Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Vegetarian Review: Tacky Shack

Welcome to the vegetarian corner of the Oxford Burger blog.  I will attempt to highlight the best vegetarian options at the burger joints my carnivorous companions frequent.  When a veggie burger is an option, I will order it and review it.  When a veggie burger is not an option, I get to order and review whatever the hell I want.  You see, as the token vegetarian in the group, I am a majority of one and get to make up my own rules.  

Also, a note: this review is written for an audience of vegetarians and pescetarians.  If you like meat, you might not like veggie burgers.  Because they’re not very meat-like.  They’re not supposed to be.  Many vegetarians actually don’t like the taste of meat.  For some of you, that statement sounds insane, and I understand if you don’t read further.  For those willing to concede that point, let’s continue.

I should start with a review of the veggie burger at Proud Larry’s because I ate there first, but I won’t.  Why?  Because I had the veggie burger at Tacky Shack before I bothered to write up the review of the one at Larry’s, and I can’t hold out on you.  The black bean and corn burger at Tacky Shack is, hands down, the best veggie burger in town.  I used to drive to Memphis just to get the black bean burger at Huey’s when I was craving a gut bomb, and now I don’t have to.  The one at Tacky Shack is just as good; it might even be the same exact commercially made patty.  I don’t hold that against the owners, though.  I’ve had dozens of terrible homemade veggie burgers.  I much prefer a solid Sysco option to a gummy, tasteless homemade one.  

Tacky Shack grills the patty up so it’s nice and crunchy on the outside.  Not only is the black bean patty toothsome and flavorful, Tacky Shack offers a huge array of toppings.  Some are free and some cost a little extra, but a vegetarian can really have a ball here.  I got grilled onions, tomato, avocado, lettuce, ketchup, jalapenos, and mustard.  I got all those toppings assuming that the patty would be a flavorless Morningstar patty.  When I discovered that the black bean patty was fabulous all on its own, I realized I probably didn’t need all those toppings.  But they were excellent, and I’d probably get them again anyway.  For a side item, I got the onion strings.  As an onion ring fan, I love any form of fried onions.  These onions are good, but after a couple handfuls, they start to seem really oily.  My advice: order them if you’re an onion fiend, but eat them while they’re still nice and hot.

I didn’t take good notes on the burger bun, which probably means it neither added nor subtracted from the overall burger experience.  I remember it being vaguely wholesome: whole wheat or honey wheat or something beyond mere Wonder bread.

Tacky Shack offers a reasonable assortment of beer.  They also have a nice selection of ice cream, and they make milkshakes.  I didn’t order one last time I was there, but I thought it was an ice dessert option.
 
Now, for a few complaints.  One: the black bean burger is not on the menu.  I find this really strange.  Are they afraid they’ll piss off the meat-eaters?  Is there really not room to write “black bean burger” on the menu?  Anyway, I almost didn’t join my friends for this excursion because I didn’t think there was anything for me to eat.  Luckily, Greg called ahead and asked if they had anything for me, and I’m glad he did!  Two: the black bean burger costs more than the beef burger.  I don’t remember by exactly how much, but it’s a dollar or two more, and that always irritates me.  You’d think plant material would be more affordable than an all-beef patty.  The burger is so good, though, that you’ll forget you’re being gouged on the basis of your self-imposed dietary restrictions.  Three: the ambience at the restaurant is a little silly.  A lot of the signs on the wall seem like corporate-mandated “flair” and some of it is just really strange to display in a restaurant.  For instance, one sign reads, “I don’t swim in your toilet; don’t pee in my pool.”

In short, this one is a winner with a few small drawbacks.  I highly recommend Tacky Shack. 
 
- Meaghin Burke

2 comments:

  1. It kind of reminds me of saved by the bell's go-to restaurant.. just a little. I will say that the chairs and tables are clever and entertaining though.

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  2. For vegetarians there are many recipes to make yummy burgers at home like the black bean burger and its easy to make for recipe refer to http://liveoncampus.com/wire/show/3175592.

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