Today we drove up to Eatontown to check out Bobby Flay's new "fast food" burger joint called Bobby's Burger Palace. I had originally tried Bobby's Burger Palace a few weeks after they had opened, and found it quite enjoyable. I've heard and read a lot of negative reviews both around the office, as well as on
Chowhound, but I find it rather enjoyable.
Most of the complaints I heard are either about the price, or about the goofy seating, or lack of seating. In my opinion, to pay $7.50 for a certified back angus burger is absolutely worth it. But for those looking for a down and dirty, greasy burger as I like to say, Bobby's Burger Palace is not for you. Instead, go check out 5 Guys, save a few bucks, and get a good greasy burger. Yes, I enjoy 5 Guys as well, but it depends on what kind of burger I am looking for.
I consider Bobby's Burger Palace more of a gourmet burger, with good, fresh, different ingredients. Yes, you can get a good old plain, old fashioned cheeseburger here as well, or you can get a burger with fresh ingredients, different sauces, different vegetables, and different cheeses.
Zelda opted for the Palace Classic Burger made with ground turkey, topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and fresh red onion. One of the first comments she made was that the tomato was so fresh and vibrant. After lunch, she made the comment that it may have been the best turkey burger she has ever had. That is a pretty bold statement as she loves her turkey burgers.
I opted for the Philadelphia Burger, cooked medium, and topped with provolone cheese, griddled onions, and hot peppers. This is the second time I had this burger, and it was as much of a joy this time as it was the first time. The provolone is a nice touch, and the hot peppers are fresh and very tasty. It's great combination! The meat itself is lightly seasoned, so it really lets you taste the meat and the burger itself. I love making fresh burger pattie's on the grill, and I would not change a thing on these!
We both opted for a side of fries, and these were served up in a big metal tin, with a side of their signature french fry sauce. I'm not sure what is in this fry sauce, but it has a nice blend of what taste like roasted red pepper and chipotle. Needless to say it is great stuff.
We also opted for malts, and she went for the chocolate, and I went for the vanilla. For $5, I have to say that it is a darn good malt! The vanilla especially really has that nice malt taste to it. We also had a nice fresh lemonade to wash our burgers down.
A few comments about complaints I have heard:
1) Price: to me, paying $33 for 2 gourmet burgers, 2 large orders of fries, 2 malts, and a lemonade is not a big deal. If this was McDonald's or even 5 Guys, yes, I might be a little hesitant. However, you are paying for Bobby Flay's name, and he has to pay for his overhead. I've paid it twice, and I'll pay it again.
2) Seating: yes, seating is an issue, especially during the week at lunch. We got there around 1PM today, and must have just beaten the rush.
A. When you walk in, you stay in the line to the right, place your order, then they give you a number and you have to find a place to sit.
B. The tables are all large, and it is seat yourself. When it gets busy, it can be very hard to find a place to sit for 2 people, let alone if you have a large group. If you do have a large group, I do not recommend going here. It will be very difficult.
C. They also have a counter that wraps around the restaurant as well, and you can sit here.
D. The first time I was there, as well as when we were getting ready to leave, the line was out the door. That said, know that you are taking a chance, and you might end up waiting. But after being open for almost 6 month now, what does that tell you? It either tells you that one, their food is that good, or two, people are still intrigued and want to give it a whirl. I will attribute it to both of these.
The restaurant itself is nice inside. One of the first things that I noticed is the big colorful light that hangs over the counter top seating. It is adorned is nice vibrant colors, and mirror the counter itself. You will also see large, wood look subway tiles on the walls, and very neat lighting hanging from the ceiling. The inside looks nice and modern, and they did a good job on the decor.
So regardless of what others have said, and regardless of reviews I have read, we give Bobby's Burger Palace two thumbs up, and we look forward to our next dining experience there. Keep up the great work Bobby! Cheers!
188 Route 35 South at Monmouth Mall
Eatontown, NJ 07724
Phone: (732)544-0200
Well, the pictures aren't the best in the world, but what do you want from a PDA anyway?
After a morning of looking forward to my world famous enchiladas con salsa verde that I made last night, I ended up taking a walk with some of the guys from the office to the Far East Taste, right out the gate here and up the hill. Years ago, this was a great spot from what I have read in several reviews, and the old owner, Richard, had some serious talent.
Upon arrival, it was a little odd to see the store front right on Main Street, but the entrance was in the read. You walk down a long, narrow hallway, and are greeted at the host stand. We were then brought down a step, and seated in the small dining room, with mirrors on the wall, with the lower wall adorned in marble looking formica. There was definitely nothing fancy about this place, but it's close to the office, so that is a plus.
Upon looking at the menu, there are several lunch special listed, along with a few other specials on a hand written board. I didn't look through the entire menu as we were pressed for time, and had to get back to the office, but they have many "Pan Asian" selections that are Thai influenced.
I started off with a Thai Ice Tea since I gave up the soda for Lent, and it was your classic tea. They also brought over a pot of hot tea for us to sip on. For lunch, I went with one of my staples, the shrimp in garlic sauce, also known here as the L17. This came with my choice of of wonton soup, egg drop soup, or an eggroll, so of course I went with the eggroll.
The eggroll came out out, and although it was not as golden brown and fried as it could have been, it was nice and hot, and not greasy at all. I don't know if they pre-fry these, and then keep them in the oven, or if they just bake them, but there was zero grease on this. The vegetables were nice and crisp, and very fresh, and the eggroll wrapper had a nice crunch. There were also small bits of prok, along with the cabbage and other veggies. It could have about 10 degrees warmer, but it was still pleasant.
Shortly afterwards, the entrees came out, and we had substituted pork fried rice for the white rice. This was nice, with small pieces of bbq pork, as well as some chunks of onion. The onion was a little much for me, which is something that I usually have no problem with, but I like to see it diced a little smaller. Regardless, there were only a few larger pieces that I ate around with no problem. The rice had a nice flavor, but it was lacking something that I cannot put my hands on. It was also almost as though it had sat up in the window a bit too long, and dried out some. It also seemed to be a bit on the greasy side, but what do you want for 
something that is wok fried?
Out came the rest of the entrees about 30 seconds later, and for a lunch portion, mine was decent in size with 9 shrimp, and a while lot of vegetables ranging from flat cut carrots, to broccoli, to green peppers, celery, and onion. The garlic sauce was nice, had the perfect amount of spice to it, and was very pleasant...and I didn't feel as though I needed to rush back to the office to brush my teeth, although I did anyway. Overall, this was a nice dish, and I would more than likely order it again.
In short, this is a nice place for the money, and a close walk from the office without having to worry about losing a good parking spot and having to park six blocks away. A shrimp special with a healthy portion of medium sized shrimp for under $9 with friend rice is a pretty good deal in my book. I would not however go out of my way to visit this restaurant, but it is good for some comfort food, and I would consider it good. Next time around, I will try something else to compare more things on their menu. Don't go there expecting ambiance, because you will definitely be disappointed, but if you're looking for a quick lunch with good spice, this is a good option. Cheers!
19 Main Street
Eatontown, NJ 07724
Phone: (732) 389-9866
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