Order your (char)burger their way at new Foster's Grille

Friday, March 12, 2010

Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by EMILY BARNES General manager Marya Cawley holds the half-pound, old-fashioned "charburger" with fries at Foster's Grille in Waldorf. The location is one of two in Maryland. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story Click here to enlarge this photo

Someone is waiting for you at the comfort food palace known as Foster's Grille. This member of the staff will welcome you as soon as you enter and then ask if it's your first visit.

We had two first-timers, including me, and two returnees. We also had a fairly serious claim (the kind that makes me nervous): One of my colleagues said I would write up Foster's specialty, its half-pound "charburger," like I've "never written up a burger before."

The truth is, I have not written about many burgers. What's more, I usually avoid writing about burgers. But I think this burger really is worth some ink.

In Foster's Grille (the Waldorf location is one of two in Maryland) you get a sheet of paper at the counter, write your name and pencil in your selections. The staff then carries the food to the tables. (Behind the counter, you might notice that the restaurant has a variety of beers on tap.)

While you have more than a dozen options, the charburger is at the top of the list. With it, you can circle various condiments, toppings, a side salad (95 cents) and bacon (75 cents). In this case, the side salad would come as a substitute for the restaurant's fresh tasting, seasoned fries, which can now be assessed thusly: Now that I've tried them, I think the chances of my healthy side winning over during a return visit ranks somewhere between highly improbable and downright impossible.

Meanwhile, I was admittedly skeptical about the burger — perhaps because, in my mind, the term chargrilled is synonymous with borderline burnt — but it was indeed praiseworthy. The patty is thick and packs a lot of flavor, and the bun and toppings are fresh. In one case, it was observed that the bacon was of high quality. (The burger meal, by the way, is $8.49.)

The casual, fun setting has plenty of tables for big groups, and the space is full of various eye-catching knickknacks, namely a faux race car that hangs upside down from the ceiling. And sorry Chick Fil-A, but the writing on the wall here encourages us to eat more burgers.

One of us (the one who made the big claim, incidentally) did order the grilled chicken sandwich, and complimented both its freshness and preparation. We also discovered that Old Bay seasoned wings are a good pick. And yes, the milkshakes, as claimed, are extra thick.

Looking through the ordering sheet, it seems like those who like their burger rare have options, too (just not burgers). So do vegetarians. You can check out the rest of Foster's Grille's offerings, which include (among other things) roasted sandwiches, a hot dog and garden burger, at its Web site.

Foster's Grille is at 2975 Shasho Place, Waldorf. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Entrée prices are $5-$10. Credit cards: V, MC, D, AE. Carryout: 301-374-9474. Go to www.fostersgrille.com.