Convention Grill was always one of those places that we’d go to on a rather irregular basis, the sort of restaurant that everyone liked, but just never thought of when it came time to decide what to have for dinner. It’s a little out of the way if you live on the south side of town like we did, but not so far that we couldn’t bear the ten minute drive (hey, don’t laugh, Minnesotans live a very leisurely lifestyle). And while I haven’t been there many times, I most certainly have not been there in many many years. In fact, I’d venture to say it’s been almost 10 years since I was last there, maybe more (but hey, the place has been around since 1934).

Let’s get down to brass tacks, so to speak: there is one word I would use to describe this burger, and it is “good.” It’s not mind-blowing, you won’t walk out of here with the sudden urge to sneak back in the door and order another for carry-out. But it really is a solid display of hamburger, juicy, cooked to order, and satisfying. I have to admit I’m always disappointed when a burger has better toppings than meat, and this is one of those burgers. But oddly enough, while the bacon and cheddar really blew me away, I really wasn’t that upset by the mediocre beef patty (hey, at least they cooked it how I like it!). In fact, my favorite part of the whole burger was the bun, a fresh and squishy unseeded white bun, ever-so-slightly toasted, and a perfect sponge to save all of that beefy flavor.

Aside: Convention Grill also introduced me to the idea of eating sour cream on french fries, something that I rarely do, except when I’m at this place.

Nostalgia aside, the Convention Grill is still a great spot to grab a burger in the Twin Cities. With all the new-school joints opening up in uptown, downtown, and St. Paul, there’s something really special about hitting a classic restaurant and enjoying the same delicious sandwich that I’ve been eating for years, especially when it’s been ten years since the last one.

Bub’s offers their “Big Ugly”, a one pound behemoth of a burger which, if taken down in full, will land your mug shot on the wall of fame. I easily could have taken the big ugly down, *cough, but instead opted for their “Settle for Less Ugly” (quarter pound cut) of their most famous item on the menu…Elk.

*crappy iphone picture of a great burger

This is the first time I’ve ever tried Elk in the form of a burger and I can see why it is so popular. This lean, juicy and delicious chunk of meat is a great alternative to our beloved beef burger. The meat is the real star of the show here though as I found the lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle toppings to be lackluster. In fact halfway through I just tossed it all aside so I could appreciate the wonderfully seasoned meat on its own.

I’m not ready to say that Bub’s is a destination burger, but it is damn good and if you ever find yourself in Indy I’d highly recommend you check it out…

Bub’s: http://www.bubsburgersandicecream.com/burgers/about.html

Also, LOVED their ‘Tour de Fat’ menu (pictured) which was being offered during my trip.

Tour De "Yes Please"

Know of any other good burgers in Indiana? Let us know!

I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma. I loved it. It made me reconsider the food I eat every day. It made me second guess the path to destruction that seemed like such a good idea for the American farmer (I grew up in farmland). And it made me consider the difference in taste between naturally grown food and the corn-fed stuff that we typically eat every day. I’ll be the first to tell you that grass-fed beef tastes a hell of a lot better than corn-fed.

O! Burger is the exception.

There simply was nothing exciting, flavorful, or otherwise extraordinary about this burger. The beef patty was miniscule – absolutely reprehensible given the hefty price tag. I’m willing to pay $10.99 for a burger and fries, but it better be good. The napa cabbage, tomatoes, sweet pickles, chipotle ketchup and ranch were pretty good….. but I ordered a burger, not a salad.

OK, I understand the appeal of natural foods goes waaaay beyond just flavor. It’s an environmental issue, a political issue, etc. But for me, it’s simply inexcusable if it doesn’t taste good. Sorry O! Burger, but you better up the ante. Your organic sandwiches just don’t cut it.

If there’s one thing you notice right away when you move to Los Angeles, it’s the jacked-up prices on everything from diapers to milk to rent. Everything here is just a little more expensive (unless, of course, you live in New York City). And food is no exception.

Perhaps this inequity in pricing is why In-N-Out is so beloved. After all, you can get a real decent meal there for right around 6 bucks. Carl’s Jr. has even made a point of the price of their 6 Dollar Burgers – which, I might add, are not worth the extra dough. But after you’ve gotten out of the fast food tier, you’re essentially talking about 10 to 20 dollar burgers, depending on the nature of the location you choose to dine. BoHo’s 15 dollar burger, or 25 Degrees’ 12 dollar burger are just a couple of examples of the upper tier, though some fine dining restaurants may charge well above 20.

And that’s why it is so damn refreshing to get a really killer burger for just 10 bucks at The Golden State. From the outside, you’d probably never even know this was a restaurant. I’ve driven by it a couple hundred times going to/from work, but not until I dined across the street at Animal did I even notice it. Sure enough, scrunched in between a couple of art galleries lies a beacon of hope in the mid-priced LA burger scene. And I’m happy to report, it is good.

There aren’t a whole lot of frills here, just one burger on the menu, served with applewood smoked bacon, arugula, a slab of Fiscalini Farms cheddar cheese, and the most delicious homemade aioli I’ve had in a very very long time. And it’s served with one of their sides, of which I chose the incredible sweet potato fries.

The burger was perfectly cooked to my order, rare, and came neatly presented on a clean square plate with my fries. Biting down, you’d never know you weren’t at one of the higher end burger joints – in fact, the bun is remarkably similar to the one at 25 Degrees that I’ve been known to rave about. The arugula on the burger gives a perfect bitter balance to this treat, and the substitution of aioli for ketchup makes it sweet without having the vinegary zing. I really couldn’t ask for much of a better burger, and certainly not at that price point.

And it’s with mixed feelings that I report that the sweet potato fries here are some of the best I’ve ever eaten. I say mixed feelings only because I really love the burger, and wish that I could speak about it with such superlatives.

Topping off this mix is a great selection of beers and ice creams, which can be combined into one some of the most interesting combinations of floats imaginable. Fellow Hambur.grlr Stephanie (aka hambur.grl) tried the brown bread gelato with Old Rasputin beer. The combination of bitter and sweet worked well, but leaned heavy on the hops side. Another friend used salted caramel gelato instead, and I loved it.

I really can’t say enough great things about The Golden State. I’m so happy to have found a killer spot near my house, and at a price that this recession-hater can love.

The Golden State
Website: http://thegoldenstatecafe.com
426 N Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.782.8331

As I pointed out in my previous post, I was ecstatic to hear that the Jucy Lucy (aka Juicy Lucy, depending on where you are) had made its way west to the beautiful state of California. Well it just so happens, they serve the Juicy Lucy elsewhere too, and on a recent outing to Barney’s Beanery in Burbank, I stumbled upon that cheesy delight. I couldn’t not order it.

Well, Barney’s isn’t really known for having great burgers, or great food at all for that matter. Their gigantic menu is deceiving, since it really is just a huge list of every combination possible with their various ingredients. And nearly everything on the menu is fried, battered, or otherwise covered in grease (not that I’m complaining).

Sadly, the Juicy Lucy was no exception. It wasn’t necessarily bad, it just wasn’t good. The American cheese inside is, of course, the whole point of the Juicy Lucy, but it really just tasted artificial. They did manage to cook my burger rare, which I’m always pleased with, but the rest of the sandwich was just your average food-service buns and unripe sliced tomatoes.

I can’t say Barney’s is a great burger by any means, but that isn’t really the point of this place. It’s just a sports bar with a bunch of beers on tap, and HD screens everywhere. On the other hand, it did make for some of the best burger photos I’ve taken in a while.

If you are ever accosted by a tourist on the streets of Los Angeles (and yes, accosted is usually the correct word) and asked where to find the best burger in Los Angeles, you better tell them to head on down Pico to the Apple Pan. Now I can’t say (convincingly) that this is my absolute favorite burger in LA, but I can tell you that very few establishments scream Los Angeles Burger Haven quite like the Apple Pan.

The place has been around since 1947, and hasn’t changed much – with the exception of a couple new menu items, thoughtfully noted with the date they were introduced. Some of the patrons don’t look too far removed from the Apple Pan of yore, though the younger crowd is just as eager to get at those tasty burgers. I could probably write an entire thesis paper about the wonders of staying old school in order to market to an increasingly younger crowd, but this is a burger blog….

Either way, a trip to the Apple Pan is an amazing journey, and one that I recommend you take often. Remember, it’s closed on Mondays. And be sure to treat yourself to a piece of pie. It’s worth it.

The Apple Pan
10801 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064-2105
(310) 475-3585

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Yes, I am here to blog about burgers, and adding my feminine flair where applicable. I have been here eating and reading for awhile now, and thought it best that I dive into this great discussion:

For my first feature, I traveled all the way to NYC to taste the tempting and oh-so-talked about Shake Shack. I Having first read about it and its infamously long line in the NYT and then when Naomi blogged about it here, I put it on my mental list of places-to-try-when-I-am-in-NYC-next.

On a warm Friday evening, we walked over to Madison Square Park giddy with excitement for this holy grail of burger stands.

As you enter the park, you spot the outdoor burger joint in the corner, under the leafy shade of trees above, illuminated by large strings of sparkly lights. And then you spot THE LINE. Its not pretty. Its long. Best to go with friends you haven’t seen in awhile so you can catch up as your stomach growls with hunger for the soon to be eaten burgers. The Line also allows for plenty of menu review, and while it is not as simple as my beloved In-N-Out, it is not too complicated either. I opted for the Shack Burger - American Cheese, lettuce, tomato, Shack Sauce. (I don’t eat tomato on my burger, personal preference). The chopped onions come on the side in a little condiment container. Negative points for no grilled onions…For my beverage, I was excited to taste this delight called the frozen custard shake. I got the chocolate and it was almost too chocolate-y, not that I knew there could be such a thing but it was a tad syrupy sweet for me. My friends ordered the mushroom burger which looked delicious – a crisp fried portabella oozing with melted muenster and cheddar. Definitely not a healthier choice, but a yummy vegetarian option.

Shack Burger (Diced Onions Come a la Mode)

So, the burger. On first glance, the burger is kind of small in size. I don’t know if this is because we are brainwashed by America’s propensity for extra large portions, but I already think I should have ordered a second, or at least a double. The patty is a good size in thickness, and cooked perfectly juicy and I liked the bunnage. The Shack Sauce was kind of a poor man’s imitation of In-N-Out’s secret sauce, sorry, but its true. It was orange and slightly tangy, but mostly just creamy.

Fries were yummy and in addition to frozen custard shakes you can get these things called Concretes, which are shakes blended with ridiculously rich mix-ins, kind of like a gourmet McFlurry? Toppings include Chocolate Truffle Cookie Dough, Shortbread Cookie and Chocolate Toffee. These are insane and more like dessert than a drink. I loved them instantly.

All in all, I loved the experience of eating burgers outside at picnic tables in a beautiful NYC city park on a warm summer evening. The burger, although small, is tasty, and with a side of crispy fries and a Concrete treat, it does fill you up. I love good milkshakes to compliment my burger. It’s definitely hyped (like most good burgers worth their fries) but I say its a must try on any visit to New York. And for New Yorkers, its a great dining experience (and an alternative to In-N-Out).

*Special thanks to my California Native/New York Dwelling hosts – Botch, Megan and Adrienne – who took me to enjoy my first Shake Shack burger!

Beach bums, yuppies, homeless people, punks, rockers, and just about every other type of folk you might find near the Marina are the usual clientele at Hinano Cafe, one of my favorite dives on Washington. Not only do they feature sawdust on the floors, and cheesy neon lights, but they have some pretty incredible burgers and pool tables to boot.

There’s really only one way to describe the Hinano burger experience: the perfect dive. What more coudl you ask for from pub grub? It’s greasy (but not overly greasy), flavorful, and dirt cheap. At 6 bucks (add 1.50 for the hot links), you really can’t beat it. So grab a beer with the locals, and settle into the bar with one of these tasty treats.

I’ve been saying for a long time that my favorite burger in LA is at 25 Degrees, the slightly pricey but always delicious and darkly lit joint in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The other night, I made the trip again, braving the crowds lined up on Hollywood Blvd. to see Michael Jackson’s star on the Walk of Fame, and it didn’t disappoint.

The tricky little secret at 25 Degrees is that, while the menu features a variety of build-your-own-burger toppings, the pre-designed options are significantly cheaper – and come with fries or onion rings. Let’s compare: the “Number Three” that I ordered, features mezzo secco jack cheese, green chili, chipotle, and avocado, with fries, and costs $12. If I were to order that burger as a made-to-order creation, it would be $9 for the burger, $1.50 for the cheese, and $1 each for the green chili, chipotle, and avocado, plus $4 for the fries, a total of $17.50. Of course, the downside is that there are only three such combination burgers, and part of the fun is ordering up strange concoctions.

In any case, this was yet another tasty burger. The meat was cooked exactly how I like it, rare. And my favorite part of 25 Degrees is without a doubt the bun, crispy on the outside with just a hint of butter, and an airy and light interior that squishes nicely into place. The toppings weren’t my favorite, but all the ingredients were quality. I could have used a little more spice, which I assumed the chipotle would add. I also recommend the Guinness milkshake, which has a nice chocolatey flavor without overpowering the Guinness.

As always, a successful trip to one of my favorite Hollywood spots. Go early, it fills up quickly, and they don’t take reservations. Also, try to avoid going on the day after Michael Jackson dies.

I first discovered 5 Guys by accident in my old home town of Washington, DC, and it was essentially love at first bite. The burger is juicy without being too greasy; the toppings are varied, excellent, and free; and the never-frozen meat supports the fact that they (like many other fast-food joints) only serve it well done. The patties are generous–even the “Little Burger” has two patties, with the regular size getting a third. I know that some purists on this blog don’t care about the sides, but the fries at 5 Guys are simply divine: big cuts of potato, the potato’s origins clearly marked on the shop wall (“Today’s potatoes are from: Idaho Falls, Idaho”), fried in 100% peanut oil, and served in ridiculous quantities regardless of what size is ordered. Although I rarely have occasion to order them, the 5 Guys hotdogs are quite good as well, and their breakfast sandwich–served, I believe, only at the Dulles Airport location–are spectacular.

Here’s my burger, as seen from my cell-phone camera:

Pardon any keyboard malfunctions while I drool...

Ordered, as I always do, all the way (i.e. with all the toppings listed with asterisks here). You get one of those, you share an order of fries with a friend, and you won’t even need to chow down on the free roasted peanuts provided at most locations (if you’ve got severe peanut allergies, you are out of luck!).

It turns out that I picked a good weekend for my visit. A few hours earlier and about a thousand miles away, 5 Guys had a slightly more influential customer than your humble correspondent:

President Obama -- feeding his entire security and media detail at 5 Guys