Whenever a new restaurant opens up in town, we try to make a point of checking it out as soon as possible. B.good has been open for more than a month now, so it was about time we stopped by to see what they were all about.
The fast-casual eatery on Fort Eddy Road occupies the space formerly held by Boloco, and it offers wholesome, natural and tasty meals for people on the go.
We checked in with b.good a few weeks ago for the Burgers Issue, and everything we heard about made us pretty hungry. That’s why we knew we had to try a burger for this here installment.
There are four basic styles of burger you can get at b.good – Cousin Oliver, West-Side, Adopted Luke and Joanie – and each one is available with beef, turkey, chicken or veggie patties. Although all of the burgers sounded good, we went with the Adopted Luke, which features mushrooms, caramelized onions, smoked gouda and barbecue sauce. For the patty, we went with the tried and true beef (this all-natural beef comes from Maine-based Pineland Farms). We also opted for a white bread bun instead of a gluten-free one (we love gluten) and regular fries instead of sweet potato.
First impressions were strong. The meal was served on a plate, not in a brown paper bag on a plastic tray, which immediately made us feel more like we were in a real restaurant than a fast food joint. It’s also worth mentioning that you get one of those buzzers that lets you know when your order is ready – very much like many sit-down restaurants (in case you were wondering, you can certainly sit down and eat at b.good, it just doesn’t take as long as it would at, say, The Olive Garden).
The first bite into the burger was an explosion of robust flavors. Immediately the mushrooms and barbecue sauce jumped right out at our taste buds, blanketing them with rich, earthy goodness. After a few seconds of chewing, the caramelized onions came through and really rounded everything out.
After a few more bites, we noticed some garlicky notes in there, even though the menu doesn’t say anything about any garlic in it. Maybe it was just a combination of all the flavors playing tricks on us, but either way, that garlicky taste worked very well in context.
The fries were an excellent example of what French fries are supposed to be. At b.good, they oven-finish all the fries, meaning they go from the deep-fryer right into the oven. This process reduces some fat and adds some crispiness, and really makes them taste different from fries not cooked this way. To top it off, they’re covered in just the right amount of seasoning, which doesn’t overpower the natural potato flavor but rather enhances it.
Perhaps surprisingly, the ketchup at b.good is also a bit different. It’s dispensed from a container bearing no brand name, so it’s impossible to tell who makes it. It has a stronger taste than most ketchup – there might be more vinegar than usual, or stronger spices used to flavor it – and it seemed to go well with the strong flavors of the burger.
If you’re in the mood for something quick and easy but packed with flavor, give the burgers at b.good a try.
March 21, 2017
I’ve had several meals at b.good, all different and all excellent. What struck me about the burger was the taste of the beef. It’s so full flavored and rich it’s almost ‘steaky’. Another kudos, they’ll cook it medium rare — none of that food police nonsense you get at most chains. Highly recommend.