Local burger lovers have a new spot to add to their foodie list. Bobby’s Burger Palace (BBP) opened on July 28, 2015 at 515 Virginia Avenue in Towson Square.
The restaurant features burgers that are inspired by Chef Bobby Flay. Diners can expect to choose from specialty creations cooked with certified Angus beef, ground turkey or whole chicken breast. Along with other meaty selections, the Philadelphia Burger, Carolina Burger, Brunch Burger, L.A. Burger, Dallas Burger and BBP’s Crunchburger® reflect Flay’s travels throughout America and his love of comfort food.
Any burger can be cooked to order. Burgers can be “Crunchified,” by topping them with crisp chips, at no additional charge. Sides include hand-cut French fries with BBP Fry Sauce, sweet potato fries with honey mustard horseradish sauce and buttermilk onion rings. Milkshake fans may choose from 10 exotic options like blueberry-pomegranate with or without real whipped cream. Salads and sandwiches are adorned with BBP’s unique touches, too. The Topless Burger Salad combines balsamic dressing with any burger served on top of baby greens.
Laurence Kretchmer is Flay’s business partner who oversees the BBP chain. He explained that BBP is not a fast-food dive. How does he feel that it differs from most local burger joints?
“The food is made with only the best ingredients. Every meal is cooked to order…like you go into a bigger restaurant and ask, ‘How would you like your burger cooked?’ Our burgers are cooked rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, well-done, however a guest likes it,” Kretchmer said. “The options are very different. It’s the only burger chain that we know of which is absolutely chef-driven where every recipe is created by a world-class or world-famous chef. The level of hospitality that we provide, where we have an inexpensive price point, we offer a higher level of service that we try to make it a more comfortable, accessible place, but keeping that value of things front and center always.”
BBP Towson includes indoor seating for 65 guests and space for 24 on an outdoor terrace. The restaurant is open from Sunday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Kretchmer says that BPP is a great spot for friends to gather, a place for guys to leave the office and grab a bite to eat, or buddies to get together after work. However, it is a very family-friendly place.
“There is no alcohol here. We do that on purpose. We want to keep it light and friendly,” Kretchmer said. “I imagine on the weekends, you will see a lot more families in here. We have a special deal for kids where you can get a burger, fries and a drink for less than the price of any our burgers alone that an adult would get.”
There are 19 BBP locations throughout the country. Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz welcomed BBP to Towson Square, which is the newest dining and entertainment district in the heart of Towson, Maryland, anchored by a state-of-the-art 15-screen Cinemark Theatre. Before his visit, Kamenetz proposed the idea of adding a finishing touch.
“We need a Towson Burger on your menu, and it could be all Baltimore County homegrown ingredients,” Kamenetz said on opening day. “It’s a perfect time to make that Towson Burger on the map. It’ll be a great seller, so see ya soon.”