January 2015
All of these years, I heard about how the Tap Room at Dubsdread boasted arguably the best burger in town. The awards and positive reviews kept flooding their way. So why had I never stepped foot into this establishment? I really never had an answer. Maybe it was because I’m not a “country club” type of person and I prefer menus where a Miller Lite costs less than $2 (they are $3.50 during non-happy hour times at the Tap Room).
I probably wouldn’t have trekked over in January if it was not for Jess’ ambition. So on a Saturday afternoon we jumped on to the 408 and then up I-4 to Par Street where the parking lot was jammed and cars flooded the bordering road. Understandably, golfers were everywhere, and in the Tap Room, 90 percent of its patrons were 60-years old or older. The other 10 percent consisted of a group of young basketball players from a rich, private school in town.
We patiently waited for our booth as the entrance was filled with awards and publications that the Tap Room was proud to display. I couldn’t care less. So many places have trophies or plaques but they end up being brutally bad on my taste buds. We’ll see if this place really is deserving.
I of course wanted the standard burger, which at the Tap Room is a “half-pound burger with Tillamook cheddar cheese” for $11.90. There were only four burger options outside of the patty melt and sliders, and the most expensive was the College Park Burger for $13.90, which carried bacon, avocado and jack cheese. If a meat sandwich costs more than $10, it better have more than this on the inside. But this is a country club so maybe the price is adequate.
A $12 burger with just cheese and fries hovered over to the table and its appearance did not stand out. The bun itself likely could have come from a pack from Publix. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, though. The plate simply was nothing earth-shattering like I expected.
As for the meat, I asked for it at medium temperature and that is what I received. It proved to not be as juicy as I hoped, yet the flavor still was on point. After two bites it made me think that this was a burger I cooked over a campfire, delivering a slight crust on the outside I thoroughly enjoy. I wished the cheese gave me more of a bang, so this burger should have carried two pieces instead of one.
I tried a little of Jess’ chicken sandwich as well. It gave me a scrumptious bite of grilled meat that made me want more. As for the burger, I would rank this in my top 10 in Orlando, but not in the top five. That brings me to my ultimate goal: rank my top 10 burgers in the area. Hopefully that dream of mine will be satisfied this year.
Toast My Buns 