Spinnerstown Hotel / Honey Bacon Jam Burger – $13
Quakertown, PA | spinnerstownhotel.com/
Spinnerstown Hotel’s claim to fame might be the massive amount of beer they have on hand. At the time of this writing, their current stats are 1 cask of beer, 17 beers on tap, 15 growlers, 369 bottles, and 7 different cans. That’s. A lot. Of beer.
The dinner menu is equally impressive in size and abounds in a wide variety of cuisine ranging from your standard pub fare, to a twin filet mignon dish and seafood offerings. It’s the perfect place for a large party, since theres likely something on the menu to please almost any palate.
Among the standard pub fare are a few burger options, all of which are made from a blend of 8oz of Lancaster ground chuck, short loin, and brisket, between a toasted brioche bun. All served with a pickle and house made Belgian frites. One of those burgers is called the Honey Bacon Jam Burger. Sounds interesting, let’s do it.
It’s a good looking burger, and arrives open-face, topped with the honey bacon jam and smoked gouda. On paper, the burger sounds amazing, but in practice, it falls short in a few areas.
The beef is underseasoned and undercooked with somewhat of a mushy consistency. There’s not nearly enough crispy char on the outside to provide complex flavors.
On top, the honey bacon jam packs a ton of sweetness – a little too much for my taste – but that cloying sweetness is somewhat offset by the smokey gouda. The bits of bacon in the jam are incredibly hard, like little pieces of rock candy.
The bun is toasted nicely and has a nice buttery flavor, but mostly underwhelming.
Lastly, the Belgian frites seem more like frozen fries from a plastic bag rather than a house made, hand-cut delicacy. It’s kind of a disappointment because they looked so good sitting on the plate, but most of them turn out to be mushy and mealy on the inside. And we all know it’s what’s on the inside that counts the most.
Final thoughts:
Overall, the burger is decent. Certainly above average, but I left the restaurant with my socks securely attached to my feet. It’s probably worth noting that being a Saturday night, the restaurant was absolutely slammed, and some patrons had been waiting forever for a table. With the restaurant so busy, but the food and service still well above average, I’d be interested in trying another burger while the kitchen is operating under less pressing circumstances.
