500 E. First St., Dayton, OH
Monday, July 9, 2012
Dragon Fire Burger
Score: 6.2
$$$$$
Mike: While visiting some family in Dayton, OH, I had the opportunity to visit Brixx Ice Company for the first time. Brixx sits across the street from Fifth Third Field, where the Dayton Dragons call home; so, I was kind of expecting a jock-a-mo sports bar. Upon entering the building, it definitely rang of sports bardom, but not over-the-top jock-fest. It was old-school and laid back with a mix of flat panel and CRT television monitors and the minimum amount of sports paraphernalia blasted on the walls to maintain its "sports bar" status; it was cozy with a dive bar aftertaste. But, perhaps that was just because it was during lunch hours.
My brother-in-law talked me into trying the "Dragon Fire Burger," which happens to come with a warning on the menu that reads: "WARNING!!! This burger will set your mouth on fire!" Really? Skepticism rang loud in my mind, but why not? This burger is a half pound Angus beef patty basted in their original "Dragon Fire Hot Sauce," topped with fried jalapenos and crumbled blue cheese, served on a bun of your choosing. It also comes with the standard accoutrements, lettuce, tomato, and onion. I opted for the pretzel roll and ordered it medium.
When the burger arrived at the table, I noticed it was a bit sloppy and that it had a rat's nest of iceberg lettuce on it. I assemble the burger and took my first bite. First of all, that warning is the biggest ruse since Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. The "Dragon Fir Hot Sauce" really wasn't that hot, which I didn't mind at all. I'm a firm believer that the heat should add to the flavor, not be overwhelming and burn your mouth. After all, what good does it do if you can't taste the rest of your food? The sauce did mask most of the flavor of the meat and the jalapenos brought a little more heat to the party, so the blue cheese was a nice reprieve. The lettuce, tomato, and onion provided a small balance in textures but they could have been fresher, in my opinion. I was expecting a lot more from the pretzel roll than what I had. I was hoping for something with a toasted exterior and soft interior that contributed a unique savory flavor that could stand with the spiciness of the burger. Apparently, that was asking for too much. The bun was just bland and on the dense side, like a stale soft pretzel with no salt.
If I were ever to revisit Brixx Ice Company, I'd be interested in trying one of their other burgers, like the "Black and Bleu Burger" or the "Bourbon Burger." They also give you the option of building your own Brixx Burger, which sounds promising. But, the "Dragon Fire Burger" just fell short for me this time around.
