The Grill Burger Kitchen

I think this is the new name of the 6-or-so-year-old burger joint in the plaza. They've remodeled as well, though really, it feels surprisingly unchanged despite the new paint and new furniture. The menu is slightly more comprehensible, though.

The burgers here are fine, and today's batch of fries was not soggy (which has been my issue with times I've been there in the past several years). I think they're better at Fratburger, down the street by WLU, but I probably also think that because Fratburger is licensed and has Grasshöpper on tap, and I like Grasshöpper, even though I also vaguely object to the fact that it is one of the beers I drink that always seem to come with a slice of citrus fruit attached to them.

Where was I? Oh, right. The Grill.

I think this place did help, a lot, when it joined the plaza a bunch of years ago: the fries, in particular, were really good, and a 2-person lunch, where you each got a burger and split an order of fries, was not bad. Maybe I'm just tired of burger and fries (dear me, what the hell am I going to do when I get to Burger King, and to Harvey's?), but this feels not so exciting. I think part of the issue is that yes, I do eat veggie burgers at burger joints, and the one here just isn't that exciting. But I remember getting their turkey burger, and having it be dry and flavourless. The one at Fratburger is tasty.

So I guess we're back at our usual rating for the plaza: meh.

I had: A "Big Kahuna" veggie burger (with swiss and a small piece of flavourless grilled pineapple), in the combo with a small order of fries and a ginger ale.
I paid: $9.20.
Verdict:
Speed: Fine. My student, whom I was eating with, had to wait a little while for the chicken fingers in his wrap to get out of the deep fryer, but this was certainly reasonable in speed.
Quality: The veggie burger is boring. I realize that most of you will say, "duh", but the problem was that so was the grilled pineapple, which I'd hoped might make this more interesting.
Value: Worth $9? I guess. In Fortune Cookie Chronicles, Jennifer 8 Lee (yes, that's her real name) comments that white people like going out for Chinese food in part because then their meal includes vegetables. I kind of felt that way after today's lunch. Not fat, just, well, unbalanced. I realize that I am speaking ill of the holy trinity in saying that I don't view burger-and-fries-and-a-drink as a brilliant meal, but it just isn't my favourite. But maybe that doesn't really speak to value? Hm.
Would go back: I hadn't been in probably six months, and I expect that's likely to be my usual pattern. Fratburger is substantially more expensive, but I really do think it's tastier, and it's just one iXpress stop away.