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| Photo by Shad Bookout |
I couldn't wait to try out the Burger 21 that just opened near UCF in Orlando, Fla. I had been seeing tantalizing pictures of its delicious burgers and shakes on Facebook for two weeks before I had to chance to go in. Plus, there is another Burger 21 by the Mall of Millenia, but I haven't tried it yet.
When I walked in the new restaurant on a busy Friday night, I noticed the fun, modern decor. The decor is such a contrast to the type of desserts offered: old-school milkshakes, sundaes and floats. In fact, that is one of my favorite parts of the restaurant: the bar area where you can watch your milkshake or sundae being made. This ice cream bar has modern twist, though: you can also order beer and wine.
I was also blown away by the 21 different burger choices on the menu. We are not just talking beef. There are seafood, veggie, chicken, and turkey burgers. How refreshing! I almost never see these options on burger restaurants' menus. Plus, there is a gluten-free menu: you can order several hamburgers with gluten-free buns, which is also unheard of.
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| Photo by Shad Bookout |
We ordered The Bacon Cheesy and The Mediterranean, a grilled chicken burger with Panko bread crumbs, feta spread, carmelized onions and roasted red peppers. I was pleasantly surprised that the chicken burger was so moist and flavorful. And all the toppings worked together so well. The Bacon Cheesy is a beef burger with applewood-smoked bacon, red onions, and cheese. This is a better burger than Five Guys, but is certainly not the best we have had. For the price ($7.49), I think it's great!
We also ordered the Black & Bleu burger form the gluten-free menu. I was surprised that a gluten-free bun could have such great texture and flavor. The French Fries and the Sweet Potato Fries were okay. They came out cold and they were normal shoe-string fries.
Dessert is pretty much the star of the show. We tried the shake flavor of the month: Apple Crumble. While it is a little too sweet, it tastes exactly like apple cobbler or apple pie. What a treat! The prices are so reasonable here: $5-$7 for 4.5-ounce burgers and $6-$8 on average for 6-ounce burgers.
To celebrate the opening of the UCF Burger 21, Flavorful Excursions is giving one of our lucky readers a $25 gift card. Simply tell us your favorite burger topping in the comments section below or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ flavorfulexcursions) and you will be entered to win! Deadline: March 28 at midnight.
Where: 11551 University Blvd., Orlando
A sneak peek of some of their desserts include Salted Caramel Flan sundae and Chocolate Brownie Bark Sundae, along with Bacon Brittle milkshake and Espresso Buzzzzz milkshake. Will you be at this over-the-top Chocolate Factory when it opens?
