Chubby’s now throwing its weight around in Saratoga Springs
The Jalapeno Ranch Deluxe with a side of Beer-Battered Fries at Chubby’s Cafe in Saratoga Springs. Deluxe burgers in many varieties are a menu specialty at Chubby’s.
The Chubby Cheesesteak is pictured on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017 at Chubby’s Cafe in Saratoga Springs.
A side of scones with honey butter at Chubby’s Cafe in Saratoga Springs.
The Southern Crispy BBQ Chicken Sandwich at Chubby’s.
A side of mashed potatoes with cheese and bacon at Chubby’s.
A side of mashed potatoes with cheese and bacon on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017 at Chubby’s Cafe in Saratoga Springs.
The Chubby Cheesesteak is a menu highlight at Chubby’s Cafe in Saratoga Springs.
Opened right around the holidays, Chubby’s Café in Saratoga Springs is a burger and sandwich-stuffed Christmas gift to Utah Valley that keeps on giving, in the most delicious way.
The restaurant, which opened its doors for the first time right around Christmas and New Year’s, is managed by Ryan Schooley and Will Moak, and is another notch in the belt of the Moaks when it comes to building a successful business from the ground up.
According to Schooley, the Chubby’s Café franchise kicked off seven years ago under the stewardship of Tom and Mike Moak, who dropped everything to start a business they could stand behind. The brothers sold all they had to get things going, taking a leap of faith and their mother’s recipes to start a burger joint that could carve its own niche into the unique spread of restaurants that dot the state of Utah. The brothers used the money they made during lunch in the beginning to buy the supplies for dinner, and steadily built their way toward a bigger building and, eventually, the opportunity for expansion.
That do-it-yourself, nose-to-the grindstone spirit is part of how Schooley teamed with Will Moak to open the Saratoga Springs location of Chubby’s, shifting from the Moak family’s former attorney to a part of the Chubby’s legacy. The pair worked to design and build out the interior of the restaurant before prepping it for its late December opening, and has stood behind the staff as the menu slowly expands to cover all of Chubby’s original offerings.
Though I’m a sucker for local stories of go-getters and successful start-ups like this one, I’m an even bigger sucker for fantastic burgers, which is why I was beyond excited to be on deck for reviewing Chubby’s, and am excited to get to the part where I talk about the food.
For the record, when I dine out just with family and friends, I tend to default rather than experiment with the full menu of options. Essentially — I’m a big fan of burgers and will get them almost anywhere I go. Eating at Chubby’s, however, has set the bar high enough I don’t know if I’m going to be able to go back to normal restaurant burgers.
My crew and I set our sights on Chubby’s late last week for a lunch stop, winding our way through the rustic Americana style tables and booths to the back of the restaurant where the beverage machines and cashiers were waiting.
The Chubby’s in Saratoga Springs is located at the end of a strip mall (though let’s be honest, I was so focused on getting to the food I didn’t notice who the neighbors were) and features a couple huge screen displays with the menu options.
There’s roughly a dozen options when it comes to freshly made burgers, with an almost equally lofty list of chicken sandwiches, a few salad options, a handful of Kids Meal options and adult basket deals, including wings, chicken strips and battered fish and shrimp.
The restaurant setup allows for ordering first at a counter, then snagging your condiments and napkins before finding a seat to wait for the goods to arrive. It’s the kind of casual dining that lends itself perfectly to a quick meal, but somehow manages to do that without sacrificing any quality.
Getting straight to the point, and the beef, I followed the suggestion of a friendly Chubby’s staffer and ordered the BBQ Burger. Priced at $7.99, the burger comes piled with pepperjack cheese, a tangy BBQ sauce, grilled onions, coleslaw and pickles, with your choice of side included.
Word to the wise, these burgers are BIG. So set aside any issues you might have with getting a little messy before you order one. They’re well worth the sticky fingers.
It took me a minute to figure out how to best dig in to my burger, but once I did, I didn’t want to stop. The slaw at Chubby’s is sweet and ridiculously well-seasoned (I’m not usually a coleslaw fan), and paired really well with the flavor of the grilled onions. The tang of the BBQ sauce was a nice contrasting element, with a well-cooked patty and crisp, toasted buns completing the picture. The combination was perfect, and it’s made me beyond enthusiastic about heading back to try some other burger options, including the Cheesesteak Burger, Bacon Ranch Burger or even just the Utah Cheeseburger (American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and fry sauce).
I chose the scones for my side, a great choice for me considering how filling my burger was. The scones at Chubby’s are pretty decently sized, served in pairs and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Combined with the sweet honey butter sauce that comes with them, they were almost more dessert than side, and beyond delicious. Scones have a tendency to be greasy, but these tasty nuggets were far from it, and so good we ended up with a second order of them.
My husband tackled the chicken offerings with the Chicken Bacon Ranch, and we were equally impressed with it. The chicken was crisp on the outside, moist on the inside, and well-seasoned across the board. One of the biggest issues we usually have with sandwiches like this is either too much or too little in the ranch department, but somehow Chubby’s has managed to strike the perfect balance, making for a really great flavor experience sandwiched between two crispy buns.
His meal was accompanied by French fries — tasty for sure and well-cooked, but definitely a side to the great entrees we were eating.
Our group also tackled one of the basket meal items — the Buffalo Wings. Cooked to juicy perfection and tossed in a tasty sauce that spans the spectrum of both sweet and spicy, the wings were flavored well enough they hardly needed the ranch dipping sauce that accompanied them.
Also well-seasoned were the Hushpuppies we added as a side to them. With a crispy, fried exterior and a warm, bready center, they made a great, Southern-style addition to our meal.
Our final entrée was the Chubby Cheesesteak — a deliciously loaded, lightly toasted hoagie with grilled steak, mushrooms, peppers, onions and pepperjack and Swiss cheese. We loved the flavors of the meat, and how everything melted together in each bite. For an extra kick, the sandwich is served with horseradish mayo, two flavors that combined together to add just a subtle hint of a familiar flavor.
With the sandwich, we sampled the Beer Battered French Fries, and though we tend to veer more toward the traditional flavoring of fries, the added sweetness was undeniably goodOur last menu pick was the Kids Meal Mac & Cheese with a side of mashed potatoes, and we can definitely say it wasn’t just the 2-year-old enjoying gooey cheese and subtle seasonings. We also helped to finish off the creamy potatoes, and loved the topping of melted cheese and crisp bacon. We’ll definitely be ordering it in grown-up size next time we visit.
The Chubby’s menu generally includes shakes and a variety of desserts, but unfortunately, since this location is still spreading its wings, shakes weren’t yet an option, and most of the handmade desserts sounded so delicious they had already been snatched up by other hungry diners. We were, however, able to wrap up our meal with the Banana Pudding, and don’t let the simplicity of the title throw you off. I’m pretty sure it’s the best Banana Pudding I’ve ever had. Layered with whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs, the pudding has the flavor of banana without it being overwhelming. The creaminess of it was perfect, and I’m wishing I had a recipe.
When it comes to burgers, there’s a few different ways to judge quality. Speed is usually a good indicator (think fast food and drive-throughs). So is menu — when there’s just a couple burger options on a great big menu, it’s a good indicator burgers aren’t the focus. Then there’s burger joints where size tends to matter. Bigger isn’t always better, but when it comes to Chubby’s, size matters. The burgers are big, freshly made, and piled with an assortment of equally fresh and delicious ingredients. The same can be said of the sandwiches. Combine that with price, and the value is unbeatable.
We tend to be a little miserly when it comes to dining out. With two kids and a mortgage, we choose where we go carefully, and if there’s not a good value for the price, we probably won’t head back anytime soon. That being said, I’m already planning our next trip to Chubby’s. With its utterly American (in the best way) cuisine with a hint of Cajun and Southern flavors, Chubby’s in Saratoga Springs is a much-needed, utterly delectable addition to the west side of the valley.
CHUBBY’S CAFÉ
Where: 1284 Redwood Road in Saratoga Springs
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday
Prices: $5.29-$9.99 for adult entrees
Info: (385) 352-7143, facebook.com/Chubbyscafesaratogasprings
