Graffiti Junktion - Veggie Burger

I recently visited the original location of GRAFFITI JUNKTION located in Thornton Park where I have been going since they first opened their doors a couple of years ago. For quite some time now I have claimed that they have the “Best Burger in Town”, and it is the place that I most often introduce to new people.

The Atmosphere – Spray painted walls, indoor and outdoor dining, full bar with great drink specials, and art on the walls that can be purchased. Certain nights they have trivia, and it would be a great place to watch a game.

The Service – For me it has always been friendly, fast, and fun. Plus I believe they give a discount for those in the service industry.

The Food – Salads are large, Potato Skins are the best I have ever had (topped with Bacon and Cheese, served with Sour Cream AND Chili), If you order the Nachos you had better have a few friends to help finish them (served on a Trash Can Lid, they are HUGE!) but most people come for the BURGERS!

First you chose which kind you want….

BEEF $7.50, TURKEY $7, VEGGIE $6, CHICKEN BREAST $8 or DOG $4

All are served with Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles and Fries

A brief interjection to let you know that the FRIES are DELICIOUS! Perfectly seasoned, very Crispy but not too Greasy, and the portions are always quite generous!

For an additional fee the burgers can be topped with a number of ingredients such as sautéed onions, Canadian bacon, alfalfa sprouts, chili or a fried egg. Or you can chose one of the “Specialty Burgers” such as the Green Mountain (canadian bacon, fried egg and cheddar cheese) of the Chi-Town Stuffed (stuffed with mushrooms and blue cheese)

I always get a BEEF Burger here (It is so good, why wouldn’t I?) but on this occasion I decided to be different. After the server told me that the VEGGIE Burgers were made in house with ingredients such as black beans, chickpeas, spinach and spices, (rather then a Boca style patty) I had to give it a try.

When my food arrived I found that the patty was deep fried, making it like a giant Falafel, and since I had added blue cheese crumbles, sautéed onions and avocado, along with the lettuce, tomato and pickles it turned out to be quite a delicious vegetarian sandwich! Keep in mind that just because it was vegetarian doesn’t mean that it was a healthy choice. My only complaint was that it fell apart as I ate it, but so has every other bean-based burger that I have ever had, but still I managed to clean my plate.

I still want to try the chicken and the dog from Graffiti at some point, and I did enjoy the veggie, however I still find it hard to go there and not order the beef, it is really that good!

Johnny's Fillin' Station - Bacon Bleu Cheese Burger

JOHNNY’S FILLIN’ STATION, located on the corner of Ferncreek and Michigan, is a place that I have been going to for almost 20 years now. They claim to have “Orlando’s Best Burger”, but I am not so sure that is an accurate statement.

The Atmosphere – a “Hole in the Wall” establishment, with a full bar, pool tables and waitresses in tight jeans and white T-Shirts.

The Service – Friendly – (In my last visit I got called “Honey”, “Sweetie”, and “Baby” all by the same server) Considering how busy it was when we got there (Saturday 2pm) the food came out relatively quick (we left at 3pm and by then the place had emptied out)

The Food – Burgers, Wings, and Deep Fried Items (I bet that even a salad here would not be healthy) Beer and Liquor

I wanted to have a Burger to rate for myself if it was Orlando’s Best. With more then 10 on the menu to choose from, I decided on the Bacon Bleu Cheese Burger ($8.20) Beef Patty topped with Crispy Bacon, Special Bleu Cheese Dressing, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion and Choice of Cheese. Since Bleu Cheese Crumbles were NOT an option for my Choice of Cheese (Weird) I opted for Provolone, and I also decided to add Steak Fries for an additional .99 (I also find it interesting that an $8.20 Burger does not come with Fries automatically) then after adding an Iced tea and tip, my portion of the bill set me back $16. (please let this be a good burger!, please let this be a good burger!) To pick it apart, the Bacon was flavorless, the slice of Provolone was more enjoyable then the Bleu Cheese Sauce, I don’t care for the fact that everything comes out in plastic baskets (although it does fit in with the décor of the place) but the Burger itself was pretty good, Well Done as I ordered it, but still juicy and delicious, the Burger Patties seem very fresh and pressed out into a perfectly sized disk of meat, and the bun had been grilled which was a nice touch, making it a wonderful casing for the sandwich. The fries were as I expected them to be, and I definitely left feeling quite full. Should I return I will probably just get a plain Burger, because the meat is by all means the “Star of the Show” here at Johnny’s.

Not so sure that it is “Orlando’s Best”, but it is also not the Worst! Be sure to have some wet wipes with you in the car, because you will need them to get all of the grease off!