Bouldin Creek (wisely) keeps its veggie burger recipe a close secret.
My Best Hamburgers in Austin list comes out Thursday online and Friday in print. But, as a sneak peek, I’m gonna let you in on a Special Mention category. All of the 15 burgers are made with meat, but I also named my favorite veggie burger in town …
Veggie Royale at Bouldin Creek Café
1900 S. First St. 512-416-1601, bouldincreek.com
People have different ideas in what they want from a veggie burger. Should it texturally recreate the beef experience? Should it taste like a hamburger?
I dig the Veggie Royale ($8.25) not for any resemblance to a beefy burger but for its own considerable merits. Stuffed with grains, bound by peanut butter and humming with warm red spices, the secret-recipe patty crackles between soft ciabatta bread. I sometimes add feta cheese for creamy, salty tang and choose the citrus and heat of housemade barbecue sauce, though the smoky chipotle-pecan pesto and bright basil aioli both make their own solid condiment cases.
While I only named one the best, I also want to give a shout-out to Jo’s Coffee, Arlo’s, P. Terry’s and Mr. Natural.
