Dining Out: WUBurger Gourmet

When I first graduated from college I lived in Inman Square in Cambridge. Though I've been out of that apartment for about eight years, Inman is still one of my favorite neighborhoods. Even though I am no longer a resident, I still get to pass through the square every day on my commute to and from work. A few weeks ago I noticed a new place had opened (in the space formerly occupied by East by Northeast) called WUBurger Gourmet. After spotting it, I looked up the menu online and quickly made a dinner date with a friend to check it out. 

We arrived at about 6:15pm and when we walked through the door I wasn't sure what to expect. Would we order at a counter and then scramble to find seating? Would it be a full service dining room? 

WUBurger is indeed full service. Because we came a bit on the early side, we had our choice of table. I really love the wood paneling on the walls and the black and white photographs with just one single pop of color. 

At the far end of the dining room is the bar. It has room for just four people to saddle up. 

Beneath the bar, the underside is decorated with metal beer, wine and liquor advertisements. 

The wall opposite the dining room has one piece of art work that celebrates the source of all burgers - the cow. 

There are all kinds of fun touches throughout the WUBurger space, including these charming signs on the bathroom door. 

WUBurger's motto is "consciously sourced and crafted with love" which you'll find on their website and on the wall of the restaurant. 

When we took our seats, we got right down to business. We knew that WUBurger served boozy milkshakes so wasted no time placing orders for some. My friend decided on the Hummingbird which is rum, coconut rum, coffee liqueur, raspberry syrup, banana, vanilla ice cream, banana chips and chocolate. 

After a few sips she said, "This is so delicious. It tastes like a creamy, tropical dream. The coconut and banana flavors stand out the most, but as you drink it, each sip finishes with a hint of chocolate. I really love the crunchy banana chips on top too." 

I went with the Not Your Mamma's Root Beer Float which is made with Not Your Father's Root Beer (see what they did there?). In addition to the float, they also give you the rest of the root beer bottle. 

Look at that giant scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle! 

If you haven't had Not Your Father's Root Beer before, it definitely has a slightly different taste from non-alcoholic root beer. It almost has a hint of cinnamon or nutmeg. 

For the main event, my dinner date decided to get the turkey burger which came topped with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, hot relish and WUSauce (which is an onion aioli). The burger arrived in a basket with a side of waffle fries. The whole presentation really reminded me of Shake Shack - the baskets, the bright yellow buns, the fresh lettuce and tomato. 

When she was about half way through her burger, I asked for her thoughts and she explained, "I like this, but it's not my favorite turkey burger I've ever had. I wish the patty had been a bit thicker and wasn't quite as peppery. I also could have used a little more cheese. That being said, the relish on the burger had a fantastic vinegar taste, which was the highlight."

Surprise, surprise, I went with the veggie burger. WUBurger's version has a patty made with chickpeas, spinach and carrots, topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and WUSauce. 

When my burger arrived and I saw the slice of cheese (not melted at all) I was skeptical. However, this veggie patty was one of the best I've had (and I've eaten a ton of veggie burgers). I still think the best veggie patty is at Hillstone, but this was top five for sure. The lettuce and tomato were fresh, the WUSauce added a nice creaminess and I really loved the potato bun. 

Both of our burgers came with waffle fries (you can also get a side salad if you prefer) and they were excellent. Each fry was well seasoned and crispy. They tasted extra delicious dunked in cold ketchup. 

When our burger plates were cleared, the manager asked if we'd like to have dessert. We both looked down at our milkshakes and back up at him as if to say, "Haven't we gorged enough?" We politely declined, but he insisted we at least try their ice cream sandwiches. I mean, who could say no to that? 

Each sandwich could fit perfectly into the palm of your hand. Vanilla ice cream is sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies. When you think of what an expertly made chocolate chip tastes like, it's these cookies. 

While we were nibbling, my friend commented, "It's very impressive that as we eat these the ice cream isn't falling out the butt of the sandwich." It was true! Somehow the ice cream stayed right in the center, no slipping. Also, please notice in the photo below that there is a chocolate chip in every single bite. 

I was really wowed by WUBurger. From the outside you would never know how charming it is on the inside. The staff are all so friendly and happy to give recommendations. The food is super fresh, the burgers are just the right size, the waffle fries are tasty and the boozy milkshakes are a must! 

Monday - Saturday WUBurger serves their regular menu and on Sundays they serve nothing but Nashville-style fried chicken! Sounds like a pretty great hangover cure to me. 

Before WUBurger, Inman Square didn't really have a burger joint. There are lots of places that serve burgers, but none that are as burger-centric as WUBurger. This is definitely a welcomed addition.