Today's reader recommendation comes from Noah Arenstein (aka chiefhdb on AHT/Serious Eats), a Cincinnati native living and working in New York City. He's one half of the blog Law & Food and can be found on Twitter @chiefhdb. Thanks, Noah! If anyone else wants to share some burger intel, here's how to do it. —The Mgmt.

Rarely does a Cincinnati restaurant inspire enough passion for locals to willingly wait in line to eat. For the past few years, Terry's Turf Club, which sits on a desolate stretch of Eastern Avenue not far from the Ohio River, has been the exception. Most everyone comes (and waits) for the burger. They wait in lines spilling onto the sidewalk, where on cold days a roaring overhead heater (which will slowly roast your brain if you stand under it for too long) provides temporary solace from the elements while boisterous crowds drink oversized Belgian beers, bottles of Bud Lite or blackberry cosmopolitans.

The owner, Terry, used to run a bar called Neon and the small restaurant is likewise bathed in an unnatural fluorescent glow from signs promoting Hudepohl Beer.

Even planning ahead for a post-Thanksgiving crowd, my family arrived fifteen minutes after opening, missing the first wave. We ended up waiting forty-five minutes.

Burgers are made with half-pound, intensely juicy 81/19 patties of Black Angus Chuck griddled and covered in a rusty-red seasoning whose provenance (and exact taste) is undetectable. Tall, barely sweet, toasted Shadeau Bakery buns do a commendable job restraining the torrents of juice, but you ultimately may end up eating a handful of burger.

At Terry's, simple is not necessarily the best choice. The toppings, ranging from Burgundy wine sauce with truffles to Jamon Iberico de Bellota and roasted red peppers with goat cheese, are the draw. In that vein, my younger brother ordered a burger covered with gouda, grilled onions and foie gras. After some debate, he got the mango tequila jalapeno sauce on the side. A solid burger, but the foie was lost in the mix.

In the interest of scientific burger experimentation, I ordered as simply as I could: American cheese, grilled onions and banana peppers. The beef was well seared, closer to medium than medium rare, with the meat tasting predominantly of black pepper. A fine burger, but I should have silenced my inner purist and embraced the topping ethos.

My dad ordered a "Not So Wellington," which is a burger served on a croissant along with swiss cheese and a slightly funky foie gras and chicken liver paté. Interesting, but extremely rich. Our side of house-made fries were dry and underseasoned, but they were far better than the flaccid, soggy fries at numerous other burger joints.

For non-burger dishes, my mother insisted on the Halloumi cheese ($4.25) appetizer. Salty, griddled pieces of Halloumi foreshadowed the gut-bomb ahead. Filet mignon and pork tenderloin chili ($6.50) seemed like overkill, but had such a pleasant, lingering burn I could have cared less.

With an expansion in the works for next year, Terry's will double in capacity (while adding more exotic items to the menu). His ambition is admirable, but hopefully Terry remembers that his unique burgers are what made Cincinnatians eagerly linger outside under the neon lights in the first place. —Noah Arenstein

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