Note: Today we're interviewing Ashley Todd of Portland-based burger blog Dream Burger, where she reviews burgers on a scale of 1 to 10 (or "Fuck This" to "Perfect") along with sides, environment, and value. Every post features photos, straightforward commentary (which gets funnier the worse the burger is), and a lovely burger icon emitting golden rays of burger joy. As it should.
How often do you eat burgers? I tend to eat a burger about once a week.
Where did you eat your most recent one? Hopworks Urban Brewery.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? American cheese. Nothing else looks nearly as appealing.
Ketchup or mustard? Mustard, always. Ketchup is way too flavorful/sugary to make an appearance on my burger. It only belongs next to my French fries or onion rings.
Sesame-seed or plain? Plain. I'm fine with any bun, just as long it isn't oversized and overshadows the burger patty itself.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Griddled!
And how would you like that done? Medium.
Would you do us the favor of describing your perfect burger? My perfect burger—or Dream Burger, if you will—is a thin 1/4-pound patty, griddled with nice char on the outside, but pink and juicy on the inside, slice of American cheese melted on top, fresh potato roll, shredded lettuce, a tomato slice, a small amount of mustard/mayo, and a few pickle slices. I am not into "tons of shit on a bun" or massive "gourmet" burgers—I like to keep it simple and delicious.
Note: Today we're interviewing Victoria Pesce Elliott, restaurant critic for The Miami Herald...and burger lover! Serious Eats founder Ed Levine asked her these questions to get the skinny on her burger preferences.
Name: Victoria Pesce Elliott Location: Miami Occupation: Restaurant critic for The Miami Herald
Describe your ideal burger: I like a burger that is not too huge. I think 1/4-pound of beef is more than enough. Otherwise, it is tough to get my mouth around it without creating a sloppy mess.
It's not only the cut but also the quality of the beef. Of course, I want a good juicy, flavorful blend of cuts, but I also don't want hormones and antibiotic junk in my burger. I'm thrilled to find a grass-fed beef and maybe even some bison in there. I've had good burgers that are sirloin, chuck, brisket, butt, flank, and who knows what all else, but if well seasoned, well formed, and properly cooked, the burger can transcend its origins.
I say the best is on a real outdoor grill, preferably over good wood. You can taste the flame-licked beef.
What are your five favorite burgers in Miami and why? The old Taurus in Coconut Grove opened again recently and has the best burger in town with its gorgeously charred exterior, perfectly sized sesame bun and the best drippy but not totally gloppy eating experience. I also love Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Kingdom, Five Guys, Burger & Beer Joint, and Michael Mina's divine kobe burger, especially with those duck-fat fries. And though not a classic burger burger, El Rey de Las Fritas is also greasy heaven.
Posted by Robyn Lee, September 26, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Note: Today we're interviewing Scott R. Kline of San Francisco Bay Area-based burger blog Hoosier Burger Boy (he grew up in Indiana). His reviews go beyond the Golden State; it seems like he makes a point to eat a burger no matter where he goes, from Hawaii to Tennessee. As the way it should be.
Name: Scott R. Kline, aka Hoosier Burger Boy Location: Menlo Park, CA Occupation: Office Furniture Sales, Photography Student
How often do you eat burgers? 2 or 3 times per week.
Where did you eat your most recent one?Hegen Burger, Oakland CA.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? American or Gruyere.
Ketchup or mustard? Specialty sauce of the house; if none, than mustard and mayo.
Sesame-seed or plain? No preference as long as it is fresh and does not fall apart,
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Griddled.
And how would you like that done? Medium.
Would you do us the favor of describing your perfect burger? 1/2 pound, fresh ground chuck, griddled to medium, Gruyere cheese, thick, crisp bacon, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato. Sauce of mayo, Dijon mustard, horseradish (a pinch) and Tabasco (a couple drops). Firm soft white bun baked that morning at the Peninsula Creamery and toasted on the inside.
Posted by Robyn Lee, September 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Note: Today we're interviewing Marc Sanders, the man behind burger blog Burgatory. Although he's based in Philadelphia, he's reviewed burgers from around the country and also blogs about burger-related news. Make sure to look at the topics on his blog, including "Burgernomics," "All About The Sauce," and "Mmmmm Chemicals!
Name: Marc Sanders Location: Suburban Philadelphia Occupation: Director of Marketing for a bank
How often do you eat burgers? 2x a week.
Where did you eat your most recent one?Louie's Lunch (late-night food truck on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY).
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? American works, but I tend to order burgers with no cheese at all.
Ketchup or mustard? Both.
Sesame-seed or plain? Plain (potato roll, please!).
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Griddled.
And how would you like that done? Medium rare.
Would you do us the favor of describing your perfect burger? I’d probably keep it simple, a perfectly grilled 1/4-pound burger with a few planks of bacon and a runny fried egg on top, served up on a potato roll.
Posted by Robyn Lee, September 4, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Note: Today we're interviewing Daniel Zemans, our new Chicago burger correspondent! He's admittedly more of a pizza aficionado than a burger lover, but with "AHT reviewer" recently added to his lists of skills, methinks his burger love will flourish. (Besides, he's an overall "food lover," which is perfect for the Serious Eats community.) If you missed them, check out his reviews on Kuma's Corner and Erwin.
Burgers, pizza, and...sometimes babies [Photograph: Daniel Zemans]
Name: Daniel Zemans Location: Chicago Occupation: Technically a lawyer, but I do it as little as possible.
How often do you eat burgers? Not as much as I should. I tend to go on burger binges. Writing for AHT will cure my burger eating disorder.
Where did you eat your most recent one? David Burke's Primehouse (review forthcoming on AHT).
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? When offered, blue; otherwise, usually cheddar. When American is the only option, I am definitely not disappointed.
Ketchup or mustard? Mustard, preferably yellow but brown is fine too. I'm not going to tell anyone not to put ketchup on their burger. I will judge them, possibly out loud and in a condescending manner, but I will not tell them not to do it.
Sesame-seed or plain? Sesame-seed.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Grilled.
And how would you like that done? Rare. I don't like ketchup, but I can understand that some people like corn syrup and tomato paste on their burgers. I cannot understand why people get their burgers cooked more than medium rare. I just don't get the thought process that would lead someone to ask that their food have so much of its flavor cooked out of it. Maybe there's significant overlap between people who get burgers cooked medium to well and those who really like ketchup and they don't want anything getting in the way of their beloved condiment?
Note: Today I'm interviewing...myself. Strange? A bit. But I'm the editor, so there's no one else to interview me. I hope this helps to put a face behind the name you find under most of these posts!
I thought about using a more normal photo, but then decided, "Nope."
Name: Robyn Lee Location: New York City Occupation: Food blogger, editor of AHT, photographer for Serious Eats
How often do you eat burgers? It varies; could be once one week, a few times another week, or not at all. My consumption has gone way, way up since I started writing for AHT.
Where did you eat your most recent one? SquareBurger in Philadelphia (writeup forthcoming).
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? I like American. Whatever's melty.
Ketchup or mustard? Ketchup over mustard, but I wouldn't add either to a burger.
Sesame-seed or plain? I like sesame action. It's more important that the bun is of the soft and fluffy sort, like a potato roll.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Griddled. Not that it really matters as long as its tasty.
And how would you like that done? Medium rare. I know a more well done burger can still taste good and be juicy, but most of the time I find that those burgers too dry, or meh, or bleh, or...they just make me sad. Keep in mind you're talking to someone who likes steak tartare.
Note: This week we're grilling Jessica Ward, 1/2 of of burger-centric, Philadelphia-based food blog Fries With that Shake and creator of Burger Club Philly. Her burger love is apparent—she's even wearing this awesome burger shirt in her photo. Go, Jessica!
Name: Jessica Rossi Ward Location: Philadelphia Occupation: Librarian
How often do you eat burgers? At least once a week when possible. It has been a bit more frequently because there are a lot of new burgers hitting the scene in Philly right now.
Where did you eat your most recent one? I just tried the burger at Butcher and Singer and it was incredible. They are currently selling this thing for $5.95 during lunch. I want to eat one every day.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? I really love American. It really just melts better than anything and that is important to me.
Ketchup or mustard? I prefer ketchup and mayo if a special sauce, à la In-N-Out, isn't available.
Sesame-seed or plain? I can go either way with sesame-seeds. I love a potato bun or just a good squishy plain bun. I'm totally over brioche; I wish people would stop using them. The are too sweet.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? I definitely prefer a griddled patty with the pretty char that comes with it. It also makes for a juicier burger which makes for my favorite kind of burger. I want that burger dripping with juices.
And how would you like that done? I like mine pink because that usually lends to a juicier burger, but if the burger comes out and it's juicy I'm happy.
Note: This week we're grilling Kevin Pang of the Chicago Tribune and The Cheeseburger Show (which, if you haven't seen before, you must watch now). After a successful six-episode run, six more episodes are currently in the works. There isn't anyone else I would turn to for Chicago burger recs.
Name: Kevin Pang Location: Chicago, Illinois Occupation: Host of The Cheeseburger Show,Chicago Tribune reporter
How often do you eat burgers? Three bites of each from about five burgers each week. That works out to roughly 16 ounces of protein over a seven day period.
Where did you eat your most recent one? Labriola Bakery Café, Oak Brook, IL. Half pound Angus patty, griddled, Nueske’s bacon (not too crisp, not too soft), aged white cheddar, caramelized red onions, toasted pretzel bun.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? Like asking for my favorite child (I do not have children). Had a great one with semi-melted Camembert last week. A few days ago, had Merkt's cheddar spread slathered over grilled onions and bacon. Insanity.
Ketchup or mustard? No.
Sesame-seed or plain? Sesame seed, buttered and lightly toasted on a grill top. Crisp circumference.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Griddled. I like the idea of beef patties confit-ing in its buttery grease.
And how would you like that done, sir? Deliciously, please.
Note: This week we're grilling New York City-based blogger Zach Brooks of Midtown Lunch, your most trusted source for all things edible, cheap, and available during lunchtime in Midtown. Zach and the Midtown Lunch crew have well deserved accolades up the wazoo for their unmatchable reporting on what most people refer to as a "food wasteland." You can also check out Zach's contributions on Serious Eats.
How often do you eat burgers? Not nearly as often as I'd like.
Where did you eat your most recent one?HB Burger in Midtown.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? If AHT is asking, it's American. (But secretly, I'm a fan of swiss.)
Ketchup or mustard? Ketchup (no question).
Sesame-seed or plain? Sesame.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? That's tough. Of course griddled tastes the best, but there's nothing like the smell and char of a great backyard, grilled hamburger.
And how would you like that done, sir? Medium rare.
Would you do us the favor of describing your perfect burger? I know this is probably sacrilegious, but I'm a toppings kind of guy. Not the cold stuff though (no thanks to the lettuce, tomato, and pickles), but more the hot stuff...like grilled onions. I love me some grilled onions on a burger. (And if there is good guac at a BBQ, that's going on my burger every time.)
Note: This week we're grilling Rick Field, owner of New York-based pickle company Rick's Picks.
Name: Rick Field Location: Lower East Side / Brooklyn, NYC Occupation: Owner and pickler
How often do you eat burgers? Every other week.
Where did you eat your most recent one? Yesterday!!!!
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? I like American cheese, but I can handle cheddar. The burger I had yesterday was topped with fromage fort, a blend of cheese remnants melted and reformed into a paté-like consistency.
Ketchup or mustard? Ketchup.
Sesame-seed or plain? Sesame bun.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Grilled.
And how would you like that done, sir? Medium rare.
Note: This week we're grilling Donald Kennedy of Victoria Burger Blog, your headquarters for all things burger-related in and around Victoria.
Name: Donald Kennedy Location: Victoria, BC Canada Occupation: Recently finished a job as a morning newsreader for CKMO Radio in Victoria: unemployed and job-hunting now.
How often do you eat burgers? About one or two a week when I'm at home—closer to around five a week if I'm on vacation in the states.
Where did you eat your most recent one? Cooked a decent patty over an open fire while camping at Goldstream park over the weekend. Before that I had a slightly gelatinous patty at Gathering Place Cafe in Victoria. Gathering Place is possibly the only convenience store/cafeteria in Victoria.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? American if it's a smaller, greasier patty. Bleu, or maybe a cheddar/swiss blend if it's a bigger patty.
Ketchup or mustard? Mustard and onions should be the mandated condiment/topping mix for any ballpark or backyard burger. Somehow that mix can really bring out the best in a nice lower-price-point burger.
Sesame-seed or plain? Plain, white, and squishy usually does it for me.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Grilled—I love tasting a little char sometimes.
Note: This week we're grilling Jason Beckerman of New York City's Burger of the Month, where he along with the group's six other members have ranked over 45 burgers in the city since 2005.
Name: Jason Beckerman Location: Brooklyn, New York Occupation: Lawyer
How often do you eat burgers? At least a few times a week. The number has greatly increased lately.
Where did you eat your most recent one? Trailer Park in NYC. Enjoyed an awesome lunch with the folks from A Hamburger Today and The Great Burger Conquest. This place was a real unique experience. [Editor's note: You can read about the meal at The Great Burger Conquest.]
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? If it melts, it can go on my burger. Could not be less picky about cheese. Even alright with those that don't melt, like blue cheese, gorgonzola, etc....
Ketchup or mustard? Enjoy ketchup, but prefer a good barbecue sauce, or even Thousand Island. Can't go wrong with ketchup though. Every once in a blue moon I will get the urge to mix ketchup and mustard. Not sure what makes me do that, but usually happy I did.
Note: This week we're grilling Tommi Tómasson, proprietor of Hamborgarabúllan in Reykjavik, Iceland. He fell in love with burgers as a teenager, a love that is still with him today at 60-years-old and shows no sign of abating.
Name: Tommi Tomasson Location: Reykjavik, Iceland Occupation: Owner, operator, and founder of Hamborgarabulla Tomasar ("Tommi's Hamburger Joint")
How often do you eat burgers? At least one every day for the past five years.
Where did you eat your most recent one? At my restaurant.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? American and cheddar mix.
Ketchup or mustard? Ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.
Note:Grilled is our series of Q&As with burger lovers. After an unintentional eight-month hiatus, we're bringing it back to life! Today we prod Rev. Ciancio of New York City-based burger blog, Great Burger Conquest (and another meat-centric blog, Steak Club 7), and instigator of Burgercon.
Name: Rev. Ciancio Location: New York City AKA the Burger Apple Occupation: Artist Management (until eating burgers pays)
How often do you eat burgers? As often as I can without risk to life and limb.
Ketchup or mustard? Don't even think about putting the red bottle on my table unless it says "Red Devil" or "Crystal"
Sesame-seed or plain? ANYTHING but plain. Why go to the effort to make a delicious burger and then skimp out on the bun? Using an English Muffin is like giving a burger its angel wings.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? YES and NOW and all TOGETHER.
And how would you like that done, sir? My Mom used to ask, "Can you rip off its horn, wipe its butt, and put it on my plate?" After seeing the results, I've dedicated my life to medium rare (unless the house suggests otherwise.)
Editor's note: One of the first emails we received in response to our call for a Los Angeles correspondent was from Damon Gambuto with the subject, "My Burger Destiny." His credentials and enthusiasm proved that being AHT's designated Los Angeles burger eater was, indeed, part of his beef patty-filled destiny. Expect to read his first review later today and a new review every Wednesday.
Name: Damon Gambuto Location: Los Angeles, CA Occupation: writer, producer
How often do you eat burgers? Frequently to quite frequently.
Where did you eat your most recent one? Bill’s Burgers. It’s 44 years old and counting, but I needn’t go into details here because you’ll read my post about it later today. Right? Right.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? Um, yes please. I really like cheese. I like it on burgers, on breads, in salads, with fruit and all by itself. Though I’ve grown up a bit and find myself ordering a cheese-less burger more than I did in my youth.
Ketchup or mustard? You know what? Ketchup. Deal with it. Ketchup is sweet and tangy and delicious on burgers. I’m tired of the backlash that rebukes ketchup. You know what else is tiresome? Not letting me have ketchup on my burger even if I have the fortitude to endure the ridicule that may come with asking for it. (I’m looking at you, upscale eatery, that thinks putting a burger on the menu is "playful," but won’t serve me ketchup.)
Editor's note: Anyone with the drive to eat 12 burgers in 8 hours and spend 30 hours making hamburgers might be a little crazy but is probably a good person to listen to when it comes to burgers. That's why we're poking the burger-loving mind of AHT contributor and Cooks Illustrated writer Kenji Alt for this week's Grilled.
Name: J. Kenji Alt Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts Occupation: Chef, test cook, food writer, burger fiend
How often do you eat burgers? I've been known to eat 12 a day from time to time. During the nine months or so that I was trying to perfect my own recipe—my personal testing continued long after finishing the Cook's Illustrated Drive-In Burger story—about a dozen burgers a week. Currently I'm down to about two per week, give or take.
Where did you eat your most recent one? Franky 'N The Boys, a new retro joint that just opened up in Brookline Village, across from my office. It's going for the low-brow, vintage, Coca-Cola, drive-in, chrome-and-leather feel. Super-simple menu. I love their concept, but their execution falls short. "Low-brow" comes off as "cheap," and the burgers are served on buns that are a little too Wonder Bread-y. They also coat their fries in some kind of gunk that makes them taste like Cool Ranch Doritos. Coating fries is a sin in my book akin to adding stuff to the patty before forming it.
Editor's note: It's been a while since we've "Grilled" someone, but we want to get back in the saddle. We Grilled George Motz almost two years ago, but a lot has happened with him in that time. In 2006, he had just released his burger documentary Hamburger America, but since then he has written a book of the same name (which we've been excerpting from every other week) and has sort of become the burger guy out there. We figured it was a good time to catch up and see how his burger worldview had changed. So without further ado, let's get Grillin'.
Name: George Motz Location: Brooklyn, New York Occupation: Hamburger expert, TV commercial director of photography
How often do you eat burgers? At least 3 times a week, sometimes 4.
Has this number increased or decreased with the book project and your increased burger notoriety? Increased for sure. During the research for the book I was eating up to 20 burgers a week for weeks on end. Compared to working on the film I've eaten far more burgers. I've lost count at this point but I guesstimate that I've eaten over 3000 burgers in the last seven years, film, book, and PR combined. Most of them good ones, I might add.
Where did you eat your most recent one? I just had another Dram Shop burger [Park Slope, Brooklyn], the second in just a few days. It really is a great ode to the Dallas double with shredded lettuce and cheese. This time, though, I swapped the raw onion for jalapeños to make it a real Texas burger.
Ladies and gentlemen, who better to Grill for Father's Day than an actual dad? That's rhetorical, son. As my Father's Day gift to you (and him), here's an interview with my dear old dad. He likes his burgers the way he likes them, and doesn't care if you don't. So, without further ado, let's get Grillin'!
Name: Allan Krueger Location: Acton, Massachusetts Occupation: Dad
How often do you eat burgers? As often as I can! Oh wait, is your mother going to read this? Very infrequently, not hardly at all, almost never.
Where did you eat your most recent one? At home actually. Hot off the hickory smoked grill. And tasty it was, in spite of being vegetable-based.
Are you eating more veggie burgers than beef burgers these days? Oh, perish the thought. Well, more than when I was a lot younger, but not more so than in the recent years. You know, sometimes you feel like a nut, etc.
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? None of the above, not even with a veggie burger.
But you do like cheese, right? I've seen you eat it. It isn't the cheese, it's the combination. But this is a discussion about hamburgers, not grilled cheese.
How often do you eat burgers? Two or three times a week.
Where did you eat your most recent one? The Hill Bar & Grill in Waller, Texas (see photo, below right).
Cheese: American, cheddar, other? All of the above. Also Swiss, blue, Muenster, limburger, or Cheez Whiz.
Ketchup or mustard? No ketchup! In Texas, "all the way" means Mustard, mayo, onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles. (Some argue that mayo should be optional.)
Sesame-seed or plain? Open-minded. The plain bun at The Hill was good, but their best burger came on Texas Toast (double-thick white bread) buttered and griddled hard on both sides.
Grilled, griddled, or broiled? Griddled.
And how would you like that done, sir? Pink and juicy
Name: Ashley Todd
Name: Scott R. Kline, aka Hoosier Burger Boy
Name: Marc Sanders
Name: Jessica Rossi Ward
Name: Kevin Pang
Name: Zach Brooks
Name: Sef Gonzalez, aka The Burger Beast
Name: Rick Field
Name: Donald Kennedy
Name: Jason Beckerman 
Name: Tommi Tomasson
Name: Rev. Ciancio
Name: Damon Gambuto
Name: J. Kenji Alt
Name: George Motz
Name: Allan Krueger
Ketchup or mustard? No ketchup! In Texas, "all the way" means Mustard, mayo, onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles. (Some argue that mayo should be optional.)