The Vitals:
the spot: Twisted Root Burger Co multiple locations in TX, plus Louisiana(2) and Alabama(1)
the eats: Burger with swiss, garlic mushrooms and sautéed onions
the bucks: $8.48
the full nelson: a build your own burger joint built on an affordable 1/2lb patty

Many moons ago, 6 years to be exact, my inaugural post for Bang for your Burger Buck forewarned of the dangers of the build your own burger menu. Where an excess of toppings could lead to the sort of needless upgrades one finds when buying a Prius and walking out with a Satellite Navigation System. Twisted Root Burger Co certainly can fall into this category but with an affordable base price of $6 bucks for a 1/2 pound burger and some Umami worthy topping moves, one can find some solid Bang for your Burger Buck.

With 13 compelling burgers on the menu, each boasting their unique set of toppings from minimalist(the classic=beef+cheese) to gourmet(dijon crusted wagyu with thyme, caramelized onions, gruyere cheese), plus 4 patty options, one can understandably be overwhelmed with options at Twisted Root Burger Co. And I didn’t even mention the 31 options for bun, cheese and toppings. I went with my philosophy of letting the beef shine through which meant a beef patty on a classic white bun with Swiss cheese, garlic mushrooms and sautéed onions. No matter what you decide, the burger comes with some complimentary lettuce and a slice of onion. Considering that Twisted Root Burger Co can get pretty outrageous with the toppings to the tune of peanut butter, french fries and a fried egg, would my topping selection be enough?

I’d say so. Yes there was some slip ‘n slide here but mushrooms cooked in garlic + sautéed onions creates a guaranteed umami flavor bomb. No shortage of savoriness here. And I can’t think of a more perfect cheese than Swiss. The combo of Swiss and caramelized onions certainly is a nod to French Onion Soup. A flavor profile that has certainly worked for one the most talked about burgers ever: The Office Burger at Father’s Office in Los Angeles.

Fine bun to patty ratio and a respectable medium rare make Twisted Root an easy case for a return visit. Play the topping cards well and take advantage of their numerous locations and Twisted Root Burger Co is a convenient safe haven for your Bang for your Burger Buck needs. I only lament that they closed their Austin location. I suppose the burger field was crowded enough in ATX, even for a place with over 30,000 possible burger combinations.