3 out of 5 burgers
NOPA is a bright and airy restaurant in (no surprise) Western Addition/NOPA. The large windows and modern decor make it a great place to dine and their burger is frequently ranked among the best in the city. I think at this point in my burger search, it’s important to distinguish between exclusively burger restaurants and restaurants that have a burger on their menu- NOPA falls in the latter category. My preference is generally for specialty burgers with unique and creative toppings; however, I am excited to review restaurants with a wider menu.
The Burger: The grass-fed beef patty itself what makes NOPA’s burger. Extremely juicy and tender, it’s the kind of burger you want a stack of napkins close by for. Unfortunately, for me that’s where the remarkable aspects of this burger ended. The burger comes with pickled onions, lettuce and homemade aioli, and can be customized with cheese or bacon as pictured below. The burger was fairly bland and left me craving more flavor.
The Fries: The burger comes with a side of french fries (great when dipped in the aioli) that are the right combination of crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. My batch of fries was slightly over-salted, but after the pedestrian burger I appreciated the added flavor.
The Ambiance: NOPA’s ambiance is what brings this review from 2 stars to 3. The high ceilings and large windows allow natural light to shine on the clean, modern decor below. Another plus for NOPA, perfect portion size at moderate prices ($13 for burger and fries combo.) As for the service, it was almost overly-attentive.
For more information visit the Nopa Website or find them on Yelp and Google Maps.