For the past several years, my favorite burger place in the world has been, and currently is, In-n-Out. It’s not just the fact that the burger is made fresh when ordered, but combined with the special sauce, right amount of toppings (animal-style!), and the size of the bun, it just makes for a perfect tasting burger. The size of the burger, itself, is perfect. Not too large, but just big enough to satisfy, and yet, want another one at the same time, knowing that you could eat another one and it wouldn’t make you fall into a food coma. In-n-Out’s fries are a great complement, as well. Though it originally took me a few tries to appreciate them, I now cannot imagine having a burger without the fries. I can, but I would prefer not to. I have been fervently wishing the past few years for an In-n-Out to open on the east coast, specifically the Boston area.
Considering my love for In-n-Out, you can imagine my excitement when I heard about a burger place in Harvard Square that calls itself, or is called by others, the In-n-Out of the east coast – Flat Patties. The In-n-Out of the east coast?? Really?? Could it be that a burger place is actually available that will help me get my fix for In-n-Out? It even boasted its own special sauce. I was more than excited. It was too good to be true! I couldn’t wait to try it. I told my brother (another In-n-Out devotee) about it, and we both planned to go. Beforehand, I read some reviews for it on yelp, just to get a general sense of others’ opinions, and overall, it seemed that people enjoyed it. There were some claims of greasiness, but as my brother would say, isn’t that a good thing for burgers?
Too good to be true, I said. Well, it definitely was. I was completely underwhelmed by my experience at Flat Patties. Actually, underwhelmed is an understatement. It’s not a place I would recommend to anyone who is looking to consume a delicious burger.
Amongst its array of different burgers, my brother and I chose to go with the original cheeseburger, the one with its special sauce. We figured that we should try the one that helped Flat Patties gain its “reputation.” We also ordered a side of fries and onion rings. Like In-n-Out, Flat Patties makes your burger when ordered, so it’s fresh. My brother and I waited about 10 minutes for our order, which is a relatively painless waiting time. When our order was ready, we also grabbed some side condiments that were available, which includes pickles and jalapenos, along with ketchup and mustard. We were ready to eat.
Right after my first bite, I had my opinion. First of all, the bun that they use is too thick. Either that, or the size of meat they use is too small. Whatever the case, the bun completely covered the taste of the actual meat. My first bite felt like all I was eating was bread. My second bite was not that much better. I could barely taste the actual burger, nevermind the “special” sauce they claimed to use. I couldn’t even tell you what flavor the sauce is. I’m hoping that they cheaped out on us and only gave us a little bit, but I doubt it. If you advertise a special sauce, wouldn’t you make sure that you used a good amount to make sure your customers got a real taste for it? I didn’t taste anything but bread. Thank goodness for the pickles and jalapenos. If it weren’t for them, my burger would have been literally tasteless. Such a sad disappointment.
The fries were not much better. They were a little bit too burnt, for my taste. The onion rings, on the other hand, were probably the best part of the meal. They were big and deep fried just right – crunchy on the outside, and just the right amount of mealiness on the inside. If I hadn’t already been full from eating my bread burger, I might have ordered more onion rings.
The most sad thing about this experience is that I will not go back to try the different burgers that they do offer. This experience was that disappointing. Usually, I give places a second chance, on the thought that my first meal was an exception to the norm, but I was so dissatisfied that I have no desire to return to give Flat Patties that second chance. Instead, I will continue to wish for the opening of an In-n-Out. There is a Five Guys in the area. I’m hoping that increases the odds for In-n-Out.
Until next time, try Wild Willy's Burgers in Watertown, MA. Not as good as Five Guys (not close to In-n-Out), but good enough to go multiple times. Their fries are also the best!
