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Date: 6/21/2021
It has a been a tradition for much of my time here to present stories about trips to local restaurants. The rule of thumb has been to keep it local and with no chains. The goal has always been to promote locally-owned businesses.
I’m breaking that rule, because in part, Wahlburgers’ arrival in Western Massachusetts has caused quite a lot of attention.
The restaurant is on the campus of MGM Springfield.
I’ve never covered a ribbon-cutting for a restaurant where there have been several hundred people waiting – some arriving as early as 7 a.m. for a 11 a.m. opening.
So I thought it would be interesting to actually try out the food and see what all of the craziness is about.
Several disclaimers are appropriate: I do have local places where I enjoy burgers already and I didn’t see the reality show that certainly helped fuel the interest in the restaurant and its offerings.
The celebrity restaurant is nothing new.
The great heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsey started an eatery in 1935, which was a landmark in New York City until 1974. Alan Hale, Skipper from “Gilligan’s Island,” had his own seafood place and actor Cesar Romero was involved with an Italian restaurant, despite his Cuban heritage. Mickey Rooney tried a franchised hot dog restaurant and a BBQ joint. Neither worked out.
What about Planet Hollywood, founded in part with money from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Demi Moore, and Bruce Willis? It’s gone through bankruptcy twice with many complaints, according to a recent article in Esquire, about the quality of its food.
Wahlburgers, in many ways, is nothing new. What has made a difference is the successful reality show about the family and the restaurant.
I’ve not seen the show, I think in the right role Mark Wahlberg is an effective actor, and in this case I only care about the food itself.
Accompanying me was a friend who is in the restaurant business. I thought a true expert would help.
The place was quite full for a Monday afternoon and we sat at the bar. At the bar was a TV monitor showing an endless loop of scenes from Mark’s and Donnie’s movies. The music that played through the place was apparently from their movies, according to the bartender.
It is attempting that Planet Hollywood feel.
My friend ordered the BBQ Bacon burger ($13.95) that comes with white cheddar cheese, bacon, fresh jalapenos, BBQ sauce and avocado spread. He chose to leave out the avocado spread. His side was tater tots (the other option was French fries).
My choice was Our Burger ($12.95) made with “government” cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and the signature Wahl Sauce. I upgraded my side to the thin crispy onion rings.
We both decided to try the bacon mac and cheese ($5.95) made with penne, bacon, government cheese and cheddar, topped with homemade garlic Parmesan Panko breadcrumbs.
While I have nothing against Velveeta cheese I will admit I enjoy a cheese with more flavor on a burger.
There were some issues with service – I had to ask for utensil and napkins – but again in the opening weeks of a restaurant one should expect such bumps in the road.
We were all about the food.
There must have been an issue with sauces in the kitchen because both burgers had barely any. It looked that someone has used a delicate paint brush applying them.
My burger was about the size of a regular McDonald’s hamburger and my friend noted the burger patty was clearly frozen rather than made fresh. His tater tots were also a frozen product.
My onion rings were really onion straws. I needed a fork to eat them.
Taste-wise there was nothing exceptional about either sandwich, and they were quite run-of-the-mill.
In a world in which combinations of cheese and other proteins are common, this mac and cheese was okay, but again nothing truly memorable.
Now perhaps other burgers they offer are better, as there are several with two patties and more condiments, but we wanted to see how the standard ones tasted.
Our assessment was while there wasn’t much truly wrong with sandwiches, there wasn’t much really memorable.
Still, the place was full with people and it was clear that for the present time, Wahlburgers is a hit. I wish them well, but if you’re looking for a great burger, there are plenty of local choices for you to try.