THE FOOD REVIEW WITH ANDREA DUARTE: Petrol Station

Andrea Duarte, your Coffey Break food expert! Chelsea and I share a love and passion for good food, so we thought we’d collaborate to share my experiences by trying the newest, most beloved, and everything in-between spots in Houston.

Sick of visiting the same old spots? Want to try out a new place? Afraid of wasting money and your palate on a mediocre meal?

 Let The Coffey Break do the leg work for you!

Stay hungry my friends -Andrea

Review Date: Tuesday September 11, 2012

 Review Location: The Petrol Station

985 Wakefield

http://www.facebook.com/PetrolStation

 Review Time: Dinner

Not too long ago I had a huge craving for a really good hamburger, so I googled “Best Burger Houston”. The Petrol Station caught my eye.

I visited there with some co-workers today who frequent it for its beer selection; they have various crafty brews on tap. The place is so named as it was transformed from an old service station. It’s a whole-in-the-wall with no visible sign, in the middle of a neighborhood, and a hippie inside. I was intrigued!

The place was a bit empty when we got there, but it was more or less what I expected. A pub with older masculine clientele, and a beer-snobby bartender.

I got the Rancor, the burger the place is best know for, behold:

It contains: 1/2 lb angus beef,cheddar cheese, bacon,fried egg,lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle & mayo served with natural cut fries.

(I took my pickles out, sorry)

 It’s definitely a feast on the eyes when it arrives, which was good because I am definitely a visual person. I was also super excited about the egg.  You definitely need some creativity to bite into this bad boy, and quite a stack of napkins!

The burger was good, but I hate to admit not the best I’ve had. The meat patty was super thick and juicy. The bacon was inches thick, and still crispy. The veggies were fresh and crunchy, and the egg runny, which is exactly what I wanted. However, the burger was a little overcooked to my taste. I was also a bit underwhelmed with the lack of “pow” in flavor, and I was not excited when I was eating it, a bit indifferent. When I bit into it everything kind of ran together, and nothing stood out. I definitely had mixed feelings, but overall still enjoyed it.

 The fries were ok. Although some were super crispy, others were a little soggy, and they were not fresh. But still a good companion to the burger. 

In the end I was pleased, but not blown out of the water. Would definitely come back and try other things on the menu.

 Overall Rating:           B-

 FOOD RATINGS

Taste:                          B-

Presentation:            A

Selection:                   A- (not a lot on the menu, but everything sounded good- quality over quantity!)

OTHER:

Ambiance:                  C+ (mosquitoes!!!!!! And no music)

Location:                    B- (a bit out of the way)

Prices:                         B  (burger was reasonably priced but beer was a bit more than expected)