Overpriced Meat

If there is one thing downtown St. Paul didn't need, it's an over-priced burger joint. And while I am glad to see that something moved into the old Gallivan's restaurant location, I kind of wish that Gallivan's would come back. (Rockin' Lobster was there for a minute and that Matty B's was too high falutin' for the common folk of that neighborhood...okay maybe I'm not giving it enough credit but really it didn't have that great of a menu and was kind of over priced.)

That location has not had the best luck for tenants since Gallivan's closed. Call it the fickle (and pocketbook conscious) workers in downtown, why would you bother to drive to downtown St. Paul if you didn't have to, pay for parking to have a so-so meal?

That said, I went to the Great American Burger Bar for lunch today. Not to be confused with it's "inexpensive" country cousin The Great American Burger Emporium in Woodbury.

What they have on their menu is a few burger types, starting at about $8.95 and going up to $18.00. For that you get a plain burger on a bun (choice of bread was nice - onion, ciabatta, or wheat) then you can add extras (cheese is like .90 and portabella mushrooms on the menu said $4.95 but on my check only said $2.00) They have a bunch of fancy burgers too like Kobe beef and a burger with truffle and you can order lobster cole slaw for I guess a take on surf and turf.

The burgers come with lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle and a small container of "special" mayo.

My burger was cooked perfectly however sadly the chef was a little bit too heavy on the salt.

I can't remember what the prices were at the burger emporioum in Woodbury however I seem to recall not being too shell-shocked by the price. And it seemed like you could get additions to your burger for less money than $5.00 a piece.

People who eat out with me once in a while somewhat make fun of my ordering habits. I tend to be a little picky about the way I want my order and alas, adding items to the burger was just a tough choice for me, because, really I wanted cheese because a burger isn't really good without it and I wanted mushrooms...and so I ordered.

All together my burger was $15.75. Gulp. Salty skinny fries much like the ones at the restaurant in woodbury also come with the burger and they are good, but then again, I'm not typically a "you want fries with that" sort of gal. Plus the salt of the burger and the salt of the fries just made the fries less appealing.

I have a feeling that unless they do something to make their menu more affordable I would rather wander a little further the other direction and go to the Bulldog for a burger.

Also, I have a "beef" about hostesses. I went a bit early to lunch and the restaurant was empty save for one diner. She sat me at the table next to this gentleman. Which wouldn't be so bad except it's kind of awkward being the lone diners alone in a huge restaurant and sitting on top of each other. I noticed that she did this will more than a few people...it just seems to me that she could have almost done and every other sort of table spread until the "rush" just to give diners (even those dining alone) a little space.

1 1/2 stars, the burger was good...just a little salty for the price.