After two attempts to check out Flamme Burger, a local burger joint located at The Depot at Nickel Plate in Fishers, I finally arrived at a time when they were open on what was for me a lazy and rainy Sunday afternoon.
Unlike a lot of places that tend to deviate from their specialties in an effort to please everyone, Flamme Burger really does focus on burgers with only a few deviations from that theme including salads, tuna, a handful of chicken alternatives and a veggie burger. They also serve up a kids menu, three different types of fries, gelato shakes, and beer/wine.
They are located in the bottom floor of a building that also houses higher-end apartments. There are a handful of available parking spots on the street or along the side of the building, but you can also park in a handy dandy parking garage that points you to the left once you enter for those utilizing the retail spots in the building (including Flamme, a pizza joint, a yogurt spot and a couple other retail outlets). The parking lot was fairly dark, but the spots were easily available and helpful on a rainy day. They were ADA compliant.
As I entered, I'll admit that I was expecting more of a "sit down" experience. However, once you enter you head up to a tall counter with employees who seem to be standing on something to be even taller. As someone who's in a wheelchair, I found it a little awkward and more than a little difficult to actually hear the employees over the people at the bar, the television and the louder than usual acoustics. It wasn't horrible, but I definitely struggled to hear.
I had noticed a lunch special on the way in - their Depot Burger with fries for $8. The Depot Burger seems to be your gourmet cheeseburger with the fixins. You have a variety of bread options, though the cashier recommended sticking with their brioche bun. They prefer to serve their burgers medium or medium well and will tell you this up front. All the burgers are "wood-fired" and they have a variety of specialty burgers along with a create-your-own option.
I ordered my usual unsweetened iced tea and my total bill came in a bit over $10. I definitely consider it a solid value.
Not surprisingly, the burger was the highlight here. It was served as ordered, medium well, and was quite delicious. The brioche bun complements the meat nicely. I did remove some of the toppings, though that was based on personal preference and not a reflection of quality. Flamme's burgers are made with 100% all natural beef, with no hormones or antibiotics. They grind their own blend of Black Angus Beef daily.
The fries are hand-cut and free of trans fats. The serving size is plentiful, but not overwhelming. With the special, it appeared that i received a small/medium drink.
Once you order, you get a number and find a table. They bring your food to you when it's ready. They don't really have "table service," but they do seem to check on some folks occasionally. I had assumed they get the drinks since the person at the counter said he'd bring mine to the table, but I eventually caught on their was a dispenser in a corner of the dining area opposite of where I'd chosen to sit.
If I were to base my review on food alone, Flamme would likely be looking at a 4-star rating. I can't ignore, however, what felt like significant accessibility issues - the initial counter experience, a rather tight-fitting dining area with a handful of lower tables yet narrow pathways, and my complete inability to obtain a refill of my iced tea because the fountain dispenser was impossible to access due to no path being available AND no one ever bothering to check to see if I was okay.
Quite simply, inexcusable. Shapiro's in Keystone at the Crossing faced similar design challenges and was able to address them. While I prefer independence, I think I'd have been happy if someone had just checked on me or offered a refill. It was a small iced tea and a decent-sized meal. It's ridiculous that I have to leave your restaurant and go to McDonald's to get another iced tea.
That's failure of design and failure of customer service. Period.
However, while such an experience would frequently have me giving a 1 or 2-star rating, the quality of the food and the initial friendliness of the crew has me feeling like these are issues that can be worked out. So, I'm sticking with a 3-star rating for now with the disclaimer that if you're in a wheelchair you might want to not visit Flamme alone unless you have a really high level of independence. read more