By Cassidy Rota | Contributing Writer
Tucked away on Marlborough Street in Newport, R.I. is Mission, a low-key burger joint with a serious affinity for taste. Mission recently celebrated its one-year anniversary and it’s obvious they’re doing something right. While anyone can own a burger joint, there’s something different about this diamond in the rough. Whether you’re grabbing a bun on the run or stopping in for a dog and a beer with a friend, Mission knows burgers.
As you walk through the door, it becomes evident how laidback the environment is. In deli-style fashion, customers approach the counter to place their order and then pick their seats, which are on a first-come first- served basis. Hanging behind the counter is Mission’s short yet unique menu. It is handwritten on a massive roll of brown recycled paper. The choices were written in black neatly but hurriedly. A note at the bottom explains to customers that Mission tries to use “fresh and organic products from local growers and harvesters.”
With only three choices for entrees, a burger, hot dog or falafel, you know they have to be bursting with flavor. Burgers can be ordered either as a classic or with cheese. Both options come with lettuce, onion and “Mission sauce,” (which deserves its own paragraph.) You also have the option of a bacon cheeseburger or a “Mickey D,” a burger with ketchup, mustard, diced onions and peppers.
Dogs, as they’re called at Mission, can be served as a classic dog on a toasted bun or with toppings like coleslaw (slaw), sauerkraut (sauer), or relish added on top for an extra 25 cents. For $5 customers can enjoy the “Chicago dog” topped with relish, onions, mustard, dill pickle and celery salt.
I decided to go with a cheeseburger and fries while my boyfriend opted for the Chicago dog sans fries. Naturally, he was planning to eat all of mine. As we turned to head to a table, our waiter handed us a table marker with a number that matched the one on our receipt.
This was no ordinary table marker—it was a plastic tiger figurine labeled “Sasha Fierce” in Sharpie above a large “7.” Mission’s playful acknowledgement of Beyoncé’s alter ego shows off their sense of humor.
We headed to a large table in the corner by the window. In front of us, two men sat at a large high table surrounded by black, four legged metal stools that had different puns painted in white letters on the seats. The stools seemed to be where Mission’s quirkiness and sense of humor came together. Among the sayings were: “’Treat Yo Self’, ‘Grub Life’ and ‘Good Vibes Save Lives.’”
Our food came to us shortly we sat down. I opted to try my fries first. I was given the perfect amount. It was clear this was one of those times I would actually be able to eat all of my fries. They were a thick cut, the kind that have to be made on site and are not from the freezer. My eagerness was punishing as I burned my tongue on the first bite, but the stinging was worth the taste. When touching them you would have thought they were burned slightly; the outside was hard, not moist like an order from McDonald’s. But biting into one, you were taken aback by the soft, steaming center. A satisfying crunch of each bite was followed by the sponginess of a baked potato.
I had to force myself to stop eating my fries to turn to my burger. The burger itself was smaller than usual; I could actually pick up the whole thing without having to cut it in half. The potato bun was toasted on the inside and the American cheese stuck to the top. It was melted in a way that if I lifted off the top of the bun, strings of cheese would keep the bun and burger connected. The burger sat on top of red onions, crunchy, fresh romaine lettuce and the long awaited Mission sauce.
The menu described “Mission sauce” as being comprised of aioli with ketchup, cornichons, capers, fines-herbs and brandy, but it was so much more than that. Mission sauce reminded me of McDonald’s Big Mac sauce, except Mission sauce was so, so much better. The burger was moist and its juices were dripping onto my fingers with each bite. The more I ate the more I noticed the freshness of each element. The lettuce was cold and crunchy and the onions sank into the gooeyness of the cheese.
I was afraid that after my awe-inspiring burger, the Chicago dog wouldn’t compare. I was so very wrong. Stacked high with toppings that added an extra inch in height and sitting comfortably on a toasted bun was the Chicago dog. It was hard to taste the dog in its entirety with one bite, so I had three, much to my boyfriend’s dismay. It was the first and only time I did not add ketchup to a hot dog.
The fiery red pepper and candied relish competed for taste domination in my mouth. The two opposing flavors accompanied an ordinary hot dog in a way that no other would. Although, the relish did its best to offset the watering of my eyes from the pepper, I was still left with traces of zest minutes after.
As my boyfriend picked off the last of my fries, we both agreed that Mission would definitely be a favorite of ours.
Mission is located at 29 Marlborough Street in Newport. It is closed Mondays, but open Tuesday – Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
