ABOARD THE CARNIVAL SENSATION – The tantalizing sizzle of hamburgers frying on a griddle sure caught my attention. I don’t even like hamburgers but I had to try one of these tempting beef sandwiches.
After all, this is the famous Guy’s Burger Joint, added to Carnival Sensation on a 2017 ship update. Created in partnership with Food Network’s spiky-haired Guy Fieri, this poolside restaurant is hopping from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
And it doesn’t cost extra aboard the Carnival Sensation.?The 80/20 ground chuck burgers are hot and juicy with a whole separate counter filled with toppings.
To start, you choose the type of burger you want – the Plain Jane with or without super melty cheese; the Pig Patty with beef, bacon and cheese; the Ringer with cheese, Guy’s bourbon and brown sugar BBQ sauce and a crispy onion ring; or the Chilius Maximus with cheese, onion ring and topped off with chili.
I went with the Pig Patty. It was so huge, I couldn’t keep the bun squashed down on top of it.
Burgers can come with or without with a slather of Donkey Sauce – Guy’s “jacked-up secret mayo sauce.” The fresh-cooked burger is then plopped on a tasty butter grilled roll.
Now it’s time to take the burger to the toppings station –sautéed mushrooms and onions, raw onions, tomatoes, pickles, bacon bits, crispy chips, lettuce and peppers.
Then it is on to the condiments – ketchup, mustard, chipotle mayo and other stuff.
The hand-cut french fries are crispy without being soggy, just the way a good fry should be. Don’t know what it is but Guy’s secret seasoning adds to the total taste.
Upscale gas station decor
The décor of the burger restaurant is definitely upscale gas station with license plates, road signs and what looks like oil dipstick wipe rags for napkins. Even the servers sport distinctive service station apparel – dark grey shirts with the “Guy’s Burger Joint” logo embroidered and their names (Were those guys smiling at my camera really named “Possum” and “Bandit?”)
The back of a server’s shirt reads “You can’t have it your way. You’ll have it Guy’s way.” Baseball caps atop the servers’ heads add to the casual ambiance.
Lido Deck 10 is definitely the perfect spot for this joint. I seldom went past it when folks weren’t in line to get a burger and settle into a poolside lounge or head into the air-conditioned buffet Seaview Restaurant.
Even as a non-burger person, I can see the attraction here. For a hamburger, it was good, especially the bun and the fries. That’s a high compliment from someone like me who doesn’t eat one of America’s most popular fast foods.
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
