Entries tagged with 'Washington'
Posted by Robyn Lee, September 5, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Burger Ranch in Sunnyside, Washington, sells a lot more than burgers—there's also fried asparagus, sweet potato fries, and New Balance shoes. And they're on sale for $39!
Yen (known on Serious Eats as unarata) took the photo of the odd juxtaposition of shoe store and fast food joint during her trip back to Seattle from the Yakima Valley. To read more of Yen's eating excursions, check out her blog, Una Rata en la Cocina.
Related
Sneaker Burger
Another Meat Sneaker
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 2, 2008 at 2:45 PM
A younger version of myself would have shook his head in disappointment at Robb Walsh, food critic for the Houston Press. But an older, wiser me admires his restraint here. What might be the best burger in Texas—at 105 Grocery & Deli in Washington, Texas—is also gigantic, he says, and he could only finish half.
I went with a double, double, pink in the middle, all the way. I could barely believe the size of the sandwich that was set in front of me. It came wrapped in tissue paper in a paper-lined blue plastic basket full of golden fries. The meat bulged out of the bun. It was unevenly shaped, with a lot of charred crispy areas along the edges. I am guessing that each patty was around two-thirds of a pound.
That burger sounds amazing. And, it uses both yellow and white American cheese. That's a touch of class, folks.
But what's more interesting about Walsh's article is his musing on why the best burgers in Texas seem to come from convenience or grocery stores. Paradoxically, it's because they don't take burger-making seriously.
... As the convenience store becomes more famous for burgers than groceries, it begins ruining the homemade quality of the burgers by borrowing bad habits from high-volume burger operations.
Interesting theory, and one I'm perfectly willing to accept.
105 Grocery & Deli
17255 Highway 105, Washington TX (map)
936-878-2273
Posted by Adam Kuban, July 16, 2007 at 2:15 PM
Flame Burgers, in the Jet City's Queen Anne neighborhood, gets a nod in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Unfortunately, the pulled-pork sandwich rates higher on the reviewer's list than the burgers:
The burgers are more backyard grill with their Tillamook cheddar and ripe tomatoes than, say, Red Mill Burger's caramelized onions and roasted Anaheim peppers that practically achieve haute cuisine ($4.75, $6.25 with fries). That's not to say creative fixings don't surface -- 'shroom lovers can add portobellos for $1.50. In a nod to co-owner Nicholas Polimenakos' Greek heritage, spinach and feta are also on the extras list.
Flame Burgers
Address: 2123 Queen Anne Ave North, Seattle WA 98109
Phone: 206-283-6007
URL: flameburgers.com
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 10, 2006 at 5:00 PM
Here's a killer list we've mentioned on AHT but have never elaborated on. It's Alan Richman's top 20 from his July 2005 story "The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die" in GQ. Do click through to read the entire piece; it quickly made its way onto the Required Reading list at AHT HQ. Bon appétit! ...
1. Sirloin Burger, Le Tub
1100 N Ocean Dr., Hollywood FL 33019 [map]
2. Luger Burger, Peter Luger Steak House
178 Broadway, Brooklyn NY 11211 [map]
A Hamburger Today on the Luger Burger
3. Not Just a Burger, Spiced Pear Restaurant at the Chanler Hotel
117 Memorial Blvd., Newport RI 02840 [map]
4. Rouge Burger, Rouge
205 S 18th St., Philadelphia PA 19103 [map]
5. Kobe Sliders, Barclay Prime
237 S. 18th St., Philadelphia PA 19103 [map]
6. California Burger, Houston's
202 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica CA 90401 [map]
A Hamburger Today on Houston's (New York City)
7. Buckhorn Burger, Buckhorn Tavern
San Antonio NM 87832; call for directions: 505-835-4423 [map]
8. Hamburger, Miller's Bar
23700 Michigan Ave., Dearborn MI 48124 [map]
9. Cheeseburger, Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien Hotel
118 W. 57th St., New York NY 10019 [map]
A Hamburger Today on Burger Joint
10. Number Five, Keller's Drive-in
6537 East NW Hwy., Dallas TX 75231 [map]
3766 Samuell Blvd., Dallas TX 75228 [map]
10554 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas TX 75220 [map]
11. Grilled Bistro Burger, Bistro Don Giovanni
4110 Howard Lane, Napa CA 94558 [map]
12. Hamburger, Bobcat Bite
420 Old Las Vegas Hwy., Santa Fe NM 87505 [map]
13. Cheeseburger, White Manna
358 River St., Hackensack NJ 07601 [map]
A Hamburger Today on White Manna
14. Hamburger, J. G. Melon
1291 Third Ave., New York NY 10021 (at 74th St.) [map]
15. Build Your Own Burger, The Counter
2901 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica CA 90405 (at 29th St.) [map]
A Hamburger Today on The Counter
16. Hamburger & Fries, Burger Joint
700 Haight St., San Francisco CA 94117 [map]
17. Double Bacon Deluxe with Cheese, Red Mill Burgers
Phinney Ridge, 312 N 67th St., Seattle WA 98103 [map]
Interbay, 1613 W Dravus St., Seattle WA 98119 [map]
18. Hamburger, Poag Mahone's Carvery and Ale House
333 S Wells St., Chicago IL 60604 (in the 175 West Jackson Building) [map]
19. Our Famous Burger, Sidetrack Bar and Grill
56 E Cross St., Ypsilanti MI 48198 [map]
20. Hamburger Sandwich, Louis' Lunch
261-263 Crown St., New Haven CT 06510 map]
The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die [GQ]
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 1, 2006 at 5:00 PM
AOL Cityguide has done it again. In late March, the good folks there brought you the best burgers in New York. Now they've compiled the "15 Burgers to Try Before You Die" (hmm ... strange echo of Alan Richman's piece in GQ last year, "The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die.") Without further ado, they are ...
- All-American Drive-In, Massapequa, New York
- Chris Madrid's, San Antonio
- CityGrille, Denver
- Dick's Drive-In, Seattle
- Goldyburgers, Chicago
- In-N-Out Burgers, Los Angeles [AHT's 2¢]
- Jack's Old Fashion Hamburger, Oakland Park, Florida
- O'Connell's Pub, Saint Louis
- Peter Luger, New York [AHT's 2¢]
- Roaring Fork, Phoenix
- Stanich's, Portland, Oregon
- Tessaro's, Pittsburgh
- Thurman Cafe, Columbus, Ohio
- Val's Burgers, San Francisco
- 96th Street Steakburgers, Indianapolis
15 Burgers to Try Before You Die [AOL Cityguide]
The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die [GQ]
Posted by Adam Kuban, July 5, 2005 at 1:40 PM
Hey ho, hamburger hermanos y hermanas! I hope your Fourth of July was a good one, that you didn't blow off any fingers, and that you had some tasty burgers at the cookouts you attended.
Speaking of grilling hamburgers over Independence Day weekend, did you know that's when Americans buy the most beef? That's what I heard on a broadcast yesterday afternoon on American Public Media's Marketplace show. Not surprising, eh? That factoid was in the intro to a very nice piece on Burgerville (listen here), a small 39-store chain in Washington and Oregon.
If you live in the Northwest, you know Burgerville does it right. Special items on the menu vary from month to month, according to what's in season. This month, for instance, Walla Walla onion rings and raspberry milkshakes and shortcakes are the thing. Chocolate-hazelnut* milkshakes were available earlier this year.
More important to this site, however, is Burgerville's beef. The meat for its burgers comes from Oregon cattle raised by sustainable methods, and it is always fresh–never frozen. Moreover, the small Vancouver, Washington–based chain has been using this meat in all its stores since February 2004. According to the Marketplace story, it only costs Burgerville 5¢ more per patty. And that's pretty cheap, considering that customers get healthier meat and that ranchers have further incentive to raise cattle in a more earth-friendly way.
Like In-N-Out, Burgerville is an exemplary model of what fast-food burgers can be but too often, sadly, aren't. Anyone within a short hop of Burgerville would be well-advised to take up temporary residence there as opposed to McDonaldland or the shoddily run realm of the Burger King.
A Nice Visit to Burgerville [Marketplace]
Photo by Polaricecap
* Or, as they call them in Oregon, "filberts."
Posted by Matt Jacobs, June 30, 2005 at 10:00 AM
My trip to Seattle was a rousing success. It would have been fabulous whether or not I had consumed a few burgers, but Two Bells Tavern added something special to my trip. Two Bells is, appropriately, in the Belltown area of Seattle. Eager to check out the Seattle burger scene, I popped by on my first night in town. Despite the rainy night, the place was pretty full. Then again, most nights are rainy nights in Seattle.
A large portion of the restaurant is monopolized by the bar, but it's obvious that people stop in for more than a couple brewskis. My uncle, girlfriend and I grabbed a table and perused the menu. Karen, my ex-Seattlite friend, had warned me that there would be no fries, but it was still odd to not even have them as option. In the end it didn't matter as they had some kick-ass baked beans. The oddities continued when I found out the burger was served on a baguette and the meat was a combination of brisket and round (similar to Shake Shack) mixed with garlic and olive oil. Not your typical burger, but it was certainly enticing.
The burger arrived and, as usual, I ripped off the top bun to see what's under the hood. The patty wasn't round, which makes sense as the baguette isn't either, and the cheddar cheese was melted perfectly over the meat. I assembled my burger with the lettuce and tomato on the side and took a bite. On first reaction, I was put off by the baguette. The quality was fine, but a bread this rigid isn't suitable for burger consumption; it's too difficult to focus on the real good. Once I overcame the bread situation, things took a very positive turn. The burger was succulent and overflowed with flavor. The brisket was prominent, but the garlic added a subtle kick that made the taste truly unique. Unsurprisingly, the burger's short life ended quickly that night.
Aside from the bun, my only regret was not ordering the baked beans. I went with the chili, which was good, but the beans were excellent. Make sure to grab those if you get a chance to make it to Two Bells. Also, make sure to stop by Top Pot Donuts when you're done for some darn-tasty treats.
The food at Two Bells was all very reasonably priced, possibly because Belltown used to be a somewhat seedy/artsy neighborhood, which you can tell by the current clientele (more artsy than seedy). In the end, this was a great recommendation by friends and readers alike. So far, AHT fans are 1 for 1.
Look for the Red Mill Burgers review in the next few days.
Two Bells Tavern
Location: 2313 4th Ave. in Belltown
Phone: 206-441-3050
Hours: 11am - 2am
What's Cookin': The unorthodox but delicious meat mix and the baked beans
Posted by Matt Jacobs, June 8, 2005 at 4:06 PM
This weekend, I will be in Seattle for a long weekend (thank you, Jewish holiday of Shavuot!). Aside from the typical trips to Pike Place Market and the Experience Music Project, I will most definitely be hitting up some burger joints. We like to take full advantage of vacations here at AHT.
Thus far, I know to try to check out Dick's and Burgermaster, but I'm hoping that our dear readers will be able to offer some other possibilities. So, what's good in Seattle?
It's unlikely I'll be able to attend all your suggestions, but I'll do my best. Thanks in advance, AHT readers!
