Journey #8: Roadster Diner

Overall Dining Experience: 7/10

Location: - ABC Ashrafieh

              - ABC Dbayeh

         - Ashrafieh

                       - Beirut City Centre

                   - Beirut Souks    

            - The Station

 - Bliss

       - City Mall

            - Down Town

   - Hamra

                     - Le Mall, Sin El Fil

        - Jal El Dib

    - Verdun

Together forever, there go our hearts when we step into Roadster Diner!

By now, I don't think any teenager hasn't ever stepped into Roadster's. It's truly a place for all: friends and family. With its vintage style, you'll be back in the 50's as you fill up your stomach with some good food! 

Even a great place like Rd has its drawbacks: the slow service, the abundant electrically heated food and the over-pricing. Nonetheless, we can't not dine in every now and then! 

We could say we've probably tried 3/4 of Roadster's menu; from appetizers, to pastas, to subs and cold cuts, burgers, platters, desserts and even the Low-Cal Menu!

Here are the dishes we loved most:

Buffalo Wings - 13,750 LBP

For a restaurant that isn't utterly specialized in wings, Rd's wings happen to be one of our favorite! Tossed lightly in batter, you can choose to dip your wings in either BBQ or Buffalo sauce. Either way, you're going to get juicy irresistible wings!

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Curly Fries - 8,500 LBP

We don't think it's possible to find a table without a basket of curly fries, or even a side. Everyone's got to love those twisted seasoned golden fries, but maybe not everyone loves to share them because they're just that good!

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Super Sampler - 24,250 LBP

If you can't decide which appetizer to choose, have a bit of almost everything with this dish! The Super Sampler is a combination of breaded chicken strips, battered wings dipped in Buffalo sauce, Mozzarella sticks, breaded onion rings and skin-on fries. You can also choose to swap one of the appetizers on this dish with another like replacing onion rings with more wings. A perfect dish to share or have all by your own. For even if they're appetizers, having this dish alone will surely abolish your starve!

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Chicken Caesar - 15,750 LBP

Just how a Caesar salad should be! Crunchy Romaine lettuce, crispy croutons and a light Caesar dressing that has the perfect acidity to it in addition to a lovely char-grilled chicken breast that lies on top and shredded Parmesan. Tons of it.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Frankfurter - 12,750 LBP

Frankfurters..who can hate them! Soft roll, grilled pork (or beef) frankfurter, crispy chips sprinkles, mayo, ketchup, mustard, with melted cheddar cheese, served with tricolor coleslaw. Perfect balance of soft and crispy textures. The flavors are well-balanced, it will certainly make you feel at home. 

However, we once ordered it and the frankfurter was under-cooked which made our meal very unpleasant. 

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Grilled Chicken - 23,250 LBP

2 char-grilled chicken breasts, served with your choice of mashed potatoes, skin-on fries or four cheese pasta and a side salad.

The chicken is always cooked to perfection, still juicy, and brushed with a delicious refreshing dressing. The pasta and mashed potatoes add creaminess to the dish whilst the fries add crunchiness, both delicious with it since the cold factor is provided by the side green salad.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Light Grilled Chicken - 23,250 LBP

On a diet? No problem. Roadster offers a variety of light dishes, including the light grilled chicken. Two juicy flavored char-grilled chicken breasts served with grilled fresh mushrooms, steamed broccoli, carrots and corn on the cob. That’ll make anyone go light. 

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

 Cheese At Heart - 18,250 LBP

Roadster's special patty stuffed with Swiss cheese and topped with Cheddar cheese, lettuce, crispy chips sprinkles with Roadster's Classic sauce.

Roadster has got all of us cheese lovers covered. A juicy patty stuffed and topped with melted cheese, to die for! This one is not to be missed.

Though an Angus beef patty would've took it to a whole other level, don't you think?

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

The Angus Burgers:

The Black Burger - 25,500 LBP

The black-bun concept isn't something new to the culinary world. However, to bring up a burger like this is definitely a challenge; for since it's not a new concept it would be judged harshly if not perfected. 

The Black Burger consists of an Angus patty, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, pickles, onions and Philly steak sauce with a side of potato dippers. The meat was juicy and the sauce was pretty light, though it was a bit overloaded with it. The vegetables added freshness to the burger. 

As for the potato dippers, people that are not fans of cheese will not find them very pleasant.

In all, the burger was okay, and Roadster Diner did a good job with the challenge, but we feel it is overrated. The burger did not offer anything new except for the color of its bun.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 5.5/10

Old School - 23,250

A 160 grams Angus prime beef patty with melted Cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, dill pickles and Roadster's cocktail sauce.

A good old classic burger for a good cause. This burger has all the usual flavors of a hearty burger and makes you feel good about yourself since for every Old School burger ordered, 1000 LBP is donated to the Heartbeat association. Get your charity mood on with this burger!

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Cheese'N'Cheese - 24,750 LBP

A 160 grams Angus prime beef patty, melted Cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese, iceberg lettuce, sautéed fresh mushrooms, Philly steak sauce and mayonnaise

If you’re a cheese lover, then this is your burger. It has unconventional flavors that make it that much more delicious. We recommend you add some bacon strips to it for an extra crunch.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Route 66 - 24,750 LBP

And of course, don't forget the bacon! Probably our favorite burger among all of Roadster's Angus burgers. A 160 grams Angus prime beef patty with melted Cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, red onion, Route 66 sauce and dill pickles. A classic burger that everyone would love to have! 

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 8/10

BBQ BACON'IN - 22,500 LBP

A 160 grams Angus prime beef patty with melted Cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, grilled onion and tomato, BBB sauce and mayonnaise.

The lovely twist in this burger is the bacon infused patty. It offers an extra kick of flavor that we just couldn’t refuse.

Just as a note, not all branches offer beef bacon. So don't deprive yourself from ordering this juicy burger if beef bacon is available.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 8/10

California Dream - 23,750 LBP

Truly a dream! A 160 grams Angus prime beef patty with melted Cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, guacamole, California sauce, pickles and flour tortilla chips.

This burger is all about the light Mexican flavors. The different textures offer a warm delicious feeling in your mouth. Add a Sombrero and a Marguerita, and you’re good to go! 

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Chili Mariachi - 23,750 LBP

After eating this Mexican-inspired burger, your taste buds are off to a Mariachi fest.

A 160 grams Angus prime beef patty with melted Cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, jalapenos and special chili sauce.

The jalapenos and chili sauce aren't overpowering which helps the burger settle on a good balance of flavors. 

Let the fest begin!

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Note: All Angus Burgers are served with skin-on fries. An upgrade to curly fries is done upon request.

Strawberry Cheesecake - 9,750 LBP

What's a delicious meal without a delicious dessert? Dense cheesecake topped with oozy strawberry sauce. After the first bite, you're definitely hooked!

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Overall Detailed Evaluation: 50/70

Welcoming: 3/5

Music: 4/5

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 16/20

Menu Choice: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Value for Money: 6/10

Journey #7: Crepaway

Overall Dining Experience: 7.5/10

Location:  - ABC Ashrafieh

                       - Beirut City Centre, Hazmieh

   - Hamra

  - Kaslik

                  - Le Mall, Dbayeh

Crepaway! One of the most popular restaurants visited daily. It always has a friendly atmosphere the moment you are escorted by a waiter, in addition to the cozy booths and comfy leather couches. We visit Crepaway regularly and we simply love this place!

Appetizers Combo - 24,250 LBP

A sizzling assortment of tasty tenders, crispy shrimps, mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, cheese garlic bread and twister fries.

Old or new, a combo is still a combo. The old one included warm soft taquitos that were replaced by crispy delicious shrimps. The rest of the combo has stood the test of time with its crispy and cheesy mozzarella sticks, tasty tenders that are crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, well cooked chicken wings drenched with your choice of barbecue or buffalo sauce, cheesy garlic bread and their famous twister fries.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Chicken Wings - 7,500 LBP for 6 pieces

Juicy chicken wings tossed in your choice of either an Asian glaze, buffalo sauce, or barbecue sauce. Perfect for sharing and best eaten as soon as they're out!

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Bollywood Pasta - 16,750 LBP

Bollywood consists of Tagliatelle pasta cooked with baby shrimps in a light creamy sauce, flavored with mild curry and sprinkled with hazelnuts. 

The sauce isn’t too heavy as you would expect a cream sauce to be and the curry adds spiciness that is, if you ask us, necessary in a dish like this. The shrimps are well cooked and they could be replaced by pieces of chicken breast as well. The hazelnuts at the end add texture and smokiness to the dish, which brings out the flavor of the spices.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Bocca Crab - 9,750 LBP

Shredded crab sticks tossed with grated cucumber, cabbage and carrot, in a special mayo sauce over avocado slices and diced lemon, sprinkled with Shichimi spices

This sandwich tastes heavenly in a soft bun. The mayo sauce isn’t heavy, instead it gives the crab a fresh taste. The avocado slices add a creaminess to the sandwich, making it even more delicious. It is served with a refreshing side salad and crispy fries.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Chicken Avocado - 10,000 LBP

A wonderful combination: grilled chicken laid on a soft roll smeared with Dijonnaise sauce and topped with creamy avocado slices, served with a side of curly fries and a light salad.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 7/10

Seaside Club - 25,750 LBP

Double decker sandwich with smoked salmon, crab flavored with Togarashi spices, avocado, rocca, cucumber, lemon dices and tartar sauce. Served with a side salad topped with roasted sesame.

When we first read it on the menu, the sandwich sounded like a big mess but it certainly surprised us. All the flavors in it complimented each other perfectly and allowed each one to have its moment in the spotlight and shine. It tasted fresh and light. If you’re a true seafood lover, this sandwich is definitely for you.

Perhaps the setback to this dish is it's price; we mean, let us not forget it's a club sandwich!

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Cordon Blues - 15,000 LBP

19,750 LBP (meal upgrade)

100% Black Angus beef filled with cheese, with extra cheddar, crispy bacon & onion rings, lettuce, tomato, mayo, ketchup and Dijonnaise sauce.

This burger is one of the best additions on the new menu, it left us speechless. It’s juicy, crispy and cheesy, a delicious combo. We have no words.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 7/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Tex - 15,000 LBP

100% Black Angus beef with fajita spices, onion and bell pepper mixed with melted cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos and Cajun sauce

Caution: this burger is for heat lovers only. An amazing mix of spices and Mexican flavors take the burger to a whole new level. Any component missing may alter its taste. We recommend adding bacon slices for extra crunchiness and smokiness. 

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Queen's - 12,500 LBP

100% Black Angus beef with double cheddar cheese, grilled mushrooms and Crepaway's special burger sauce.

As simple as this burger sounds, it holds within it a ton of flavor. Its common ingredients combined create a warm taste of cheesiness that feels like home. This burger certainly goes by the saying: a little goes a long way.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

BBQ Burger - 13,500 LBP, 17,250 LBP (meal upgrade)

This burger is close to perfection. It has all the different textures and flavors: from the juicy Black Angus beef, to the crispy bacon and to the intense barbecue sauce. Since it has all that juiciness to it, the bun got soggy. That's why we couldn't call it 100% perfect.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Hole Good Burger - 21,000 LBP, 25,750 LBP (meal upgrade)

We were excited to try this burger when we found out it was going to be a permanent item on the menu. It was just as good as we remember it from the promo, lots of sauces and a great mix of flavor. The only downside to it was the bagel bun. It was really tough and hard to bite through, making the burger a little unpleasant to eat.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 5/10

Valentine - 9,000 LBP

Cheesecake filling & raspberry jam, topped with melted white chocolate and redberries coulis, sprinkled with crumbles.

This dessert is a deconstructed version of a raspberry cheesecake but it didn’t truly reflect the cheesecake taste we expected it to. We are sorry to say that it left us quite disappointed. The cream cheese was a bit dull, and the dish just had too much going on. 

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

Malteaser - 9,750 LBP

Layers of marbled ice cream and Malteasers, topped with caramel and warm chocolate sauce, sprinkled with croquants.

Following the James Brownie, this is just another signature dessert of theirs. The contrast of soft and crunchy, cold and warm just creates another world in your mouth. A heavy yet heavenly dessert.

Evaluation:

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 8/10

                      Overall Detailed Evaluation: 53/70

                                         

Welcoming: 3/5

Music: 4/5

Food Presentation: 8/10

Food Taste: 18/20

Menu Choice: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Value for Money: 6/10

Overall Pluses: - Fast & Friendly Service

                    - Great Menu Choice

               - Cozy Welcoming Atmosphere

Note: Crepaway has many branches. The branches we listed previously are the ones we have visited.