Charburger Blues

Took the boys camping this weekend with my brother-in-law, niece and nephew. Awesome overnighter in the Mt. Hood National Forest - Fishing, smores, dirt, etc. On the way home today, we decided to try the famed Charburger in Hood River. After entering and being blasted with heat from the kitchen, we stood in line to order the simplest of meals - a few cheeseburgers, some chicken strips, root beers and fries. We sat and waited. And waited. Then we waited some more. All in all, 37 minutes 'til I couldn't take it anymore. I had to ask where order 61 was. As I approached the counter I overheard a waitress arguing with the cook about another order in peril, to which he responded 'I don't care, give them their money back.' She rolled her eyes and set a course to let the unfortunate folks complaining know they were set free of their prison sentence and good to go. This didn't bode well for me, either. I was told however, that our order was up and on it's way. Relief.

Order arrived, 3 baskets first, 3 to come, with one missing fries. The waitress left to get the truant deep fried taters, and shortly returned with the same basket, without fries. Seems from our table to the kitchen, all of 20 feet, something got in the way of her best intentions. The other three baskets were delivered, with a disclaimer on the chicken strips that 'one was missing, and the cook couldn't find it.' Really? How do you lose the strip? Did it run away from the bad service? Maybe it was embarrassed to be part of such a fiasco? I guess where I come from I wouldn't have explained that in a 10x10 kitchen someone lost a chicken strip (just put another in the oil pit of death OK?), but please stay tuned as we have an APB out on it now -Somewhere in Hood River our strip was on the loose!

The food was mediocre, at least what did arrive. Even the tardy fowl meat arrived, although we're not sure where he vanished to, and was watched closely by more than one of us at the table. Can't trust 'em I tell you.

We left a memento on the table - A plate with ketchup spelling out 'This Place Is Lame' - I know, I know, childish at best, but afterwards we laughed like mad at the whole event and left with a memory we won't soon forget...

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g51909-d440875-Reviews-Charburger_Country-Hood_River_Oregon.html