Phantom Gourmet: JD's Burger Company In Sandwich

SANDWICH - Oozing with sauce, dripping with cheese, or bursting with meat. Whatever you order at JD's Burger Company in Sandwich, be sure to include a hearty side of napkins.

"You need two hands for absolutely everything that we serve," said co-owner Kristie Neal. "It's more fun that way. It keeps people coming back, and they'll laugh about it. They're like, 'gosh that's a mess,' or 'hose me down after I eat.'"

Creating a fun, family-oriented spot in their Cape Cod hometown was top priority for Kristie and her husband Jack. The food is downright delicious, with an emphasis on fresh, quality ingredients, like certified Angus beef and vine ripe tomatoes.

Though you can get a traditional cheeseburger, the menu also offers options like the spicy Inferno Burger, featuring jalapenos, roasted red and banana peppers and pepper jack cheese; the Black and Blue Burger topped with Applewood smoked bacon, bleu cheese crumbles, tomato and red onion; and the BBQ Bacon Burger finished with a stack of onion rings.

"It makes a statement when you're bringing the food out. Other people will say, 'Oh, what is that?' It definitely makes a statement," Kristie said.

You can forget the traditional patty altogether and go with something like the Buffalo Stance Chicken Burger, which boasts a spicy buffalo chicken breast, crispy lettuce and crumbled bleu cheese; or the Steak Bomb packed with shredded steak, roasted mushrooms and red pepper and melted provolone cheese. For a sandwich that's fun to order, try The Porky - made with slow roasted barbecue pulled pork and homemade apple slaw.

"It's another mess," Kristie assured us. "It's creamy, and then when you add the green apple, it has that nice crunch to it. Little bit different. And then with the hot pulled pork on the cold slaw, it gives it a nice compliment."

If you manage to eat your way through all of JD's featured burgers, you're free to move on to their specialty board, which may include the larger-than-life Mac Daddy Burger.

"It's double burgers on a triple bun with double cheese, double bacon, three different sauces, pickles, onion rings and a mozzarella stick on top," Kristie described.

If you don't see it on the menu, she says, just ask.

"All of our specials are what we have on a daily basis anyway. So even if the special may not be on the board on a certain day, a lot of folks will still ask for it, and we can accommodate them."

Perhaps you can't muster the appetite for a behemoth-sized burger. If that's the case, the kitchen suggests the chili cheese dog served on a brioche bun, fried banana pepper rings with chipotle aioli for dipping, or an order of their Wicked Good Wings served five different ways - from classic buffalo to garlic parmesan.

For an easy crowd-pleaser, try the loaded cheese fries: a full pound of French fries smothered in cheesy cheddar sauce, meaty chili and bacon bits.

"Nobody walks away saying, 'oh, there wasn't a lot of cheese on that,' or, 'could've had more chili.' They're fully loaded," Kristie promised. "We don't skimp."

Jack and Kristie run their restaurant just like they run their household. They keep their three children busy in the kitchen and keep customers entertained in the dining room with classic board games. Like a home, these owners make sure that everybody - staff and customers alike - feel happy and welcomed.

"Our staff is awesome," Kristie said. "They crack me up daily. We have fun here, and I think it shows when we're working, and I do like it. I don't dread coming into work, that's for sure."

You can find JD's Burger Company at 130 Heritage Plaza in Sandwich, and online at jdsburgercompany.com.

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