5.31.2005

Review #15: Aunt Pookie's BBQ & Burgers - Houston, Texas

Even though I had driven past Aunt Pookie's located on Beltway 8 West probably 100 times, I never knew it was there. It is located in an industrial park. As I walked in the door, I was a little worried that maybe Aunt Pookie's was more of a BBQ place than a burger joint. I was proved wrong after having a bite of my Aunt Pookie's cheeseburger.

IMPORTANT: If you haven't already, please read the Texas Burger Guy terminology post. That will help you understand this review.

Pookie's Cheeseburger
As I mentioned in the introduction to this review, Aunt Pookie's seems like more of a BBQ place than a burger joint. A dearly departed friend of mine told me about Aunt Pookie's so I simply could not think about not giving Pookie's a whirl. All in all the cheeseburger was good. It is a plain and simple burger - no frills - just a good tasting burger. It didn't have the pizzazz of a Bubba's burger or the sheer girth of a Christian's or Lankford's burger. It just had a good backyard burger flavor to it at a fairly reasonable price. This is how I see the Pookie's Cheeseburger ranking in the TexasBurgerGuy categories:

Oooze Factor
I'm seriously thinking about doing a napkin test to demonstrate the oooze factor of a burger. If I had administered that test on the Pookie's Cheeseburger, it no doubt would have scored fairly well. I can imagine about 50% of the napkin would be see through from the oooze. It didn't rank up there with the oooziest burgers I have had, but it was definitely not a dry burger.
Oooze Factor Rating: 6


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Herd Killer
The Pookie's Cheeseburger was a 1/2 lb burger. Now I have learned from the many burger joint experiences that when a place says it is a 1/2 pound burger that could mean one of 2 things. Either the burger was 1/2 lb before it was cooked or it is a 1/2 lb burger after it was cooked. I'd have to say the Pookie's is a 1/2 lb before cooking. It certainly was not a huge button buster burger, but it definitely filled me up. Not many herds died for this bad boy though.
Herd Killer Rating: 5

Handling
Pookie's has a nifty little buffet that you can dress up your own burger. Here, you can pile the lettuce, tomato, and whatever else you want on your burger as high as you want. The pictures you see show my burger after it was dressed by me. It was probably a 1 1/2 hander burger. If I had gone crazy with the vegetables or if the patty was a 1/2 lb after cooking - it would easily be a 2 hander. As it is though - this is a 1/2 hander.
Handling Rating: 5

Bling Bling
The Pookie's 1/2 lb Cheeseburger is 4.15. All in all - it isn't that bad for what you get. The burger had very good flavor. Backyard burger flavor is probably the easiest way to describe it. If you like a good flavored burger. The 1/2 lb Pookie's Cheeseburger is a pretty good deal.
Bling Bling Rating: 5

Overall Pookie's Cheeseburger Rating: 6



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Restaurant Review
The Pookie's menu is pretty heavily slanted towards their BBQ. You can get a variety of BBQ plates including ham, turkey, sausage, ribs, or beef. I can tell you the smell from the BBQ may have just made me want to go back for a taste of the BBQ. The reviews I have read about the BBQ have been favorable. I tried the onion rings and the fries. Do yourself a favor and order some onion rings. OH MAN are they good??? They are the greasy, soft variety. When you take a bite, the onion is pretty slimy. I love em that way... some people don't including Mrs. TBG. Mrs. TBG had the grilled chicken sandwich that they grilled with mesquite. It was awesome! All in all we didn't have anything that stood out as being bad. Pretty much everything we tried was good.


Front
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Back
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Onion Rings & Fries

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Restaurant/Atmosphere
Aunt Pookie's has a great little patio out front. (can't see it from my picture) The inside is pretty standard - nothing special. It doesn't have the atmosphere of a Mel's or anything like that. Aunt Pookie's is a standard restaurant type place... that's it. The waitstaff was very polite. Very good visit to Aunt Pookie's. I think one day we will be back to try the BBQ.

Directions
From I-10 and Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway), go north on the access road. About 1/2 mile on your right, you will see the Aunt Pookie's sign (see top of review).

Address/Phone:
1450 W Sam Houston Pkwy
Houston, Texas 77043
713.722.9993

Map: Map to Aunt Pookie's

TBG Overall Rating
Aunt Pookie's was a great place. It is more of a BBQ place, but they also have a mean burger. While it wasn't the best of the best, it definitely held its own. The flavor is what stayed with me... it was very good. If you are in the area and want to try a good tasting burger - give Pookie's a run - oh and get some onion rings... you will be glad you did!!!

Overall TBG Rating for Aunt Pookie's: 6

Other Reviews of Aunt Pookie's:
http://www.b4-u-eat.com/houston/restaurants/reviews/rsv2165.asp

5.10.2005

Luther Burger and Hamdog Pictures!!!!!

This is actually an update to a story I had posted back in February... see the Half Burger/Half Hotdog: The Hamdog story.

You are looking at what could be the only picture of the Luther Burger on the internet!!! It was sent to me from a TBG reader!!! For those that don't know - the Luther Burger is a bacon cheeseburger served on a Krispy Kreme bun. This bad boy is offered up by Mulligan's - a suburban bar in Decatur, Georgia. Click on the picture below to see a really big picture of this mega-artery clogger.


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The Hamdog is a hot dog wrapped in a beef patty that's deep fried, covered with chili, cheese and onions, and served on a hoagie bun topped with a fried egg and two fistfuls of fries. Aye carumba!! There are some pictures of the Hamdog already floating around the internet. Here is another really awesome picture of this beauty sent in by a TBG reader....


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MEGA THANKS to Barry from Greenville, SC for sending in these pictures!!!!

5.09.2005

Review #14: Dilla's Texas Grill - Tomball, Texas

Situated directly on the grounds of Treeline Golf Course, Dilla's is probably one of most testosterone friendly environments I have visited in quite a while. Where else can you play some golf with your buds and then throw down a greasy burger and not even have to get in your car? You could even meet your wife and kids there for dinner after playing golf as they have a sandbox for them to play in. It was plain to see that Dilla's certainly had the right environment... now it was time to give the burger a whirl. All in all - it wasn't bad. Wasn't the best, but not the worst either.

IMPORTANT: If you haven't already, please read the Texas Burger Guy terminology post. That will help you understand this review.

Dilla's Big Burger Review
The instant I walked in the door at Dilla's, it was pretty obvious to me that Dilla's had borrowed a page out of the Willie's Icehouse playbook. For those that don't know, Willie's is a chain restaurant with several locations in the Houston area. Good food I must say but alas... they are a chain and therefore they aren't getting any love from TBG. Anyway - the menu was similar, the tables and even the condiments were about the same as Willie's. I wondered if the burgers would be the same as well. Willie's has a pretty decent burger, but not great. I wondered if I was in for the same experience at Dilla's. As my Dilla's Big Burger came into view, I immediately got worried. The bun was a little froofy for my taste. I like a good ol' Mrs. Baird's plain jane bun... or even sesame seeds. The Dilla's burger had some sort of something that wasn't plain and was not sesame seeds. But a burger is much more than a bun so here is how I see the Dilla's Cheeseburger ranking in the TexasBurgerGuy categories:

Oooze Factor
Oh how I wish the picture below showed a white sheet of paper just covered with oooze. I wish your heart would just ache and heart doctors would write me nasty e-mails because of the terrible pictures I am posting on my site... but alas... the Dilla's Big Burger is not a pile of oooze. It is just a plain ol' cheeseburger with not a lot happening in the way of oooze. Don't get me wrong - it isn't dry - it actually has a little shine to it - but the Dilla's Big Burger just isn't a heavily ooozy burger.
Oooze Factor Rating: 5


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Herd Killer
Seeing as how I ordered the Big Burger, I was hoping it would be rolled out with a dolly. When that didn't happen, I had to settle for what they sent me. It wasn't small by any means, but it was not a heavy herd killer either. If you are at Dilla's and looking to kill a cow or two, order yourself the Bigger Burger. It is the double patty version of the Big Burger. I'd say that would be about enough burger to fill most people up quite nicely. Overall the Big Burger had good flavor, but no herd of cattle were killed for this burger.
Herd Killer Rating: 6

Handling
This burger is probably a 1 1/2 hander burger. It is not a 1 hander by any means, but it isn't so big that you need help from your friend to cram it into your face either. :) Again, if it is a 2 handed burger you desire... order the Bigger Burger cause well... its bigger. Overall, not bad, but not huge.
Handling Rating: 5

Bling Bling
The Big Burger comes with fries. (as shown above) The basket is $5.25. I left Dilla's full, although not feeling completely stuffed. I could have crammed in another handful of fries and maybe a second patty. I am spoiled because I have been to places like Christian's Totem where you can get a herd killer deluxe burger for about 3 bucks. I thought the Big Burger was not overpriced, but pretty close.
Bling Bling Rating: 5

Overall Dilla's Big Burger Rating: 5



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Restaurant Review
Dilla's menu offers a pretty good variety of food ranging from fried catfish to burgers to steak. They have a pretty mean appetizer in the stuffed mushrooms (see picture below). My goodness gracious those babies were awesome!!! There were actually 5 on the plate when they came out but I couldn't help myself before taking the picture. Anyway.. the food was good. As I said before, the burger didn't set me on fire, but that isn't to say it was terrible either... I have had a LOT of burgers so I guess my standard is pretty high by now.


Front
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Back
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Stuffed Mushrooms (Appetizer)

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Restaurant/Atmosphere
How can you go wrong with a restaurant actually ON the golf course? You just can't. Dilla's has a great patio area (where we sat) and it was absolutely awesome out there on a wonderful Houston spring day. The waitstaff was absolutely AWESOME!! Our waiter was there to help us with each and every need but stopped short of bugging us. Very friendly all the way around. They have a sandbox for the kids to play in. This again was another page from the Willie's playbook but it is nice. Overall I really enjoyed the visit to Dilla's and will be back... next time though I'll get the Bigger Burger instead....

Directions
Dilla's is located at right next to Treeline Golf Club in northwest Houston. If you're going north or south on Highway 249 - just exit at Spring Cypress Road, go one mile west to Eldridge (stop light) and turn right. The restaurant will be on the left.

Address/Phone:
17505 N. Eldridge Parkway
Tomball, Texas 77375
832.717.4554

Map: Map to Dilla's Texas Grill

TBG Overall Rating
Dilla's has a great atmosphere. You simply can't beat sitting out on the deck on a perfect spring day. The food is pretty good. The staff is awesome. I will be back to visit Dilla's again mainly for the atmosphere... and it is on the golf course I frequent.

Overall TBG Rating for Dilla's: 6

Other Reviews of Dilla's:
None found.

Other Links:
Dilla's Website

5.03.2005

MOAB: Mother Of All Burgers!!

Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pennsylvania is at it again.. He already has "Ye Olde 96er" on his menu which is an 11 pound behemoth. His newest burger is a 15 POUND monster he calls the Beer Barrel Belly Buster. The burger comes with a killer 10.5 pounds of ground beef, 25 slices of cheese, an entire head of lettuce, three tomatoes, two onions, a cup-and-a-half EACH of mayonnaise, relish, ketchup, mustard and banana peppers - and a bun. Can you say herd killer?? Good grief!

This bad boy will set you back 30 bucks!

Link to Story: Pa. Eatery Offers New 15-Pound Burger

This story was submitted by: Steve from Santa Fe, New Mexico and Jason from Cypress, Texas.