Tokyo: Golden Brown

This looks fantastically wonderful. Looks like a board game.......but no. It's a take home make your own burger kit from Golden Brown. More from Ways & Means.

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Lew’s Drive In

PDX Gwailo Drops by with some more Beef Wisdom:

“Drive-In.” “Coney Islands”. “Hamburgers.” I’m so there.

My seating choice was outside, but they took my order at the inside counter after answering a few relevant (to me) questions: “Are the tots fried or baked?” “Fried.” “Does the “Coney Island Hamburger” have a hot dog on top, or just the sauce?” Just the sauce.

I overordered. Or as a drinker might say, “I was overserved.” The burger was dressed with lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickle, and the coney sauce, and was pretty darned tasty.

The HUGE dog has an ashen appearance, boiled or steamed too long, they turn gray before yellow (ever had a hot dog under the Eiffel Tower?). But I ate it, the coney sauce is thick with meat and (mostly) onion, but soaks into the bun a little too much (on the burger too), making it difficult to perch this sausage to ones lips without some part of it falling back to earth. No sweat.

Lew’s is a treat, I’d like to explore the rest of the menu sometime, the waitress said they have killer biscuits and gravy. We’ll see!

Lew's Drive-in
14911 SE Mcloughlin Blvd
Oak Grove, OR 97267-2824

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Fresh Grill

New Hamburgler Brutus the Burger Beefcake writes in on a new entry to the "Strip Mall Burger" Phenomenon:

Fresh Grill is a little known burger destination hidden in a Beaverton strip mall. They claim to have "The American Dream Meal", which must be some kind of food philosophy because it isn't anywhere on the menu, or I totally would have ordered it.

Here's The Blue Moon burger. For $6.50 you get a quarter pound of fresh ground Angus beef, super crispy bacon, and an impressive spread of blue cheese. An extra buck-fifty will upgrade to a half pound burger. Might as well get the fries and coke too. You get the choice of regular french fries or their waffle fries, and be sure to ask for the fry sauce (not as good as old school Arctic Circle fry sauce, but really what is). Sadly, no pickle. But bonus points for the meat juices that ran down my arms and threatened the integrity of my sweatshirt.

Fresh Grill
Daily 11AM-8PM
16300 SW Hart Road,
Beaverton OR 97007
503) 591-5719
Fax An Order: (503) 591-5715
Email: business@fresh-grill.com

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Rontoms: UPDATED 7.31.2009

Before his big trip to Japan, Hamburgler (the original) fuels up:

Oh my, one last burger. This was fantastic. Praline Bacon and fried heirloom tomatoes, and some fancy natural ground. $9.00. Will look forward to having that again.

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ORIGINAL POST: 5.27.2008




Hamburgler:

This one surprised. $9.00 Cheeseburger with potato salad or house salad. Natural Misty Ilse ground angus beef with herb aioli, pickled red onions, sharp cheddar, on brioche. Add bacon $1.00.

It was cooked perfect to order (medium rare of course) and the herb aioli shined.

Nice summer patio.

Rontoms
600 E. Burnside St.
Portland, OR 97214
(503)236-4536

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Five Guys: UPDATED 7.31.09

PDX Gwailo is back in town and the feast continues:

Stopped in at one of our local “Five Guys Burgers and Fries” outlets. According to their website, Five Guys started in Arlington, VA, in 1986, and now has over 400 locations.

The menu is simple, hamburgers, hot dogs, and french fries, with an abundance of “free toppings” that enables one to have their sandwich served in any of “over 250,000″ toppings.

If one is to believe the posted sign endorsements, as well as repetitive statements on their website and menus, this burger is the greatest thing since sliced bread, having won numerous awards from various newspapers, websites, and magazines.

One curious category that these awards fall into is “Cheap Eats”, and I’m not sure north of $10 for a hamburger, fries, and drink fall into the genre. The small order of fries is 2.79, though the descriptor of “small” is probably misleading. The order comes in a small foam drink cup, but the server then pours a second serving in the bag, much like the old days of when you ordered a milkshake, got the serving glass as well as the mixing cup delivered to you.

Burger toppings, as I said, are abundant, “free”, and your choices include Mayo, Relish, Onions, Lettuce, Pickles, Tomatoes, Grilled Onions, Grilled Mushrooms, Ketchup, Mustard, Jalapeno Peppers, Green Peppers, A-1 Sauce, Bar-B-Q Sauce, Hot Sauce

The standard burger is two patties, and they also offer a “little hamburger” which one would assume is a single patty. Patties appear to be hand-formed, and, I have to say, are rather good. Fries need no extra seasoning, but a “cajun version” is offered along side the standard fries as a choice at no additional charge.

Five Guys
2606 Cedar Hills Blvd
Beaverton, OR 97005

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ORIGINAL POST: 12.28.08






Looks like Hamburgler is moving belt notches this holiday season:

Hopped in a urban camouflaged Grand Caravan to remain inconspicuous in route to the strip mall where Beaverton got its own Five Guys.

For fast food this is pretty much as good as it gets, and since we are from Portland should we bedwet about the Styrofoam cups? (we wouldn't, it would be disrespectful when visiting other cultures....besides, have you ever drank beer from a Styrofoam cup on a really hot day, its ice cold top to bottom!...going to fan on it more later).

Anyhow, they got the usual suspects. Its worth the trip if you are burgering, plus they have bacon and cheese hotdogs., HEY, they have bacon and cheese hot dogs. Get some problems already.

Five Guys
2606 SW Cedar Hills Blvd.
Beaverton, OR 97005

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California: Rosti

I think PDX Gwailo's calling all of us out!

Who goes looking for a burger at a classy Italian place? Who actually orders one? PDXGwailo, that’s who. While you guys are safely hidden between your screens vicariously eating, I’m taking one for the team. Or two. Or six. Mmmmmm, burgers.

Rosti offers meatball sliders, 3 to an order, on fresh baked in house ciabiatta’s, some nice mozzarella, and a dab of homemade red gravy, on the burger, and on the side. The also make a full-size version. With the minis or the biggin’, you can choose beef or turkey for your grind. The beef mince was fine, no noticeable presence of additives or fillers, soft in texture, mildly-spiced. My personal palate would have preferred a heavily noticeable dose of fennel and garlic, but that’s not their recipe.

Alright Hamburlgers, to arms!

Also, for those confused on PDX Gwailo's nation hoping tour, the order of submission was lost during the blog transfer. I apologize for the confusion, and suggest you do as I do and just imagine he has a magic flying hamburger...

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Illinois: Palatine Inn (Suburban Chicago)

PDX Gwailo seeks out the Queen:

It’s not the Billy Goat (someone already posted about), but then nothing in Chicago is. But Chicago is full of good burgers, and one of the few, if not only, places I have ever been that serves the “Queen Burger” virtually everywhere. Too lazy to look up the origin, I am going to take a stab here at saying the Queen Burger is so named because it is covered with a mound of sliced (queen size) green olives, one of my three favorite things in the world to eat.

This one, at the Palatine Inn was done perfectly as requested, medium rare, served dry, with tomato, lettuce and pickle on the side. They will offer you a choice of self-applied condiments.

Bonus Pickle, and (drumroll).....Free Matzo ball soup!

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Texas: Culvers (McKinney/Dallas)

PDX Gwailo keeps going like a man obsessed (aren't we all?)

I wrote about wishing I could hit a Culver’s a couple weeks ago. Got my chance this week in McKinney, Texas, a suburb of Dallas within spitting distance of Oklahoma.

The sign outside of Culver’s says “Home of the Butterburger”, but the butter has nothing to do with the patty, but rather the fact they butter the buns, before toasting them. I don’t know whether it actually makes a difference or not, but the holy two B’s (butter and bacon) make anything better for me.

Culver’s is also known for fresh custard, whatever that is, sounds too healthy for me, and, being a Wisconsin based chain, are in the unique position to offer a side of deep-fried cheese curds.

Hand-formed patty, cooked to order, bakery buns, hot fried cheese curds and a butter burger? Heaven on a sliver of wax paper.

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Wisconson: "I Divides" adventure (Tomah)

PDX Gwailo impresses us all with and iron constitution/stomach:

A Burger where the I Divides
If you've ever driven Chicago to Minneapolis, you know where the "I" divides, it's Tomah, Wisconsin, where Interstates 90 and 94 split and go their merry ways west ward.

I only had a minute here, too damned bad, because Tomah is a cranberry mecca, and offers at least two shops full of cranberry Tschostkes. OK, I am kidding, I didn't want to hit those, but they are there. I also did not have time to visit the most excellent Midwestern burger chain "Culvers", which is home to the extremely tasty "Butterburger". Hit one of those as soon as you can.

No, I was reduced to the heat and eat 99 cents cheeseburger @ the Kwik Trip truck stop. But note that I opted for that before I would eat at the clown restaurant.

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Wisconson: Anchor Bar (Superior)

The PDX Gwailo tour continues...

The Anchor Bar, Superior, Wisconsin:
One would hope for two things: 1) the name of the town also describes the upcoming burger one is planning on consuming, and 2) in Wisconsin, one had better find some pretty damned fine cheese, even if their cows are pissed off, instead of contented like in California.

We went in search of the “Gallybuster”, which, although they couldn’t spell it correctly, promised a solid pound of ground beef and three slices of (your choice) of real cheese. Diners in close proximity to us heard us talking over the proposed entrée, and upon hearing from them that we should try the “five pounder” at a place down the street, we thought, maybe we’ll save some capacity, and go for that tomorrow, instead of this paltry 16 ouncer!

So we ordered from the menu, which had some “different” combinations, like the Green olive and Crème Cheese burger; the Sour Cream and Mushroom, the Cashew and Swiss.

I ordered a combo I have never seen anywhere, despite having traveled the globe and having consumed hamburger sandwiches for the past 116 years.

“The Reuben Burger” - a heaping mound of sauerkraut and gooey real swiss cheese atop at finely grilled burger on a fresh bakery roll, accompanied by perfect hand-cut fries. The burger was served naked, and I ordered a nice chilled bottle of IBC RB to wash it down.

It was great. Better than great. This joy is easily in my top five for the week. Worthy of “Superior.”

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Jody's Drive In

Fellow Oregon Burger-blogger AceBurger shares a plate of Jody's Drive-In over in Redmond, Oregon.

This is a really good tavern style burger that costs only $7.50. It is not too big, but no pushover either. It's a 1/3 pound burger with grilled ham, bacon, cheddar and jack cheese, and all the trimmings (except tomatos which I don't care for).

Check out his site, the Oregon Hamburger Review

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Hobnob Grille

Burger Commander writes in with a new PDX patty:

My friend “The Baconess” and I have been trying to get together for a burger for a couple weeks now, and when we finally had an evening off to chase one down, we decided to try this new spot near her house, Hobnob Grille. We wasted little time getting to a window booth and quickly decided against the happy hour “mini burger”.

We each ordered the Hobnob Burger ($10). The bartender suggested we pair it with gruyere. “The Baconess” insisted on adding bacon to hers ($1.50 for each add-on). Though the burger came with fries, but just reading the name of the “Buttermilk Onion Rings” our appetites wouldn't let that one slip by and we added those as well.

We each dressed our burgers with the provided baby greens and tomato, in addition to the chipotle cream cheese and tomato jam that were already spread on the bun. The mild heat from the spicy chipotle cream cheese was the first thing I noticed, but after a few bites, it was the flavor of the meat that came through. You could tell they spent some time getting the right mix of spices to grind into the burger meat at Hobnob.

The Hobnob burger came with a small handful of fries, just enough to snack on, but its obvious that the chef wants the burger to be the star of this plate. They were nice enough, with just enough salt and seasoning.

The onion rings came with the burgers, arranged in a sort of “Great Wall of Onion Rings” and served with a chipotle barbecue sauce.

To prove her status as a true burger maniac, also attached is a picture of The Baconess giving daps to the most bitchin’ headstone in the Lone Fir Cemetery.

Hobnob Grille
3350 SE Morrison St
Portland, OR 97214
503.445.3665

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George's Giant Hamburgers

UPDATED: 04.28.09





BigManBurgers isn't feeling it:

I'll admit, I had high expectations for this place. I am among other things, a connoisseur of burgers, so the concept of a GIANT HAMBURGER had me envisioning all sorts of things. I was let down.

I got the bacon cheeseburger, with a fried egg on it, and fries. It came out to $8.45. The burger and fries came in baskets diner style. When I got it the first thing I noticed was that the burger itself was not really giant. The place should be more called, Georges Mediocre Hamburgers, because it was, well, just sorta average. Not Giant, not small, just a medium sized average hamburger with a below average side of fries.

As you might be able to see, the bacon was stiff and brittle like my 95-year-old grandmother's wrists and hips, because when I arranged it on the burger it crumpled into little pieces. Party foul. The bun was nice and soft and toasted, and it looked like they buttered it, so that was a plus., but the fries were sort of bland and had a mild hint of egg taste (they must fry them in the same oil).

It's kinda neat because they have a toppings bar where you can put your own toppings on the burger, but by and large I was just not satisfied. It wasn't a bad burger, or a good one, it was just an average burger with an above average burger joint name. Thusly, overall I'd give Georges a 2.5 out of 5.

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ORIGINAL POST 12.18.08










The Duke of Hamburg (also know as The Guilty Carnivore ) makes us hungry visually and takes condiments personally:

George’s Giant Hamburgers is located in Tigard, just off the 99W as it transforms from Barbur Blvd. and leaves Portland proper.

As you can see, the windows boasts that they grind meat fresh. Daily. Except Sundays, when they are closed. So they are liars.

There’s a well-stocked garnish bar, with sauces that include a special-saucey 1000 Island-type concoction that for all I know is actually 1000 Island dressing. I don’t eat things named after mystical places.

The garnish bar includes a salsa fresca, jalapenos, and two types of pickles, even. Well, three, if you include relish as a type of pickle, and I don’t, but I’m not gonna fight you on this.

The bun at George’s is always toasted.

The fries are thicker cut, and fairly decent, though could be a bit crisper. Some people get all freaky about fries and shit and will only eat one style, but I personally like freshly cut and fried potatoes with the skin on.

A fully dressed hamburger. Verdict? The meat isn’t all that flavorful, but it tastes like beef. It’s an honest, simple burger, albeit overcooked to well-done. The pre-cooked weight of the standard burger is 1/3 of a pound. The bun is nicely toasted. At $4.45, it’s only a little over a dollar more than the Whopper™ Sandwich you’ll find just a couple hundred yards down the street, and much better since it’s not microwaved and sitting upon a bottom bun the consistency of refrigerated day-old gravy.

And as you can witness by the three fresh pickle spears, I enjoy over-accessorizing my burger. The quality and selection of the garnish bar makes George’s an infinitely better value than typical fast-food fare. Thick slices of red onion, freshly chopped lettuce, and uniform, meaty slices of tomato…as a comparison, nearly half the time I’ve had a burger at Burgerville the sole tomato slice was simply the very crown of the fruit with a hole in the middle. You won’t find this at George’s, because you’re master of your own burger domain.

Bonus Pickle!

Georges Giant Hamburgers
11640 SW Pacific Hwy
Tigard, OR 97223
(503)639-8029

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Dottie's #3

Bur-Geek uses logic to break through the secret marketing plan:

So I know you've all driven by these "Lottery Deli's", and wondered if they are just fronts to get around the laws to have video lottery games. Well, yes they are. But they actually DO serve food and drinks, and surprisingly, have a decent burger. They also serve sandwiches and chicken strips, but I haven't found a blog for those, so this burger review will have to do for now.

The burger selection isn't huge. In fact, there's only two. A standard cheeseburger for $1.99 (including fries and a pickle) and a Bacon Cheeseburger for $2.99 (including fries and a pickle). You can order the dressings and toppings ala carte, mine has lettuce, ketchup, mustard, and mayo. Tomatos and Onions are also available.

The burger patty itself is approx. 1/3 pound. You get 2 strips of generic bacon, a small hunk of iceberg lettuce and the condiments are alternated above and below the patty. The result? Actually, a decent burger. The meat is a little overdone due to the way they cook it, but the bun is nice and chewy and the toppings are fresh and flavorful. The fries are standard Sheri's/Denny's fare, but for under 3 bucks, what do you want? Oh, and the drinks are free.

See, their nefarious goal is to get you in the door so that you'll throw a 20 into the machines as you wait for your food, and that $2.99 bacon cheeseburger just became a 23 dollar sandwich. But you are smarter (or luckier) than that, right?

Dotty's #3
2055 SE TV Hwy
Hillsboro OR 97123

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Georgia: Vortex (Atlanta)

PDX Gwailo bypasses the sharp chest pains:

The Vortex, Atlanta, GA, has been on my “must………..stop………………eat” list for a long time. Underground whispers, street rumors, gossip have long been around about the famous “Double Coronary Bypass Burger”, a legend if there ever was one. One-half pound of sirloin, topped with two fried eggs, four slices of America Cheese, five slices of bacon, and the bun? Glad you asked. A singular delicious grilled cheese sandwich taking the place of each bun half. Yep, two grilled cheese sandwiches for buns.

Confronted with the option of devouring this monster, could I? Would I? Should I? Well, turns out at the last moment, someone said “try and onion rings”, and I knew I couldn’t do the Double and the rings at the same sitting, and when would I be here again?

So it was the ordinary Coronary Bypass Burger, which forgoes the grilled cheese(s) for a regular bun, is missing one fried egg, 1 strip of bacon, and 1 slice of american processed cheese food.

It was incredible.

Bonus Pickle!

Vortex
Three Locations
Atlanta, GA

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Georgia: Central City Tavern (Atlanta)

PDX Gwailo is all over the place, now in Georgia:

Anytime a restaurant stewardess tells me “Sure, y’all can substitute tater tots for fries”, I’m happier than a pig who’s been rejected for the BBQ pit. Central City Tavern was no exception; while they offered a variety of semi-uniquely decorated burgers, I opted for the blue cheese, which had a nice mix of dressing and seriously chunky real blue cheese. Most curiously, bacon was NOT an add-on, in fact, there was no bacon on the menu at all. Non-distinctive bun, fine, just nothing special.

It was a great burger, not in my top 10, but certainly the best burger I had in Atlanta that day.

Bonus Pickle!


1801 Howell Mill Rd #400
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404)351-1957

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Southeastern USA: RaceTrac

PDX Gwailo worries us, but is taking some for the team:

RaceTrac Petroleum is a chain of over 500 gas stations across the southeastern US. Like many retail chains, RaceTrac has discovered the beauty and profitability of “house brands,” and has followed suit with their ready to heat and ready to eat sandwiches. The RaceTrac double cheeseburger, 5.5 ounces, and 99 cents, exceeds the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder is taste, appearance, and value. All that stands between you and a late night gas station burger fix is 30 seconds in the microwave. RaceTrac’s microwaves are even idiot-proof, with pre-programmed settings for the various sandwiches.

RaceTracs have a great condiment bar, so you can dress your burger to your liking.

RaceTrac
all over the Southeast

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