Restaurant Review : Habits Cafe - Home of the Ostrich!

'Twas my second visit to Habits Cafe in Oakley. I had been there before for a get-together with a gal pal of mine who I hadn't seen in years! Her boyfriend worked there, it was a convenient place to meet, and I had heard good things about an ostrich burger from my co-worker. So I really wanted to try it! The first time, I ordered the ostrich burger godzilla style, with a side of mac and cheese. The ostrich meat itself was a little pink, and I wasn't incredibly impressed by the taste of it. I guess I was expecting some miraculous flavorful meat that tasted like it had been made from the hands of God or something. But it wasn't all that. I think the toppings is what made the burger for me. Godzilla style features a pepperjack cheese, spicy onion straws, and jalapeno mayo. I feel as though if I made ANY burger godzilla style, it would be good. Even like the lowest grade White Castle burger meat would be good godzilla style! I wasn't very impressed by the mac n cheese, I must say.

So while I was out shopping for work in the Oakley area, I knew I had to stop somewhere for lunch, and since I' m always thinking on my blogging toes, I wanted to pick a place that I could blog about! So I made my way down Madison, not knowing if I was going the right way or not, but I was on a mission to get to Habits! The first time I went, I had exact directions, but this time I was guessing. I was so glad when I found it! There it is, good ole' Habits!

I was even more glad when I walked in and saw NO ONE! Only the bartender and server. This made me happy because my lunch breaks are limited and I was worried it would take too long. Apparently, since Habits is like a bar slash restaurant, it is dead during lunch time, at least when I went.

So I was happy to get in and out. I came back for that ostrich burger. I wanted to critique it for the second time to see if maybe I was just a little off that first time I visited. I wanted to love the ostrich! But again, I didn't.  :(   The meat seemed a little grainy and had little hard white pieces in it that I had to keep picking out of each bite. But godzilla saved the meal. I found myself picking off the onion straws and dipping them in the jalapeno mayo.

 

This time I got the sweet potato fries instead of that bland mac and cheese. They were good, but I wasn't a fan of the dipping sauce. So next time if I go back, I want to try a different kind of burger godzille style, not ostrich, ... or maybe I will even venture out to a different style, or maybe not even a burger!

There IS ALOT of construction going on around Habits right now, and since the first time I went a couple of months back. This is what I saw as soon as I stepped out of the restaurant...

and to my right...

There isn't really a parking lot for Habits, but there is street parking at a meter, or you can just park at CVS like I did and walk to it. For those of you who make Habits a habit, I want to understand why! I want to love the ostrich, but so far I'm not quite sure that I do....

I'll be back though! I won't give up hope!

Update - 9/3/11: I just went back here a couple of days ago to meet up with some grade school friends, and ordered just a regular cheeseburger instead of an ostrich burger, and ordered it godzilla style - like always. It was very good! I am so glad that I tried it, as the meat was delicious and the patty was handmade and not a frozen patty. That's always a plus :) Also had a Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat ($4), which I enjoyed.