for a family of four. Add bacon or carmelized onions and you're beyond that. Wow. For comparison, Jack Fry's (delicious) burger with cheese, bacon, carmelized onions AND fries is $9.75. And you get to eat it at Jack Fry's.

Which brings me to my next point which is really more of a personal preference and many may disagree. To me there is nothing "gourmet" about sneeze guards and tongs. Especially when the "build your own" offerings are fairly standard...although I will give props for fresh, not pickeled, jalapenos. To me, gourmet, means that someone that knows what they are doing "created" a unique burger. Like this place for example....

http://www.twistedrootburgerco.com/menu.html.

A fun place with a slightly hip vibe also helps make prices a little more palatable.

Just my $.02.. Good luck to BGB. I hope everyone at least gives it a try and hopefully they can figure a way to either get the prices down or bump up the value/experience a notch to justify the price....not as easy as it sounds... I know.

Oh, I should have also added this link...it goes to the point that gourmet means something. A great, very short read for you chefs that have ever considered bagging the fancy stuff to follow a dream.

http://www.twistedrootburgerco.com/about.html

Wow. Honestly, I am going to need some more info before paying $7.50 for a veggie burger with cheese a la carte.

[Robin Garr]

I can't speak to the veggie burger, but my affection for Bluegrass come from the fact that they're intentionally buying local, hormone-free, humanely raised beef. That makes a difference. That's what we do at home, and we consciously pay a premium for it.

I can't speak to the veggie burger, but my affection for Bluegrass come from the fact that they're intentionally buying local, hormone-free, humanely raised beef. That makes a difference. That's what we do at home, and we consciously pay a premium for it.

I agree 100%. That being said, I'm unfortunately in the position where I can support such a practice more in theory than in actuality (which isn't much support when the chips are on the table). Eating healthy and eating ethically is expensive. I look forward to the day when my pocketbook (not that I'm saying your rich, Robin!) allows the ethics end of the teeter-tooter to soundly outweigh the "cost" end. It's an interesting issue in America. With the price of everything going up (and wages going down), the want to support a movement and the ability to support a move aren't always the same.

But, that's why it's a gourmet burger joint. No one, as far as I can tell, has figured out how to make ethical affordable. That's, I guess, why Wal-Mart is so successful.

[Robin Garr]

(not that I'm saying your rich, Robin!)

No joke!

This is a very important point, though, Matthew. It's a real ethical dilemma, and one that I think even folks like Pollan haven't adequately addressed: It's not practical to be poor and to eat ethically in America today, at least not without going vegetarian. If Mary and I ever get to a place where we can't really make the locavore/humane/sustainable choice, we'll go meatless. At this point, despite some concerns about animal consciousness that I do my best to suppress, we do like eating tasty animals. But if we have to choose between industrial meat or no meat, then it will be a reluctant "buh-bye, animal flesh."

Oh, I should have also added this link...it goes to the point that gourmet means something. A great, very short read for you chefs that have ever considered bagging the fancy stuff to follow a dream.

http://www.twistedrootburgerco.com/about.html

Greg, have you eaten at Twisted Root? I wasn't that impressed and don't remember it being that cheap either... There root beer and pickles were the highlight of the meal, although I was impressed by the ketchup variety.

I'm looking forward to trying Bluegrass Burger. As long as I'm getting good value (and by that I mean a decent meal for a decent price) I'm happy.

quote="Will Terry Greg, have you eaten at Twisted Root? I wasn't that impressed and don't remember it being that cheap either... There root beer and pickles were the highlight of the meal, although I was impressed by the ketchup variety.

I was just trying to make the point that if you're going to call it a gourmet burger, and charge as if it is a gourmet burger, you better deliver on the "gourmet". I'm not sure that local alone is a qualifier to the general public. Let's be honest, most people don't even give that kind of stuff even passing consideration and as noted above, even those that do aren't always willing to pay for it. I was just pointing to Twisted Root's menu just as an example of what I would consider gourmet (it was just the first place that came to mind as I have just recently eaten there). You know, out of the ordinary toppings, buns prepared by pastry chef, homemade ketchup, crushed ice in soda fountain ( ), cool atmosphere to eat it in and what not.

There was nothing gourmet to me about BGB. There's nothing wrong with that, infact I personally may prefer that, but what's the justification for the price? Maybe it's just me, but I'll say that I'm not really the type to get all wound up about menu pricing, but when you pay 11.47 (plus a tip ?!) for a naked cheeseburger combo meal and then have to dress it myself off a half-hazard salad bar at a place that looks like a scaled down fast food joint - I take full notice. That's all.

To answer your question...I really enjoyed my burger at Twisted Root...I can't remember what I had, but it was very good. The most impressive thing about this place is that there was a 20 minitue wait to place an order! There really is no better value barometer than that. (I'm with those of you that would never normally wait 20 minutes for anything, but when you're with a group you gotta roll with the punches) If you look at the menu you'll notice it's a little cheaper than BGB. You can split the fries and the burgers (if you order one of the specials) seem larger and come with all the "extra" toppings....guac, cheese, carmelized onions/mushrooms, etc. So I guess my point is while a little expensive for a burger this place at least makes an effort to deliver some value for the dollar.

I'm looking forward to trying Bluegrass Burger. As long as I'm getting good value (and by that I mean a decent meal for a decent price) I'm happy.

That's exactly what you'll get - a decent meal. Better than decent really. But what does a $12 burger and fries, and coke ($14 or so after tip) need to look like to deliver value in your mind? That is the question.

(not that I'm saying your rich, Robin!)

No joke!

This is a very important point, though, Matthew. It's a real ethical dilemma, and one that I think even folks like Pollan haven't adequately addressed: It's not practical to be poor and to eat ethically in America today, at least not without going vegetarian. If Mary and I ever get to a place where we can't really make the locavore/humane/sustainable choice, we'll go meatless. At this point, despite some concerns about animal consciousness that I do my best to suppress, we do like eating tasty animals. But if we have to choose between industrial meat or no meat, then it will be a reluctant "buh-bye, animal flesh."

Holy crap. When did "ethics" make its way into eating? I though we were still in the "awareness" phase. Now it's full blown unethical to eat a steak from Kansas?

Thanks a lot Robin. I'm going to be at this nice gala tonight wondering where my steak came from and if it was massaged by virgins or whatnot. Seriously though, if you're at one of these type of things, or even a restaurant, do you ask and then sometimes pass on a meal?

A burger and fries at Bluegrass Burger is not $12, it is $7 or $8 or maybe a dollar more if you want more of the premium add-ons. Basic facts are important.

Go back and read Robin's review. I think you're confused. I don't think anyone said a BGB is $12. Robin paid nearly $15 for a burger, fries, drink and tip (and he was fine with that).

If I said $12 for a burger it was a mistake...i meant $12 ($11.47) for the combo plus a tip on top of that so $13 or $14 total for me.

Normal Fries or cole slaw are included in that price, like they are for everything else that comes in a bun there.

I missed this statement. I was charged for the fries and it looks like Robin was too. When did you go? Maybe they changed in the last few days? That would make all the difference. Getting out of there for $8 or so would be about right for me. Others are willing to pay more (some less) I'm sure.

Respectfully, I'm not confused about anything. Do you accuse everyone who points out facts that don't side with your agenda of being confused? I'm sorry if that's your approach to dealing with people who disagree with you, and it demonstrates that a certain degree of unreasonableness about the subject may preclude you from engaging in a constructive conversation based on reality. Sorry, I won't impose on your thread anymore.

You can't be serious.

[Robin Garr]

Holy crap. When did "ethics" make its way into eating? I though we were still in the "awareness" phase. Now it's full blown unethical to eat a steak from Kansas?

Thanks a lot Robin. I'm going to be at this nice gala tonight wondering where my steak came from and if it was massaged by virgins or whatnot. Seriously though, if you're at one of these type of things, or even a restaurant, do you ask and then sometimes pass on a meal?

I think your tongue is in your cheek, but I'll try to answer since the question is lying out there on the table.

The ethical issue is inside my own consciousness. I wouldn't try to impost it on anyone else. And yes, it's situational. When I dine out - or at friends' houses - I don't ask, and I do eat. Mary and I set one standard for the meat, poultry, seafood and produce we buy for our own use at home. We try to stick to it for reasons that we consider ethical in our lives. And when I find a new restaurant that gets this, I'm happy and pleased and try to support it. As for dining in restaurants, I don't ask, but I find that I'm more likely to order fish or, if there is one, an interesting, creative meatless course than I might have been in the past.

Make any sense? Did I explain it better this time?

I do think ethics has made its way into eating in a big way in recent years, though, with writers like Michael Pollan and Barbara Kingsolver, among others, addressing the issue, and movies like Food Inc., King Corn, Dirt and many more addressing issues of food consciousness and ethics. No matter what side you take, it's a serious issue and one worth discussing among "foodies."

My wife and I have been there twice.
She is a vegetarian and has tried the veggie burger. She really likes it. The first one was good but broke apart. They have since adjusted the recipe and it held together better with the same great taste.
I go as it is a good burger and uses local grass fed beef with no hormones.
I don't consider it gourmet just more socially conscious.
I can pay a little extra to stay local and hormone/grain fed free
I wonder if the burger at Jack Fry's is from local grass fed beef. I would like to hope so.

I can't speak to the veggie burger, but my affection for Bluegrass come from the fact that they're intentionally buying local, hormone-free, humanely raised beef. That makes a difference. That's what we do at home, and we consciously pay a premium for it.

As usual, I jumping in a little late and skipping back to the beginning to the thread. . .

So we actually took my family and headed out of town Derby weekend. Sure, maybe one sign I'm crazy. But we grabbed the Leo and my wife read me the review in the car. My reaction was the jury is out and will remain out for a while, because after the math, I'm not really in much of a hurry to go to BGB.

Here's how I look at it. I buy my ground beef from Stan at Dreamcatcher at whatever market I happen to find myself at on the weekend. You can't get much more grass-fed/grass-finished/grass-bathed and local than that. And while I don't think he massages his cattle like Wagyu beef, I have a hard time picturing him getting mean with a cattle prod. I buy in bulk from him, which means 5lbs at a time, and it comes out to $4.50/lb. And that's retail. I am guessing a restaurant that specializes in burgers is buying way more than 5 lbs at a time, and ought to get better pricing than that. Now I understand there's labor and general overhead, plus a bun, some dressings and a side involved, but that seems like a pretty hearty markup. I don't recall a pre-cooked weight being stated in the review, I am guessing it is not more than half a pound, so I think my math still stands.

It seems to me that there is another side to "doing the ethical thing" equation, which is providing your customers with a good, healthy, ethically-produced, locally-sourced product at a fair price. Perhaps I am just naive about restaurant pricing though.