Fuddruckers - Dhahran Edition

No, it's not a dyslexic's curse word.

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Fuddruckers - a hamburger spot that had its humble beginnings in San Antonio, Texas, and has spread to the whole world. It is a suprisingly popular restaurant in the Middle East, as franchises are popping up all over including right here in Dhahran. This burger joint has been here in the local mall of Al-Rashid for over 10 years now, and is a regular place to go for birthdays and other celebrations in the community.

What I love about Fuddruckers are their buns, which are baked fresh daily. They are so soft and delicious, you might even eat it first before remembering to put it on top of your burger or sandwich, as one of my childhood friends did way back when. [You know who you are. =) I still can't forget how much you made me laugh.]

TRUE STORY: A friend of ours invited a bunch of us to Fudds and coincidentally it was this guy's first time there. He devoured his top bun first, marvelling at how delicious his "garlic bread" was, even though it was clearly placed right next to his naked burger. After much snickering from the rest of the table and no top bun left for his cheeseburger, he sheepishly ordered an extra bun - "No, not the bottom bun please, just the top, yes, thanks" - as we all roared with laughter while he placed his request.

At least I know one other person who can swear by their bread besides me.

disclaimer: I've decided to start putting the pictures first before the description because, well, that's just the way it's done everywhere, and silly, silly me for not doing so as well.

Lemon pepper chicken sandwich

We went to Fuddruckers twice this week for two separate occasions, so I tried to get pictures of as many different things as I could. This was my order on Day 1. I found out about this sandwich after high school, when I wanted to try something else besides burgers. I love citrusy flavors, so I decided to give this one a try. Ever since then, this is all I've been ordering; my go-to meal at Fudds. The chicken is so juicy even though it's white meat, the seasonings so lemony and peppery, and the bread? Perfect combination. 9.6/10

Original chicken sandwich with onions and mushrooms

My mom is a sucker for mushrooms, so she ordered extra with her sandwich. The chicken pretty much tasted like the lemon pepper chicken without the lemon. Also white meat, also juicy. I'm glad she ordered toppings on hers, otherwise I probably would not have liked it as much. 8.5/10

The Tumbleweed

I probably bullied my brother into getting this burger with its well thought out name. Yes, it looked very appealing to the eye on the menu, but it was also very good. The onion strands resemble tumbleweed, a type of shrub that breaks away from the original plant and tumbles around in dry climates. They look like jumbled up barbed wire; not pretty to touch. But very pretty to eat. The onion strands, bell peppers, and swiss cheese are perfect matches with the burger, giving it a southwestern flavor. The 1/3 pounder was juicy and flavorful, although they could have added some more spices to it. 7/10

Grilled hamour, baked potato, blanched vegetables, and garlic toast

My dad's order the first day, my mom's order the second day. The hamour was lovely, flaked perfectly and the spices used made the fish what it was. The baked potato was cooked just right as well. If it could be called al dente, I would call it that, which is perfect because I love a good al dente. The vegetables were not great, generic I should say. I would give the hamour an 8.5/10, while for the whole dish, it would have to be a 6.5/10.

Grilled chicken with caesar salad

My order on the second day. This one was not a good choice. The lettuce leaves were somewhat wilted, and not as crunchy as I would have liked them to be. The dressing was substantial, but the chicken seemed drier than the sandwiches. 4/10



...and finally, for the piece de resistance:

The 3/4 pounder Fullworks

This picture does do this cheeseburger justice. A 3/4 pounder might not be big you think, but it looks more like a5 pounder than anything else. This was ordered by one of my titos, and when it came, head spun and a zillion questions were asked. "Geez, how big is that thing?" "Are you going to finish that?" "Isn't that a heart attack in a bun?" Yes, quite large this one, and I did not have the pleasure of sampling it, but I was more than welcomed to photograph such a feast. It was topped with cheddar cheese, beef bacon, and sauteed mushrooms. Heart attack indeed. He did not finish the burger, but packed it up and probably enjoyed it for the next two days.




As a last note, Fuddruckers is a good place to go when you're in the mood for all American burgers or if you feel like being lazy. But one should venture out and try the grilled chicken sandwiches if feeling adventurous.