Off the Map: This Used to be a Cinemagic, You Know

Buffalo Style Burger Crunchified – Bobby’s Burger Palace, Philadelphia, PA
Bobby's Burger Palace

Bobby’s Burger Palace, where Claire Robinson went for the BURGERS episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate, has a Philadelphia location.  A Philadelphia location that is a hop, skip, and jump from where we lived in college.  If Bobby’s Burger Palace had opened a few years earlier, we would have had high-end burgers on which to dine.  Instead, in Bobby’s current location, we were given the infamous Cinemagic movie theatre, a triumph in sticky sketchiness.

Thanks for the timing, Philadelphia.

Sleazy Buttered Popcorn This Is Not

Whiling away the hours on the MegaBus from DC, Vodka, ever the blog devotee, sends her parents to Bobby’s Burger Palace as they await her imminent arrival at the gem that is 30th Street Station.  Vodka’s mom orders Claire Robinson’s chosen burger – the buffalo style burger, crunchified – and reports back that the service is pleasant and efficient (let’s just say that this is not the norm in West Philadelphia dining establishments, so I applaud Bobby Flay’s efforts in his customer service training).

When Vodka makes her way into the car, she is handed her burger, which she refuses to eat because (insert screeching voice), “I need to take its picture first!”  So keep in mind that said burger was not consumed for over thirty minutes, which may have cut down on the freshness of its taste.

Because Such Photographic Masterpieces Had to Be Taken

When finally examined, the buffalo style burger is a thick slab of meat coated with blue cheese dressing (not blue cheese itself, which is slightly strange), watercress, and a red hot sauce (which, thank goodness based on our Devi experience, is not that spicy).  Because it was ordered crunchified, there is a layer of potato chips (which frankly don’t add much, as they are now soggy and were fairly thin to begin with).

Elementary School Cafeteria Brand Chips

Chomping through the burger, it is pretty good.  Solid.  Hearty.  Well-cooked.  The toppings are interesting, if a bit sparse.  The regular cheeseburger (crunchified) which my parents ordered is also tasty, as is the vanilla milkshake (the French fries have been rendered a limp mess of potato scraps after their long wait in the bag, though my toy poodle seems intent on trying one).

This Is Bigger Than Her Head.

Again, the burgers probably lost a bit of their luster during their travel time, and while they are on par with burgers from the likes of Shake Shack or Five Guys, they’re not the best burgers I’ve ever eaten (I’d give that award to Spotted Pig or The Breslin).

Does Bobby Flay Go By Burger King at the Burger Palace?

However, are they preferable to the junk (food, décor, clientele, and otherwise) that was previously present in the form of Cinemagic movie theatre?  Abso-crunchin’-lutely.

Bobby’s Burger Palace’s Buffalo Style Burger Crunchified: 4 stars