For the Record

19 December 2006-
Nation's Giant Hamburgers: 317 Broadway in Oakland
http://www.nationsrestaurants.com/
Cost: $5.30 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

In all my qualified years of burger surveying and burger research, I've definitely noticed some strong, loyal fans of Nation's Giant Burgers in the Bay Area. Nation's has been around for a while, and although I never experienced first-hand the early years, I do recognize that they were possibly once great (with limited competition), but expansion has led their TQM to suffer. The same comparison can be drawn from In-N-Out's success. Although I'm a huge fan, I can't expect every burger flipper in uniform to carry the same dedication as someone who's devoted their whole life, flipping burgers and managing the quality standards for positive reviews, good ratings and consequently good business.

Verdict: First of all, I'm not a huge fan of the packaged burger upon presentation. Even though I specified to dine-in, I still get a completely wrapped burger on a tray. Although I don't stage my burgers, you'll just have to trust me that I didn't snatch a few fries between receiving my order and unwrapping the burger for photo-documentation.

The proportions and assemblage of the burger just weren't to my liking. 96% percent of the time, the lettuce is on the outside next to the bun, in order to properly sheath the bun from burger juices. The Nation's burger instead had an onion slice, seven tomato slices and a chunky lettuce bunch, and ghetto-crappy mayonnaise that overwhelms the proportions. I could go on, but for the record - I've eaten at a few different Nation's in the Bay Area and they all suck, they all suck big time.

Enthusiastic Burger Discussion

18 December 2006-
Louie's Bar and Grill: 55 Stevenson Street in San Francisco
Cost: $8.00 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

Often I'll go out with some coworkers, fellow burger enthusiasts, on a lunch outing to survey burgers. But since I recently started a new job, it's been somewhat difficult to discern the burger interest level among my peers. With that said, six other coworkers go out to lunch intending to grab some Yank Sing Dim Sum. The place is crowded and we don't have a reservation. We head over two storefronts down to Louie's Bar and Grill. We all order burgers. What are the chances?

I've noticed a direct correlation between burger enthusiasts and enthusiastic burger discussion. Often the two go hand in hand, one hand on the burger, of course. Actually there's little else that can please my heart other than some candid, enthusiastic burger discussion.

Louie's is a hole in the wall on Stevenson Street, an alley South of Market (SOMA). It's actually a bar, but they serve food during lunch time. Louie's is also within the two block radius from work, so I was anxious to have the opportunity to sample the burger.

Verdict: The burger discussion awaiting the burger order was certainly enthusiastic, in my opinion. I wish we could have carried the momentum, but the review goes downhill after the first bite. It was certainly delicious at first. One could really taste the charbroiled patty and a nicely toasted bun. However, I thought that my patty was on the dry side, maybe a medium. My coworker, fellow burger enthusiast friend, who also ordered a bacon cheeseburger had a different review. In happenstance, he ordered a bacon cheeseburger with "medium" as the grilling preference, while I too ordered the bacon cheeseburger with the requisite "medium-rare" as the grilling preference. Coincidentally, he thought it was cooked a perfect medium-rare.

Seven coworkers walk into a bar and all order burgers with different combinations and grilling preference requests. What are the chances that the wait staff might mix up an order or two? I'm going to have to give Louie's another survey at a later date, next time with a more controlled surveying environment.

Soggy but Good

17 December 2006-
Burgermeister: 86 Carl Street in San Francisco
http://www.burgermeistersf.com/
Cost: $8.75 (niman ranch bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

Those who know me, know that a burger bun's "structural integrity" is an important criterion of a "good" burger, in my opinion. First, there's the issue of etiquette; and then there's the sloppiness factor to consider; plus there's also taste. Ideally, there's a perfect balance of these considerations and more to take into account. I'm not going to go into specifics to detail the evaluation process, but I'll just summarize by saying that there's a nebulous "subjective" factor that also comes into play which may appear to contradict the aforementioned "objective" analysis.

If "burgers" are my "comfort-food", then Burgermeister's interior decor definitely emulates what I consider to be "comfortable". The locations I've visited all seem to have warm, wood interiors, with the cozy feeling of an English tavern. In addition to serving up Niman Ranch meat, they also have Dreyer's shakes and a handful of quality beers on tap.

Verdict: Consistency, is what I've grown to expect at Burgermeister. Expect to loosen a notch on your belt as you engulf a hearty and soggy burger with a Dreyer's shake. Although the bun isn't toasted to my exacting specifications, the burger maintains integrity. As the title suggests, the Burgermeister burger is soggy but good - just don't put it down when you're eating it.

Crispy and Crunchy

16 December 2006-
Pollo's: 100 Berkeley Square in downtown Berkeley
Cost: $4.19 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Pollo's is in between the downtown Berkeley BART Station, and the Cutaway: 1985 Shattuck Avenue, my regular spot for cutting hair over the past few years. As far as I'm concerned, the Cutaway has a couple of the most talented hair stylists on this side of the Bay, and charges very reasonable prices. Anyway, back to the survey...

Pollo's sign reads: "Burritos, Burgers, BBQ Chicken and More". I don't frequent Pollo's often, but on this particular Saturday afternoon, I decided to revisit the diner. There's a substantial varied menu mounted on the wall at the entry that doesn't appear to have changed over the past few decades, and reflects pre-inflated prices.

I ordered the bacon cheeseburger, fries unfortunately are not included. If I recall correctly, a single patty burger is around the three dollar range, which stacks up to be one of the most reasonably priced burgers in my survey. Because of the range of cuisine, everything is made to order, and for better or worse, the order took a little longer than I expected.

Verdict: When it was time, the cook personally brought out the order, and I was pretty impressed by the wholesome presentation, especially the piping hot and crispy fries. The burger was stacked with fixings, but as one can presume from the picture, the patty was meager and of the thin variety.

To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes on a burger, but the tomatoes on the Pollo's burger were fresh and crisp. The slices were also cut in half, and were plentiful and quite delicious. The other fixings were fresh, and the bun also nicely toasted. Despite the thin over cooked patty, the burger was wholesome, and fresh.

Smells like Elephant

8 December 2006-
Quinn's Lighthouse: 1951 Embarcadero in Oakland
http://www.quinnslighthouse.com/
Cost: $12.00 (niman ranch bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own (sorry a little blurry, still learning how to use my new camera)

Admittedly, I may have been a little under dressed for the "dining room" at Quinn's Lighthouse. I was told it was reserved for a private party. I was redirected upstairs to the "pub" where I was assured, the menu was exactly the same. The upstairs was a stark contrast to the frilly, upscale decor of the "dining room" downstairs. It literally "smelled like elephant", with at least a full days of peanut shells, thrown on the ground. Plus, there were drunks hanging off the wall. Well, I wasn't completely drunk yet, so these were my first impressions.

The place was pretty packed, and I ended up scoring a table that they brought inside from the rain. My plastic patio chair was still wet, however. Despite all this, I was trying to stay focused on the Niman Ranch burger I was here to survey.

Quinn's Lighthouse boasts a very significant menu which includes a variety of steaks and seafood options to pasta and salads. Also, they've got the largest selection of beer that I am aware of in the East Bay. There's eight on tap on nitro and some fifty-plus others in bottles. I was tempted to order a steak or some seafood, but I ordered Quinn's "Big Niman Ranch burger - smothered with sauteed onions"; a sizable 10 ounce patty with bacon and swiss; I chose "medium-rare" as the grilling preference.

Verdict: The burger smelled a delicious flame broiled aroma. The mayonnaise I requested, however came in packets. The first bite was pretty tasty, but the patty was a little too dry for my liking. The bun crust was also quite flaky, and due to the lack of toastiness, contributed to the eventual disassemblage of the burger midway through the meal. Don't know if I recommend the burger, but it might be a nice bar to check out at the Oakland Marina when the weather's nice.

It's About Time

3 December 2006-
Mel's Diner: 2240 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley
Cost: $9.99 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

Actually, I don't have anything real positive to report about my dining experience at Mel's in Berkeley. However, I noticed that the establishment disconnected the mini-juke boxes mounted at each booth. Come on people, I'll let the whole '50's diner aesthetic slide (even though we're in the 21st century) - but it's about time those juke boxes were decommissioned. I stopped listening to '50's music way back - before I was born. Instead, Mel's was bumping some lively hip-hop.

So I noticed after I got seated that I didn't have a place setting. But I heard the cling and clang of silverware behind me, so I figured I'd get some with my meal. I ordered their bacon cheeseburger "medium-rare" with a side of fries and a strawberry shake. Regrettably, I should have asked for a place setting when I had the chance.

Verdict: My order arrived without any mayo, and it took me a while to chase down my server and request it. By the time I was served the mayo, I realized again that I didn't have a place setting; and I wasn't about to hunt down my server again. So I just plopped the mayo on my burger and commenced.

My fries were a mixture of half golden-crispy, half uncooked-cold. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell the difference from the outside, so it was sort of gamble eating them. I ended up eating all of my fries, and using the principles of deductive reasoning - concluded that I was served about half golden-crispy, half uncooked-cold.

After the fries consumption, I picked up my burger. Whoa (I thought), this burger is huge! - when I lifted it up. I had to use two hands to get a good handle on it. I took my first bite, and saw just a little juice drip out the end, and that was it. The juice wasn't a bloody stream, instead it was more the color and density of cooking oil - yellowish and translucent.

I analyzed the cross section of the patty and realized a haunting similarity between this patty and an earlier burger experience at Beale Street Bar and Grill (23 June 2006 review). It looked cooked on the outside, but it was raw and dry on the inside. I continued eating the burger out of disbelief - again I was hoping the taste would improve by the time I finished. Unfortunately, it was just poorly cooked all around.

"Burger Nirvana"

1 December 2006-
B Restaurant and Bar*: 720 Howard Street overlooking Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco
http://www.boxedfoodscompany.com/boxed/main.html
Cost: $12.00 (angus bacon cheeseburger, fries included)
* Denotes gmeow76's current top reviewed burger

Image Source: blogger's own

"Burger Nirvana" - the feeling or state of being one experiences after eating this burger.

I didn't make this phrase up; (I wish I did) - but someone a lot wiser and more experienced than me used it to describe the burger at B Restaurant and Bar. It just so happens, he's also a coworker, fellow burger enthusiast, and a fellow college colleague.

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon, and four of us at work decide to grab some burgers. I had another place in mind to try, but I saw B Restaurant and Bar, the aluminum metal clad building, perched upon Yerba Buena terrace, with a wide expansive view of downtown, high-rises, the Metreon, and thought: this is heaven. The architectural detailing, and selection of furniture beckons sophistication, the ambiance exudes style. Or maybe vice-versa. In anycase, I'm not an expert when it comes to this high-brow culture, but I do know a "good" burger when I see and taste one.

Due to my delay in leaving the office, and in order to hopefully expedite things, we placed our orders (4 bacon cheeseburgers with Tillmanook Cheddar) as soon as we got our seats. About a half hour into the meal - and still no entrees, we each began to suspect something was odd about the service. I mean, if we all ordered medium-well or well-done burgers I can understand the delay, but we all order medium or medium-rare, this shouldn't take so darn long!

Patience is a virtue and perfection can't be rushed***.

Verdict: Admittedly, I was pretty darn hungry by the time the orders came through. But I was immediately impressed by the presentation. It looked as if each french fry was individually placed and assembled with exacting precision (using serving tongs). It also looked as if each salt rock was individually placed and assembled on each fry with exacting precision (using surgical tweezers). The unique roll was toasted to perfection, definitely over-toasted than your usual average-joe bun, but by no means burnt. The onions were diced and carefully balanced on a plump heirloom tomato. The patty was served on a bed of special sauce (could possibly be honey dijon of the finest quality). The applewood bacon was packed high and dry. The baby gem lettuce looked very happy and fresh.

In other words, the burgers took time to prepare. And in my book, presentation counts. Of course, the burger at B Restaurant and Bar has everything going for it.

Here's where I'm really going to lose it, trying to describe the burger. I honestly don't think there are words in the English language that can adequately describe the experience. It is definitely something that needs to be experienced first hand, preferrably in silence. Here's four guys yapping away, and then for five whole minutes - complete silence while we're each individually savoring each burger morsel; every tender, fresh, burger morsel like it was heaven.

"Burger Nirvana" indeed. And, the place is within a two-block radius of work.

*** That's about as good as my quotes get.

::SPECIAL LOS ANGELES SURVEY::

24 November 2006-
Real Food Daily: 514 Santa Monica Boulevard in Santa Monica
http://www.realfood.com/
Cost: $12.95 (vegan bacon cheeseburger, side salad included)

Image Source: blogger's own

I've been getting a few requests to start reviewing other types of burgers, other than the standard 'bacon cheeseburger'. I just wanted to take the time to assure the burger purists out there, by no means am I 'selling-out'. It's just once in a while, I might throw in a random review here and there just to quell and satisfy my 'other' supporters' cravings for "healthier" burgers.

I happened to be in the Los Angeles area for Thanksgiving holiday, and had an opportunity to review a vegan bacon cheeseburger at Real Food Daily, "New World Vegan Cuisine" in Santa Monica. Based solely on the multitude and quality of reviews on the restaurant's website, I was expecting a very high caliber meal. I arrived during lunch time on the day after Thanksgiving, and the place was bustling.

Verdict: As mentioned, my expectations were certainly high (just read the reviews on the website). I ordered the RFD burger with "the works" which added tempeh bacon and avocado. I was imagining my best veggie burger to date. Instead I was served something completely different from what I imagined.

I guess I wasn't expecting a hard, untoasted bun with a red play-doh shaped patty with this cheesy imitation vegan-cheese sauce sloppily squirted on the burger - so sloppily it flopped onto the edge of the plate. As many of my readers will know, I don't "stage" my photo-documentation, and I try to capture how the burger was served before me as accurately as possible.

Although the bun definitely did not lack structural integrity, I wonder if the establishment realized actually how stale the bread was. The patty, more of a puree (which resembled play-doh in color and consistency) immediately squished out of the sides upon handling. I ended up scooping the patty with a fork and eating the bun completely separate. Needless to say, the burger was not even dressed with any condiments, except for the tomato and avocado (no lettuce) unless you count the salad with tahini sauce. The ketchup, which I presume to be organic (read 13 August 2006: Too Healthy review) was served on the side, despite the lack of fries.

The burger was definitely not a favorable, nor flavorable experience. Maybe healthy food isn't really supposed to taste "good". I had the opportunity to sample a couple of other dishes that afternoon as well, and I will conclude that RFD does not meet my expectations.

Asian Flare

12 November 2006-
Sparky's Giant Burgers: 4120 Redwood Road in Oakland
Cost: $6.00 (double bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Sparky's is tucked in a quaint shopping center in the Oakland Hills, and would have gone unnoticed had it not been a recommendation from a fellow burger enthusiast recently. The diner is sort of a dive, but there's a walk-up window and an abundance of outdoor seating. I would have chose the outdoor seating had it not been for the November chill and the burger smoke emanating from the grill and diminishing any chance of capturing the natural light for a quick photo op.

In addition to a variety of burger combinations, Sparky's also prepares tempura battered onion rings and zucchini. The specialized menu which is distinctly Asian-American also includes a fish burger and teriyaki chicken. Today, I settled on ordering a "Giant" cheeseburger which includes 2 thin patties with Virginia bacon. I also ordered a side of fries, after debating whether or not to try the tempura batter. I suppose there's next time.

Verdict: The burger was surprisingly juicy and tasty. The patties have a distinct charbroiled, smoky flavor. The fries are fresh-cut and chewy. Sparky's is sort of a dive, but it's nicer than most. I can just imagine how nice it would be to sit in their outdoor seating and enjoy their burgers on a warm day. I'm definitely looking forward to trying other items off their menu in the future.

Quality Bread

27 October 2006-
Downtown Restaurant~: 2102 Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley
http://www.downtownrestaurant.com/
Cost: $11.50 (niman ranch cheeseburger, fries included)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own

I've had the burger at Downtown Restaurant in Berkeley a couple of years ago, and was anticipating a review for ages. The quality of food is up there with "Chez Panisse and Bay Wolf" according to the restaurant's website, but of course, I've only sampled their burgers. They've also got an impressive bar and a stage for live music. Today, I ordered just a cheeseburger, "medium-rare"; if I recall correctly the cheese was: "yech" (but I could be mistaken by the spelling).

Verdict: The experience of dining at Downtown is impeccable (for what it's worth, according to my own standards). The bread is truly sensational. I don't even believe it was toasted, but it was at a perfect consistency and chewiness. The quality of meat was great too. I think it was the best "niman-ranch" burger surveyed thus far. Everything about the meal was quality; highly recommended.

Fully Stocked (Condiment) Bar

13 October 2006-
Slider's Diner: 1204 Sutter Street in San Francisco
Cost: $6.25 (bacon cheeseburger, onion rings extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

The condiment bar at Slider's is comparable to many salad bars in the financial district. It's really got everything you could imagine dressing a burger with, such as olives, sprouts, eggs, carrots, radishes and beets. Maybe it is a salad bar, and the ingredients aren't meant to be added to the burger. Regardless, you can literally get your money's worth by coming here and loading up on the condiments.

The burger is not meager by any means. I ordered their bacon cheeseburger with provolone and chose "rare" as the grilling preference and a side of onion rings. The burger (as photographed above) did not have the pile of fixings I loaded on afterwards. The mound of bacon was also tremendous, and I had a little difficulty at first, grappling the burger and attempting to fit it in my mouth.

Verdict: The burger was definitely "rare" and oozed plenty of burger juices. I noticed that the bun wasn't really properly toasted, but I presumed that a lot of water inherent in the vegetables contributed as much to the overly soggy bun as the burger juices. It's times like this, that I wish I had properly assembled the burger (given the fact that there was a condiment bar and I chose the toppings and their placement).

For future reference, I would highly recommend that burgers highly susceptible to overflowing burger juices are properly sheathed with two layers of a semi-impermeable vapor barrier. I would suggest that one sheaths the immediate inside layers of the bun with a continuous lettuce leaf. In theory, any moisture from the patty will be redirected outside without ever penetrating the lettuce membrane to the bun. Another suggestion would be to cook the patty drier or to actually properly toast the bun. I can't stress this enough guys, bun toasting not only makes the burger taste better, it also decreases the susceptibility of soggy burger buns.

Anyway, the condiment bar at Slider's is definitely an added incentive to the burger experience. However a decent burger, I wish the patty itself had a little more flavor.

Cafeteria Style Steak House

13 October 2006-
Tad's Steakhouse: 120 Powell Street in San Francisco
http://www.tads-steakhouse.com/
Cost: $5.79 (cheeseburger, includes salad and baked potato)

Image Source: blogger's own

There was a time in my adolescence when I distinctly recall the sensory experience of York Steak House, a popular steak house chain on the East Coast. The experience of eating there was more than just about the food, the steaks, salads, the baked potatoes and desserts. I also remember the maze-like labyrinth of a line, with wood panelling and steak memorabilia and other props which resembled a fortress or a castle. The line seemed to meander endlessly for about an hour during prime time dinner hours. Once you are fortunate enough to arrive to the front, everyone picks up a tray, their utensils, steak knives and napkins and then enter the service line where one is given the freedom of choosing their entrees in classic buffet style, except it seemed more like an embellished and longer cafeteria line. The line moved at a snail's pace, so that you could order your steak and grilling preference, and have it served to you by the time you made it to the cash register.

I think it was a great business strategy - force hungry people into a line, as dense and long as an amusement park line, deprived of any visual stimulation and fresh air; and wait. After an hour, shepard them into another line, except force feed them with the most delicious, visual, olfactory and aural stimulation and let them go bananas choosing already prepared dishes to choose from and have them pay before they get a table, before they realize maybe they already got too much food, which is most oftentimes the case.

The experience of being served at Tad's Steakhouse is similar enough to ignite some nostalgia. Except, rather there's no visual, or olfactory anticipation as you wait in each of the staged holding chambers. Instead, potential diners are greeted with a simple, plain menu (it's a steakhouse, but they only have one cut of steak, 'Tad's Special Cut') and you can catch a glimpse of the gaudy (not Gaudi) art-deco, neo-trash interior. If you're lucky, you'd turn right around and walk out the door.

For the not so fortunate ones, on your immediate left are the trays and utensils, and a sign that reads, "napkins located at tables". Therefore, one's forced to place the utensils directly on the trays for more than '3 seconds'. Personally, I'd feel a little better if I had one or two layers of napkin for separation.

Verdict: As my introduction conveys, the menu at Tad's is very limited, and basic. There's basically only one burger, one type of cheese, no bacon, no fries and no requisite condiments. Although all the tables are equipped with an array of bottled condiments, the mayo (upon request) comes in squeezable packages. All orders (entrees) are served with a baked potato and an institutional salad mix; very similar to the kind served at public schools and prisons.

I could taste the open-flamed charbroiled patty from the first bite. But as the meal progressed however, I was thinking about how similar the burger tasted to a McDonald's cheeseburger. Tad's is really more of a dive than a "steakhouse". The experience of eating there is like a time capsule from the fifties. I doubt much has changed about the decor, or their menu over the years. The food is reasonably priced however, just don't expect much if you go.

French Roll Bun

13 September 2006-
The Fly Trap Restaurant: 606 Folsom Street in San Francisco
http://flytraprestaurant.com/home.html
Cost: $13.75 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

It's been a pretty long hiatus since my last review. Ironically I had a couple of great opportunities to review some substantial burgers, but failed to bring along the necessary photo documentation equipment. Today, however, I was prepared. I joined a new coworker (fellow burger enthusiast) to The Fly Trap Restaurant; within a 2 block radius from my new work location (2 1/2 blocks away from my old work location).

The restaurant is pretty upscale. My friend refers to it as "experimental"; for example one of the entree's is Calf's Brains. Feeling pretty reserved, we both indulged in their cheeseburger; I however, requested the requisite bacon. As for grilling preference, I specified "medium-rare".

Verdict: We both agreed that the grilling preference is slightly overcooked per the grilling specification. For example, mine was more "medium than medium-rare" and my coworker's was more "medium-well than medium". We both also agreed that the fries were sensational, and very delicious. The "experimental" nature of the restaurant presented the burger with a delicious french roll and butter lettuce. Also, it didn't come with any condiments other than mustard on the side, which kind of threw me off. The fries were sensational, but the burger was a little too avant garde.

Best in a While

2 September 2006-
Burger Depot: 1116 Solano Avenue in Albany
Cost: $5.25 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Burger Depot is a very nondescript sort of divey restaurant in lower Solano Avenue in Albany run by a very friendly 'mom and pop'. I was the only one in the place on a late Saturday evening, and presumably the owners executed TQM over my burger, and this was definitely reflected in the burger experience.

The burger was served, piled high with fixings and perfectly golden fries. Everything else about the burger met my criteria and then some: toasted bun, crunchy bacon, bermuda onions, a juicy patty grilled about medium-rare by default, (no grilling preference specification), a fat tomato and swiss cheese.

I caught the 'pop', the primary burger preparer observe the thorough photo documentation process, and my enthusiastic ingestion of this burger feast with an amiable smirk on his face. I knew he knew what's up, and I also knew he knew I knew what's up.

Napkin Art

1 September 2006-
Mama's Royal Cafe: 4012 Broadway in Oakland
http://www.mamasroyalcafeoakland.com/
Cost: $9.00 (niman ranch bacon cheeseburger, including side salad)

Image Source: blogger's own

I had lunch with a friend on Friday, and couldn't pass up an opportunity to indulge in another burger. Ironically, he's one of the only friends who isn't an FBE (fellow burger enthusiast). In any case, Mama's is a spacious diner in between Piedmont Avenue and Rockridge. It's another one of those places that represents a good cross section of the diversity in Oakland. I think the staffs all got some serious style too. Mama's also has an annual napkin art contest where contestants can win up to 300 dollars cash in prizes and free meals.

Today I ordered Mama's Niman Ranch 1/3 lb. bacon cheeseburger with Jarlsburg and a side salad. I specified "medium-rare" as the grilling preference.

Verdict: Although I was initially impressed by the presentation; note those ski shaped strips of bacon. I was a little disappointed by the choice of bun, and lack of toastiness. Because of the lack of toastiness, the bun easily fell apart when handling the burger and contributed to the somewhat overall dry experience. The bacon and salad were great, however.

Loads of Fixings

31 August 2006-
Fat Apple's: 1346 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in North Berkeley
Cost: $8.10 (bacon cheeseburger, onion rings extra)

Image Source: blogger's own

Image Source: blogger's own

Fat Apple's typically gets way crowded for weekend brunch. Today I arrived at a hair before noon, and managed to get a decent table. Shortly afterwards though, the clientele just seemed to start flocking in. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with their longhorn cheddar and a side of onion rings. Apparently their default grilling preference is medium-well, therefore I opted for a "medium-rare" instead.

Verdict: The meal was initially served without the requisite bacon. After I requested it, the staff piled a pretty significant stack of bacon on a plate. I was also very impressed by the loads of fixings: the mound of cheddar was enormous, three plump tomato slices, three full bermuda onion chops, a couple of long lettuce leaves, thoroughly toasted buns, did I mention the huge stack of bacon?

The patty was only decent, but still pretty good. It was cooked pretty rare, to my liking. The loads of fixings really set the meal straight. Yes, those are onion rings, and they're absolutely fabulous.

"Rare" Please, not "Raw"

30 August 2006-
Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe: 4081 Hollis Street in Emeryville
http://www.rudyscantfailcafe.com/
Cost: $8.95 (bacon cheeseburger, fries included)

Image Source: blogger's own

Image Source: blogger's own

Today, I was on a quest to find the elusive Red Robin in the South Bay, to no luck. On my way back to headquarters, I swung by Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe as a past recommendation from another burger enthusiast (BE).

Admittedly, I was pretty famished by the time I arrived at Rudy's. As it happened, dinner at Rudy's would be my first meal of the day. I ordered their bacon cheeseburger with swiss and chose fries as the side. As for grilling preference, I specified "rare".

Verdict: My first impression of the burger was the complexion of the patty. I have never seen the outside of a hamburger patty served at such a pale, pink hue. The rest of the burger looked really limp, including a meager portion of bermuda onions, and really sparce presentation of fries. Also, the bun was only lightly toasted.

In comparison to the two past burgers, Rudy's burger is really no contest. The "rare" patty at Rudy's was very dry and bland. The fries tasted exactly like Carls Jr.'s fries.

Burger Juices Galore

29 August 2006-
Val's Burgers~: 2115 Kelly Street in Hayward
Cost: $7.25 (bacon cheeseburger, fries extra)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own

Image Source: blogger's own

I rolled up to the diner mid-afternoon on a Tuesday and was surprised to see that the parking lot was packed to the max. Inside, most of the seats were taken with the exception of a couple of seats at the counter. I sat at the end of the counter with direct line of sight to the grill, and the mesmerizing bun toasting carousel machine. I've seen bun toasting carousels before, but none as large and sophisticated as the one that towered in front of me. Its apparent that the manufacturer of this highly-advanced piece of equipment has truly deduced the art of bun toasting to a science.

I was also salivating over the burger patties on the flame charbroil grill. I could observe the burger flipping process, and watched first-hand the skill and ease in which the cooks were preparing burgers. I could sense that the staff were real burger professionals. Today, I ordered a Mama Burger, a 1/2 lb. chuck patty with bacon and swiss, grilled "rare", and a side of fries. Val's also serves 1/3 lb. patties and 1 lb. patties.

Between the time my order arrived and the time I finished the photo documentation process; I observed that the patty had morphed and oozed out a substantial amount of burger juices. I don't think I have seen so much juice from a burger before, and admittedly I was a little scared. I decided to take a cross section, in order to dispel any suspicion I had that the patty was still alive. Let's just say, I am thankful that the fries came in a basket and weren't on the plate of burger juice.

Verdict: Val's "rare" Mama's Burger is the juiciest burger I have ever experienced thus far. The meat was really delicious, and the bacon and fixings were also very good. I was a little wary of the bun, which didn't look adequate enough to accommodate the massiveness of the patty. Fortunately, the perfectly toasted bun had enough structural integrity to handle the magnitude of the patty.

I really loved this burger, but it's more of a dive than a gourmet burger restaurant. Highly, highly recommended. Caveat: the side of fries is enormous.

Tastes as Good as it Looks

28 August 2006-
Eccolo~: 1820 Fourth Street in Berkeley
http://www.eccolo.com/
Cost: $13.00 (aged niman ranch bacon cheeseburger, tuscan fries extra)
~ Honorable Mention

Image Source: blogger's own

I've been waiting a pretty long time to survey the Eccolo burger. Eccolo, located in the 4th Street shopping district in Berkeley, fosters a great environment for socializing and people watching. It happened to be the first day of my jobless vacation, and I had great company to share the amazing afternoon sunshine with.

Eccolo is definitely not a burger joint with unlimited toppings and combinations. Rather, it offers "aged Niman Ranch...grilled over mesquite" beef with a limited selection of quality add-ons including caramelized onions, apple-smoked bacon, heirloom tomatoes, and cheddar or Pt. Reyes blue cheese. Today I opted for the burger with bacon and cheddar. Medium-rare, is the default grilling preference.

Verdict: Despite the charred markings on the bun, I felt the bread was a quality roll, but it wasn't nearly toasted enough. The rest of the burger, however was sensational. The hand shaped patty was quality and the bacon was bursting with newfound flavors. Also, the burger came with a handful of pickles to cover the patty area a couple of times-fold.

If it weren't for the untoasted bun, this could possibly be the best burger. However, still a very highly recommended experience.

Famous for Ribs?

27 August 2006-
Tony Roma's: 55 Washington Street at Jack London Square in Oakland
http://www.tonyromas.com/files/home.asp
Cost: $7.99 (bacon cheeseburger, two sides included)

Image Source: blogger's own

I spent the better part of Sunday afternoon drinking beers and reading outside at Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon at Jack London Square. When it was time for dinner, I moseyed over to Tony Roma's to check to see whether they served burgers. I understand the restaurant is "famous" for their ribs - though it's a national chain; honestly I'm not much of a rib fan. Fortunately, they also served burgers. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with swiss and a side of fries and corn.

Verdict: When my order arrived, I instinctually dove into the corn and the fries, which is typically the process. The corn on the cob was delicious, and the garlic fries were light and crispy. By the time I was ready for the burger, I realized there weren't any condiments on the burger, it was also missing the bacon, and the bun wasn't toasted.

The quality of the patty was pretty decent, but I seriously thought the sides were a much more enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, a toasted bun versus an untoasted bun can make or break an enjoyable burger experience, in my opinion.