America’s beloved and favorite dish has certainly got to be the burger — it sure ranks as king on our list of faves. There’s really nothing more mouth-watering than a thick, juicy burger grilled to perfection with fresh toppings and homemade sauce. As restaurant consultants, we are constantly researching and eating our way through a lot of different kinds of burgers, analyzing each ingredient and seeing if there’s any “wow factor.”

 

Alright, your stomach is probably starting to grumble right now so we’ll cut to the chase. Where are all the best burger joints? Zagat recently published its picks for the best hamburgers in the USA — they broke it down by city for easier access for all your burger lovers. So here’s the list — we added some photos and link to their Yelp profiles to help you in your quest for the best burger!

 

Zagat’s Top Burger Pics

Atlanta: Vortex Bar & Grill

Austin: Hopdoddy Burger Bar

Baltimore: Linwoods

Boston: Mr. Bartley’s

Charlotte: Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar

Chicago: Edzo’s Burger Shop

Dallas/Fort Worth: Maple & Motor

Denver: Crave Real Burgers

Fort Lauderdale: Le Tub

Honolulu: Kua’ Aina Sandwich

Houston: Goode Co. Burger

Kansas City: Burger Stand at the Casbah

Las Vegas: Slidin’ Thru

Los Angeles: Golden State

Miami: Flip Burger Bar

New York: Burger Joint

Orlando: Pine Twenty2

Philadelphia: Sketch

Portland: Killer Burger

Sacramento: Squeeze In

Salt Lake City: Hire’s Big H

San Diego: In-N-Out Burger

San Francisco: 900 Grayson

Seattle: Broiler Bay

Washington: Ray’s Hell Burger

 

 

Read the original article:  Best hamburgers in the USA: Zagat’s picks in 25 cities

 

 

For some, this the wait has been too long. Nevertheless, the infamous Doritos Locos Taco from Taco Bell has a new cousin on the way – one that many haven been longing for. Well the wait will soon be over because next month, March 7, Taco Bell will release its Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco (CRDLT) across all their locations. Those that can’t get enough of that nacho cheese flavored taco shell will now have another option to savor.

 

What happens when you’ve got 4 hours to spare and have 11 hidden cameras lying around in a flower shop? A smart viral video to introduce this news to the world happened on February 13 when Taco Bell released this:

 

Check out the video

 

That day, people got wind that a flower shop in NYC was giving away free CRDLT’s when you come in and ask for a “blue bouquet.” The result: 800 CRDLT’s were given out and countless fans are rejoicing.

 

Some of the reviews are in they are positive. Check out what Business Insider, Huffington Post, and Zagat had to say about the new taco.

 

The Business Insider Video Review

 

The Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco will be priced at $1.39, and contains 160  calories and 10 grams of fat.

It’s almost here — February 3rd marks Super Bowl XLVII! Most Americans will undoubtedly be tuned into the game, watching in their fan-gear with friends at home or at their favorite eateries. As a bar, pub, or restaurant owner, game days like these can prove to be very profitable if you broadcast them to allow patrons to watch. But there are a few things you need to take note before you proceed to show NFL, NBA or any other sports games at your restaurant.

 

All sports leagues like NFL, NHL, or NBA have specific rules regarding copyrights and showing games to large crowds.   For example, Las Vegas showrooms are no longer allowed to play the Super Bowl on their huge screens unless they negotiate an arrangement with the NFL.

Here are some important things to take note if you are considering showing any sports games at your establishment:

 

• No screens are larger than 55″
• You are only showing the game on 4 screens or less
• The audio is coming from less than 6 speakers
• Consult with an expert before implementing

 

It is highly advised to contact an expert in the field such as a restaurant consultant professional before you take any action. Synergy Restaurant Consultants is an experienced restaurant and bar consulting firm and have experts across the nation to help.

 

Can you believe that yet another year is coming to an end? It seems like just yesterday that we published our 2012 restaurant insights, but as one year passes, a new one brings forth exciting trends in the restaurant and food scene! We are very excited to share with you expert insights on what’s hot for restaurants in 2013. We have compiled a list of great articles that explore menu items, flavors, cooking techniques and new conveniences (robots, anyone?) that may dominate in the coming year.

Hot restaurant menu trends for 2013 by Nation’s Restaurant News

2013 restaurant trends: robots, chef delivery, ‘next Chipotle’ by The Los Angeles Times

Food Trends 2013: Baum & Whiteman Report Predicts Next Big Things In Dining by The Huffington Post

2013 Food Trends Spotlight Specialty Beverages, Fast-Casual, Green Veggies

The power of word of mouth and customer referrals is extremely important in the restaurant industry. This “power” from the customer has become increasingly stronger with presence and popularity of online review outlets such as Yelp! Not too long ago, we wrote about how you can take advantage of finding areas of improvements by reading the online reviews of your restaurant. We hope your reviews are mostly glowing because they might end up being featured as a video online for the whole world to see.

 

Gotta Kid to Feed Productions has created a series of videos entitled, “Real Actors Read Read Yelp™” where real actors are filmed reading selected real Yelp reviews. The result is a hilarious real account read by incredible actors in a comical and often melodramatic, satirical fashion.

 

 

If you go on to watch even more of these videos (7 episodes so far), you’ll notice as funny as they are, the reviewers almost always mention the service, not just the taste of the food. Whether or not a waiter smiled at them or a manager acknowledge a guest’s praise — how you treat the customer could be all that it takes to have them return and tell their friends to try out your restaurant, or the exact opposite!  It’s all about guest service.

 

Watch these videos, get a good laugh and then go read your own reviews- you might learn a thing or two!

So you thought bacon cupcakes were a bit odd? How about some bacon coffee? If you are thinking that this must be the creation of some small mom and pop shop, then you are (mostly) wrong. Actually, Seattle’s Best (you know, that really big and popular coffee chain?) launched a contest in hopes that entrants could create a great new coffee menu item. The winning new coffee drink chosen was bacon coffee! Get ready to grab a bacon coffee at your nearest Seattle’s Best at U.S. location near you.

 

This got us thinking: “What other crazy coffee flavors are out there?” We did our homework and came up with a list of some coffee drink flavors that piqued our interest from the use of very unique or unusual ingredients.

 

Durian Cappuccino at Blugre, Davao City, Philippines: If you are not familiar with this intensely aromatic fruit, understand that durian will wake up your tastebuds. This creamy, custardy fruit is notorious for its unique scent and texture and is normally enjoyed as a dessert in many parts of Asia. But at Blugre, they’ve integrated it into their coffee menu.

 

 

Jalapeno Coconut Coffee sold at CoffeAM.com: Yeah, we’re scratching our heads too. But this unlikely combination has garnered a lot of positive reviews; it appears as if the contrasting flavors of creamy and spicy are very appealing when combined.

 

Coffee Jelly Frappuccino sold at Starbucks Japan and Thailand: Well, given the popularity of boba (tapioca) milk tea drinks, we are not too surprised to find coffee-flavored jelly in these Japanese ice blended coffee drinks. For most Westerners, this might be a strange textural combination but you might just have to give it a try (if you’re in the area)!

 

Kopi Luwak (civet coffee) sold at Cafe Kopi Luwak Indonesia and around various shops around the world: Want to drink the Rolls Royce of coffee? Kopi Luwak is known as the most expensive cup of joe you’ll ever taste with prices ranging anywhere from $100 + a pound . Why so? Kopi Luwak is actually the name of a famous Indonesian brand of coffee beans that have been specifically eaten, digested and excreted by an Asian Palm civet — a cute, furry animal that sort of looks like a ferret. The end product (no pun intended) is a coffee that is thought to be highly aromatic, smooth and without any bitter aftertaste.

 

What are some crazy coffees you tried or would like to see on the market?

If you’ve ever frequented IKEA, you’re  probably very familiar with the food department (Swedish meatballs, anyone?). Now after you’ve shopped your heart out and worked up an appetite and thirst, you can grab a cold house brewed beer made especially by and for IKEA – no assembly required! Choose from Ol Mork Lager (dark lager) or Ol Ljus Lager (regular lager). Sorry, but the IKEA beer is currently only available in the UK. Read more about this here: IKEA Now Brews And Sells Its Own Beer

If you think about it, IKEA isn’t the first major retailer to brew its own beer. Only a few years ago, mega store Costco began to brew their own beer under the Kirkland brand.

What do you think about this move from IKEA? Do you think they will be successful with their new beer? Do you see this product as an offering in the United States?

 

London is the lucky city that has been honored with hosting the 2012 Olympic Games and millions of visitors have been flocking there to celebrate. Tourists will enjoy the games, the sights, the sounds, and the taste of London. It is only fitting, then, that we pay homage and highlight London’s best foods and restaurants.

Tasty must-have meals in London

• Fish and Chips: A classic, simple yet delicious traditional UK dish: deep fried fish with a crispy batter and chips (thick cut and fried potatoes or what Americans like to refer to as “fries”). This About article lists restaurants with the best fish and chips you can find in London.

• Shepherd’s Pie: Talk about comfort food! A savory meat (usually lamb or mutton) pie with a crust of creamy mash potatoes. The Ivy Restaurant in London has great reviews for their shepherd’s pie.

• Cornish Pasty: Or simply, “pasty,” this dish is comprised of minced steak, vegetables and seasonings wrapped neatly in a pastry dough and baked; it’s the perfect light meal and it’s portable, too! You’ll likely find a West Cornwall Pasty shop around the corner in London – this chain offers many varieties of the pasty with different fillings and flavors.

• Sunday Roast: If you really want to feel authentically British, you will definitely want to savor in a English style Sunday roast which typically includes roast meat, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and vegetables. Depending on the meat you’re devouring (pork, beef, chicken or lamb), you’ll enjoy it with an accompanying sauce such as apple sauce, currant jelly, horseradish or mint sauces. Yelp reviewers are raving about Bacchus Pub and Kitchen’s Sunday Roast.

• Trifle: End your meal with trifle; layers and layers of sweet goodness, the trifle is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. What’s in in it? Usually sponge cake, gelatin, custard, fruit and whipped cream. There are even some variations that soak the cake in port or sweet sherry. Check out the dessert menu of any restaurant if you’d like to try out an English trifle.

May the Games be merry and your belly, too!

 

Summertime calls for cool drinks and mouthwatering burgers, and boy do we love a good burger! What makes a great burger, you ask? The keyword is “fresh”: freshly ground beef that’s still juicy when cooked, freshly cut toppings (crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, onion etc.) and oh yeah, a great fresh bun to keep everything together. Now, being food experts and all, we know a good burger when we taste one and we know many restaurants like to add a bit of their own signature flair to one; that’s perfectly fine and when done successfully the results can be very rewarding!

So when we started noticing surf and turf burgers gaining more exposure, we had to wonder what people thought of this new trend. Now, if you’re not familiar with surf and turf food (aka surf  ‘n’ turf), it simply refers to cuisine that contains the combination of seafood (surf) and meat (turf). Still scratching your head about what exactly is a surf ‘n’ turf burger? We have noticed various combinations throughout our food expeditions; beef burgers with lobster, shrimp, scallops and even softshell crab!

Do you think the surf and turf burger combo is a match made in heaven, or do you believe burgers taste best unadulterated? You might want to try out some of the following surf and turf burgers before making a decision.

Joe’s Surf  ‘N Turf Burger @ Joe’s Crab Shack: “A big, juicy peppercorn burger topped with crunchy popcorn shrimp, crispy onion strings and our own spicy sriracha remoulade sauce. You can’t get this baby at a drive-thru.”

Surf ‘N Turf Burger @ Smithfield in NYC: “Ground Black Angus, sweet Maine lobster, poached asparagus.”

Bacon Wrapped Scallop Burger @ Umami Burger San Francisco: “Scallop patty topped with crispy pork belly, sweet chili sauce and yuzu-garlic aioli.”

Surf & Turf Burger @ EAT in Honolulu: “Our Kauai Beef Patty topped with a Whole Crispy Softshell Crab, Fresh Avacado, our Specialty Sauce”

 

Let’s face it – we love being spoiled by convenience. Technology has enabled us to free up our time and our hands, be it in the office, the home and especially the kitchen. If you were to ask any chef what their most valuable tools are in the kitchen, they’d probably answer with, “my knives and my cookware.”

 

Good pots and pans have been the cornerstone of good cuisine since the very first kitchen. If you think about it, there are many methods of cooking each using a different pot or pan – ones for sautéing, roasting, grilling and even just for stir-frying. How would you like it if you didn’t even have to touch the pan to cook? Cooks rejoice, because your new sous-chef will be doing all of the stir-frying.

 

On a recent Asian eating trip to Singapore I had the opportunity to see a new fast food wok concept in the Singapore airport called Ruyi, and was fascinated with their fast and efficient approach to cooking fried rice and noodles. Are you running an Asian restaurant with stir-fry on the menu? Free up your chefs’ hands and increase productivity; meet the Robotic Wok. They call it a “Robo Chef” or “Robo Wok” but we just like to call it amazing. Being used in the fast-food sector in Singapore and other Asian countries, this revolutionary device aims for efficiency in the kitchen and ultimately savings in labor and increased productivity output.

 

Your really just have to see it for yourself. Check out my video of this amazing innovation that truly takes efficiency to a whole new level. Notice the consistency in the tossing and how the chef pours the sauce directly into the wok, allowing the bot to do the rest:

So what’s the price tag on this bad boy? Japanese company MIK, who sells another similar version to one shown in our video, has their robotic wok at a reported cost of $10,900 according to this Eater.com article.

 

Would you consider implementing this at your restaurant? What innovations are you currently using?