cheeseburgeraddict

Billy Goat Tavern @ the Taste

2008-07-03T20:14:00.002-05:00

Well I’ve come to the end of my 2008 Taste of Chicago experience. The 3rd of July is not for the faint of heart. Not saying I was, but at a point you grow out of crowds.

So, we come to my last analysis of the Taste and how you react according to your stage of life. At 30 I’m mainly there to try new food, discover new restaurants, and hang with my friends. Since my mid-late 20s to now at 30 I go to the Taste exclusively after work with friends. We don’t drink because it’s too expensive. We don’t act like idiots because we have sense. We still don’t care what people say. Sometimes though, we do still flirt and sneak in alcohol.

This brings me to the last burger at the Taste: A burger with which many Chicagoans and I are very familiar. Billy Goat. I will review the burger in one of the taverns one day and then I will recount my first experience. But for now let’s focus on why this is by far the best burger at the Taste.

First and foremost let’s establish that this is the exact same burger you will get in any Billy Goat anywhere, anytime. Go to Lower Michigan, same. Go to Wells, same. Go to Merchandise Mart or Midway airport, and you get the same burger. There is a comfort knowing that they can do what they do all day and night everywhere.

They bring in their grills and fry them on the spot just like in the restaurant. No changing the cooking method to fit the venue. No special burger to fit the occasion. Just Cheeborger, Cheeborger. Once you fall in love with this you will be happy that it is a reliable burger. Comfort food, if you will. I chose this as the last burger because I knew what to expect and honestly was not looking forward to it. I rarely get food at the Taste that I have had before. No Connie’s pizza, Robinson’s ribs, or even cheesecake. But by the time I was ready for my Billy Goat, I was really ready for my Billy Goat. And, it was so worth it.

I got a basic Double Cheeseburger for 9 tickets, or $6. This is expensive for the double burger. It is normally 4 something at the restaurants. But, that’s the price you pay at the Taste. It came wrapped in this nice wax paper that became transparent with grease. Always a good sign. It also held in the heat as I made my way to a table next to the booth to eat. It was served with pickle and yellow mustard. It needs nothing else.

I have always found the bun to be a bit excessive but that is a whole diatribe for another time. Here, as with other burgers at the Taste, it helped to make sure you did not drop your food. But a third patty is always better.

This burger is the simple old school fried burger. Thin and with minimal seasoning. The meat is flavorful and greasy. That’s the appeal. The bun soaks up most to the greasy goodness and traps the cheese. If you have had one, you’ve had them all.

It was a great haven at the end of the night when the young crazies were descending upon Grant Park for the fireworks. I got out just in time.

Tutto Italiano

2008-07-03T18:46:00.053-05:00

Ok. My second trip to the Taste was a solo project. It was the 3rd of July and I knew what I was in for.

The next big shift in attitude toward the Taste happens in your 20’s. That’s when you can finally legally drink there. They don’t make it easy on you. Alcohol is 8-10 tickets and always increasing. Also, for domestic it’s excessive. But when you’re young, you buy it. Or you sneak it in. (Again Mom…other people) Then, going to the Taste becomes what you do at night, and in your 20’s, you are hardly ever there before 5pm. You and the crew get a bunch of food and find a shady spot to chill. This is the Taste at its best. Now, not only don’t you care about the old (over 30) people, but you really don’t care about the teens. You can be on your own little world with your friends. I used to go in my 20s and just take pictures by myself until my friends arrived. Those were some of the best days of my life. I tried to channel my 20 something self but you can’t go home again. Also, there was no light at the end of the rainbow, because none of my friends were crazy enough to come out on the 3rd of July. And I thought I was the smart one.

Crowds are the name of the game and they did not disappoint me.

My first place to hit was Tutto Italiano.

This is a Steak Burger with blue cheese and a mustard sauce. They had assembling these down to a science it being the 3rd and all. This evening was nonstop action. One set comes off and another goes on without a break in the action. It is a marvel to watch though sometimes the burger looked a bit incomplete.

This was my burger with the mustard sauce and smattering of lettuce. But hey, on the 3rd presentation may fall short. That’s ok. It was a decent burger. The seasoning was pretty good, flavorful and not too peppery. The grill took care of adding additional flavor. Also points can’t be lost for the generic patty. I had to ask for additional blue cheese (dressing). That was ok, and they did not complain. The mustard is on the bottom and it was hard enough getting this shot without dropping anything, so I opted not to try.

The meat was very good. The blue cheese was a great addition but the extra was necessary. Lettuce tied it together nicely, but the mustard was a bit lost. The bun was pretty good; a bit big for the burger even with drowning it in blue cheese sauce. The blue cheese was thick and did not soak the bun like the BBQ did. But to Tutto’s credit, they remembered the venue. For a burger that I had to eat standing up in a park with 500,000 of my closest friends, the bun did its job.

Now for the all too familiar refrain…why isn’t it a destination burger? All together now, because you can’t get it again. Yes this was created specifically for the Taste and is not available in the restaurant. Still, it may be around next year. When I asked, they said they did not know yet. If it is, check it out. It was a good food experience from a great restaurant.

Grazie @ The Taste

2008-07-02T18:00:00.021-05:00

The next time of life when the Taste changes, is in high school when you go without adults. It’s a great place to meet friends, flirt and act obnoxious with your friends because your parents aren’t around and you don’t care what the other adults around you say. (And I mean other people, Mom, not me) The teens will never disappoint in this respect. You can always count on them to come in numbers, dress to impress, and act like, well, themselves.

This is the time of life when you’ll make an entire day of going to the Taste. Not that you’re going to be there all day, but you’ll prepare all day. “Going to the Taste” will be the single focus. You’ll meet at someone’s house to get ready and then all go in a big teen mob. Pile on the El or put 15 people in a car and head down. Good times.

As an adult, it’s not fair to complain about these obnoxious “know it alls” that wander Grant Park in packs. Just try to avoid them and know that they and the 20-somethings own the night.

The next stop on “Chris and Eren do the Taste” was right across from Vermillion at Grazie.

Yea, I’d never heard of it either. They’re up in Des Plaines.

We had the BBQ Buffalo Burger for 6 tickets or in Taste price about $4. Not a bad price for not a very interesting burger. Now of course, this burger suffered from having to follow an awesome burger, but it would have trouble holding its own anyway.

Just look at it.

Nothing exciting. A pre-formed patty with some nice grill marks and no cheese. Cheese would have given it some of the additional flavor it needed. It was a bit dry and had very little resistance while chewing. It just gave up. I had to add more sauce to beef up (no pun intended) the flavor. The bun, however, was fresh and soft. They could not have done a much better job selecting it. It seems big for the burger, but considering that you need to drench it with sauce, it becomes an acceptable size.

Overall it was not that great, but like the Vermillion burger, it is only available at the Taste. So, you and I never have to repeat this experience again. In fact there is not even a burger on the menu at the restaurant. There is good and bad in that statement. This burger has potential. While I don’t eat a lot of buffalo, I think it’s worth a try to make this burger great, and it could be done. If they made it a double and drenched it in sauce it would be a good start. Then add some cheese and it would be even better. Also keeping with the whole healthy thing, add a veggie or two. Basically make is a real burger and put some effort into it. Don’t just put meat on a bun and call it a day.

So blah, blah, blah…. not a destination burger. Not even a burger that will be served again. And in its present form, without some major revisions, that’s not a bad thing.

Vermilion @ The Taste

2008-07-02T17:45:00.003-05:00

If it is early summer in Chicago then that means Taste of Chicago time. Now, the Taste changes for people as they get older. When you’re a kid and go with your parents, just being there is fun. All those people don’t register as sweaty filthy crowds. The food is good and you are happy you get eat it in the middle of the street. You don’t register the absurd prices and long lines. The fireworks are pretty fireworks, not cover for gunfire. But as a child, the negatives aren’t your concern. More Taste commentary as the Taste series continues.

My friend, Eren, and I set out after work one day (which is how 30 year olds do the Taste). We were on a mission to get some burgers for the blog and since Eren does not eat red meat, we had to get creative. Scratch that…we didn’t have to get that creative. Two of the four burgers at the taste aren’t red meat.

Our first stop was Vermillion, a Latin Indian fusion restaurant. We had a Chipotle Madras Curry Turkey burger which was 8 tickets, or in Taste price, like $5.33. The burger was topped with an amazing curry sauce and served with grilled green pepper and onion.

Can you believe they did not have a knife.

These are not ingredients that normally work for my palette. I don’t love green pepper and only recently began to tolerate curry. But, this worked well. Not only did it work well, but it worked in a manner kept you wanting more. By the time your taste buds processed all the flavors, it was over; and all too soon. We split this one and regretted it from the first bite.

We kind of looked at each other at first as if to say, “Are you going to finish that”? Then shot each other the response look of “Hell yea. Stop looking at my food”. The turkey patties were grilled over an open flame and got a nice light char on them that worked perfectly with the curry and grilled pepper and onion. They exceeded expectations on meat alone by avoiding the common turkey burger pitfalls. They did not dry out, fall apart or taste overly seasoned.

Now that I have told you all the pros about this burger and you are ready to run to 10 W. Hubbard to get one…it’s time for the other shoe to drop. It’s not there. They only make the burger for the Taste. In fact, while they do have a burger trio for lunch, this is not one of them. While the menu rotates all the time, and the day you read this there may in fact be a turkey burger on the menu, it won’t be this one. This one is only for the Taste and only for this year.

So there you have it. It can’t possibly be a destination burger. For all of its wonderful, amazing, rock star qualities, and I do mean wonderful, amazing, rock star taste, texture, blend of different flavors, and proper bun…you can never have one again. And that’s just sad.

It could be a nice recipe, though.

Someone needs to crack this. You, out there reading this.

Make it so.

Jason Cajun

2008-07-01T22:01:00.001-05:00

Long overdue an a recipe.

This is my friend Jason:

He is one of those people that is just a great cook. And person:) He also likes to entertain people. Not that he will dance for money (I'm lying he will), but he likes people to come over and have a good time.

This particular day Jeff and I were sitting around thinking about dinner. Getting ready to start cooking something, when Jason called and said he had burgers. So off we went.

When we arrived these were in the oven.

13 burgers for 5 people (Danny and Alton were also there). I like those odds.

These were on the oven.

I went with sesame seed.

And Sweet & Spicy.

Great toppings. The tomato fit the bun and perfectly grilled onion was plentiful. Little mayo and mustard and I was ready to add burger.

Along with some fries and butter soaked corn and it's a complete meal.

The Jason Cajun was a very well executed burger. Look how nicely everything fits.

The Cajun spice worked well with the meat and toppings. The sweet onion still had some crunch and buttery flavor. The meat was perfect. Flavorful and juicy without being greasy.

So how is it made?

3lb Ground Beef 70% fat variety

1 cup bread crumbs

2Tbsp garlic powder

1/2 bottle Cajun seasoning

Form into 13ish patties and cook.

I imaging cooking method can vary and still be successful but the baking allowed all of them to cook at the same time and cook off the excess grease.

Overall very good meal. We all drank, ate, drank, and we were merry.

I look forward to blogging more of your burgers soon.

White Castle - Single Cheeseburger

2008-06-30T01:00:00.004-05:00

Hey! Alright! Someone is actually reading this one.

This was my initial thought about White Castle. The Porcelain Palace. But White Castle is better than that. Sure the food isn't great and may give you the schlitz in the morning but you don't go for good food. You don't need to read this entry to know without a doubt that it is not only a destination burger but The Destination Burger! There is a movie about just this topic!

The Slyder has history and should be shown respect. They aren't just to be consumed when you're intoxicated or at 3am. The problem is that the whole "Crave" thing only hits when you're intoxicated and at 3am. When was the last time you had a Slyder during daylight hours, and dawn after an all nighter does not count. But hey I have fond memories of them growing up. And they (because you can't eat just one) do qualify as burgers...so here we go.

I selected the single cheeseburger for this initial blog. It is so cute in it's little box.

I don't usually have the time or inclination to add anything to this burger. But if I remember to ask for mayo at the Drive Thru or get it home where mayo is a plenty, it really is better (for me). Not taste wise unless you pour it on, but it helps me deal with the onion.

This burger is very difficult to photograph. It is very grey under there. And the bread and patty mush together making separation difficult. But if ever there was a burger you weren't supposed to dissect for your blog, here it is.

But we progress. The mini patty with it's 5 holes are "steamed-grilled on a bed of onion and served with pickle on a soft bun". They taste like...well, White Castle. I know that's not really a description, but nothing else tastes like them. Not Krystal's, and certainly not all the LGB fake sliders in bars. This is a unique blend of onion, pickle and just enough "meat" to bring it together. The single in this case was purchased for it's classic appeal. I used to get the double bacon but that is a bit of a rip off price wise. My favorite is the double. I have yet to try all of the other flavors and don't know if I will. My stomach wants no part of a spicy pepper jack slider. And it's on the fence about the French Onion. I may sandwich them between some fish or chicken for padding.

Everyone needs to have a Slyder in their lifetime. It's something you can't avoid, they're an American Icon. Also no one should make it through college without a middle of the night run for a few 30 packs with 7 people in a 2 door car. But take my advice, if you find yourself there at 3am, get something to eat with the Slyders. Cheese sticks. Chicken rings. Maybe just a fish or chicken sandwich. Resist the Crave for the Classic Slyder by itself. Your tummy will thank you in the morning, or whenever you awake from your stupor.

Pinky's

2008-06-27T13:00:00.002-05:00

Pinky's is in downtown Chicago in the downstairs atrium of the Thompson Center or State of IL Building if you're old school. With so many choices down there I can see how you may never make it here if you are only an occasional visitor. Be a shame to miss this burger though.

I think back to my younger days (as I am 30 now), and my mom would ask me how I knew I did not like something unless I had tried it. Now there are a few foods that even now I will not try (mostly raw or very spicy) that I don't need to try to find out I don't like them. But the Gyro Burger shouldn't have been in that category.

I can't believe it took this long to try this.

Some background on Pinky's, the regular cheese burger is bad. Not seasoned well, frozen thin patty and messy. In fact all the food is big and messy.

See. I was splitting this with my friend Chuck so we went for the 1/2 pound Double Gyros Cheeseburger. I don't recommend going at it alone.

This was a freakin amazing looking burger. Sheer size and mess was promising.

So we have top bun, Tzatziki (cucumber) sauce, grilled onion, gyro meat, cheese, burger, cheese, burger, lettuce, catsup, mustard, and bottom bun.

Fantastic. Really I am ashamed to that it took me 30 years to try this. I have been to many a small Gyro place that had bad burgers and never thought to try or ask for a gyro burger. I mean it's right there. Unlike bacon that they may not serve, the gyro meat is a readily available topping that really adds something to the burger.

Especially the bad burger. It does not matter that the patty isn't the greatest. In fact it may help. Follow me here. The thin fried patty had little give. Well neither does gyro meat. The whole thing just melts in your mouth. You do have to down this one quickly because of the mess. The bun is not up for the job. But it is the correct bun for fast melt in your mouth burger. Another reason not to go about the 1/2 pound double burger by yourself, it may take too long.

Fries. Pretty good. Fresh and soft like Al's Italian Beef. They all seem to be well done but not hard.

The only issue / oddity is no salt on them. That's a bit of a pain when you want to snack on the way back to the office.

The Gyro Burger itself is a destination burger. Regardless of where you get it. You should try one in your lifetime. Go to Pinky's for the Gyro Cheese Burger if you are in the Thompson Center for business or the area in general. Honestly take a pass on the regular cheeseburger and go for this one. If you like gyro and burgers it's a natural fit. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out.

Pinky's

100 W. Randolph

312-372-4472

English 2 - Turkey Burger

2008-06-23T14:56:00.005-05:00

I had been thinking that I need to cut my beef intake. So I thought a great inaugural Turkey Burger would be the big version of the LGB I had at English. Again with the wrongness. And again of feeling as if I got a bad one. So let's begin.

I love the packaging.

I came in and ordered. Then sat right at the bar waiting. There seemed little to no way to mix up my order with the 3 other people in there for lunch.

I was so excited to get back to the office and enjoy.

Good fries with a hint of garlic. Bit soggy from the walk but still good. And while it looks like a good plug of goat cheese mushroom paste, it was not.

Panini press working overtime today.

There is not much positive to say about this. The goat cheese mushroom blend that was so great on the LGB, was a bit dry here. The mushroom was lost under the cheese. And the cheese, while plentiful, was dry. I was actually sad about this burger.

I know turkey is not juicy like beef, but dry. And where are my shrooms? Come on!

And back to bad toppings.

I don't want that piece of tomato with the belly button no matter how bad the shortage.

Disappointing. Just plain disappointing. The LGB showed such promise I was sure this would be my new favorite turkey burger. I just knew I would be buying goat cheese mushroom paste by itself. But this was a huge letdown.

Back to it being a bad one. The turkey was flavored well but cooked too long. I could have overlooked that if the cheese was not dry and the mushroom was plentiful. I doubt this burger fails on all levels every day. But it did today.

The truth is I will be back. It's close to my job and has a good beer selection. The truth is I will have this burger again. My friend Julie is about to work across the street. But I will have the LGB or Fish and Chips next time.

English

444 N Lasalle St

Chicago, IL 60610

(312) 222-6200

Paradise Pup

2008-06-21T16:59:00.005-05:00

In doing burger research I found many positive reviews on Paradise Pup. So when I found myself within a 15 minute drive one Saturday afternoon I decided I would not be this north and west again anytime soon so I better check it out. Not to say I should have kept driving, but it should have been better for as hungry as I was. I did accept that the burger is not the specialty food at this establishment, but was assured in my readings that it was something special.

I arrived at about 4:30 and they close at 5 or so they say. Here is what the line looked at 5:30 after I got my food.

Yes I said after.

There were about 10-15 more people in line when I arrived. I thought this line is going to move quickly and it will be worth the wait. Wrong and wrong. After about 5 minutes in line I called Jeff. He and I talked for 45min, until I reached the doorway. I was starving and thirsty by then.

Having had more than enough time to study the menu, I decided on the Char Bacon Cheese Burger. I was having issues deciding between that and the Char Cheddar because I did not want to miss out on Merkts (the best cheese spread in the world http://www.merkts.com/). But ask and you shall receive. I was given a choice of slice or soft cheese. Soft of course. I thought I had discovered a secret to this burger. If people don't know to ask, then they may be stuck with regular cheese.

After a few minutes I got my bag and went to my car. Yes there are tables outside. But when dining alone I did not want to take up a whole one.

Cajun fries are the fry of choice up here.Let it be said that they are good but not great. Cooked well but what else can you say about the standard non-curly Cajun fry?

On to the burger.

This is an attractive burger and challah (thank you Nat & Adam) bun.

Good amount of grilled onion and bacon. Not enough cheese though. It's just a thin layer of the good stuff.

Nice patty that they grill in front of you. Looks frozen but was not.

They even left some pink in it. Note: Thin cheese.

So here we have another burger that on paper is perfect but just did not live up to the billing. Maybe it was the long wait, but that should have made me more appreciative. It just was not seasoned all that well. And the toppings did not pick up there the burger left off. If you remember (or need to read) the Rick's post, the cheese is dripping all over. That would have helped. The onion was a bit too plentiful and also overcooked. The flavor was not overwhelming, but the texture was. Bacon got lost on the big bun. And bottom bun was not great.

Just plain sloppy in my opinion. And not wonderful juiciness.

My fellow bloggers bottom line this one as "wet". Very true. They also note how a return trip is not necessary. I tend to agree (but only for the burger).

If I found myself in the area again I would go and try the Char Pup before I got another burger. And if the line was more than 3 people out the door, I may not do that. I am glad I went and had one for myself though. The 3 way fries may be worth the price of admission another time. It also may be worth asking for extra cheese on the side if you give the burger a try. That will not make the meat better though. They did give me a free refill on my diet coke. Which was nice.

This place will always be packed at certain times of the day. It is very popular. I've seen that it was on Food Network. Curiosity got me in. It will get others as well. I wonder if it used to be better and has changed over time. This is such an icon that you have to go for yourself. Just don't be shocked if it is not spectacular.

Paradise Pup

1724 S River Rd

Des Plaines, IL 60018-2253

Phone: (847) 699-8590

O'Sullivan's Pub

2008-06-14T22:55:00.004-05:00

Best Burger in Forest Park!!!

Wait, I know for a fact there is a McDonald's down the street.

I am starting to not give pity points for burgers that may be suffering from one bad cook. Sure this burger may be great six out of seven nights a week. Maybe the person on the grill that night, or hell just for my burger had a brain cramp, but some things are just not acceptable.

Lets sidebar about a wonderful evening before I tell you why this is not even the Best Burger on Madison St., let alone all of Forest Park.

We were out for my friend Brooke's 30th birthday celebration. Which was a great night. This place excels in appetizers and has a decent draft beer selection. We sat outside in what was a private patio area until later at night and we were down to a few tables. We were trying to make it to midnight to do shots. A failed mission. But admirable since we had been drinking since 6ish.

So after the family had left and it was just the 30-something set left, we made our push toward midnight and needed to refuel. On to the burger. I took a photo of the menu, but it had too much glare to fix. Nor can I find one online.

This is the Hugh Burger with cheddar for $7.95 and I added bacon for $.95. I also upgraded to O-rings for I don't know how much and they were the best aspect of the meal.

The menu does say it comes with lots of pickles. No lie there.

Funny thing is I took all these photos with Brooke's point and shoot in the dark. Forgive the focus but they hold up pretty well I think.

Good amount of bacon for less than a buck. Cheese suffered from bad placement in the photo, but was weak regardless.

I could rave on the onion rings all day. They were fantastic. Which in a way makes the burger even more disappointing. In theory the same person was responsible for cooking both. It is hard to understand how the rings were executed to perfection (as were the earlier appetizers) but the burger was well...sub par.

This burger was over charred. And tasted like it.

I could not get over the extreme char taste. No catsup or mustard would dull the taste either. That's one that you can't mask easily.

Also this was during Tomato Crisis 08. There was not one for miles to help moisten / flavor this burger. So whether it was the char, lack of cheese or filling up on onion rings, I only finished half. I took the other home hoping for more enjoyment in the morning.

Part II

So now we can inspect this burger in a proper light.

It's a basic frozen patty that was left on the grill too long. This failed to meet my burger expectations and I think it would fail yours as well. The fault of the burger, no. The fault of the cook, yes. The fault of management for not serving it properly...oh yes.

Once I got it in my kitchen I added a big plug of cheese, an onion ring and BBQ sauce.

Doesn't that look better? It does to me. While I have already admitted that the BBQ Bacon Cheddar with onion ring is one of my burgers of choice, there was nothing else to do with this half. It worked out pretty well. This burger never was juicy so that was not lost the morning after. The BBQ sauce helped my taste buds deal with the extreme char. The o-ring and cheese gave it a dimension previously missing.

So we know it is not a destination burger. But can it be salvaged? Maybe. But why. I have been up and down Madison St. and I know I have had better burgers. I am also sure that this burger was an anomaly. I'm sure the one our friend Beckman had earlier that night was better. If I went back the next day it might have been awesome. But again why bother. This burger aside from a poorly cooked patty lacked basic burger understanding. Serve it with more cheese. Serve it with BBQ sauce on the side. Serve it with a few onion rings on top. No specialty burger is offered(I think there is a melt on rye, but I can't read my menu photo). You have the choice of American, Swiss. Provolone, Bleu, Cheddar, and Pepperjack cheeses. Pepperjack and Bleu maybe. But the rest don't seem like they will hold up with the char mishap.

And therein lies the problem.

If you have a sub par patty that is susceptible to a sub par cooking method or personnel, then overcompensate so that the experience is still good. A great burger when poorly executed is still very good or at least acceptable. While a good burger poorly executed is not worth your time.

Also grilled onion and mushroom are offered for $.45 each. They should be free. They would add a needed dimension of taste that should not have to cost extra. Bacon for under a buck though, that's nice.

If you go there, you may not be disappointed. I know I got a bad one. But I doubt you will rave that it is the best burger in Forest Park, or even Madison St. Walk up the block and go to Horan's or Healy's & compare for yourself.

O'Sullivan's Public House

7244 Madison St,

Forest Park, IL 60130

Veggie Version 2

2008-06-10T16:28:00.006-05:00

This will be much better but short.

I felt it important to share that I am still learning how to prepare a great Veggie Burger. When I get on various Veggie Burger kicks I generally start slow and get more extravagant as the days go past. This was not one of my more experimental but still very good.

We all know what the naked veggie burger looks like by now, so no need to repeat that photo.

Here it is when I decided to take photos of it and blog it.

It's nearly finished cooking and that's cheddar cheese with my new favorite, Lawry's season salt. The addition of season salt did wonders for this veggie burger. Again I am still using Boca Grillers so they need all the help they can get but will only have a top rank of 7.5 or 8.

Next addition is chunky Gorgonzola dressing.

Both cheeses added taste but the Gorgonzola added a creamy quality with a bite.

This is the best use of the on sale $1 for 8 buns. The bread does not soak up any extra juices because there aren't any. When Jeff goes to the store next perhaps he will get us some Morning Star products to blog.

Top Notch

2008-06-07T17:28:00.006-05:00

Always a classic.

There is not much to say about this cheeseburger except that helped me have a burger revelation.

Top Notch is on the Southside of Chicago on 95th St. I think you have to know it's there to find it. The good thing it that everyone on the Southside knows it's there on 95th. They may not know exactly where but will have a general idea. If you don't live nearby, or go often, this is a place you will drive by in your adulthood and remember going to as a child. Like "oh yea, I remember that place".

Go back. It's still great.

Look @ how good I'm getting @ posting the menu.

I selected a #2 the 1/2lb double deluxe beefburger with cheese. This menu made me recognize a truly great burger and how it should be served. First, they don't make it hard to get onion. It's right there for free grilled or raw. Basic or deluxe. This also goes for the pickle which I respect while I don't always like them. Next is price. My double burger is under $7 with fries and their specialty burgers are priced so that they are a deal and use ingredients that are not listed a la carte. This leads me to believe Top Notch gave thought as to which and how much of each topping worked best. See the Western with it's use of 3. I am puzzled though by all of them having green pepper. I don't like green pepper but may try a special burger someday even though it's served on all of them. But then I think why mess with a cheeseburger that is great without adding much?

This is how it was served. I don't know why I keep getting them bun first.

That's better. See just the right amount of onion.

Apparently "unique" is Top Notch speak for awesome.

These fries were great. Nice and crispy with great flavor that didn't need anything additional. Also they were irregular in size leading me to think they were fresh. If not they are still great and cooked in very clean oil.

Toppings were on the side which I like, but oddly wet which I don't like. BTW, this was the last tomato I had for weeks.

Yea the bun has a bald spot. But it was soft without disintegrating under the juiciness. This burger draws comparison to the Schoop's. It is less crispy but still cooked well. The bun is less attractive but more hearty. The extra slice of cheese is not messy at all. But Schoop's offers their burger with catsup and there is a major difference. This was my revelation: some burgers demand mustard...only. This is one of them. I started eating this one plain and it was great. Then my side of mayo arrived and after I put some on, I added mustard. What a difference. This is a classic burger and should be eaten as such. If Top Notch took away the option and just served all classic (IE non special, beefburgers) with mustard they will help uncorrupt generations of us who love catsup because of Mc Donalds.

To the meat.

Double patty from the back and side...but

TaDa. Looks like a single patty from the middle.

I don't know how the middle fuses with the edges remaining distinct. I also don't care because it works. The meat is basic and uncomplicated. It will appeal to all ages. It's simplicity is elegant and when you add the mustard it really comes alive. This is a special mustard to beef relation. Not all burgers benefit from it. Some need BBQ, some catsup, some mayo. But I have found that a simple fried great quality patty will become special with mustard.

I would now be remiss if I did not mention that this is one of the two burgers mentioned in Hamburger America for Chicago (see Trib Article). The other we will get to later. But I'll give you a hint a Goat is involved. For that fact alone you should make a pilgrimage to Top Notch. If someone (George Motz) who has eaten thousands of of burgers, made a documentary, wrote a book, and blog about burgers chose this as one of the two best in Chicago, curiosity alone should get you in the door. But if that doesn't matter to you and you just want a burger the way a classic burger should be made then go. Take your kids. Introduce them to mustard.

Breakfast? That's funny to me. Can I get a burger omelet?

Click on menu for link to site or http://www.topnotchbeverly.com/index.html

Because of the tomato crisis I may take a hiatus.

Fake Johnny B's V1

2008-06-02T17:27:00.004-05:00

I thought the first recipe was a bit lacking in ambition.

Upon first tasting the Johnny Buccelli's Uncle Vito in Columbus, OH, I knew I was going to try and make one at home. You now can learn from my experience and perhaps your first version will be the only one because you get it right.

The first thing I prepared was the grilled onion. I like Vidalia or any sweet onion. Grilled in sesame oil because that's what I had.

Next the meat. I am not the biggest fan of Italian sausage in the first place. So I approached it with a bit of fear that it would be overwhelming. Do not repeat this mistake. I elected for a 2-1 beef to sausage ratio and I used regular mild instead of spicy sausage.

One pound of beef in tray, one pound of beef in bowl and one pound of sausage in tray.

After combining I added very little seasoning of salt and pepper. I shaped the first one about a 1/2 inch thick and a bit bigger than the bun. Note I did not go and buy new buns. So these were going to go on my normal $1 on sale buns.

I heated the pan and set it to fry. My cousin Gary (who is a Chef, not just some guy) says hot pan and cold meat so the meat does not stick.

While that was cooking I added the mushrooms to the onions.

I noticed the burger was cooking a bit fast so I used my heat diffuser for the other side. That's it peeking out from under the pan.

When it was done I cut some tomato and chose an "Ultimate" blue cheese dressing to complete my burger.

I must admit, it photographs well.

This was a pretty good first attempt. This burger is messy because of the onions and mushrooms. It is also drippy because of the burger and the blue cheese dressing. If I had paid for it I would be criticizing the bun all day. But in this case I knew I was making it too thick for the small bun.

Aside from the physical issues it tasted great for a beef burger with a hint of sausage. But it feel short for a burger that is a blend of tastes. For my next one I think a 1-1 beef to spicy sausage will be better. With a bigger and better bun also I think the toppings will not fall off, and the juiciness will be better absorbed.

The next day I fried two for lunch. My tip would be to only cook them 2/3 the way. This will compensate for having to microwave them later. This method worked out pretty well. Sorry no photos. But they are drippy and we were hungry.

If you give it a try you'll need:

1-2lb ground beef

1lb ground Italian sausage (try spicy)

onion to grill

sliced mushroom to grill with onion

a decent bun

Blue cheese dressing

tomato is optional

Good luck!

By the way. As I was cooking I was also cleaning the kitchen, and broke a glass...with my hand in it. Look at the way it broke in a "D" pattern. That was fun trying to wiggle my hand out.

Riva's @ Navy Pier

2008-06-01T17:29:00.008-05:00

Best burger buy on the Pier.

I worked at Navy Pier after graduating college when money was tight. Aside from American Dog which is the best value for food on the Pier, Riva's was known for having the best quality food for a decent price. The Riva burger is the best buy for the money. Down the Pier the Dock Street Cafe offers a 1/3 lb burger with 2 toppings for $9.99. The Riva is adds up to $9.95 for a 1/2 lb with 2 toppings. While I agree that cheese is not a topping to be paid for, $.75 for bacon is a steal.

So another quick lesson in economics.

Beer starts at $4.00 and the 25oz Foster's is $6.00 so that's $3.00 per 12oz for those who can't divide. Less than the any beer on the Pier. My St. Ignatius education prepared me to find the best price per oz.

The wait for food at the Pier allows you to people watch in one of the more interesting places in Chicago. Locals and tourist alike are there.

But on to the burger.

Everything looks good so far. Good amount of cheese for my $.75.

And look at all that bacon.

And from the other side. That's 4 good slices of bacon. More than compensating for the having to pay for cheese.

Now I figured it would be a frozen patty and was correct. But it was seasoned lightly and grilled/fried cooking method did not take anything away from it. It helped that the meat was a good quality and fresh toppings.

The bun was a bit soft for such a big burger. The bottom was a bit fragile and I had to be mindful of it or it would have separated.

The best feature by far though was the bacon. All that bacon a good amount of cheese and fresh toppings made this a very good burger. It did not require any catsup or mustard at all. The bacon and cheese did all of the flavoring.

It even had a bit of pink.

This is a burger that leaves you wanting more. Riva's executes a good burger for a fair price considering where you are. My thought is though once you have me paying just under $10 for a burger with two toppings why not make a specialty burger or two so we feel as we're getting a deal. While I was there one boy about 10 ordered a plain hamburger. Now maybe that is how he takes them all the time. But maybe his mom felt nickel and dimed to death at the Pier and did not want to pay extra for cheese. The burger I had would have been great with some grilled onion or mushroom, but for the extra cash it wasn't gonna happen. Onion should be a free topping for a burger. Grilled or raw, your choice. Mushroom can cost money but they better be good and plentiful. And let's talk about BBQ sauce as a paid for topping. NO. I am asking you to bring out a bottle or pour some in a cup. BBQ sauce should be treated like mayo, steak sauce, horseradish, or any other condiment. Only when getting a meal to go should extra sauces cost.

Riva's is not a destination burger unless you are at Navy Pier and want a decent burger. Do not go to Navy Pier and pay $23 in parking to get it. Even if you are there try other food you have never has first. Eat elephant ears or funnel cakes with ice cream. Go to Bubba Gumps, or Charlie's Ale House or get something else at Riva's. But if you find yourself there and just want want a burger, get one and make sure to order bacon and cheese.

On another topic. The bathrooms have these new flush buttons.

Confusing eh?

Well there is also a plaque explaining it. My question is wouldn't a "one" and "two" nave made more sense? What's the deal with "three"?

Veggie Version 1

2008-05-31T16:26:00.005-05:00

Sometimes you need a break.

After so many burgers this month I needed a break. Calorie wise and financially. Many have wondered how a carnivore such as myself could ever consume a veggie burger. Well they are healthier than beef and can be consumed on a daily basis with little guilt or gut. So I bring you a very basic Veggie Burger recipe after this next paragraph of commentary.

The cooking of a veggie burger will depend on your reason for eating it. If you want fast and healthy, then microwave it. If you want more taste and have time, then fry it. If you really want taste and aren't a vegetarian, then fry it in bacon grease. Quite good. Don't judge until you've tried it. The next most important thing is cheese. Again if you are trying to be healthy, add some nonfat, low fat plastic cheese-like substance. I prefer a good cheese. Last is bun. Veggie burgers need either whole wheat or an on sale white one. They are not very big so a $1 pack of buns will not crumble. Also for this recipe I have selected the Boca Burger Grillers. More on how to choose a veggie burger later. So onto my Veggie Burger V1.

First of all veggie burgers are not very attractive. Perfectly round brown and not really seasoned.

I fried this one in sesame oil and then toasted the bun while it was finishing cooking. I chose Havarti as my cheese for tonight night.

Toasted bun hardly worth the effort but is a nice touch.

Again no matter how inexpensive the bun, it will hold up to a veggie burger. Even with catsup & mayo on the bottom bun.

Bun, Havarti, veggie burger, catsup, mayo, bun.

The texture of the veggie burger will take some getting used to. It does not fight you when you bite it. It will just give in and mush...which is why frying is a preferred cooking method. As far as taste, the Griller will taste like whatever seasoning is used. This one was good and satisfying for a quick dinner.

If you have never had a veggie burger, you should try one. I would not pay for one in a restaurant for my first one. Rather start by finding a friend that eats them and he next time they offer, say OK I'll try it. Just make sure it's fried and has lots of (real) cheese.

Culver's

2008-05-29T19:25:00.001-05:00

Wow. This was one bad burger. Not inedible, but bad none the less.

I have been to many a Culver's in my life. They're something of a treat because they're located outside of the city proper in the burbs. This one was in Tinley Park. I decided to put my current experience to work and research the menu before going as to make a well informed burger decision. The standard ButterBurger is a good double cheeseburger. There is nothing wrong with this, only that I like bacon and cheddar better. So I thought about the Cheddar ButterBurger. This however is too heavy as it does not come with toppings. My solution was to get the Cheddar burger with the standard toppings.

Maybe I confused them.

It looked great and I even upgraded to onion rings, which was the best part of the meal aside from the diet coke. Take note of the hyper orange cheese.

I took it out of the basket for a better view. Again yummy O-rings.

So soon after the first bite I thought something was a bit off about this burger. But I figured my taste buds were used to a higher quality meal lately and were just confused.

Notice the extreme fried crispy edge on the top.

And how it's not on the bottom.

After awhile I figured out I was not confused. This was not just an average burger lacking taste. I first suspected the lettuce was bad, so I removed it. But that was not it. I tried a bit of the meat by itself. While it lacked a great taste, it was not bad. I tried to open it to look for the missing bacon, and found the issue.

The cheese is working like glue. There was no separating the cheese from bun or meat. Something was up with this cheese. It's gluelike quality and taste was the downfall of this burger.

I don't fault all other Culver ButterBurgers though, as this was the first bad one that I have ever had. To this location's detriment, they weren't even that crowded. So I don't know what went wrong. But the fact that something did go wrong leads me to not to recommend them as a destination burger. Right now they are neutral. Neither to be sought out nor avoided. Being a chain you expect some inconsistency, but not bad. I have had dry Quarter Pounders, but not bad. Although I did not try to return my bad burger, I am sure they would have replaced if had I tried. If you go, get the onion rings and do not get inventive with the menu.

http://www.culvers.com/

Rick's Bar & Cafe

2008-05-28T19:06:00.010-05:00

This is the best cheeseburger you will never have.

Well maybe the "will never have" factor belongs more to the Yukon Burger. This is more of a Mission Impossible Burger.

Preparation. Timing. Luck. These are the steps involved in acquiring this burger.
Prep-Read the menu, food is only served during specific hours. Most notably missing are weekend hours. And being someone with a 9-5 job, the daytime food service is of little use to me. So if you are like me, then there are 10 hours a week in which you can get fed. Seriously Rick, please rethink this.
Timing-Basically don't run late. And make sure they know you want food. Sometimes service stops unexpectedly.
Luck-Because sometimes during food service time, there's no food.

Some background on Rick's. This is not some out of the way place in B.F.E., or some shack only open on weekends in the summer when the owner is not on vacation. No. Rick's is a bar on Taylor and Western, blocks from Jeff"s and my place. It was actually something of a factor in moving there. Many of you have been there at various times of night. And no matter what time of night, you've never eaten there. No Tater Tots, no frozen pizza, no chips and salsa. Nothing except peanuts and pretzels...and you have to pay for those (sometimes)! But one day, Jeff managed to time it right and got fed. He reported to me that they had great burgers (and great food in general). This is a topic that we generally agree upon, with the notable exception of South Loop Club which I borderline hate and he says has a great burger. I decided to look into it...and was amazed. I had been looking forward to having another cheeseburger since I finished the first one.

I planned my trip, called first, and told the bartender I would be ordering. I had two Hacker Pschorr beers and then ordered my cheeseburger. I settled on the Rick's Deluxe and got it to go so I could take it home for it's photo shoot.

Nice paper wrapping to hold in the heat.

Nicely toasted bun kaiser bun

Fresh toppings, albeit way too much onion

This is the only negative about this burger. So I will get it out of the way early and never speak of it again.

Nice bacon. Only 2 slices, but hey, only $.50

Now this is a fresh patty charbroiled with minimal yet great seasoning. It's not powerful and it allows the cheese to do it's job. You may recognize that cheese "sauce". It's some kind of Merk's derivative. If you have not had Merk's, get some. It is the best spreadable cheddar around. Cheesy, creamy and a wonderful unmistakable sharpness. If you like it, you will crave it. Next is the Rick's Special Sauce.

This is not your normal 1000 Island, just dressed up. It's creamy but not exactly a mayo base and is sweet. I'm not sure what it is, but it is amazing.

Nice and pink good balance with toppings

Another thing about the Merk-like cheese is that it stays in place.

See

Also, while they don't photograph well (or maybe I haven't figured out how to shoot them) these fries rock. Usually fries are an afterthought. But these are really good. Very McDonald's-esqe but better. Take a great batch of McD's fries and subtract the generic feeling they evoke no matter how good they are, and you come close to these. Nice and crisp with a soft but not mushy inside. They were also sreved hot and fresh.

This is SO destination burger. Not only because it is amazing, the fries are very good, and you can get beer there; but because you have to put effort into getting it. If you have one you will cherish the experience. If you have a craving for one over the weekend or late night, it will make you appreciate it even more. Go to Rick's and get fed. Call them first. Then call me.

Rick's Cafe
2348 W. Taylor St.
312.421.4860

Jak's Tap

2008-05-22T18:58:00.003-05:00

Well this is a place we may be very familiar with very soon. I am planning my 30th there. Also in an attempt to keep the cheeseburger weight off, I have been walking home from work and I pass by every so often. So, when the opportunity to have a free lunch presented itself, I knew just the burger.

James, the party planner and owner over there, said if I wanted to come in for a site visit that he would cover my lunch. Now he only works until 4:30pm so I had to wait for a day off. At first I was going to skip it, but I have a life rule of not passing on a free lunch. If you look at the menu, you may very well guess my cheeseburger of choice.

The Chuck Wagon Burger.
*Note to menu, you don't need the word "Burger" behind every burger.

Bacon, mushrooms, cheddar, BBQ sauce, and fried onion on the top bun. I was offered some other cheese choices, but cheddar is best the option in my opinion.

For a cheeseburger with 5 toppings, this is a simple burger. Above average frozen patty. Seasoning is negligible. But it was cooked to the best of it's ability on a charbroiler. Like CBCB this could be the best burger for the patty and cooking style. But I am going to give Jak's credit for having some very interesting sounding burgers on the menu. The Shanghai Burger is served with a spicy Asian sauce and Old Bleu has bleu cheese with Cajun seasoning. If there is a burger that you can only get at a specific location and they do it well, that's the definition of destination burger for me.

This one however was just ok. The fries, though, are worth noting. These are well executed frozen fries. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

There are a few factors that were working heavily for the betterment of this burger. Let's discuss. First off the time frame. I was there at 11:30am on a Thursday before the lunch rush. Nothing should have prevented the cook from doing a good job. Next, the charbroil is a great way to compensate for the lack of seasoning and general lack of flavor for the frozen patty. Also charbroil + BBQ sauce = good effort to make due with what you have. Next add bacon. Add bacon to everything I say. I own a cook book "Everything's Better with Bacon", and it's not a lie.

There is no easier way to add great flavor to a burger than bacon, bleu cheese, and onion (fried, grilled or raw). And maybe garlic, but not here.

Now a burger menu lesson:

Jak's takes a basic burger and follows a formula of adding stuff to make it better. They are telling you not to order the basic burger. There are 14 burgers on the menu. 2 are veggie, 2 are JR burgers, 2 are turkey, and 1 Patty melt. So take the remaining 7 burgers and 3 (including the "Jak's DeLuxe" first burger on the menu) have bacon. 3 are specialty flavors, Tex Mex (w/taco seasoning & jalapeno), Shanghai, and Chuck Wagon. There is the 1lb Big Jak for those just wanting big. And buried in the middle of the burger section, is the BLVD burger. The one normal sized plain burger. If you order this, then shame on you. It's placement on the menu and all the specialty burgers around it tells you that it sucks. AND it's too expensive @ $8.95. The specialty ones are a mere dollar more. Less than the price of bacon most places. And the JR double (for children?) is a dollar less for $7.95. Seriously, even both Patty Melts are less expensive. I dare someone to make an argument for this burger. All this to say sometimes it pays to read into the menu.

OK menu lesson over.

As far as Jak's overall, you may find yourself there and not just for my party. The burger does not make it a destination at all. But if you are there and really want a burger, go for it. Mine was ok and quite filling. There are many others to try that sound very good if you are into the different flavors. And the fries are actually good. But I would try something else first. There are better bar burgers in the city and the ribs @ Jak's sound good. Also they do have good bacon there, and quite a few of the other sandwiches feature it.

Jak's Tap
901 W. Jackson
312-666-1700

http://www.jakstap.com/

No idea what's next. Needs to be a trip to the gym.

English

2008-05-20T21:47:00.004-05:00

Well this not where I planned on the first Chicago cheeseburger being eaten. But I found myself there and the sliders were just staring at me from the menu. English is a few blocks from work and it looked cool although a bit trendy (stuffy & annoying) from the outside.
My friend and former manager Mat and I were meeting for food and drink and I figured with great company, the crowd would irritate us less.

I had not planned on the sliders. Originally I was looking at the fish and chips. But something, perhaps the readily available camera, got me to order sliders. I went with the Angus, turkey mushroom, and sirloin. Yes I can count. One is Mat's.

First of all I am no longer calling these sliders. Sliders are something very different and only come from White Castle. These are Little Gourmet Burgers. So these LGBs were pretty good.

The Angus had burger good flavor. I wish there had been a cheese option. But there was a simplistic integrity about it. There were no other toppings to hide behind.

The turkey mushroom was amazing. The creamy mushroom goat cheese paste on top of it needs to be bottled. Many sandwiches not just burgers could benefit form that addition.

The sirloin was good but a bit much black pepper for my taste. Mat liked his just fine. I also would consider disqualifying the sirloin because it's not a burger. It's a mini steak sandwich and for $3.50 vs $2 for the others, not worth it for simple meat on bun.

And look at those cute little buns with their paninni marks and grape tomatoes. Pretty good attention to detail here.

So understand that LGBs are bar food and they are about being cute and convenient. The taste is a bonus and there are no points to lose for execution. These are not destination burgers. Again one of them not really a burger. They also have a pulled pork that sounds good while failing to be a burger. If you are there and curious, try them. They are not bad, and I thought the turkey was very good. I will go back for one in a regular size, and it may be a destination burger.

English
444 N LaSalle St
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 222-6200

http://www.englishchicago.com/

Jak's Tap up next.

Schoop's

2008-05-17T17:02:00.005-05:00

Well I guess for some Da' Region is Chicago. For those of us actually in Chicago, Indiana has cheap gas, cheap smokes, casinos, and is not really home. But we find ourselves there quite often because our state of IL and county of Cook continue to jack our tax monies to...um...yea.

My parents taught me early on that just 15 miles south east gas was like $.15 cheaper. So the occasional pilgrimage began. And now that I have a building 5 miles away, I am there once a month. Schoop's is on Indianapolis Blvd. close to gas and casino. Or I should say, this Schoop's. There are more in Indiana, Illinois, and one in Las Vegas. At a later date we are going to have a cross country review with me here and my Mom in Vegas. We would have done it this time but her Weight Watchers is going too well :)

This place has a nice old time vibe.

This is one of the cheeseburgers I was thinking about when this whole blog thing started. I remember getting a Mickey one day; loving the burger, but hating the execution. The Mickey is a cheeseburger with two slices of cheese. I also added grilled onion that day and it was a mess. I would not make that mistake today. I went for the double cheeseburger with bacon, fries. There will be no further mention of the fries. I will have onion rings from now on.

By the way, I don't know what it is about the 16 year old burger joint waitress that disturbs me, but something does. Not to mention that the only guy in the place was cooking the burgers. It was like this the last time, too. What? Girls can't cook or boys can't serve? I digress. The burgers are cooked, cheese added, then put on the bottom bun. Then, they come out of the kitchen for the waitress to dress them. This assembly order will play a role later.

Lunch is served.

This is a very pretty cheeseburger.

They are not lying about cooking to crisp perfection.

Ahh. The irregularity of a fresh patty.

If you consider that American cheese slices come in one size, you will gain perspective on this cheeseburger. I actually cut in half because it was so large and very hot. So that's bacon cheeseburger with tomato, mayo, mustard, and catsup.

Hold up a sec. What's missing from that photo? Where is my bacon?

What the? In between the patties? I'm not going to disagree with the placement, though. It helped the bacon stay hot being nestled in there. Also notice how the bottom bun soaked with burger juices and grease flattens but does not disappear.

Did I mention that this was $1.75 worth of bacon? Very expensive for bacon. Especially when $7.49 is a bit expensive for a double cheeseburger. Hey all in the day of a cheeseburger addict, right? I wish I could say I did this for you. I think though,that this Schoop's is using it's proximity to Chicago to jack up the price. I mean why not right? When we do the cross country burger review, I am going to a different Schoop's and Mom will have the Vegas angle covered. So I'll reserve judgement on price for now.

The money is the last thing on your mind though as you eat this cheeseburger. The meat is seasoned and cooked as it should. Some of the crisp edges of the patty fall into the basket for later eating. The patty is their thing and they do it well. Great flavor, as a bacon cheeseburger should be.

I have read that this burger is recommended for those desiring a 1930's burger stand cheeseburger. I have to disagree. This burger is way to big to qualify. This is a Culver's, Steak and Shake, Top Notch hand formed and fried burger. Greasy, but on an ample bun. Well executed with fresh ingredients.

Schoop's is a destination burger when you're in the mood for a good simple but large cheeseburger. If you want to maximize your beef flavor, go with the double or triple. If you want normal, a single is also quite satisfying. Next time I am going to get a Mickey and see if it's better sans onion.

I went to the one in Whiting, IN

http://www.schoophamburgers.com/

Chicago next for sure.

Johnny Buccelli's

2008-05-11T21:49:00.008-05:00

Well we have reached the final stop on my Ohio tour.

I was driving back to Columbus from Oxford and was exhausted. The drive was rather boring and rainy. I was looking forward to just settling in for a nice beer with my burger. After reading so much about the German influence around Columbus, I was expecting something completely different from what I got. Johnny B's is a family joint in a strip mall not a cozy bar as I'd hoped. Somehow I did not compute the photo on their site.

As I got out of my car I noticed there were no neon beer signs. No sign is usually no good. The service was a bit lacking but maybe it's because I was an outsider and had no idea what to expect. I placed my order again for a burger I had already chosen. The Uncle Vito's Buccelli Burger. I decided on a strawberry lemonade as my non beer liquid. Again service, the lemonade took forever, but was quite tasty. Very sweet.

There was a layer of sugar at the bottom just daring me. Another boring place to wait for a meal alone. But I did pick up this newsletter "Coffee News" and read about a legally blind husband and wife sailing around the world. That puts life in perspective.

So finally my burger is called up. My burger, not my name as I was told.

This was a nice looking burger from overhead. Nice hearty pretzel bun. Now Johnny B's was chosen for their unique blend of beef and Italian sausage in their patty. When I reviewed the menu I settled on the Vito because of the blue cheese addition and my general distaste for red peppers. While waiting for the burger, I was quietly hoping it would not be drowning in crumbled blue cheese.

I should really watch what I wish for. This was the pathetic showing of blue cheese, and it's dressing at that.

This patty was everything it should have been. Juicy, good blend of beef and sausage. The sausage was neither overpowering nor an afterthought. They worked together in a wonderful balance. Aside from the lack of blue cheese, the other toppings of fried onions and sauteed mushrooms were plentiful. The pretzel bun gave the perfect sweetness to the whole thing. The fries were decent but O-rings are probably better based on the ones on the burger. This was another burger that I was happily eating when it hit me that something felt wrong... yea, the sweet ass lemonade with the Italian sausage - beef patty. If ever I burger demanded beer, it was this one. I don't know why every bar in America does not have a variation of this burger. The Italian sausage makes you thirsty and a nice lager would quench quite nicely. Old Bag O' Nails, Dub Pub, I haven't been to your establishments, but I think I'm talking to you. CBCB this is the burger for you (just don't jack up the price). Johnny B's get a liquor license.

I had to stop halfway through and take it to the airport with me to test the beer theory. While the bar there was closing, when I got it home some 3 hours later it was better with a nice cold beer.

Johnny's B's is so definitely a destination burger. If you like burgers and like sausage on your pizza you can't miss this place. Maybe it would work with Coke OK. But if I were you, I'd get a 6 pack of my favorite beer. Something hearty and hoppy not Light, or Lite. Then go order your burger and go home or to a buddy's place, whichever is closer. Oh, and if you're getting the Vito, ask for extra blue cheese.

I went to the Hamilton Rd one by the airport.

http://www.johnnybuccellis.com/

Maybe we will hit Indiana before we go home.

Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers

2008-05-10T18:49:00.013-05:00

Mecca. Nirvana. Xanadu. I could live here. I wish there was one within a 3 hour drive of home.

Nope. No photo. You don't need to look for this place.

Those are the things I thout I'd be saying as I left CBCB. Instead, I was calling the Miller High Life hotline so they could come rescue their beer. The good people of Dayton know what's up. There were like 6 people there... on a Saturday night... with playoff basketball on... with the Cavs playing. I should have figured it out right there. But when you Google cheeseburgers & Dayton, CBCB's many locations pop up. So to set the scene, I had driven there after a long day of shooting (p's not g's) and had saved up my hunger since the Big Boy brunch. This was the burger dining experience I was looking forward to the most. Meeting other like minded people looking to enjoy a cheeseburger & a cold beer. Perhaps I built it up too much. Ok. I went in and sat at the bar. Got my menu and decided to learn from my Big Boy mishap and get the best burger for my taste. The Bomb. 1/3 pounder with bacon, cheddar and jack cheeses and BBQ sauce.

This barely qualifies as the burger described.

Barely two full strips of bacon. And pathetically thin bacon at that. This is diner bacon that is a ripoff if it costs more than $.50. Then look at the 2 lousy onion rings. While the O-rings are not a listed topping, either do it or don't. 2 O-rings are just insulting to my tastebuds, not some bonus topping. The BBQ sauce was regular KC Masterpiece out the bottle. This didn't bother me that much and the cheese worked well. The patty initially didn't offend me. Above average frozen with no seasoning. The cooking method helped it though. Charbroiling gave this patty its flavor.

Check out the chunky quality of recently defrosted meat.

You all have had this patty. This is the burger you cook at BBQs in your mid 20s. It's one of Kirkland's finest. Not the cheapest frozen 1/4 pounders, and not the nice 1/2 pounders you can really season. But by no means worth the $6.30 they are charging. My other issues, are that I think the BBQ burger is the best possible combination of frozen patty and cooking method. And I don't see a burger on the menu that sounds like it would work. Maybe if you build your own, but that's not $.95 worth of bacon. Really for Dayton, it's a bit pricey for what you get. Which is why on a Saturday night, the people of Dayton were somewhere else watching the game. Wish they'd called me.

Sadly this is not a destination buger. The beer is not cheap enough to justify the price for the quality or quantity of food. I just don't see a reason to go there. And you are talking to someone who can justify going back to Big Boy!

http://www.cbcbdayton.com/

Big Boy

2008-05-10T17:13:00.008-05:00

Yea you read that right. Big Boy.

So why with limited time in Ohio, limited calories, and so many other options, would I seemingly waste my time (and yours) with Big Boy. Well a few reasons. First, I did not get to the hotel until near midnight. I had all the good intentions to get up early and head into Cincy to check out a great burger joint. But I was tired and slept in. Second, while I wanted to go into Cincy, I had no idea of where to go. Now the Cincinnati Burger Guys have a great guide on what is good. Check out their blog (link on right). But I had to be in Oxford to shoot (photos not guns) at noon for Miami's grad. So finding a burger at 9:30am wasn't going too well. Third, look a the photo. You see that the Holiday Inn sign. Well that's all the traveling I had to do. Fourth, curiosity. When was the last time you had Big Boy? I mean how bad can it be, the Big Boy is holding a burger. And last, I got sentimental thinking about the first I was in a Big Boy. But more on that later.

So I went in not expecting much, and wasn't shocked when I didn't get much. My server was a nice enough kid. I looked over the menu and went for the regular Big Boy. I did pass on the 1/2 pounder and one on a rye bun with Swiss. So I can't say they don't have more to offer. I did get my choice of two sides, and went with O-rings and mac & cheese. There is really nothing to comment on about the wait except that it's very clean.

The burger and sides arrived.

Big mistake on the O-rings. Talk about no taste. Most fried food is at least oily and tastes like it's fattening. These did not. No taste whatsoever. The mac & cheese, though, was decent. On to the burger. Poor little thing. I've had fast food prepared with more love. Happy you aren't if your job is assembling these. Also I suspect the same bun is used regardless of patty size.

So it basically sucked as burgers go. This burger will in fact disappoint anyone over the age of 10 and most over 80. It's something of a bootleg Big Mac with the whole third bun thing. I've never met I third bun I liked. I don't know why I expected better. Well maybe because my first Big Boy experience was with my Grandparents when I was 9 or 10. I remember it rocked, but it had to be the company not the food.

So in it's own way Big Boy is a destination. Go there if you are 6-10 years old. If your child does not have a car, take them. Do not order the regular Big Boy, it's not (and maybe never was) as good as you remember. Get an adult burger. Order something involving bacon, mushrooms, even rye, but no third bun. You will get decent food in a clean place, and they may get a good memory.

http://www.bigboy.com/

Thurman Cafe

2008-05-09T23:54:00.014-05:00

Welcome to the Ohio leg of my cheeseburger tour. I have to first apologize to all of the wonderful cheeseburgers in all the burger joints I was not able to try. When you only have 3 days and plan on 4 burgers in that time frame, you have to plan ahead. So with the Internet as my guide, I narrowed it down to 3 places to go while in Columbus, Dayton, and back in Columbus.

I flew into Columbus Friday night. I landed around 9pm, got the rental car, and headed to my first stop, The Thurman Cafe. As always, not being familiar with the area, I sailed right past it. But I quickly found parking and went inside. There is a cool locals vibe in this place. You enter into a front room where people are sitting and drinking like it was the living room at a house party. Complete with dim lighting from the neon beer signs the scene was only missing a bong and beanbag chairs. I went into the back bar area where there are like eight booths, some high tables and the bar. The walls were covered in one dollar bills with names on them.

No really, these things were everywhere.

Mo money! Mo money! Mo money!

We will review them next time I'm in Vegas.

So I asked the woman at the bar if it was cool to grab a back booth. No was my answer and I was told to sign some guest book in the front room. I signed in and went back to the bar for a beer while I waited. She asked if I was alone, and then invited me to sit at the bar. I sat down and got ready for my experience to begin. She handed me a menu. There was really no need. I had known all week what the first burger was going to be, the Thurman Burger. I ordered it and took some more photos of dollars and had a Great Lakes beer.

My Thurman arrived and immediately the bartender said, "let me get you some utensils".

Dude. I just stared at it for a moment.

Rotated it

And just tried to understand what to do. That's bun, American and mozzarella cheeses, ham, sauteed onion, mushrooms, 3/4 pound beef patty, tomato, pickle, lettuce, mayo, and bun.

I did try to pick it up, which was useless. So to the fork I went. I think it goes without saying that this was an amazing cheeseburger. The good people at Thurman's know what they are doing. This is a work of art. Happy are you if your job is to assemble these everyday. If you look at the patty closely, you can see little green bits of some seasoning. This patty was well seasoned. Almost a meatloaf quality to it. It was juicy, quite tasty, more than enough of all the toppings to go around. Everything I could want and much more. But then why did I feel something was wrong? Uh, yea...I was eating a cheeseburger with a fork. This was a brand new concept for me. I have had giant burgers that you have to cut in half, or do some deconstruction, or even smush. Heck eat it like a taco, but never a fork. This burger was transforming itself in my mind from being a great huge cheeseburger, into an open faced ground meat meal.

Before I continue with this one sided debate, I will address one of the other issues I had with the Thurman. Onions. This is a common issue I have with onions being too plentiful. Also they may not have been cooked enough.

Back to the fork thing. You will also notice that at this point the bottom bun was completely gone. All the mayo goodness had soaked in and helped the shear weight of the burger collapse the bottom bun, forcing you to continue to use the fork. So even if in some bizarre universe I may have been OK with the idea of starting a burger with a fork, under no circumstance was I cool with eating the entire meal that way. It just felt wrong. I think I should have been given an option. There are many buns that could stand up to the Thurman even with the mayo on the bottom bun.

So my conclusion is that this is still a destination burger. Go there try it. You may not have a problem with the fork thing. Better yet, try one not on the take out menu called the Thurman-ator. I believe it's a double of the one I had. But when you get it first thing you need to do is flip on on the top bun if you don't want to eat the whole thing with a fork.

Thurman Cafe

183 Thurman Ave

Columbus, OH 43206

Phone: (614) 443-1570

http://www.thethurmancafe.com/

Next up... Big Boy. I know, I know. But I had my reasons.

Yukon Inn

2008-05-04T20:00:00.009-05:00

So my trip through the UP continues with a drive to The Yukon Inn. This place is off of M123 In Paradise, MI. And it is right on the corner of where M123 turns from north to west. I know this because I sailed right past it. And I was looking for it. However if you are in familiar with the area, then you can't miss it. Upon pulling up I quickly realized this would be an experience...I was not wrong. The Yukon Inn has no windows and that will make you think twice being a single black female. Or any single female for that matter. But it was daylight and I like to think people like me until proven wrong. So I ventured in...the inn.

You will now have to forgive the lack of pictures, but there was just no freakin way. There are just some places you don't whip out a camera until you know folks and this was one. I went right up to the bar and sat down, mind you with no bartender in sight. I surveyed the menu and saw my reason for being there. The Yukon Burger. I read the rest, cheeseburger this, mushroom that. But I was there for the Yukon Burger and it was so worth it. The nervousness subsided and I ordered my Yukon Burger and 1919 root beer. I was just chilling there when two guys came in, and sat next to me. This 50-60ish guy wearing a Detroit Lions cap made my day. Dennis and I chatted about the NFL draft our respective teams. Bears, duh. And our mutual hatred of the Packers. Finally my burger arrived.

Oh yea, that's Canadian Bacon.

And a layer of regular bacon under American and Swiss cheese.

My first reaction was that this was not the mammoth burger I was expecting. Especially for $6 with no fries. It was served just how you see it with a tray of condiments (mustard, chopped raw onion, relish, and pickle slices). It needed nothing. I did enjoy a few pickle slices just to take a break from downing this burger. I wanted to savor it, but it was too perfect. I only found one review of this burger, but it was described as cooked to perfection and that was not a lie. Though this is a 1/3 pounder at best, everything is proportional. The meat is not really seasoned but it did not need to be with all that saturated fat on top of it. The patty was juicy and hot as was everything else. Another well executed burger. The cheese, both slices, was melted and the bacon was fresh and crisp. I was amazed how well it worked. In college we used to have the cafeteria grill guys add a piece of ham to our cheeseburgers, but it rarely worked out. The timing has to be right to get good grilled ham that stays hot. The Canadian bacon fit the burger perfectly, the cheese fit perfectly. Take a moment to scroll back up and notice how even the bacon (under the cheese) is not falling off. And the garden variety bun worked because it was not about the bun. You shouldn't even to notice the bun. This burger is about two flavors of cheese, and two cuts of pork on top of a competent beef patty. Eating this burger was a treat of flavor.

My conclusion is that this is a destination burger. I am now hunting for this burger's Chicago cousin. It's expensive but you have to get over that. The beer is cheap. Well at least by Chicago standards. So if you find yourself within 2 maybe 3 hours of the Yukon Inn, go there. Get the Yukon Burger. Leave. Take a walk. Go look at some nature or something. Then go back for a second burger. Seriously, Mackinaw, Cheboygan, even Traverse City, go check it out. Dennis mentioned that 300 or so types/species of birds fly through twice a year. So, if you are into bird watching and burgers, go. The Yukon Burger will not disappoint.

Yukon Inn

8347 N M 123

Paradise, MI 49768

(906) 492-3264

Next weekend I am in Ohio. Then finally the homefront.

Clyde's Drive In

2008-05-03T23:16:00.027-05:00

If you know me, you know that I live in Chicago. No where even close to this inaugural burger joint. Once I knew I was headed there for work, I thought why not start this venture asap. So after some research I determined when in Sault Ste. Marie, MI this was a cheeseburger not to miss. I arrived at Clyde's after driving all day to the UP of Michigan. I was there to shoot (photos not guns) at a graduation at Lake Superior State University. Mad luv to them by the way. Good people over there. Now the drive in concept is just about lost on me, being a city kid and all. There was some wandering around by the door looking at the menu wondering just how this was to go down.

Note the "Curb Service" sign

I settled on the Big C Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and grilled onion. 3/4 pounder for $7.75. I also got fries...I don't know why either. I went back to my car and waited for the 16 year old girl to come and take my order. It was a rainy chilly day and I felt kind of bad for her. Anyway, I placed my order and she soon returned with one of the heaviest bags of I have ever had for just me. After a quick stop for beer (which I should have done first) it was off to the hotel for dinner.

I pulled it out of the bag with anticipation. I need you to grasp the magnitude of this burger. I have had 3/4 pounders before and this was definitely bigger. It looks deceptive from the overhead photo. It was truly amazing though. It was on a massive bun that looked custom built for this burger. It did make me wonder if they use the same bun for the regular burger. This burger took a bit of mental preparation before just diving in. After a few seconds of figuring out how to hold it, I was munching away. This was a well executed burger. All the toppings worked together very well. Most burgers do not succeed with toppings. Sometimes the lettuce is wilted and slides all over, the tomato is mushy, and onion is the worst. I prefer grilled onion and have had some bad ones. They can be too plentiful, not grilled enough, or just too big to name a few issues. These onions were perfect. Right amount, right flavor, and right size. Made me wish I had tried the onion rings because the fries sucked.

Looks like a single patty.

Right about my third or fourth bite I was reveling in how the flavor of this burger was working so nicely for such a huge burger. So I opened it.

Ah ha. Two patties and I'd barely touched the second one. This was not billed as a double burger. This shed light on the bun question and why it was not yet overwhelming. Like I said this burger was very well executed. Not overly seasoned but good meat. Not overly cheesy but a good balance. Not greasy but very moist. I was going strong until the middle of the burger.

The middle was quite overwhelming. And all I had eaten that day was a banana like six hours prior. It is very important to note that this bun held up to the task of holding this beast. Soon after this photo I had to stop. I was not hungry till the burger the next day. See Yukon Inn.

So my overall impression of Clyde's Big C Cheeseburger is try it. This not a destination burger if you need to go more than 30 minutes. But if you find yourself up there try it. If you are in school up there and have limited funds it's not cheap but well worth it. If you scrape up 8 bucks you can either eat it for two days or finish it in one sitting and be full for two days. Please share your comments if you have had one, or recommend something else.

Clyde's Drive-In
1425 Riverside Dr
Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783
(906) 632-2581

Welcome

2008-05-01T12:59:00.001-05:00

To my blog. It's purpose will be to share my cheeseburger eating experiences, recipe ideas, and general love. Enjoy!