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| - This was my first time at Hopdoddy. I ordered a burger special with pimento cheese, bacon, onion, watercress, and a fried egg. I believe it was called the Pinetop burger.
The burger was excellent. Each ingredient was at its best showing...especially the meat. The burger itself was juicy and flavorful with appealing texture. Kudos to Hopdoddy for using beefsteak tomatoes.
The fries were the typical skin-on fries of places trying to be more than In-N-Out. They were fine, but not special. Oddly, some were super limp and soggy while others were shatteringly crisp. If you get them (and I wouldn't again), try dipping them in Hopdoddy's Sassy Sauce (mayo, honey mustard, and a touch of horseradish).
The surprise highlight was my bloody mary. Normally, I loathe beets, but I'm so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and ordered it anyway. Hopdoddy uses beet juice as an accent to their BM mix. They use just enough to give a little earthy complexity for depth and lend a pinch of sweetness to smooth out the rich, savory tomato flavor. It's spicy, but still friendly. The bloody mary is a must try for a leisurely lunch or or a hair of the dog Sunday brunch.
Hopdoddy loses a star for execution of service. It is uncomfortably straddling fast casual and sit-down restaurant service protocol. It's awkward at best, and it's just screaming with potential for customer service disasters. For example, our "server" didn't know we were there because we moved from Table 67 and no one told him. He didn't come over until we were just about done eating and never really had a chance to connect with us because the servers are all over the place seemingly doing a bit of everything. In short, I think the front of house needs some re-tooling. Either do away with the ordering window or make the experience more self-service.
However, the customer service issue was hardly a deterrent. Considering the excellent burgers, spot-on cocktails, and the pleasant, clean, contemporary atmosphere, we'll back soon.
(BTW, do not sit at Table 67 because you're too close to the bathrooms. Any closer and you'd know exactly who the chili burger disagreed with.)
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