Lunch Report: Chunky's Burgers...

The week or so ago my son called to report that San Antonio was being featured on the Travel Channel show, Man V. Food. I flipped on the TV and saw the segment on Big Lou's Pizza. Honestly, I had never even heard of the place. Another segment was Lulu's Bakery which we have discussed here several times; I love me some Lulu's.Then, earlier this week, a friend asked if I had seen the Man V. Food segment on Chunky's Burgers located on Callaghan. I hadn't, and in fact, I know I have driven by that location numerous times and couldn't recall seeing the place. So, my wife and I were in need of lunch, and off we went.There was some minor glitch when we arrived around 11:30 and a lady came out and told me they would not be opening until noon. We ran errands and when we returned, could see that the featured burger on Man V. Food, the 4-Horsemen Burger, was not available. I asked about it when we got in and she told me that the owner was running around town looking for the right ingredients. I'm guessing since that show, maybe lots of folks had come in looking to take the challenge.

By the way, go to the Vlog entry for San Antonio where you can listen to the host Adam Richman describe the 4-Horsemen as being the hottest thing ever. He was actually ready to give up after the first bite. The 4-Horsemen is topped with grilled jalapenos, Serrano peppers, ghost peppers, jalapeno jack cheese and habanero sauce. I love hot/spicy food and I'll enjoy jalapenos all day long - especially on a burger, but at some point it becomes ridiculous. Even if the 4-Horsemen had been available, I'd have passed on it.Inside, the place is small, though maybe slightly larger than The Gold Standard, Lord's Kitchen. When we walked in at precisely noon, the place was already packed and we took a table in front of the register, next to the entrance. Needless to say, the crowd that followed us in huddled around our table as we waited the twenty or so minutes for our order.Outside they have a very large covered dining area that was also filled by the time we had finished. The place is doing a booming business with a strong line-up of burgers, sandwiches and chicken plates. We started off our lunch with the obligatory basket of half fries, half onion rings. The fries were thick and not overcooked. The onion rings are frozen from a supplier, but they were actually cooked as good as one can given what they got; not too crisp for my taste. If you like that style, you won't be disappointed. And no, we didn't even come close to finishing the order.We only had a second to glance at the menu because it was too small to read and people were beginning to crowd in behind us, (they could really use a web page, if only to give people a chance to review the menu before they arrive). My wife ordered The Guacamole Burger, and was very pleased to find that what it really is is avocado slices smashed. Honestly, they could have forgotten the burger and she would have been in hog heaven.I ordered something called the Big Chunk. Topped with Velveeta, onion rings and bacon, it was just what I needed to make up for having missed breakfast. Chunky's does their buns the correct way, toasted on the grill and still soft. The burgers themselves seemed to be cooked "Well Done" though I understand why many restaurants do that, I don't have to be happy about it. Because mine was served without the benefit of mayo or mustard, I added a little barbecue sauce our server brought us. By the time I was about mid-way into the burger, I was able to really appreciate the combination of the onion ring and bacon, smothered in Velveeta and now barbecue sauce.I will have to go back just because I need to try a few of the other selections on Chunky's menu. In spite of hitting it at a really busy time, I liked that I could see the grillmen in the back working like a smooth team. Most importantly, my wife was just pleased as punch with the Guacamole Burger and that makes Chunky's a Tasty Treat.