Juicy Lucy Part Deucey

So if you recall from a prior post, my favorite burger happens to reside in St. Paul, Minnesota at the Nook. I traveled up to my second city last weekend and had to make my usual stop at the Nook for a Juicy Lucy. Per usual, the Nook was packed with hungry patrons so we decided to go to Shamrocks which is a restaurant located only a few miles away under the same ownership. The menu is exactly the same, it just has more seating and more of a sports bar feel.

When deciding on a burger, I was conflicted....do I get Guy's big bite; which is my favorite burger and previously blogged upon, or get something new for you....the readers. I opted for a new burger that I had not tried yet....you owe me! I went with the "Spanish Fly" which is a burger made 50/50 of Chorizo and Ground beef and filled with queso cheese.

Sometimes, the cheese can't wait for the first bite to ooze out.

HOT POCKET! (of cheese lava)

As much as I love the Juicy Lucies, I was pretty disappointed in this burger...it just didn't live up to the taste of the other burgers. Really, the burger just tasted like a fattier burger and I didn't taste any of the spice from the chorizo. Also, the queso dip really didn't have much flavor to it. It hurts me to give this burger the thumbs down but I guess not every item can be epic. This was my first experience at Shamrock's but I was assured that they cook the burgers with the same ingredients and in the same way so I don't think the establishment had anything to do with my disappointment. I just had to accept that this burger wasn't for me.

Having said all that, I will not stop going to the Nook or Shamrock's after this experience. I just plan not to order this burger. I have heard great things about the "Lodge burger" which is a BLT on a burger with chipotle mayo and cheddar cheese. This burger isn't stuffed but it still sounds amazing nonetheless.

On this trip, I also decided to take a burger back to Des Moines to see how well the juicy lucies keep. After a day in the fridge and a 3.5 hour trip, below is the smuggled meal. Of course, the fries weren't in great shape but the burger seemed ok. To warm it up, I used a toaster oven to heat things more evenly and crisp things up. The fries gained some crispiness but of course wasn't nearly as good as they were fresh. The burger still tasted good but the cheese didn't heat completely up.

24 hours is probably the longest a juicy has gone without being consumed.

Much slower cheese ooze than the fresh molten ooze I am accustomed to.

Long story short, I don't recommend the Spanish fly burger...too bland for me. Also, if you try to take a juicy home, don't have high expectations unless you live less than 15 minutes away and you eat it right away. Still, the best burgers that I have ever had.

The Nook's menu