Ruby Tuesday - Tempe, Arizona, USA

Burger name: Triple Prime Cheddar Burger
Price: $11.99

Menu description:

Prime Burgers are the best of the best, made from fresh, 100% USDA Prime beef. Less than 3% of beef is graded Prime.  Topped with aged New York cheddar.

Rating:

Review:

It's been a while since I've eaten in a Ruby Tuesday restaurant so I was curious about how good their burgers still are.  We ate from their Dinner Menu which is served after 3pm and each burger comes with a choice of 2 side dishes.  I chose chips (fries) and onion rings.  The burger was cooked to order, as usual I selected medium, and could have been a 4 burger rating if the bread had been fresher.  You may be able to see from the picture above that it looks a little dry, which it was.  This is always a disappointment when that happens.  The food took a while to arrive and I suspect it spent some time under the heat lamp which caused it to dry out - a shame was the restaurant only had a few guests.

About the venue:

Ruby Tuesday is a nationwide chain of restaurants across the USA.  The one we visited was in Tempe Marketplace just south of Phoenix and Scottsdale in Arizona.

Cheesecake Factory - Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

Burger name: Americana Cheeseburger
Price: $11.95

Menu description:

American and Cheddar Cheese, Crunchy Potato Crisps, Lettuce, Tomato, Grilled Onions, Pickles and Secret Sauce.

Rating:

Review:

I don't recall seeing this on the Cheesecake Factory menu before so it could be a new addition in the last 12 months.  A very tasty and enjoyable burger with a sprinkle of wafer thin crisps (chips to our American cousins).  The secret sauce added another flavour dimension bringing this to a 4 burger rating review.  The chips (fries) were served in a silver cup but I just emptied them onto my plate for easier eating.  As with all Cheesecake Factory burgers this was cooked to order, I chose medium and it was cooked about right.  I may order this again if we return to the Cheesecake Factory before our holiday ends.

About the venue:

Cheesecake Factory is a restaurant chain in the USA with venues in many cities across the country. They are usually very busy at peak times and the portion sizes are very large. If you plan to eat more than once course make sure you are very hungry or are happy to take some of it home with you. The Cheesecake Factory in Scottsdale, Arizona is typical of a restaurant in the chain, nicely decorated and comfortable with a wide range of menu options - especially cheesecakes.

Giraffe - Heathrow Terminal 5

Burger name: Avec Cheese
Price: £10.25

Menu description:

British farm assured beef (170g) with choice of either mature cheddar, american or monteray jack cheese & lettuce, tomato, dill pickle, mayo & our house chipotle sauce.

Rating:

Review:

I ordered mine with cheddar cheese and a side order of onion rings.  I've reviewed a Giraffe burger before and felt that they are above average for airport food and this one was the same.  Nothing special but doesn't have that mass produced look and feel to it.  I enjoyed it as it marked the start of my holiday during which I planned to eat and review a number of burgers.

If you are travelling via Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 and looking for a quick meal then I can recommend this burger as an option.

About the venue:

Giraffe is a busy restaurant located on the upper floor of Heathrow Terminal 5 near the North security area. Giraffe also have high street outlets in many towns and cities around the UK.