Well the last Fables went out of business in the late 90s-- but I remembered hearing people say there was a place out on Alpine that still makes "authentic" Mr. Fabulous burgers.
After 3 months of being on a pretty disciplined (and boring) diet, I decided today was a good day to eat some totally unhealthy food and find out about this place called "The Filling Station."
So the Filling Station is a ways down North Alpine, out in Comstock Park. The building looks a lot like an old Fables building but it is actually a former Red Hot Inn.
The interior is covered in license plates and vintage signage, it has the same Fables cafeteria-style layout and yes, lots of old people.
I ordered a Mr. Fabulous and onion rings. There's a little bit of a wait until they call your number but not annoyingly long.
I'm not a professional reviewer of food so I'm not really going to try and get too detailed here but was it f-ing awesome? Yes! Especially the onion rings, I mean look at that....
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| I am not ashamed to sit in a restaurant alone, photographing my food, but perhaps I should be. |
The Mr. Fab olive burger was pretty great too. I'd say the 2 beef patties seemed more substantial than at the other closest-place-to-Fables, Mr. Burger.
Was it an "authentic" Mr. Fables meal? Well... maybe. The last time I'd have eaten at Fables might've been 15 years ago. That, and the way nostalgia tends to enhance things, I couldn't really say how it measures up to the real thing anymore.
It was a dang good burger and onion rings though and a fun place to eat and people-watch. You should totally go.
Does anyone know if there was supposed to be something "special" about the Fables sauce or was it just room-temperature mayo?
Also, if you know a link to the old Fables tv commercial, lay it on me bro!
special as in other than the olives?
ReplyDeleteI have a good friend who use to work there, I can ask him about mayo. The filling station gets the rings right burgers not so much
Do they have chocolate cream pie? Or strawberry rhubarb pie?
ReplyDelete^ I can't remember but you know who does? Mr. Burger!
ReplyDeleteMr Fables had the best burgers in the city. They were quick, delicious and even with the flattening and pressing of the burgers on the flat top, they were amazing. The Filling Station is close...My wait was too long and the burgers, for me, just are not fables quality. It's too bad since there used to be SO many in the city. Now they are all New Beginnings maybe? Either way, Jonny B's, any and all Coneys and other Fables fraud perps are not quite doing the original justice. It's tough to replace a winner.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Filling Station first did the Fables-style burgers, they were much better and closer to the real deal. They changed how they did them as time went on, and now they aren't even close. I know that the Perrin Brewing guy used to own the place and sold it to the Mr. Burger people. They must have changed the recipe. Too bad...
ReplyDeleteI agree the burgers are not the same, but close. I am also happy that the old owner sold the place to Mr Burger Family. Overall the food is much better now. Perrin's food is horrible but that is because the old guy is working there now... :(
ReplyDeleteTheir burgers are way too thick to be a Mr. Fables burger.
ReplyDeleteI have lots of Kewpee's info as I worked there 1063-1968 as a teenager. 120 balls of burger from each 20 lb package. Onion ring batter was Drake's Mix and water. No such thing as "olive sauce"; just chopped olives on mayo. Steve O
ReplyDeletetypo and no way to edit. 1963, as 1063 was a little early.
DeleteFables added olive juice to the mayo ( to make a sauce)and chopped olives on top of the sauce
ReplyDelete