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2 people, 1 restaurant, 25 bucks
Meals for people with big appetites and small wallets
Meals for people with big appetites and small wallets
The weather this summer didn't lure me to the beach that much, so with autumn around the corner, my husband, Patrick, and I decided to take our daughter to Charlotte, where Cheeburger Cheeburger sits in the old ferry terminal, for what we figured would be an end-of-the-season farewell.
The mood
Retro fun. Lots of neon, a pink and aqua color scheme, classic oldies music and framed photo collages of customers under the headings "I Ate a One Pounder," "Repeat Offenders" and "Kids 1/2 Pounder Wall of Fame." An outdoor deck overlooks the Genesee River.
The food
Patrick didn't mean to get The Delirious ($7.99), a 14-oz. burger; he'd wanted the 10-oz. version dubbed The Serious ($6.79), but the name of the bigger one came out accidentally when he ordered. It's not like he minded — in fact, when I asked whether he'd ever give the Famous Pounder ($9.99 for 20 ounces) a shot, he replied, "Yeah. Because it's there."
He got bacon and sautéed mushrooms as specialty toppings (99 cents each), but he especially liked how the bleu cheese dressing he chose melted into the nooks and crannies of his hand-formed, certified 100 percent black Angus patty. His only beef, so to speak, was that he wished the restaurant cooked medium-rare burgers; he had to settle for medium.
I got a medium-cooked, 7-oz. Semi-Serious burger ($5.79) with American cheese and onion rings as toppings (two of the dozens of free toppings available). Huge bonus points for the burger peeking out from every angle of the bun. And I'm a sucker for fresh Angus beef — I rarely eat beef, but when I do, I choose the best and relish every tender bite.
The restaurant offers invent-your-own options not only for burgers, but for sandwiches, wraps and salads.
The drinks
Soft drinks, colas made with the restaurant's special syrups, coffees and teas all come with free refills and range from $1.59 to $1.79 (Patrick got a Dr. Pepper, which he shared with me); wine and beer costs $3.50 to $4.25; invent-your-own shakes or malts are $2.99 for a half size and $4.39 for a regular.
The damage: $22.95
Next time ... I'll turn it down a notch and get The Classic ($4.79) burger. Nicknamed "the beginner," it's 5.5-oz. and topped with provolone cheese, onion rings and guacamole. The toppings may not be the most compatible, but being able to find out is half the fun.
