cheeseburgeraddict: Top Notch

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.