Hat Creek can't compete

I finally dropped by the newly opened Hat Creek Burger Company that recently took over the Arby’s at 5400 Burnet Rd. Though I still give Hat Creek high marks for saving the vintage Arby's cowboy hat sign, my overall verdict on their food is adequate at best.

I ordered the Big Hat Combo #1, which retails for $6.93, tax included. The double-pattied burger was unattractive despite the color contrast provided by green leaf lettuce and purple onion. More importantly, it was smallish for its price point. The coarsely ground, Premium Gold Angus beef patties had no real flavor other than that of black pepper. The vegetables and mustard couldn’t compensate, leaving a burger that was bland and lifeless.

On the plus side, the fries were quite good. Served shoestring-style with the skins on, they arrived in my car piping hot and golden brown. Maybe they could’ve been a little more crisp, but that’s a minor quibble. A not-so-minor quibble was that my 20-ounce cup of Diet Dr Pepper (you know, for my health) was mostly ice.

I don’t mind paying a bit more for to support a local chain that uses higher quality ingredients, but Hat Creek pales in comparison to P. Terry’s, which costs less and tastes better.