Cindy’s is a strange diner. During the mornings and afternoons it’s your standard home-grown, greasy spoon diner that every town in America, no matter the size, has at least one of. Eggs, pork, and pancakes in the morning and burgers, fries, shakes in the afternoon. At night though the place becomes a Thai restaurant. I have no idea if it’s the same cooks working in the back or there’s a swap at between 2pm and 5pm when the place is closed.
I’m mostly familiar with Cindy’s breakfast menu, having frequented it often during my college years in Davis on weekends with friends. It tastes pretty much as you’d expect a greasy spoon to taste. They do know how to cook a runny egg and make white gravy though so I’ve never had any complaints.
Burgers and Brew is a order at the counter and have food brought out to you style of restaurant that is popular with the college crowd. The day I went it also seemed popular with the Davis crowd. The line for the counter was going out the door and all the seating was taken. I had to stand around for awhile before grabbing a table as soon as the people sitting there left. The noise was deafening. I had hopes for this burger. It looked good on the plate. It smelled good. Sadly, the it didn’t perform as well as on the taste test. Results below!
The Review
Patty (20/35) – Medium rare! Just like I ordered! Thick patty. Seasoning leans a little too heavily on salt. Very, very greasy. Soaked through the bun in no time. Got everywhere.
Cheese (6/25) – Another single, thin slice of mild cheddar.
Bun (10/15) – Toasted sesame bun. Airy with a little crunch. Bottom soaked through with grease.
Toppings (13/15) – Fresh romaine lettuce, thick tomato and red onion slices. All fresh and crisp. Pickle spear on the side (would have been more points if the pickle was in the burger.)
Condiments (3/10) – Just a giant glob of mayonnaise. Ketchup and mustard were at other tables but not mine.
Ambiance (5/*) – Nice outdoor sitting. Overcrowded and loud. So noisy.
Total (57/100) – B&B cheeseburger is close to being a good burger. It’s on the cusp of it. It definitely isn’t a bad burger. If I had eaten it faster perhaps the bun wouldn’t have been so wet? If my table had been stocked maybe the mustard I added would have cut through the mayo? Maybe if it had come ‘medium’ or ‘done’ it wouldn’t have been a giant grease sponge? This burger rides that line right between bad and good. The bun is fine and the toppings are top notch. $8.95 for burger and fries. $0.85 cents more to have onion rings instead.
I’d never been to Krush Burger before. The chain is local to Sacramento and only opened in Davis in the last couple years. I thought it was going to be an American Burger joint but after visiting it seems I was wrong. It’s closer to a fast food place, though one that is trying to look modern and upscale. Lots of exposed concrete, dark wood, and brushed metal. If I had known beforehand I wouldn’t have included it on the list. Too late now!
The Review
Patty (15/35) – So small! I somehow missed the whole “mini” part of Krush Burger’s deal until I got my plate. Still, the patty is outsized by the bun and toppings. Medium instead of medium rare, this is becoming a trend. Dry and a little too salty. I think. It was hard to tell see ‘Condiments’ below.
Cheese (6/25) – Just sitting there on the bun. No flavor.
Bun (7/15) – Dry. Has a nice crunchy exterior. Bigger than the patty. No flavor, no moisture.
Toppings (8/15) – Lettuce and tomato were fine. No pickles or onion. A small spot of grilled onions. Those were good but there were hardly any.
Condiments (5/10) – Large dollop of 1000 Islands or Fry Sauce. I think most of those burger’s flavor came from the sauce. No mustard on burger or in the restaurant as far as I could tell?!
Ambiance (5/*) – Sparse, industrial, modern look with overtures to extreme sports & alt culture (skateboards, neon signs, etc.) If you look that look. I thought it was pretty sterile.
Total (46/100) – For less than $10 this isn’t bad. I think I was just disappointed in it not being an actual burger. I got sweet potato tots to go with it and those were good (picture below). For the price it’s a good deal. But, In n’ Out is right there…
de Vere’s Irish Pub’s Bacon Cheeseburger (sans bacon)
Let’s try this again… de Vere’s is relatively new to Davis, the original restaurant is in Sacramento and a regular watering hole for politicos due to its proximity to the Capitol. The Davis location, while serving the same fare, has a very different feel. I’ve eaten at both locations multiple time and have always enjoyed the food. Though, I will say now that if you can get a table outside at the Davis location you’ll be better off for it. The acoustics inside aren’t great and the restaurant can be half empty but still sound as if crowds of people are yelling inside of it. I will admit that I’ve been looking forward to this burger. de Vere’s BLT with fried egg is one of my favorite sandwiches of all time…
Full disclosure I know one of the owners of the restaurant. I don’t think that affected my rating though.
The Review
Patty (26/35) – Ordered medium rare, came out medium. Well seasoned – peppery with a hint of garlic. Not too oily or greasy. No gristle. Good bite nice and moist.
Cheese (25/25) – What excellent cheddar! Nice sharp taste. Works great with the patty! Really pops. Love it.
Bun (15/15) – Another great bun! Soft pretzel bun, lots of flavor. Absorbs liquids from patty and toppings. Holds up. Fluffy without being all air.
Toppings (13/15) – Great red onions, butterleaf lettuce (finally!), more than one tomato slice. No pickle on the burger. Just a dill spear on the side. All fresh and crisp!
Condiments (5/10) – Good mayo spread on the top bun. No mustard on the burger?! No mustard on the table?! Mayo was lost among the strong tastes of burger, cheese, and bun.
Ambiance (8/*) – Very nice setting. Sitting outside on a spring day it is just lovely. Staff was friendly if a little slow.
Total (93/100) – A solid, delicious burger with only a few flaws. Great setting as well (eat outside), friendly service. Not a bad deal for $13.00. If you’re curious about the sides the “chips” were thick and tasty with peels on! You can get a salad or soup if you want instead.
