Dinner at Crazy Burger With My Girls

 

My eldest is home from school for the weekend. Today we had an early dinner at Crazy Burger in Narragansett, RI. Rather than share a recipe, I thought I’d share my thoughts on the delicious food this little place, tucked away on a side street in a small town on the southern coast.

Crazy Burger is a vegan friendly place with offerings beyond the run-of-the-mill Boca burger or bean patty that show up tucked away in a corner of a typical burger joint.

The service was excellent, ice water came to the table immediately and our waiter was ready to take our drink orders (we declined but this is a café and juice bar and there are lots of fresh-squeezed juice selections as well as smoothies, etc). He was attentive throughout the meal without being overbearing.

I had a difficult time deciding between the Poco Loco described as “roasted tempeh and wild black rice meld with peppers, onions,black beans & olives. Mixed up with authentic ‘south of the border’ spices. Wrapped in a tomato tortilla with avocado. Salsa & herbed sour cream goes on the side” and the Birdie Mae, “grilled tempeh, purple sticky rice, sweet potato, roasted sunflower seeds, and  rosemary-pumpkin pesto combine to create a wonderful taste & texture. Grilled into a tomato tortilla.”

I wasn’t really in the mood for “south of the border” spices but I definitely wanted tempeh so I settled on the Birdie Mae. At first I was leery of the tomato tortilla and considered asking that they put it on a regular bun but then I decided to just let go and trust the chef and I’m glad I did.

The burger was savory and substantial--the texture definitely burger-like yet did not give me the impression I was eating a meat substitute. This is meatless fare that makes no apologies and that is my favorite kind of vegan food. I especially loved the chewy, nutty-sweet addition of the purple sticky rice and it is an ingredient that is going to find itself in my pantry very soon. I was not at all sorry for my decision to order the burger as-is. The tomato tortilla had a mild tomato taste that did not overpower and a nice chewy texture. The fries were delicious, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. I had mine with malt vinegar but they offer home-made ketchup and Heinz as well.

My daughter Ivy chose the Wild &  Crazy Mushroom burger described as “portabella, porcini & domestic mushrooms mixed with Italian rice & fresh vegetables. Served on a vegan  bun with a wild mushroom gravy”. When our meals came to the table she realized that she wanted cheese. The waiter cheerfully took it back to the kitchen for a slice of gouda. I only had a small bite of the mushroom burger but it was enough to decide to give it a try next time. Or at least try to get my husband to order it instead of a meat burger.

Meg, had the most difficult time choosing because she was really craving a meat burger (most of the year she is at school and she does not eat meat). I pointed this out to her and she (rather sheepishly) ordered the Goofy Gorgonzola Burger---try to order that with a straight face. The Goofy Gorgonzola is "ground beef mixed w/caramelized onions with a burst of gorgonzola in the middle; on a bolo w/creamy onion-gorgonzola dressing”. A bolo is a Portuguese version of a crumpet or an English muffin. They are slightly sweet and pair beautifully with savory foods. I think it was the bolo that sold Meg on this burger. Meg chose to pair her burger with poundies a vegan dish of “Irish mashed potatoes with spinach, carrots and basil ‘pounded’ in. These had a nicely crispy crust and were very tasty.

We finished off the meal with a gorgeous, gigantic hunk of vegan carrot cake. This was easily shared by the three of us. I forgot to get a photo of it before we dug in but I managed to get one decent shot of it before it was decimated.

A meal out with my daughters is always an opportunity for a silly photo op.

At $9.99 and up the burgers may seem pricey, but trust me, they are well worth the price. But don’t just take my word for it. They have been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.