Finney’s Crafthouse has done a great job transforming the old Market City Cafe’ into something hip (can I say ‘hip’ or am I out of touch?) and visually appealing. It always gets your hopes up when you walk in somewhere and get an instant vibe that you are about to experience something really good.
After the appetizer, I ordered “The Finney Burger,” which is described as “White cheddar, pickled onions, lettuce, tomato, house spread” with the following notation on top; “Our burgers are a signature premium blend of chuck, brisket & hanger steak | Raised in the USA” When asked, I always go with the medium rare.
Short Rant. I know you are not supposed to order burgers medium rare because the temperature in the middle is not hot enough to cook a burger all the way through. I don’t care because I want the true flavor of the burger. I want the juiciness of the burger. I want the juices to flow out of the burger (and hopefully not on my shirt). Some restaurants will not cook a burger medium rare because of their ‘rules,’ which just means they are scared they can’t do it right and probably have hired incompetent cooks. I know, don’t get me started, but I want what I want.
Our server was more than happy to comply with all of our requests (including medium rare!). I was a little skeptical about the white cheddar and usually liked the standard cheddar, but I wanted to give it a chance.
When the burger arrived, it looked great. After a quick examination, I found that the bottom bun was toasted but soft. I am always on the lookout for the ‘self-destructing burger,’ where the bottom bun disintegrates, often leaving a mess and a hard-to-handle burger.
The burger was a good size, not too big and not too small. Of course, the big test is that first bite, and this mouthful did not disappoint. AMAZING flavor! The burger was cooked perfectly, and it just melted in my mouth. Every bite was just as good as the last, right down to the end. And that bun I was a tad worried about? Not a problem at all. It stood the test and held up well.
Maybe the only criticism was that the white cheddar really did not stand out. Maybe they can increase the amount or maybe offer a stronger cheddar, like a medium. This is nitpicking, however, because the burger was one of the best I have ever had, and my fellow burger connoisseurs, that is actually saying something!
Side Notes: For an appetizer, we ordered the deviled eggs. Love deviled eggs and was excited to see them on a menu. In practicality, however, these were not great. They were a little ‘soupy,’ and the bacon on top was not a welcome addition. I know everyone loves bacon, but sometimes you must get over it.
For sides with the burger, I tried both the onion rings and tater tots. The onion rings were not real constant in taste or quality; one would be good and flakey, and the next at medium temperature and somewhat flat. I probably would not order those again. The tater tots were great, nice crisp to them. Just wish they offered a different dipping sauce than ketchup.
It also came with a pickle spear. Love it.
Of course, there has to be dessert because I know you all want to know how you top off the perfect burger. We went with the warm brownie with vanilla ice cream on top. It was a decent size, and they did not scrimp on the ice cream, which was firm and not melty soft. It held up well with every bite right until the end.
One additional thing, Finny’s Crafthouse has a great selection of food and is laid out well with many televisions, which would be a great place to watch football during the season. They also have outside dining with televisions. Great atmosphere and friendly people. I will be making a return.
Finney’s Crafthouse is located at 164 E Palm Ave – (old Market City Cafe spot) (818) 572 4610. Open 7 days a week, Sun-Thur 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat Kitchen and bar 11 am-11 pm
Finney’s Cradthouse receives: Tops in Town
myBurbank Ratings:
Tops In Town (Outstanding)
On The Marquee (Really Good)
Could Use A Rewrite (Average or Slightly Below)
Don’t Quit Your Day Job (Poor)
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