Random Taste for Thursday 6/1/17

And so it continues ... a brand new set of tastes for 2017 ...

 here's the TWENTY-FIRST of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

(coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!

Establishment:  Shake Shack
Location:  Boca Raton
Meal:  Lunch
Drink:  fountain Spr-oke (half sprite, half coke)
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  Shack Stack (plus Bacon)
(cheeseburger plus a crisp-fried portobello mushroom filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheeses, topped with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce™, plus bacon)
Side(s):  Cheese Fries (plus Bacon)
(fries topped with special blend of cheddar and american cheese sauce, plus bacon)
Dessert:  Glades Donut Frozen Custard
(vanilla custard, the sugar monkey's glazed cake donut, peanut butter sauce and chocolate toffee)Server:   Dante (order-taker)
Website:  https://www.shakeshack.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/shakeshack/

If ever there was a reason for me to believe in destiny, finding myself at a Shake Shack for this ongoing series would suffice.  Some of you outside of the area may know of the expanding chain (that started in NY), but, as of the time of the meal, this location was one of just three in Florida (more are promised).  As to that reference to "destiny", regular readers know that I love me a higher quality burger joint ... one that isn't afraid of the bacon ... and one that takes just as much pride in its ice-cream-style desserts.  In this case, the establishment got on the radar because we were seeking the closest thing we could find locally to the best frozen custard we ever had (shout out to Kopp's in Wisconsin!), so keep on reading to see how the Troy-score shows that we weren't disappointed (and how this is now the best reviewed burger joint of them all).  

(A  bit of housekeeping:  due to publication delays, this review is being retroactively slotted to June 2017 but posted in September 2018 for a meal that was actually eaten and photographed in July 2017.)

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it was like this:  walk in -- order your food -- and wait to be called [because everything seems to be made to order] in a pleasant enough space with big booths and a full view of the bustling kitchen ... I couldn't quite place the overall smell, until it hit me that it smelled just like the fast food restaurant known for its flame grilled burgers [which isn't a pejorative statement -- just something that makes sense since their grill is out in the open] ... one point is lost because the wifi was working in fits and starts that day, and the second one comes off the top because it was 90 degrees and we would have sat outside except management hadn't turned on the overhead fans to make it comfortable)

FOOD:           9.5/10 (here's the smartest thing ever -- they have a non-meat option [a two cheese filled portobello mushroom fried perfectly to be crispy on the outside and oozey-gooey on the inside] that they encourage meat eaters of a certain ilk [i.e. me] to stack on top of the cheeseburger, in effect exponentializing the taste, all served on a piping hot bun with other fresh toppings  ... the crinkle cut fries were appropriately crispy [at least underneath the two-cheese sauce] ... and that frozen custard dessert had chunk after chunk of peanut butter ... the [rare for this series] half point deduction is because the sandwich seemed to be missing the cherry peppers [and it's only a *half* point, because I'm not sure that I really missed them, tastewise]

SERVICE:      9/10 (the order taker was outgoing and super-smiley [especially when affirming that my request to add bacon to everything was "a good choice"], and every employee with whom we interacted before the visit was over was similarly friendly ... the one point subtraction comes from the length of time we waited for the dessert [ordered separately after the meal])

BACON:         10/10 (lookit -- they let me add it to the burger AND they let me add it to the fries [where it was big chunks and not crumbles or bits] AND they probably would have let me add it to the ice cream if I had remembered to ask them to do so ... so how could they *not* get a perfect score in this category)

BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for choosing to always have at least two cheeses in the mix whenever cheesiness was on the menu [for instance, stuffed in the portobello or ladled over the fries], +3 for having the foresight to merge the meat-eaters dish with the non-meat-eaters dish to create one mega-eaters dish, +3 for highlighting the fact that pregnant girls shouldn't drink [in giant signs behind the counter as if the area was dealing with some kind of epidemic of bad-choice-making from the younger crowds] and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return [especially now that we know that one is planned for our hometown of Ft Lauderdale])

TroyScore:  46.5 out of 50 -- aka 93, an A

Random Taste for Thursday 12/1/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the FORTY-SEVENTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Burger 21
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  fountain Sproke (half Sprite, half Coke)
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  The OMG! (add fried egg ... or don't)our double-stacked burger, lettuce, tomato, red onion, applewood-smoked bacon, American, cheddar or Swiss cheese, toasted brioche bun
Side(s):  Cheese and Ale Fries
topped with chopped bacon & fresh scallions
Dessert:  Bananas Foster shake (minus a banana or two)
Server:  Janice (more of an order taker as it was counter service style)
Website:  https://www.burger21.com/locations/ft-lauderdale/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/b21ftlauderdale/

Long before the 50 Tastes of Florida, there was the Burger Quest ... me going to all the "best burger" restaurants across the country as picked by Zagat in 2013 (or 2014?), so it's no surprise that a few of the tastes in this countdown have happened at burger joints.  The latest was this week, an expanding chain (possibly in your state), that started in Tampa FL from the owners of The Melting Pot fondue dynasty.  The name comes from the fact that there are 20 burgers (not all meat based) on their menu PLUS a rotating special that is the 21st one.  To see how they scored on the Troy scale, check out what follows:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (kudos for the clever "B something" slogans on the walls [known as their B-isms] and I do so love me a booth that is comfy and spaced properly for adults at which to eat, so I was happy with the seating arrangements ... although with super high ceilings and super bright lights everywhere, the feeling was more clinical than comfy [those booth cushions notwithstanding] so a point lost ... and a second point lost because, a full 90 minutes prior to close, the employee started "pre-close" procedures of stacking chairs in the back of the space ... which wasn't big enough to go unnoticed -- that activity just throws off the vibe of enjoying the meal, especially when executed so far away from closing time)
FOOD:            7/10 (without a doubt the main feature of the burger was indeed the star and looked beautiful all stacked so nicely upon delivery, and it passed my test of being a sandwich you don't put down once you start, even if the juices go running down your arm ... sadly, though, I had ordered a fried egg add on and the kitchen ignored that part of the order [a point lost], and that cheese and ale sauce was 90% ale and only 10% cheese, such that it was a liquid into which fries were dipped and wetted instead of the classic consistency of something that could be dumped on the fries [so another point lost] and the shake, although good in its own right, was shorted one of its banana components because they had run out [so a third point lost])
SERVICE:      10/10 (it is really a shame that the overall experience didn't match the level of service, which was on point from start to finish ... which included the order taker who took the time to explain the "concept", and the shake maker who upgraded the size of the dessert upon discovering the lack of banana, and the person who I think might have been the manager who offered to bring me out a fried egg right away upon being told it was missed [except I had already had a few bites of the sandwich, so that opportunity had passed] and then reacted to that by slipping our table coupons to be used at a return visit ... and even when they weren't directly interacting with us, they were chatting with every guest and smiling and laughing and having a good time [except the manager, who chose not to smile during our encounter for some reason])
BACON:         5/10 (although the menu at a place like this that lets you add bacon "at will" would normally result in a perfect score ... there is nothing more frustrating than seeing the bacon in the ale sauce that you know should be on your fries but you can't make it stick to them because the viscosity was all wrong ... I'm tempted to wipe out all the bacon points for being forced to throw bacon away ... but instead I'll just do that to half)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for that stacked burger seeing as how I am particularly fond of the burgers, +3 for the "sauce bar", which included the regular mayo and ketchup but also had things like roasted marshmallow [for the sweet potato fries] and chipotle mayo and apple cider sauce and +1 for being a place to which we will return if only because I have those "sorry about your fried egg" coupons to use)

TroyScore:  37 out of 50 -- aka 74, a solid C

Random Taste for Thursday 10/13/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the FORTIETH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Beth's Burger Bar
Location:  Orlando
Meal:  Late Lunch/Early Dinner
Drink:  fountain Coke
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  Double Bacon Burger
burger with chocolate covered bacon and peanut butter and cheddar cheese
Side(s):  TaterTots
Dessert:  that which I wanted wasn't in stock at this location
Server:  Name not captured
Website:  http://bethsburgerbar.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BethsBurgerBar

To date, this is the farthest location geographically in this series, but it's still in Florida ... so it counts for taste #40.  It's going to serve a dual purpose over on the Facebook, where I have a different Burger Quest concept that's also underway based on a 2013 Zagat's list of the top 25 burgers in the country.  It turns out that my original stop for a burger in Orlando -- the one on that guide -- closed down a year or so ago, and Beth's is standing in as a replacement, as it popped up on various best burger sites on the interwebs when I went looking for a stand-in.  I was almost tempted to try the doubleD challenge (four patties, eight pieces of bacon, five cheeses and all the fixin's), but I was MORE tempted by the special burger of the day as seen on the sign below.  Also below, the score for this particular Florida taste:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (clean, bright, with a large cut out of Beth herself at the counter -- plus an oldies station playing classic hits and there were lots of things to look at, including downtown Orlandians in the seating section out front ... just a point lost over the stacked mugs at the tables, which looked like the way they serve the drinks but were actually merch on sale ... it might have been a coincidence that my server didn't give me a plastic cup until I requested one ... or it might have been some sneaky kind of upsell afoot)
FOOD:            7/10 (let's get one thing right ... this burger was awfully pretty, worthy of the close up shot included below, and the burger itself was hot and tasty ... that said, there's a point lost because the peanut butter "sauce" would have been better as full on peanut butter [don't be scared, Beth], a second point lost because the tater tots were being rationed [similar to another place on this countdown], and a final point is lost because the menu I picked up at the counter got me excited about a ice cream sandwich cookie ... and I was told "we don't carry that here at this location" [get a bigger freezer, Beth])
SERVICE:      8/10 (this was another counter service place, so the interaction was somewhat limited ... but everyone was friendly and fine ... except for the fact that it was apparently shift change when I was eating, and with just a few customers in the place, the employees stood around and talked loudly about their business, including a delivery girl who was disappointed that an order came in right when she was supposed to leave, and another two guys discussing what was talked about at a recent employee meeting ... so apoint lost for each conversation I overheard that I never should have)
BACON:         10/10 (when bacon is the first bonus topping listed, you know that the place respects the bacon ... and when the special of the day is bacon drizzled in chocolate, you know that the place *honors* the bacon)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for Beth's entrepreneurial story and for taking on the five guys directly, +3 for all the merch, and +1 for being a place to which I will *have* to return the next time I'm in town, if only to take on the double D challenge mentioned above)

TroyScore:  41 out of 50 -- aka 82, a low B

Random Taste for Thursday 9/1/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTY-FOURTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Qbar Burgers and Blues
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Beer Flight (four 5oz drinks)
from left to right in the photo:  Hollywood Stout, Mutha Fuggle EPA, Schofferhofer and Left Hand Milk Stout
Appetizer:  small (?!) meat & cheese charcuterie board
Main:  The King
1/2 lb. burger with duck bacon & cheddar cheese on a fresh toasted bun
Side(s):  Shoestring fries
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Lynn
Website:  http://qbarfl.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/qbarfl

Earlier in this series, the "taste" was Sage French Cafe (#18), and this establishment is right next door -- which makes sense as it is owned by the same people (and as it serves as the bar for that restaurant).  Taking New Orleans as inspiration, it features live music every night of the week, and offers more than just the usual items on the bar menu, including chili and gumbo (although neither person in our party actually ordered either of those specialties).  Notwithstanding that oversight, see the details making up the score below:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it was the kind of place to take someone for a conversation over drinks ... and even when the live music started, it wasn't too overwhelming, what with the stage being positioned *behind* the bar ... the chandeliers were something to see, and all the pictures were taken in that glow ... a point lost because it was a bit sticky when we first arrived [although the AC did kick in at some point], and a second point lost because neither the bar's website nor its facebook page was updated with performers, so we didn't know what live music to expect the night we arrived)
FOOD:            8/10 (I'm not complaining, but that charcuterie plate that's pictured is a *small*! ... and every single thing on it was the perfect way to start a meal ... extra nice touches were the pear pieces with the blue cheese crumbles and a healthy sliced mini loaf of warmed toasted bread ... interestingly enough, it was so unexpected that it raised the bar a little too high for the burger, which was good, with fresh toppings that made me think "picnic" as I was eating it, but I was expecting a bit more panache when it came to plating, so a point lost there ... and a second point lost because the fries were a bit straightforward and could have used a little adventurous upgrade of some kind)
SERVICE:      10/10 (for the last few weeks, we've been on a run of servers who do well representing their profession, and this place's staff continued the tradition ... she was low key in a good way [I'm slowly beginning to realize that servers who rush make guests feel rushed, something I wish I had known back in my server days], and although I thought I heard her sigh when the beer flights were ordered [that's a lot more work on her part], she more than made up for it with her approach throughout the night, including knowing the menu items well enough to tell us the temperature to order for the sandwiches ... and it may be something simple, but it's endearing to hear someone take the time at the end of the night to say, "come back any time ... see you soon")
BACON:         9/10 (two words for you:  DUCK BACON! ... which, thankfully, is not trying to pass off something like turkey as bacon [which is a peeve of mine], but is, instead, a fattier and richer bonus bacon, as seen on my burger [even if it did taste like ham ... maybe because it looked like ham] ... just one point lost because I didn't have the courage to add regular bacon TO the duck bacon as an extra topping, since I didn't know what to expect with the duck bacon in the first place)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for having a well established dog-friendly approach that includes a special menu of quality homemade food just for puppies, +3 for all of those draft beer choices, shown on the chalkboard in the photo and +1 for being a place to which we will return, with friends, to listen to live music again)

TroyScore:  42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid B

Random Taste for Thursday 8/18/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTY-SECOND of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Pincho Factory
Location:  Pembroke Pines
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  (Maybe) Cherry Flavored Orange Crush
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  Toston Burger (Add Patty)
two fried plantains as the "buns", then topped with jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and homemade cilantro sauce
Side(s):  Bacon Cheddar Ranch Fries
topped with chopped bacon, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing 
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Kieja (counter service)
Website:  http://pinchofactory.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pinchofactory

I'm growing fonder of these unique to southern Florida chains (six locations down here and one up in Orlando) and I feel like I might be getting in on what may one day be franchised across the country.  And this business model was interesting.  There were parts that reminded me of a Noodles-n-Company style set-up (choose a specific protein kebob [steak, chicken or shrimp], choose what you'll place it on [wrap, rice or salad], and choose a flavoring [from seven different styles] ... but then they also had quality burger, chicken and hot dog choices.  If you've been following along, you know it's rare that I'd pass up a burger .. and so despite the fact that the restaurant is literally named for their kebobs, it was one of those quality burgers that was the base for this particular score:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (it was bright, clean, open and welcoming ... and the Olympics were on the many TV screens ... plus it was getting close to closing time, and yet there was no pressure to speed up the meal ... as a matter of fact, folks continued to arrive to place orders even in the last half hour ... so no complaints here)
FOOD:            7/10 (the fries were perfectly topped with ranch and cheese AND bacon and were skinny and crispy and the burger was definitely of high quality, which is something that the establishment heavily promotes on its menu/website ... and the use of fried plantains instead of "buns" was something different -- I don't know that it added that much to the taste, but it certainly didn't detract from it ... where there is a point lost is that by the end of the burger, those plantains were breaking up into pieces and making it more of a challenge to keep a hold it ... also a point is lost for having a make-your-own-*Pepsi* machine [you know I like my Coke] and a final one is lost for that same machine that professed to be adding a cherry flavoring to my drink but that lied, as near as I could tell)
SERVICE:      9/10 (this was another counter service place [provide your order, get a number, take a seat and wait for delivery], but everyone with whom we interacted was smiling and friendly and a special shout-out to Kieja who was extra helpful and took time to explain the various options in the menu ... there was a bit of a wait for the food -- but no points are being docked because the food was of a quality to make the wait worth it ... there is one point lost for the size of the drink glass, which was practically a courtesy cup in our mega-gulp world)
BACON:         10/10 (it doesn't get any more simple than this ... the customer can get bacon added to any of the menu items -- burgers, chicken, hot dogs, fries ... you simply can't beat that)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for having an award recognized burger worthy of my other series on the Facebook [my burger quest based on the Zagat top 25 in the country list from a few years back], +3 for a well defined mission statement that is so bold as to be called a "pincho movement" and +1 for being a place to which we will return ['cause we didn't even get to try the actual pinchos {kebobs} yet])

TroyScore:  43 out of 50 -- aka 86, a solid B

Random Taste for Thursday 7/14/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the TWENTY-SEVENTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Char Hut
Location:  Oakland Park
Meal:  Dinner
Drink: Cherry (Coke+Sprite)
equal parts Cherries Coke and Sprite from a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine
Appetizer:  Truffle Mac & Fries
our signature white cheddar special, drizzled with white tru ffle oil.
Main:  Big-Bite Burger
1/2 pound steak burger prepared from a special chef’s blend with select cuts of brisket on a Kaiser roll -- with toppings of bacon, cheese, mushrooms, mayo, bbq and lettuce
Side(s):  Rosemary Fries
crispy, golden Char-Fries drizzled in olive oil with rosemary
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Counter service but Mo took the order
Website:  http://www.charhutinc.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CharHutOaklandPark/

It's true.  I do love a burger (which you could have figured out by now what with how many photos of burgers already appear in this series).  As such, when looking for another burger option in the area, this local chain that started in Miami way back in 1976 that is looking to ramp up its franchising became the next choice.  It is counter service -- and fast casual -- and it reminded me at times of Subway (with its "you tell me what toppings you want" section) and Noodles and Company (with its mac and cheese side) and even my favorite Eat-a-Pita place back in Chicago (where I regularly had pita stuffed burgers).  Their motto is "one bite says it all" ... so I'll echo them and say that "one score says it all":

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it was a quiet night ... which was probably good since the made-to-order concept would likely create a bit of a bottleneck on the ordering line were it busy ... but the dining room was welcoming and the supplies and add-ons [like straws, lids, condiments, etc] were well stocked ... and although it was too hot to eat outside that evening, there was a patio area shared with a smoothee shop and a dunkin donuts as an option -- speaking of which, one point is lost for the workers tearing down the outside a full hour before they closed as we were wrapping up our meal inside and another point lost for some dirt on the floor, as sweeping it might have been a better use of their time)
FOOD:            7/10 (kudos for having so many options as burger toppings and for being made to order to your temperature request right in front of you AND for offering the burger on a pita as a choice ... but a point lost for too much powder on the outside of that pita and another one lost for the excess rosemary sprigs on the fries [including one that got stuck in my teeth] and a final point lost for those flavored fries because they were missing basic salt)
SERVICE:      7/10 (as much as I appreciated Mo, who knew her menu in and out and was friendly as friendly as could be, there are two points lost for two different colleagues interrupting her twice during the order taking and a final point lost for breaking down the shake machine an hour before they closed, robbing us of our raspberry shake dessert)
BACON:         10/10 (when the menu says add bacon to anything for 80 cents ... that's an invitation to add bacon to ANYTHING for a very reasonable price ... my only regret -- and this is my fault -- I should have done it to the fries and the mac and cheese)
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for Mo caring about her job as much as she did [I really can't say enough about her and her pleasant attitude], +3 for the pita option and +3 for the Coke freestyle machine [really, everyone should have one of these contraptions by now])

TroyScore:  41 out of 50 -- aka 82, a low B

Random Taste for Thursday 4/7/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTEENTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  BurgerFi
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Late Dinner
Drink:  Twiced Cherry Coke/Sprite Mix (I love me some make your own mix machines)
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  the limited time only Brisky Business
Double short rib + brisket blend, topped with homemade tomato jam, candied smoke bacon and sharp white cheddar
Side(s):  Cry and Fry, done Urban Style
onion ring and hand cut fry combo -- parmesan and herb fries topped with garlic aioli
Dessert:  Swirl Custard Sample
Server:  Larry (or maybe Tom) -- it said Larry on my receipt but I heard him introduce himself to a customer as Tom
Website:  https://burgerfi.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BurgerFi/

It's a southern Florida chain ... but there may be a spot or two in your state now that they are franchising and growing ... and we first "met" them at the local bacon fest, although they are a place we see all the time heading over to the beach.  In their words ... they are "From the farm, not the lab.  We were started in a gourmet kitchen. By gourmet chefs. They didn’t know fast food, so we’re less burger joint, more five-star restaurant. Meaning, there are no shortcuts. Or microwaves, freezers, or heat lamps for that matter.  We cut. We chop. We mix, instead.  We #trysomebetter."  It's also officially the second burger joint since starting this series.  Here's why it falls just a few points below the other one (which was the first taste back in January):

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (the place was emptier what with me eating later, which means that there were plenty of seats ... both inside and outside on a patio, and that's important for a place that proudly gives you an old school beeper for your order and messages to you that your wait is because everything is handmade ... during the whole time, you're serenaded with the latest pop 40 hits ... and, if you breathe in deeply, in addition to the fresh food smells, you can smell the ocean just a few blocks away) 
FOOD:            7/10 (the establishment prides itself on fresh quality ingredients ... and that definitely comes through in the tastes ... plus they have just the right amount of limited menu items with intriguing topping choices [on the mains AND the sides] ... but, for the first time ever in this series, I'm deducting three points for the exact same problem -- the size of the burger, which was almost half the size of the sides ... quite bluntly, I just expected it to be bigger)
SERVICE:      10/10 (it's a counter style establishment, so the service is mostly in the ordering, but that went just fine ... and every employee that made eye contact as they went past made a point to say hello ... plus the guy who gave the free custard quickly acquiesced to giving me a swirl when he first offered only chocolate OR vanilla)
BACON:         8/10 (it was smoked ... AND candied ... but one point lost because I thought that I might have been missing the bacon while eating the burger and then noticed the description implied that it was tiny pieces instead of big strips ... and a second point lost because of how sad I was thinking that I might have missed the bacon)
BONUS:         6/10 (+3 for having the mix your own Coke machines and +3 for the scratch-off Wednesday promo and the free custard sample that I won)

TroyScore:  41 out of 50 -- aka 82, a low B

Random Taste for Thursday 1/14/16

[As predicted last week ... here is the FIRST of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

WINNER BEST OF 2016 FOR BACON

Establishment:  ROK BRGR
Location:  downtown Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  dinner
Drink:  Bacon Chocolate Manhattan
bacon infused makers | aztec chocolate bitters sweet vermouth | splash of maple syrup | served on the rocks
Appetizer:  not applicable
Main:  Drunken Pretzel Handcrafted Burger (bacon jam added!)
aged vermont cheddar | house made beer mustard fried onion rings | artisan pretzel bun
Side(s):  Loaded Tater Tots
aged cheddar | smoked bacon | sour cream
Dessert:  Reese's Peanut Butter Pie
Server:  Kimberly M
Website:  https://rokbrgr.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/rokbrgr/

In the middle of the busy Himmarshee district down by the river in the FTL, ROK BRGR (part of a corporate food conglomerate of three different restaurants all on the same block) provided outdoor seating next to the street with the lights strung across it (reminding me of Espanola Way in South Beach) ... all the better for the people watching.  (And can I just say that any time I'm down in that part of the FTL watching people, I am pleased at the mix of folks in my city ... hipsters, other old folks, a few really old folks, internationals, pretty people, people trying to get with the pretty people and the bro-society PLUS about the same variety of dogs.)  Another benefit of the outdoor seating ... it wasn't nearly as loud as the indoor seating (where Nick Jonas 'Levels' was being blared ... along with other pop 40 hits).  A downside to outdoor seating ... there was a smoke machine blowing the good food scents out over the sidewalk and into the eating area, which worked up until the point it got annoying.  But enough about the ambiance ... take a look at these photos of the edibles.  Yes, that's bacon in the (sweet sweet) Manhattan, bacon on the burger (which was delicious with its combined ingredients and juicy, but not to the point of running down to your elbows) and bacon jam (yes, I said bacon jam!) added to the burger and oozing out on to the tray in the picture.  Speaking of which, here's my unique scoring/grading scale (which will return every week):

AMBIANCE:  8/10 (points lost for music volume and excess smoke machine blowing)
FOOD:            7/10 (points lost for loaded tots falling apart, a dessert oversold in its description and the sad fact that they do not carry Coke products)
SERVICE:      10/10 (no complaints -- actually super fast delivery of the food)
BACON:         10/10 (ummm ... in the drink, on the burger [twice, counting the jam] and on the side)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for being the first one, in the series, +3 for all the love for bacon and +1 for being a place worthy of a return visit)

TroyScore:  42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid B