Bottom Line: The Scorpion Gourmet Burger from Red Robin delivers a big and beefy burger that also brings some heat.
There are lots of places that you can go for a good hamburger, from an old-fashioned diner to a casual sit-down restaurant to a high-end establishment that will charge you twenty bucks or more for your ground beef on a bun. But when I am in the mood for a really good burger, along with an ice-cold brew, one of my go-to places is Red Robin which has been slinging the beef patties for over fifty years. You can’t beat their Tavern Doubles, which deliver a beefy bite and a great value, but their gourmet burgers are worth checking out as well. I stopped by there recently and noticed a new spicy addition to the menu and figured that I had to try that one out.
The Scorpion Gourmet Burger has the following description on the Red Robin website:
Fire-grilled beef burger topped with Scorpion Pepper Sauce, Pepper-Jack, fried jalapeño coins, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onions and jalapeños roasted in Scorpion sauce and roasted garlic aioli on a sesame seed bun.
Mine actually did not come with the sesame seed bun, and the picture they have on the site doesn’t show it either, so maybe somebody needs to edit that description? No matter, it didn’t keep me from enjoying my burger.
They don’t specify the size of the burger, but I believe this is a half-pound patty because it is plenty sizable. And you can count on Red Robin for a good piece of meat that is well-seasoned and cooked up just right. Heck, if you eat that patty just by itself, you will still enjoy it. But they dress it up in a way that compliments the beef and enhances the experience.
The Scorpion Pepper Sauce delivers an earthy, red pepper taste but not the immediate bite you expect from that scorching chili (don’t worry, the heat will make itself known). They go a bit heavy on that garlic aioli, and I will probably ask for that on the side next time. The jalapeno coins (just a fancy name for fried slices) are good on their own (they should make an appetizer of these) but they don’t stand out well amidst the other ingredients. The cheese adds a bit of creaminess and sharpness, but it is not very noticeable either. There is a nice tang from the pickles, which do manage to stand out, and good sweetness from the fresh red onions. Do take note that this is a big and messy burger and by the end it had collapsed to the point that I had to pull out the fork. It was still quite good, though.
When you first dig into this burger, it does not deliver the sting of heat you might expect from something with Scorpion in the name. It starts out at around Medium on my scale which is good enough to enhance the experience. But as you continue to work your way through it, the burger gets warmer and warmer to the point that it pushes the Hot level. The average mortal will definitely struggle with this one, but chiliheads should really enjoy it. By the time I was done, my mouth and lips were definitely burning and I was glad that I ordered that 22 oz IPA on draft to wash it down.
Nutrition-wise . . . don’t plan on making this burger a regular part of your diet. It comes in at 1,010 calories (with 63g of fat and 2540mg of sodium, yikes!) and that does not include the endless fries you get with the burger. Those probably add another four to five hundred calories and that is before you ask for seconds! So, the Scorpion Burger from Red Robin (or pretty much anything on the menu beyond the side salad) is not something you should be eating if you are watching your weight. Unless, of course, you are watching your weight go up! But for a splurge once in a while, this is definitely worth it.
Red Robin has a rather extensive menu that includes chicken and fish (they fry up a good fish and chips) and salads and more. But I rarely get past the burgers seeing as they do those so well. The Scorpion Burger sells for $14.79 in my area, which is about standard these days for a burger at a casual dining place. But most of their gourmet burgers are below fourteen bucks and they do come with endless fries. The Tavern Doubles are a heck of a deal at less than ten bucks for the burger and fries, but they took my favorite Fiery Ghost Tavern Double off the menu a while back. (Hey Red Robin, how about bringing that back?) Among the gourmet selections, spicy food lovers should also like the Burnin’ Love Burger which delivers a kick as well. The Scorpion Burger is new and this place is not as bad about yanking stuff off the menu, but I advise giving it a try sooner rather than later just in case.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 1010
Fat: 63g (22g Sat/2.5g Trans)
Protein: 40g
Carbs: 73g
Sodium: 2540mg