H.F. Crave – From Our Farm To Your Table

The best way to begin describing our dining experience at H.F. Crave (hfcrave.com) is to quote something that someone in our group said after we had finished devouring every delicious burger that hit our table: “I’m so full…but like, in a good way.”

You know what we’re talking about. Sometimes you can eat so much it hurts, especially with hardy meals like gourmet burgers. The thing with H.F. Crave is that their beef comes from the owner’s farm in Elmwood, NE—JR and Nikke Hollenbeck and Hollenbeck Farms—and it is grounded in-house daily. The Hollenbeck family has been raising cattle since 1901 and they are free-range cows that have never been fed hormones, steroids, or antibiotics. Plus, almost all of the ingredients used in their recipes are grown on the farm as well, resulting in the ultimate “fresh” dining experience. So, if you’re ever just really craving a burger, you can indulge yourself at H.F. Crave without feeling guilty or crummy afterwards. Plus, they even have gluten-free and vegetarian options!

Burgers come in different shapes and sizes, and there are about a million different ways to prepare them. Yet somehow, H.F. Crave has managed to cover all the bases with their selection of 10 signature burgers. From spicy to sweet to savory—there is an option for every burger lover on the menu.

The Git-Up was the first burger we tried and it definitely made a first impression! The smoked jalapeno sausage gave it a spicy kick without being too much. We could still enjoy the flavors from the juicy beef patty, granny apple slaw, and honey mustard.

Next, we tried the Talladega burger. This one gets its personality from the honey sriracha marinated pork belly, giving it a unique blend of sweet and spicy flavors. Each bite is balanced out with the tastes of cream cheese and home-made peach habanero jam on a brioche bun. Very yummy!

The biggest and most welcomed surprise was the Godzilla burger. By looking at it, you can see where it get its name. However, it sure doesn’t taste like Godzilla! (Not sure how Godzilla tastes…but probably not good.) We actually decided to get this one on a locally-sourced, gluten-free bun. We didn’t think we would like the gluten-free bun as much as we did! In fact, the texture of it actually complimented the burger’s toppings perfectly. The marinated broccolini gives it a fresh flavor that goes well with the provolone cheese. Even if you’re not gluten-free, we recommend ordering the Godzilla with the gluten-free bun.

At H.F. Crave, you can substitute out ground beef for a grilled chicken breast or a veggie patty at no extra cost. We ordered the You’re Bacon Me Bleu burger with chicken, which turned out being really good! The blue cheese and bacon aioli make it memorable. We’re also happy to report that the veggie patty at H.F. Crave kind of gives the ground beef a run for its money! As a group of meat lovers, we were skeptical, but we liked that it didn’t taste like it was trying to be a beef patty. It has its own flavor and can really redefine a burger in a good way. We found this out when we ordered the Philly with the veggie patty. It went really great with the grilled mushrooms and peppers and caramelized onions. We also learned that the other popular burgers to order with the veggie patty are the Plain Jane and Californian.

H.F. Crave’s farm-to-table concept is rounded out with an impressive salad option that features home-made dressing and a proportionate amount of grilled chicken, which comes nicely pre-chopped. Plus, there are a few mouth-watering desserts to choose from. The Grilled Cookie is great for sharing and there is nothing else to say about the Grilled Blueberry Flapjack Cake other than “Wow!” The nice things about both of these is that they are sweet enough to satisfy without sending you over the edge.

Lincolnites owe JR and Nikke Hollenbeck lots of gratitude for bringing their farm to our tables!

4800 Holdrege Street, Suite 100 | Lincoln, NE 68504 | 402.480.7399 | HFCrave.com