From Lenten Fridays to spring break being right around the corner and a growing vegetarian population, ‘tis the season for meatless options. I set out to find Baton Rouge’s best offerings of burgers sans beef and made my decision primarily based on taste, portion and price.
1) FAT COW (Baja Burger with grilled Portobello mushroom cap), $8.75 — Fat Cow’s gourmet burgers are indulgently delicious. The bun has an inkling of sweetness to it, which is refreshing to the taste buds. The Baja Burger features a splendid mixture of flavors with banana peppers and pepper jack cheese, which lend a nice value of heat and spiciness to it, while the salsa and sour cream balance the tang of the peppers. The avocado provides the burger with a delightful, creamy texture.
Fat Cow manages to incorporate these toppings without overloading the burger. The use of a portobello cap is also welcomed — I wouldn’t mind seeing more restaurants do this. This burger was one of the more expensive ones, but the price is still fair for a gourmet burger.
2) BB&PF (Bean Burgers and Plantain Fries), $3 — I consider BB&PF to be one of Baton Rouge’s hidden treasures. Unlike many other eateries, BB&PF uses a bean burger patty rather than relying on a BOCA or Garden, which can get repetitive. The patty texture is slightly strange and kind of sponge-like, but it tastes great, and that’s what matters. The distinct flavor compared with other veggie burgers is what lands BB&PF at second place on this list. It uses a good mix of sauces for a “traditional” burger. Another reason the bean burger ranks high is the price — BB&PF’s burger was by far the cheapest and the best value for college students on a budget.
3) Truly Free Bakery and Deli (Paradise Burger with Gardenburger patty), $12.99 — A great feature of this burger was the panini-like grilled bread. The Paradise burger comes with an exotic blend of teriyaki glaze and pineapple, adding pizzazz to what would be an ordinary meal. My only complaint is that the burger was kind of big and cumbersome to eat. It’s served with a standard Gardenburger patty, but it’s prepared well. This was the most costly burger, but it’s a generous portion and comes with a side item.
4) Momma Goldberg’s Deli, $5.39 — Momma Goldberg’s use of a toasted bagel rather than a traditional bun is both innovative and scrumptious. While this burger may not be the prettiest, it makes up in taste what it lacks in presentation. It comes with a standard veggie patty that meshes well with the brown mustard, mayo and mozzarella cheese. It is reasonably cheap and great for a quick lunch or dinner.
5) The Chimes Restaurant and Tap Room, $6.95 — The Louisiana-inspired greasy spoon’s BOCA burger is rather plain compared to the other ones. It’s stunningly mediocre. The bun is whole-wheat, but it is rather ordinary. It comes with the most generic dressings (lettuce, tomato, mustard), and the BOCA burger patty tastes like it was cooked in a microwave rather than on a grill. It doesn’t have much of a distinct flavor. This is not to say the burger tastes bad; it’s still yummy, but it just falls short comparatively. The price is on the higher side of this list, but it does come with a serving of fries.
Taylor Schoen is a 22-year-old communication studies senior from Metairie.
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