I really wanted to like the burger at Accá…read more
I actually did like it the first time I tried it about two years ago. It was solid, just not memorable. Good enough, but not something that pulled me back.
Fast forward to now. My friend would not stop talking about the burger she had recently, especially the $8 burger deal she thought was on Wednesdays. She raved about it enough that after reviewing Phantom Padel, we decided to swing by Accá late in the evening.
We walked in around 8:26 pm, knowing they close at 9. We asked if it was too late to order and they assured us it was fine. There was a large birthday party still eating and just getting appetizers, so we were told there was no rush. Still, we felt bad and ordered quickly. Two double-patty burgers (ordered medium rare), a pomodoro pasta, and one additional burger to go.
The staff was kind and welcoming. The head chef had already left and the remaining kitchen team was in cleanup mode, with one cook handling food while others wrapped up. It was a small, intimate setting. You can see directly into the kitchen, which I usually enjoy, but this time it worked against the experience.
Watching the burger being prepared, the patty hit a very cool lift-style grill with barely any seasoning. Just a small pinch of salt. When the burgers came out, they looked pretty, but were absolutely drowning in sauce. And then the first bite.
Raw.
Not medium rare. Not rare. Seared on the outside and essentially raw in the middle. On top of that, the amount of sauce was overwhelming to the point of being gag-inducing. We looked at each other and immediately knew we were having the same experience. My friend kept apologizing, saying she remembered it being much better. Honestly, I did too.
The fries were excellent. Crispy, well seasoned, easily the highlight of the meal. We were also given two salads, a beet and grapefruit salad and a Caesar. Both were actually very good with nice textures, plenty of cheese, and still fresh despite sitting for a bit.
I had ordered my to-go burger with no sauce or sauce on the side, but it came fully sauced anyway. That matters when something is boxed up and sitting, because it just keeps soaking.
Another uncomfortable moment came when my friend's pomodoro pasta was being made. The kitchen staff was openly debating whether it should have ricotta or mascarpone. In an open kitchen, hearing uncertainty about a basic component of a dish is not reassuring.
They did check on us, but at that point the kitchen was being scrubbed down and closing. We weren't about to be those customers asking for everything to be redone. We packed the burgers up, went home, and I ended up microwaving them just to finish cooking so they were edible.
What made the experience more disappointing is the pedigree behind the restaurant. Andrés Pablos was recently announced as a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas. He's a CIA San Antonio graduate with experience in Michelin-starred kitchens, including Akelarre in San Sebastián and Noma in Copenhagen.
With that background, you expect a tight, well-oiled kitchen. That was not what we experienced.
For context, the double burger was $19. There is apparently an $8.50 burger deal on Tuesdays, likely for a single patty. My friend had thought it was Wednesday, which is what sparked the visit in the first place.
I'm sharing this because I genuinely went in hopeful. Accá has the talent and reputation to be great. This visit just didn't live up to it.
