Icon Burger

[Chezhoff]

So is any one else fired up about the new burger place, Icon Burger, that's opening in Lafayette? I'm a sucker for a good burger and fries place, so I am. Especially since it is fairly close to home in Erie.

If you haven't heard, it is located at 95th and Arapahoe. More info in a press release I found, here:

Icon Burger Press Release

[TheMatt]

And, since you didn't include it, from the Camera:

Camera Article

With the fried eggs, he's only bacon away from that heart-stopping burger at Red Robin.

[Chezhoff]

With the fried eggs, he's only bacon away from that heart-stopping burger at Red Robin.

I bet they'd add it if you ask real nice.

At Ted's Montana Grill, they've got an 'everything' burger that has bacon, ham, onion, 'shrooms, and an egg...it's quite tasty

[rlm]

I managed to locate Icon Burger today. However, a sign on their door indicated that "due to an equipment malfunction," they have delayed their opening. They are supposed to be open on Monday, August 16th. The address is 2755 Dagny Way & there's a Galt Way nearby, so it looks like Lafayette town officials are big Ayn Rand fans.

[Holly Moore]

From the Camera article:

His ideal concoction: 1/3 pound all-natural beef cooked medium-well;

I'm fine with a White Castle Burger cooked medium well - but a 1/3 lb all-natural beef hamburger butchered like that. Shame, and anything but ideal or an icon.

[afoodnut]

The address is 2755 Dagny Way & there's a Galt Way nearby, so it looks like Lafayette town officials are big Ayn Rand fans.

Interesting. So it's near the Y in the shopping center at 95th and arapahoe? I think the fountain on the southwest corner of 95th and Arapahoe bears the inscription Atlas something or other (center? valley?). Someone's too clever by far.

Edited August 15, 2004 by afoodnut (log)

[rlm]

I think the fountain on the southwest corner of 95th and Arapahoe bears the inscription Atlas something or other (center? valley?).

Ah, clever indeed. If it says Atlas Shrugged, then their objectivist credentials are hereby confirmed.

Icon Burger has a red-and-white sign and is in a new-ish-looking shopping center near a Meineke. I took South Boulder Rd. to Hwy 42, and it was on the left-hand side of the road right before Arapahoe.

(Yahoo Maps was not as kind with the location of Casa de Mina in Erie, so if anyone can give me some pointers as to how to actually find the Mexican restaurant instead of just a random farmer driving a beat-up pick-up truck 10 miles per hour on the Leon Wurl Pkwy, it would be appreciated.)

[afoodnut]

(Yahoo Maps was not as kind with the location of Casa de Mina in Erie, so if anyone can give me some pointers as to how to actually find the Mexican restaurant instead of just a random farmer driving a beat-up pick-up truck 10 miles per hour on the Leon Wurl Pkwy, it would be appreciated.)

You don't want my directions, they'll get you as lost and confused as I, but one thing to know is that the name is now officially:

Paraiso Azteca by Mina (As far as I can figure out, it has also been Mina's Latin, and Casa de Mina)

The phone number: (303)828-3477

It moved a couple of blocks from where it was this past spring, and I'm not positive which is the correct address, but I think it's 605 Briggs St.

Try mapquest...that's what I used the first time I tried to find it, and while it wasn't perfect, I ended up close enough that driving back and forth and in a few circles let me eventually find it.

But let's hope that someone else here pipes up with real directions.

Edited August 15, 2004 by afoodnut (log)

[mike k]

I'm fine with a White Castle Burger cooked medium well - but a 1/3 lb all-natural beef hamburger butchered like that.  Shame, and anything but ideal or an icon.

Indeed, I wonder if it's a misquoted "medium rare." And ketchup has no place on my juicy burger. No place anywhere for that matter. Holly - does Judy's in Philly still refuse to serve ketchup at brunch? What bravado!

I'm not eating commercially produced beef these days, so I won't be visiting the Icon. It's hard to beat a home-grilled burger anyway. And I save the fried eggs for portobello burgers.

edit for typo

Edited August 15, 2004 by mike k (log)

[TheMatt]

Indeed, I wonder if it's a misquoted "medium rare." And ketchup has no place on my juicy burger. No place anywhere for that matter. Holly - does Judy's in Philly still refuse to serve ketchup at brunch? What bravado!

I don't mind ketchup on a burger. On a hot dog? No. But it's good on a burger. Of course, I much prefer thousand island, or Heinz 57, or, if I'm at home, HP sauce. I also don't mind Bulldog sauce on it either.

Hmm...I guess there's not much I don't mind on a hamburger...

[Chezhoff]

Has anyone been by to see if Icon actually opened yesterday? It is looking like tonight might be a dining out night and a burger and fries sound good.

[AmyH]

Chezhoff-

They are indeed open.

Apparently you are not the only one waiting for a good burger. Yesterday was the first day it opened and the owner wound up making 170 burgers in a two hour period! Please report back if you do go for dinner.

[rlm]

Well, it won't make you forget about the burgers at In-N-Out. Or even Max Burgerworks. Not bad though. I don't think I'll drive over to Lafayette specifically to eat there again, but if I lived closer I'd pop in once they get the "newbie" kinks worked out.

Had the signature Icon Burger with "the works" plus bacon and cheese (extra), fries, and a Coke. Two of these meals will set you back about 19 bucks. Mine came out without pickles or bacon. Onions (not sauteed, unfortunately), romaine lettuce, a nice juicy tomato, ketchup, and "Icon Goop." Fries were hot, but nothing special. We were there in the early evening and waited about 15 minutes for the burgers, although a counter kid came over to apologize about the kitchen back-up.

They also have a Boca burger, several hot dogs, and fish-and-chips.

Red, gray, and black decor with pictures of classic diners on the walls.

Edited August 18, 2004 by rlm (log)

[Chezhoff]

I agree with Robin...I was pretty underwhelmed. I was expecting that the fries would be fresh cut but they were made from frozen spuds and undercooked. The burgers were ok, not much better than what you get at a place like Good Times. I would also prefer the onions be sauteed.

The best parts of the meal were the fairly good onion rings and the chocolate shakes (which were made by hand with scooped, i.e. not soft serve, ice cream).

The decor is pretty cool and they do serve beer.

I thought it was pretty pricey for what you get.

Definitely doesn't hold up to Max Burgerworks. I haven't (gasp!) been to In-N-Out so I can't make that comparison. I want to try that Burgers-n-Sports place down south as I've heard good things about that.

All in all I don't think I will plan to go back.

Edited August 18, 2004 by Chezhoff (log)

[mongo_jones]

so what of the medium-well/medium-rare controversy? i will not be able to sleep till this is resolved.

[Chezhoff]

so what of the medium-well/medium-rare controversy? i will not be able to sleep till this is resolved.

Far be it from me to keep Mongo from his, um, beauty rest... :)

They didn't ask how we wanted our burgers. The patties are thin, i.e. fastfood style, so they are basically at least medium well by the time the outsides are sufficiently browned. That said the burger wasn't noticably dry or anything....just not pink and juicy like I'd want in an ideal burger.

[Mabelline]

Up here we've got fuddrucker's, which I enjoy when noisy burger porkout is the theme. Go with a bunch of firefighters if you want to witness massive carnivore attack!

In the window as you go in, there's like a-mini butcher shop going on.( You get a look at the sides, judge the quality, and watch the grind Although they don't serve steaks, you can order them to take home).

If you order the smallest burger, it is a 1/3 #. You decide what out of many sides you want on it--I go for Guacamole/salsa--but the traditional sides are all on a bar. If you want red, medium rare makes you happy. I just don't even know if fuddrucker's are nationwide. There are two here in Billings, and they are packed.

Edited August 18, 2004 by Mabelline (log)

[Holly Moore]

so what of the medium-well/medium-rare controversy? i will not be able to sleep till this is resolved.

Far be it from me to keep Mongo from his, um, beauty rest... :)

They didn't ask how we wanted our burgers. The patties are thin, i.e. fastfood style, so they are basically at least medium well by the time the outsides are sufficiently browned. That said the burger wasn't noticably dry or anything....just not pink and juicy like I'd want in an ideal burger.

A 1/3 pound burger pattied out "fast food thin?" Must be a whopper of a bun. But it cooks fast and at someplaces cooking fast takes priorty over cooking tasty.

[Mabelline]

Are there fuddrucker's everywhere?

[afoodnut]

Are there fuddrucker's everywhere?

Not everywhere, but plenty of places:

Fuddrucker location finder

[rlm]

I was not that impressed with Fuddrucker's in Austin, TX. However, I've never been to any others so I can't make a blanket statement about the whole chain.

Chezhoff, your Good Times comparison holds true, although I think I actually prefer GT's to Icon (a little juicier), especially the heart-attack-waiting-to-happen known as the Big Daddy.

[Chezhoff]

A 1/3 pound burger pattied out "fast food thin?" Must be a whopper of a bun. But it cooks fast and at someplaces cooking fast takes priorty over cooking tasty.

Yep, the bun's pretty good sized...pretty good quality too.

especially the heart-attack-waiting-to-happen known as the Big Daddy

Ah yes, the Big Daddy, that sucker's helped fix many a hangover for me...

[Lance]

Upon hearing about your forum from a co-worker, my wife forwarded me a link to your forum discussing my new restaurant, Icon Burger. I would like to address some of the issues discussed in the postings and add clarity to some inaccurate information.

Our delayed opening blew us away. We served over 300 burgers and hot dogs in four hours and have exceeded that number the two days since. Though Icon Burger had some great press releases, with no advertising and an “off the beaten path” location we anticipated a slow first couple of weeks. Well, we were wrong. On Monday at 11:00 a.m., dozens of customers were waiting outside. And they kept coming. The overwhelming numbers combined with a constantly crashing point of sale system (the same equipment that delayed our opening) and an unprepared staff left us with more than a few disappointed customers. I’m really embarrassed by the errors we made, but feedback from all our returning customers has been very positive. I’m not sure how many Egullet members are business owners, more specifically, restaurant owners but those who are must relate to the idiom, “the best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray.” I am sure that our systems, service, and product will continue to improve and if given a second chance by customers with rational expectations Icon Burger will blow them away.

Opening day aside, I would now like to discuss the concept of Icon Burger, and at the same time, address some of the comments in the postings. Icon Burger is not a full service restaurant like Max Burger Works ($7.25-$10.50 per burger & fries), and it is definitely not a fast food restaurant like Good Times ($2.99 – $3.99). It is a quick casual restaurant, which is a concept somewhere in between those two concepts ($5.99 - $7.49).

Operationally, a customer places their order at the front counter, gets their beverages and the food is brought out to them. When they’re finished, they get up and leave. Their table will be bussed and no gratuities are accepted. Unlike Max Burger Works, which is a great gourmet burger restaurant, your dining experience is shorter and definitely cheaper. A customer doesn’t wait for the wait staff (pun intended) to place an order. No raising your hand to ask for the check. No waiting for the wait staff (pun again intended) to pick up your payment. And then the final wait for your change or credit card slip. We have all experienced that 5-20 minute process. Time is money to most of us. And since I’m on the topic of money (which seems to be a hot topic in these forums), as stated above, Icon Burger doesn’t accept gratuities. An average restaurant customer tips between 15-20%. That’s a pretty big savings even for the customer who counts pennies, and we’ve all been to lunch or dinner with that guy (gotta hunch he’s in this forum if he thinks dinner at Icon Burger is expensive). You know the guy who verifies that everything on the check is right. Then breaks out the credit card sized tip chart card in his wallet to calculate a 10% tip on the pre-sales tax price of his meal. Making sure never to over tip his server, he then takes out his green, rubber, slotted change holder every grandfather once owned to nail the exact amount the “Tip-Chart Guru” stated.

Okay, I’m beginning to rant. So let me cut to the chase on some food issues discussed in your postings. Our burgers are definitely not thin and in no way do we compare to Good Times. Our burgers are 1/3 pound of certified all natural chuck. It would take at least two burgers at Good Times to get the amount of beef in our patties. Speaking of beef, many burger restaurants now use all natural beef. Icon Burger is the only restaurant in the area that I know of using all natural chuck. Here’s a simple definition for the term “beef”: originates from cattle. I doubt your members really want to know what’s in some of the patties they enjoy at their favorite burger joints. If it’s not guaranteed muscle tissue (like chuck or round) you might be eating cow lips. Diner‘s beware!

As for us not using fresh potato fries, we don’t. We use Grade A, long cut frozen fries found in traditional diners. I agree that fresh cut fries taste great…one minute after they’re fried. They then turn limp as a wet noodle. We expect a large percentage of our orders to be take out, so we wanted a fry that could stay fairly crisp for an extended period. Bacon and grilled onions are also available. Guacamole, hummus, sprouts, portabella mushroom, and other “gourmet” products are not. Our menu is blue collar-friendly, simple and only 12 items. But on those 12 items you’ll find 4x4 tomatoes (similar to the size of the tomatoes served at Mortons), white onions (pricier then red or yellow onions), leaf lettuce (not romaine), real pickles (not boiled), 96 count American Cheese (thick like In-n-Out), and a fresh baked and toasted egg bun (not the kind that crumbles).

Regarding how we cook our burgers - yes they come medium-well to well. New health code requires an internal temperature of ground beef to be at least 150 degrees, unless the customer demands a different temperature. The reasons should be obvious…E-coli. Research it yourself; steaks and ground beef are not the same when it comes to bacteria. Still, our burgers are made fresh on a grill (not in “holding” pans like many fast food restaurants) to seal in the juices.

I truly believe that an Icon Burger is the best in the area for the money. Your members seem like a tough crowd, but I think they’ll like what Icon has to offer.

Lance Perryman

Managing Partner, Icon Burger LLC

P.S. We’ve got $1.99 PBR pints. Try getting that at Max Burger Works or Good Times…

[Holly Moore]

Greetings Lance, and welcome to eGullet. Ah, the good old days when one could open a restaurant and have some time to iron out the kinks before it is disected over a world wide restaurant and food forum. Just what you needed. It is cool you jumped into the discussion during such an all-consuming, hectic period as opening a restaurant. Again, welcome.

It is too bad that health departments are over-reacting on the e-coli issue. But it seems that yours is being more reasonable than many in that when a customer requests rare or medium rare, you are allowed to serve it. That being the case, I'd make that option clear to your customers. Yes, in volume, cooking to specific levels of doneness is a challenge. The downside is that a lot of people consider anything over medium rare to be overcooked/ruined. If they don't realize that rare or medium rare is available, they won't be back. This is especially true with a large, 1/3 pound burger.

Are you sure about the USDA standard of identity for ground beef or hamburger allowing lips and such? In past lives I've worked corporately for both McDonald's and Burger King. I am 100% certain that neither do/would use anything but muscle cuts.

As to your point about fresh cut fries becoming limp as a noodle after a minute. Are you talking the single fry or double fry method? For the first ten years or so, McDonald's sold fresh cut fries - probably built their reputation on their fries as much as their fifteen cent burgers. And those fries had to travel. Same for many of the famous Chicago hot dog places. Fresh cut, twice fried. It does make a world of difference. And it is worth the effort. Gives you a major point of difference over your competitors. The thing is, fresh cut fries are an operational challenge. More labor intensive. Far shorter holding time. That is why they are so rare to find and so special when done well.

There are a lot of good, even very good, hamburger places out there. But only a few great ones. The great ones get there on quality more than anything else. My ideal hamburger place grinds there own beef, forms the patty on the grill - a patty thick enough to cook medium rare, butters and caramelizes the bun, uses a bun that compliments rather than overpowers the burger, and, as their ace in the hole, serves their burger with a side of freshly fried, twice fried, fresh cut french fries.

All that said, here's wishing you great success with Icon Burger.

Edited August 19, 2004 by Holly Moore (log)

[rlm]

If it’s not guaranteed muscle tissue (like chuck or round) you might be eating cow lips.

Mmmm. Cow lips.

Lance, I think people on this forum understand the fast casual concept, but in order to keep people streaming through the doors you need to offer a more compelling product than fast food since your price points are higher, yet offer better value than the “gourmet burger,” table-service places like Max. That’s a tough job, and I appreciate what you’re trying to do. Icon is your “baby,” so it is understandable that after working so hard to open that you would want to defend it.

I don’t think we were unduly harsh in our assessments. Chezhoff complimented the décor, shakes, buns, onion rings, and pointed out that you serve beer. I said it was not bad, listed other menu items that might interest people, and pointed out the “nice juicy tomato.” I couldn’t resist peeking under the bun and was impressed that I was greeted with a beautiful tomato instead of a mealy, anemic one.

A few tweaks like fresh-cut fries and asking customers if they would like sautéed onions, for example, could make all the difference and make your place “special” and worth going out of the way for. I drove from another city just to eat at Icon, and I had not even heard of it until Chezhoff posted about it in this forum. In order to drive that far for a burger again, there has to be something about it that gives me cravings. Hell, I even drove 2 ½ hours to eat Thai food in Carbondale since I love the other restaurant owned there by the same chef. So even simple things like mouth-watering fresh fries or a juicier patty would definitely swing the balance in your favor and make it worth the drive.