Elija Bandersnatch
Google
Chain restaurants are not generally my cup of tea, I prefer more homespun fare, places that are more, say of the people. But once upon a time I visited the Elmer’s in Vancouver and found their burger to be fairly decent and their fries to be perfect or at least close to perfect.
So I thought that I would compare the two, I mean, they do have some extra extraordinary breakfast options. Not the least of which is the Dutch baby, which I would travel for. However it was lunchtime and if I am going to partake in lunch my due diligence is to try the hamburger.
Well to start with, the restaurant was nearly entirely empty when I went in which I will honestly say was just a little on the scary side. Perhaps I arrived at a moment between the waves like standing in the ocean just as the water stills and before the next rush of water.
The service was great and I appreciate the two lemon wedges in my iced tea which is an unusual touch. But good service and sincerity will only take one so far. they are the ring within which the jewel is meant to appear. The jewel of course being the food. Nothing else can save an experience if the central core is lacking
The hamburger seemed to be void of any seasoning at all and they obviously come frozen. It was chewy and gray and I will say, a great disappointment. Yes, I know that life is full of disappointment but it’s a little painful when you have to pay for them.
I have heard Elmer does this because so many of it customers are old, like myself. They hold back the salt so that patrons are not dropping in the aisles. However, this old man wants his burger to be on the savory side.
The french fries had a strange texture and were kind of chewy which did not elevate the experience. In fact, they were some of the worst fries that I have ever had. I don’t remember the other Elmer‘s having fries that were this bad. It actually surprised me and I had to examine a fry carefully trying to understand what might’ve happened.
But alas, it remains a mystery and I’m afraid not one that I would attempt to solve again. As people began to drift in I wondered if Elmer‘s niche is mostly a senior population hankering after the chains of the old days. A kind of comfort in sameness, a return to Leave it to Beaver or Lawrence Welk, both of which bored me to tears even as a child.
Let me say again, that the service was excellent, the manager kind, but it needs some new blood, it needs to bring love into the food. That burger did not seem to me to be wearing the cloak of pride, as if the cook was just going through the motions.
They probably do breakfast much better.
