Yesterday I had dinner with my folks at Lunchbox Laboratory. I had driven past it in Bellevue quite a few times, and thought it looked cool from the outside. While driving on my route, listening to Kent & Allen in the Morning (a local Seattle radio show), they mentioned that they had eaten there before, and the burgers were good. I decided to look them up on Yelp, and the photos of food looked amazing. After looking up the online menu, noticing unique burger and shake combinations, as well as some other things, I decided we had to check it out.
The parking is in a garage under the restaurant. It was a little difficult to find the parking garage, and even more difficult to find the correct elevator. We were also given a card with a number on it to type a code to use the bathroom. The restaurant shares a bathroom with the residential gym it appears, so that is why they do that.
The atmosphere of the Lunchbox Laboratory is really cool. There are several vintage/retro lunchboxes behind glass, placed on shelves, or used as napkin and condiment holders on the tables. It makes the environment very fun. The lunchbox at our table had hearts and Tootsie Rolls on it, saying, "I love Tootsie Rolls."
I was very tempted to order one of their unique shakes, but I ordered the "Fresh Squeezed Lemonade and Strawberry" beverage instead. This drink is served in a beaker with a lemon wedge. It was tasty and refreshing. It does not get free refills, but that is okay. I had plenty of water to keep me hydrated. My parents ordered sodas. They got free refills, but their beverages were not served in beakers.
For my meal, I ordered the "Burger of the Gods." First of all, what a great name, right? Advertised on the menu as having "Super-Beef, Crumbled Bleu Cheese, Candied Balsamic Onions, and Super Gorgonzola Spread," it did not even need the sliced pickle, tomato, onion, and lettuce they put on the side of it. It was plenty delicious on it's own (the condiments served with it made a nice side-salad, instead). I started eating my burger as soon as the waiter left, and realized I hadn't taken a photo of it! So, I may have been able to get a better angle, if I were not so hungry at the time. It is actually a lot more beautiful than this photo (which was taken with my mom's borrowed ancient cell phone, vs. my normal photo devices). The burger itself actually looks much closer to the photo on the menu than seen here. The taste lives up to its name. Delicious flavors surround the juicy beef. The burger comes with one side. For my side, I got the "House Made Chips." I was very pleased with my side order, they complimented everything very well.
My dad ordered the same burger, but decided to order one of the "Weekly Experiments" for his side. He ordered the "Coconut Yellow Curry Mac," which is a form of Mac & Cheese with coconut and curry in it. I tried some. It was good, but it was really strong. It kind of overpowered my other bites of food after tasting it. A small portion was nice, but I think a whole serving would be too much for my tastes. I was glad I got the chips. Next time, I will probably get the fries. They have some interesting sauces I want to try.
After we were done eating, our bellies were full, but not over-stuffed, which was nice. I contemplated ordering a shake for dessert, but decided I would be miserable if I did. I will definitely have to give this place another try. What I had was excellent.
Lunchbox Laboratory has locations in Bellevue, Seattle, and Gig Harbor.
