Chicago > Labriola Cafe: This pretzel bun burger might be better than the one at the beloved Kuma's Corner. [Chicago Tribune]
Ray's Hell Burger Expanding: The popular burger restaurant in Arlington is planning to open a Washington D.C. location this fall. [Washington Business Journal]
North Carolina > Burgerama: There's no shortage of burgers around Wrightsville Beach—here are 17 burger recommendations. [Wrightsville Beach Magazine]
Los Angeles > The Golden State: "The best $10 burger in LA" is topped with applewood smoked bacon, arugula, Fiscalini Farms cheddar cheese, and homemade aioli. [hambur.gr]
San Antonio > Broadway 50 50: Their burger tastes like meatloaf. Not bad, but kind of weird. [San Antonio Burger Blog]
Portland > McMenamins White Eagle Saloon: A burger topped with peanut butter, cheese, and a fried egg = awesome. [Burger Conquest]
Posted by Nick Solares, August 31, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Seen on the side of a food cart in Rome
After three weeks of eating my way through Italy, I am back in the good ol' US of A. While I had many, many fine meals there, I did not eat a single hamburger during that time—the longest I have gone without burgers since I can remember. I would liked to have tried at least one, but I had a hard time finding burgers on the menus of any place other than a handful of Irish pubs in Rome that cater to English speakers and the numerous McDonald's that I encountered during my travels. I was interested in seeing if there was a local interpretation of America's favorite sandwich, something to compare to America's interpretation of Italian pizza.
The closest I came to finding that interpretation was a place in Rome called The Perfect Bun, but they were unfortunately closed until September (like most of the country).
Posted by Carey Jones, August 29, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Before you fire up the grill for one last summer cookout, check out these ten steps to the perfect burger from the blog Al Dente. The takeaways? Weigh your patties to ensure even portions (and therefore even cooking time), don't be afraid to salt, and follow what we'll call the 3-2-1 rule: Grill for three minutes on the first side, two minutes on the flip, add cheese, and cook for one minute more.
200 N 6th St, Philadelphia PA 19106 (map) Cooking Method: Griddled Short Order: Pretty good, but not as memorable as the Cake Shake. Eating in a park is a plus. Price: Hamburger, $4.50; Cheeseburger, $4.75
The Franklin Square park in Philadelphia has it all—a carousel, a miniature golf course, a large water fountain that will taunt you on a hot summer day since its surrounding fence prevents anyone from actually touching it, and, since July, a burger stand.
SquareBurger from Stephen Starr has a simple menu: classic hamburger, classic cheeseburger, veggie burger, two kinds of hot dogs, french fries, and a salad, along with drinks and desserts. Of course, I was there for the burger, even though I heard the hot dogs were potentially better. And really, just the burger—no fries since I was already a bit full from breakfast.
But I did get a Cake Shake, which I justified as "not food" since I could suck it through a straw. That's a bunch of crap; even if it doesn't require chewing, it's still a fatty, dairy, calorie-filled substance—in this case, one that also had TastyKakes blended in. But I'm not here to talk about milkshakes. I can tell you off the bat though that I liked the shake more than the burger. Not that the burger was bad—I just really liked the shake. Innards shot after the jump.
This poll also sparked a secondary debate: Are pickles a condiment? Most people who responded to that query said that pickles were actually a topping. After the jump, a bonus ketchup joke.
British Columbia > Belaire Restaurant: There's an issue with the burger's structural integrity, but it's still "extremely satisfying." [Victoria Burger Blog]
Wisconsin > Raw Cashew Burger: Anchor Bar and Grill serves up an original burger idea that makes for a unique experience. [The Heavy Table]
Chicago > The Best Pretzel-Bun Burger: For some of the best burgers in Chicago, try Labriola Bakery Cafe. [chicagotribune.com]
In "Raising the Bar," author of Bionic Bites Tia Kim will check out the grub at a different New York watering hole each week.
Generic hamburgers can get a little boring—especially in the summer, when every weekend someone else has a generic burger cookout. The pre-formed frozen discs are the worst. (Freezer-burned unseasoned meat, anyone?) So this past Saturday, I headed over to Cobble Hill for something different: a burger of the lamb variety at Clover Club.
Named after an exclusive group of journalists in Philadelphia who convened at the Bellevue Hotel between 1882 and the 1920’s, Clover Club is styled in that period. The pressed-tin ceiling, the soft jazz lilting from the speakers, and the lit candles—when it's still bright out—all add to the feeling of a ghostly bygone era. The food, however, is anything but dated. The few items listed on the bar food menu are all American classics with a modern twist.
The results as of 10 a.m. today of this week's AHT poll, 
