For quite a while now, one of my favorite burger toppings has been that of a fried egg, usually sunny-side up, always sitting on top of the sizzling meat and cool cheese, the sticky ovum running down your face and hands with every sensual bite. It’s usually worth the extra dollar charge to the bill.
It’s a singular treat of mostly gourmet burger spots. Almost none of the bigger fast food joints around town have even attempted an egg-drenched burger, except Jack in the Box. But now Sonic adds itself to this short list with its new Brunch Burger, available for a limited time only at $2.79 with a single-patty, which is more than enough.
Made with the usual Sonic burger platitudes including an undoubtedly 100-percent pure beef patty, crispy bacon strips, and a gooey layer of melted cheese, the Brunch Burger throws in a pillow-soft brioche bun and, for good measure, a fried-egg of sorts. They all come together in Sonic’s grand effort to serve the underserved between breakfast and lunch, even if people have securely had brunch for years.
Still, even though I went against dining protocol and had it for dinner, I’d have to say Sonic is mostly successful in creating a somewhat decent substitute for true brunch.
While the meat is juicy, bacon is salty, and cheese gunky — and yes, the brioche bun is a definite somewhat sweet improvement — the real tipping point here is the egg which, as you might have guessed, isn’t of the sunny-side-up variety but rather of the rubbery McMuffin sort. That means it’s a large pressed disc of what I believe to be an egg, professionally shaped and heartlessly cooked.
A good-enough spanner in the usual burger works, the egg, when combined especially with the cheese and large slice of tomato adds a nice bit of tasty roughage to the meal, a heated-wet goodness that can’t be denied. The meat I can give or take, especially when Sonic’s mouth-puckering bacon overtakes it. Thankfully, this brioche bun does an excellent job of tying it all together with its dull sweetness and makes it work rather well.
Overall, it’s a good attempt at a classy fast food burger. Do I wish it was a proper sunny-side up egg? Sure, I bet we all would. But, whatever it is, it can’t be any worse than the new Cherry Limeade Mimosa, which is a disappointing blend of limeade and orange juice.
The Brunch Burger would be a decent treat on a Wednesday morning (or evening), but on a Sunday, just head down to your favorite uppity bistro for its omelet, grapes, and champagne-infused drink specials instead. Cómpralo ya!
Purchased Price: $2.79
Size: Single
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 510 calories, 33 grams of fat, 21 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 190 milligrams of cholesterol, 1100 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 29 grams of protein.