I was inspired to post for the first time in a long time today, after purchasing my current favorite everyday burger again.

Let me try to explain as succinctly as possible. I’ve been eating burgers for a very long time. I’ve had a few standout favorites over the years. Back in the 90’s it was the basic burger at the Onion Grill, a single location in Lombard, IL that should have become world famous, but sadly, it was not to be. Of the current chains of fast casual burger shops I’m partial to the California burger at Meatheads. Too many shops go overboard, and while I like bacon, sometimes it dominates in a way that takes away from the burger instead of enhancing it.

Meanwhile, among the fast food chains, I generally find one good burger at each that is worth the trip. Rarely do any of the other options on the menu hold up. For example, Burger King has maybe once or twice produced a specialty burger that came close to the classic execution of the Whopper. Even these days when I’m trying to watch what I eat more, I’ll stop by for a Whopper Jr. w/ cheese. At McDonald’s it’s the Quarter Pounder Deluxe if I have the calorie allowance, but usually it’s the McDouble. Checker’s/Rally’s has the Checkerburger/Rallyburger and everything else is ingredient overload. I don’t have a Whataburger, In-N-Out, or Jack In the Box near me.

Yet, the current standout burger for me is the Double Stack at Wendy’s. Not by itself, although it’s good as is. Instead, thanks to the ease of customization that the app allows, I’ve created a combination of the Double Stack and the Junior Cheeseburger Deluxe. The reason this is standout for me among the chains is based on a few simple things. First, the double patty means a meatier bite than, say, a single patty Whopper. The lettuce is whole leaf, so it doesn’t fall out like the Daily Double at McD’s. The onions are whole sliced, the ketchup, mustard, mayo, and pickle round out the complete flavor profile. Most times it’s a solid meal, but when I’m lucky enough to catch fresh patties, it’s an absolute delight.

In fact, for my money, Wendy’s is currently my top chain overall. McDonald’s edges them out on the fries, but not by much, but Wendy’s nuggets are superior, you can’t knock the classic Frosty, and often the specialty burgers are standout as well. So if you’re in the mood for a solid, classic, loaded burger at a value price, download the app, add tomato, lettuce, and mayo to a Double Stack, and let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

I was visiting Northwestern Medicine downtown today and a nurse recommended a nearby restaurant called, “Beatrix“, which turned out to be part of the Lettuce Entertain You chain. It’s a combination carry out salad and soup bar market with a sit down dining room. Their motto is “Taste before Trend.”

The menu has a modest selection of entrees, appetizers, and such, along with a trendy wine, beer, and signature juice cocktail list. With this being a weeknight, we kept the drinks soft and the choices modest. My wife had a turkey, sweet potato, and greens “Neatloaf” that was quite flavorful. I opted for the Prime Burger topped with mixed greens, tomato, and my choice cheese, havarti. It came with house-made giardiniera (tangy and mild) and kennebec fries. I asked the server about those because I hadn’t heard of them before. She told me the kennebec potato comes from Maine and is considered a great french fry potato. I was intrigued.

The burger had great flavor. The cheese was nicely melted over the patty, the tomato and greens were fresh, and the overall flavor was delicious. While the style was gourmet, the burger did not disappoint. The big surprise were the fries. They completely lived up to the promise of being crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. They tend toward a darker color, and these were prepared skin-on. Seasoned perfectly, they needed nothing else. A few lay too close to the burger and were tagged by the melty havarti for a delightful bonus cheese fry surprise. Had I not filled up too much on my ginger beer I’m sure I would have cleared the plate of the generous portion.

I would recommend a visit to Beatrix. I will give it another try when the opportunity knocks. However, I highly recommend kennebec fries if you find them anywhere at all. If they’re half as good as these were, they’ll be a treat for sure. Enjoy!

Burgers are like opinions…

So, I went to Shake Shack the other night. Yes, that Shake Shack. We have a new one near my work.

This is one of those establishments who’s reputation proceeds it. I’d been hearing about the place for years, but had never had the chance to visit one. The day before my visit, several co-workers were discussing its merits. One swore by the burgers, but thought the fries were undercooked. Two others thought it was a bit expensive, but worth it to varying degrees.

I arrived just after 8pm on a Sunday. Maybe a dozen people were in the dining room, with a few coming in before and after me. The menu offers five burger options, four hot dog types, a chicken sandwich, a modest selection of shakes and a range other ice cream desserts, with a couple seasonal ones listed, and basic beer and wine. There’s even a house dog biscuit listed.

I debated trying a more complicated burger selection, but something I’ve taken to doing more often lately is ordering the basic “house” selection as a starting point. This makes for a more consistent benchmark when measuring against other burger joints. The ShackBurger comes with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Shacksauce. I took the burger and fries to go and ate on my drive home.

So what did I think? Let’s start with a fundamental truth about burgers. Burgers, like other foods, come in such a range that it’s unfair to compare them all as equals. From a distance, they may share a common foundation, but get up close and there are various styles that should be separated into categories. There should be the pressed down thin burgers with the crispy edges (like Shake Shack and Smashburger), the thick, roughpacked patties, the greasy, smooth pressed squares, and so on. Chains that have drivethrus should be separately compared from those that don’t. To lump them all in the same category and compare ignores the value in the variety, and how one can crave different styles at different times.

I have never found just one burger to top all burgers. My past favorites include a place called the Onion Grill, which no longer exists. They used a special seasoning blend in their handmade patties, housemade pickled cucumbers, thick slices of onion and melty American cheese, and used that same seasoning on their awesome thick cut fries. Denny’s also once offered a surprisingly delicious garlic mushroom swiss burger that remains the barsetter for that style. That being said, I would put Shake Shack in a category that includes Five Guys, Smashburger, Wayback Burgers, and others. The slightly upscale fast casual shop, where the burgers are a little pricier and offer some customization that breaks from the fast food clones.

As is my habit, I started with the crinkle cut fries. While tasty and fresh, they fell a little short of my all time favorite crinkle cut fries from Portillo’s. In addition, I’m convinced that crinkle cut fries are the best for dipping in ketchup and darn near require it. I learned the hard way a long time ago not to dip and drive, so the fries suffered a bit for it.

Now on to the burger. The patty was a great example of a pressed burger, a bit thinner with crispy edges and had good overall flavor. The lettuce was dark and leafy, probably the same as McDonald’s serves on its signature line. (Sorry, I only know my lettuces well enough to know it was not romaine, iceberg, spinach, arugula, or bibb.) The tomatoes may have been roma. Then there’s the Shacksauce. A little creamy, a little tangy, but beyond that, not as stand out as I’d hoped. All of this sits on a soft bakery-style bun, hinged on one side. I feel like whenever bread is served this way, it leads to an inconsistent distribution of flavors, which has always been a detractor for me. The sauce wasn’t present throughout, so it meant a noticeable portion of the burger was less distinct.

Overall, I enjoyed Shake Shack, but would not put it at the top of my list. I’ll return to try a shake at a later date, but my search continues for a master burger to rule them all. I don’t expect to ever find just one. I do expect to eat a lot of delicious burgers along the way. Enjoy!

Maybe the 7-year itch is a real thing.

I put in my notice at Sullivan’s Steakhouse. I’ve been there nearly 2.5 years, but working only once a week for at least six months means this was inevitable. As of right now, Cathy is discouraging me from pursuing more restaurant work and she’s not wrong. I’ve earned a break. I need a break. The restaurant industry has done me more good than harm, yet it’s not getting easier to do the job with each passing year. I have to look to the future and figure out what’s best for my family and myself.

Sullivan’s taught me a lot about steak. Before working there I never knew the difference between T-bone and Porterhouse, dry aged and wet aged, or understood why certain cuts were more popular than others and the advantages of a bone-in cut. I learned a lot about cooking to certain temperatures, and the benefits of broiling over grilling. They also have one of the best vinaigrettes I’ve ever tasted.

Sullivan’s gave me a little more wine experience. I wish it had involved more opportunities to try wine, but I did get a better sense of the labels that are popular and tend to headline most lists, like Caymus, The Prisoner, and Duckhorn.

Sullivan’s also elevated my fine dining experience. As much as spending half an hour detailing a table at the end of my shift is annoying, it was also educational. If I do return to food service, I have more options for employment across the spectrum from casual diner to fancy supper club.

For now, I’m done waiting tables. I’ll miss the family meals, and the discounts, and the free leftovers that fed me well over the years. Thankfully, my own cooking skills have improved enough that I feel more confident about cooking a steak at home, or properly seasoning a meal.

So goodbye, Sullivan’s. I’ll miss the crew most of all. I hope to return with as much frequency as budgets allow, but until then, if you want a really great steak in the western suburbs, Sully’s is hard to beat. Enjoy!