After a couple weeks away from the area, here is my Week Seven submission to the Burger Battle. They’re always busy and it’s hard to get a seat — Ray’s Grill over in the Belk’s shopping plaza. Ray’s has been around since the 90’s and serves lots of our good hometown folks every week.
Contest setup:
I will be visiting the following establishments : Cruiser’s, Ed’s, Etna Diner, Ivey’s, Jerry’s, Penn’s, Ray’s, Ward’s, and What-a-burger to order their standard cheeseburger as served with no onions. I will be paying with my own money and rating them based on my own opinion.
Burger Battle Judging Criteria 1. Taste (four points)
- 4: Perfectly seasoned beef, rich flavor, toppings enhance the patty.
- 3: Good flavor, minor imbalance.
• 2: Under-seasoned or overpowering condiments.
• 1: Bland or poor taste.
- Texture (two points)
• Juicy, tender patty with constant doneness; bun soft but sturdy. - Build & Balance (two points)
• Excellent ratio of bun, meat, cheese, toppings; easy to eat and holds together. - Presentation (two points)
• Looks appetizing and well appointed.
10 Total Points possible
Rating:
The burger from Ray’s is a handmade patty topped with American cheese, onion, mustard and chili on a standard hamburger roll. Size-wise, it’s a handful and in line with the typical profile for the area in style.
Price: $3.60
Flavor: 2 – Good, but not a large amount of flavor from the patty. Beef is there in the mix, but plays a background part. No distinguishable salt, pepper, or stand out seasonings present. The overall flavors come from the mustard and the chili powder.
Texture: 1 – Fresh and soft bun. Patty was cooked well. Moist overall, but partly due to the mustard. Patty was on the drier side.
Build and Balance: 2 – No issues here. Eats well, topping mix is balanced. Presentation: 1 – Basic paper, wrapped neatly.
Total: 6 Points
Ray’s Grill offers a burger that is solid and eats well at a great value, but missed a few elements for me on this trip. The moisture level of the patty left a little to be desired as did the total bite in flavor.
If you love very present chili powder and mustard this is the burger for you. I would suggest that you get the burger with slaw (but the rules I established require me to order the burger as the standard for all the way – no onions.) Ray’s is always busy at lunch and lots of folks are supporting their business. Let’s keep our local folks well loved and in business!
The scores so far:
Cruiser’s: 7
Ed’s Grill: 8
Etna Diner: 9
Jerry’s: 7
Ivey’s Cafe: 6
Penn’s Grill: 9
Ray’s Grill: 6
Stay tuned as more Whiteville area heavy hitters up next in the next two editions: Ward’s and What-a-burger!
Thanks so much for reading.
I am open to take your feedback or suggestions on a new establishment or content ideas! Email me at: justinwilliamson@coulumbuscountynews.com.
Be the first to comment