With the arrival of cool weather and holiday shopping madness, does the idea of a fast and hot meal sound good?
Would it sound even better if you knew the meal was a classic burger, hot dog or chili, with the fixings, prepared fresh? Plus, there's a sweet little sugar rush when you're done?
Hogan's Burger Shack is a newcomer to the North County restaurant scene, although patrons of the Palm Beach Gardens Greenmarket will recognize their signature dessert from their market stand. While the phrase "fine dining" could not be used to describe this strip-mall spot, the choice of location is advantageous to shoppers heading to Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens stores from Martin County, and those heading north to Stuart's downtown shops and Hutchinson Island beaches.
The room is simple: wood floors, tables and chairs, beach-related art on the walls. Service is simple: walk up the counter and order. Food presentation is simple: baskets with plastic utensils and lots of napkins. Hogan's main menu is simple, and fits on a four-inch by six-inch piece of paper: burgers, hot dogs, chili, chicken tenders, fries, onion rings and Italian beef. Some unique items: the Shackburger (bacon, barbeque and Cheddar cheese) and the Fry Burger (Italian beef gravy and French fries - no meat). Fries come plain, with cheese or with chili and cheese.
The burgers are hand-formed, thin patties that come off the grill juicy. Hogan's toasts their buns, which keeps the sandwich from falling apart. And try your food before you douse it with seasonings or condiments. Owners Lisa and William Hogan and David Ahbol actually understand Basic Food Seasoning 101, and do a nice job. The spice mix on the fries has salt and possibly a touch of cayenne pepper; not a lot of heat, but an order will leave a tingle on your lips.
Things get interesting when you look up at the "Snow To Go" board, the list of over 30 snowballs flavors, their version of the snow cone or shaved iced dessert. There are the usual, including strawberry, blueberry, grape and coconut. Then things get a little weird, with flavors such as Hurricane, Jamaican, Skittles, Sandbar, Cloud Nine and cotton candy. The snowballs come in three sizes, and provide a sweet and cold finish for the rest of the menu.
Prices are more than family-friendly, they are downright inexpensive, with burgers from $4-$7, hot dogs from $2.50-$3.50 and other sandwiches from $5-$6. Sides are offered in small and large orders, and are priced from $2.50 to $5. Snowballs are priced from $3 to $8, depending on size.
It's good to see more fine dining in Jupiter and Tequesta. But sometimes, you just crave a burger. Head over to Hogan's to take care of that. And ignore the cool weather just for a moment, to savor a snowball.
Hogan's Burger Shack, 181 U.S. Highway 1,Tequesta, FL 33469. Phone 561-503-7669. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday noon to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays.
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