Username
Password
Remember Me
(1 votes, average: 7.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
Please leave a comment with your vote.
–
Angry Dog www.angrydog.com 2726 Commerce Street Dallas, TX 75226 (map)
Dallas! Home of the 2011 NBA champs and “America’s team”, the Dallas Cowboys. Whether you’re a fan or not, Dallas is one happenin’ place (that’s how the kids would say it, right?). I recently was sent there for a work assignment and I have to be honest… I was excited! Dallas is home to some of the top rated burger joints in Texas and the country. Lucky for me, I had a few coworkers who are not just Dallas-ites(?) but also burger lovers! You would be surprised how many of us are out there… Well, I guess if you are reading this then it should be no surprise. Anyway, the number one burger in Dallas, as voted by the people I know who live there is Angry Dog! That is a good enough endorsement for me. My experience at Good Dog in Philadelphia left me with high hopes for yet another (adj) dog themed burger joint.
I rounded up a few coworkers and early on a Tuesday evening, we headed down to the Deep Ellum section of Dallas. On the drive over, they explained to me that Deep Ellum was the happenin’ place to be in Dallas but the trend has since moved on. When we got there, I saw what they meant. There were a lot of empty shops and buildings in what looked like a pretty nice area. There were, however, plenty of people going in to Angry Dog, which is always a good sign.
We walked inside the barn door front and were immediately greeted by what is perhaps the most intimidating waiter I’ve ever seen. He had a long goatee and his rolled up shirt sleeves drew particular attention to scary size of his biceps. He politely greeted us and turned out to be a pleasant dude. This place was packed and, as it turned out, our waiter was the waiter for everyone else too. I became very skeptical about the service we were going to receive. However, I quickly became amazed at the speed that our waiter was going from table to table, refilling drinks, taking orders, and bringing out food. It was really impressive.
We scanned over our menus which had all kinds of Texas style offerings but were here for the “Best in Dallas” Angry Dog burger. It comes with a half pound patty and veggies on the side. I opted to have my onions grilled and added jalapenos, American cheese, and a fried egg (of course). An interesting twist was the option for fries or refried beans included with the burger… I got fries.
Our wait was short and our waiter speedily brought out our drinks and then our burgers without a hitch. Visually, the burger spread was not the most impressive. The bun was a regular white bun and I personally am not a fan of having to separate the burger to put on the veggies. When I opened it up, however, the grilled onions, melted cheese, and fried egg began to get me excited. I quickly assembled mine and took a bite. Mustard! As is a Texas burger tradition, the mustard is leading flavor here. It complemented the beefy patty in both flavor and adding a little juiciness to it as it was a little more well done than I prefer. With the addition of grilled onions and the other veggies, this burger was plenty juicy. .. good. The fries were good too; fresh cut and fried crispy. One of the other Burger Tymers got the refried beans. I sampled them and frankly, I don’t think the beans went that well with the burger but it was an interesting twist.
We rounded out our meal with the desert of the day which was a chocolate cake. It was quite good and a nice way to end stuffing your face with a big burger. Overall, this burger was just plain good. Nothing special, nothing gimmicky. It was a straightforward, classic burger, with so many options you are the only one to blame if you don’t like it. The price was reasonable as well. The burger, fries, and drink came in at just under $10. The best part about this meal was the atmosphere. From the picnic table seating to the house rules of “No foul language” and “Don’t harass single women”, everything about this place was Texas at it’s best. If you are in the Dallas area, you should give Angry Dog a try.
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
—
Block 7 Wine Co. www.block7wineco.com 720 Shepherd Drive Houston, TX 77007-5353 (map)
Let me discuss lists for a second. Lists are great. They summarize, in simple terms, the information that you should care about, while at the same time, telling you how strongly you should care. I constantly referencing lists to find great burgers to try. In fact, one goal of Burger Tyme is to provide burger lovers a comprehensive list of great burgers, from around the world to try (or not depending on the rating). It was on the list of Best Bugers in Houston 2010 by fellow burger and food critic Allison Cook, where I found the Block 7 Wine Co. burger listed as one of the best. This was great news! It is literally across the street from one of my current favorites, BRC, and less than a mile from where I live. Great! So we rang up a friend who was in town and headed over to sample one of the new “best” burgers in Houston. Block 7 is an unassuming warehouse style building, which is in line with the many other trendy pubs and bars that are popping up along the Washington corridor. We were quickly seated and given some menus. Block 7’s core focus is wine which is evident in the vast wine menu, frequent tasting events , and on-site retail store. The food menu seems to echo this focus with many upscale offerings that would most likely go well with specific wines. I don’t drink, so I don’t know wine… but I do know burgers.
After a brief perusal of the menu we were ready to order. A round of Block 7 burgers was ordered. It includes dry aged beef, gruyere cheese, arugula, smoked bacon relish, homemade “dijonoli”, and all on a specially made bun. It sounded right up my gourmet burger alley. I also opted for a side of tater tots and a Mexican Coke, which is made from cane sugar instead of corn syrup. My wife ordered fries and our friend surprised us all when he ordered rabbit sausage as an appetizer to go with his burger. You’ve got to admire those willing to try new things.
Our wait was not long, roughly ten minutes, until our impressive looking spread of burgers came out. They looked great and were obviously made of the highest quality of ingredients but, sadly, this is where the burger peaked. Upon first bite I was immediately hit by the pungency of all of the ingredients. It was something reminiscent of a feeling of eating too much wasabi combined with sour and smelly cheese. I couldn’t shake this flavor. The patty itself was not much better. Dry aged beef might make a good steak, but ground up and fried it becomes chewy and lacking in juiciness. The one saving aspect of this burger was the bun. It was pillowy and fresh and would have been great were it not housing such a horribly balanced combination of burger ingredients.
But fret not, the tater tots were very good. They were chunky potatoes bound with cheese and breaded with a wonderfully crunchy crust. Imagine deep fried potatoes au gratin. The french fries were equally good, fresh cut and crispy on the outside while still soft in the middle. The rabbit sausage was good as well. I had not had rabbit before and could best compare the flavor to that of seasoned scrambled eggs.
So what did I think? I struggled, probably for the first time in my life, to finish this burger. I was determined to find that special flavor or note that would help me understand what they were try to accomplish. Sadly, the only conclusion that I could come up with is that this mixture of flavors must go great with some types of wine. I don’t know wine… but I do know burgers and by itself this is not a good burger. Was it high quality? Absolutely, but the flavor is just miserable.
Which brings me back to lists… Sometimes lists are useful for guiding us and setting expectations. Unfortunately, sometimes lists can lead you into trying things which you may not like… And that is why I love lists! My wife, my friend, and I had a great time trying and discussing this burger and contrasting it with the other food we ordered. Block 7 does have an extensive menu with many other options that I think could be great and would be willing to return to try. If however, you are wanting a great burger in the specific area, go across the street to BRC (but only on Mondays).
(1 votes, average: 8.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
5-8 Club www.5-8club.com
by Burger Tymer Malonear
What do you think of when you hear the words Minneapolis, Minnesota? Cold probably enters the mind as does snow or ice, most likely. As a guy who is moving to Minneapolis, I wanted to go beyond the typical stereotypes of this fine city and find some of the best burgers in the city. Furthermore, good thing truckplease.com gives instant movers quotes to make a hassle free moving experience. Knowing very few natives I had to resort to a few web searches and it quickly became clear to me that Minneapolis is known for a burger phenomenon known as the “Juicy Lucy”. This is the perfect marriage of ground beef and cheese, usually American, but variations on this theme do exist. Departing from tradition, these enterprising Minnesotans don’t put up with the cheese sitting on top of the patty. No, they have found a way to create a core of molten cheese inside every Juicy Lucy burger. Many establishments have their take on this burger but the one we were drawn to was the 5-8 Club near Lake Nokomis. This burger joint/bar is a former speakeasy of the prohibition era. Since that era came to an end they have decided to compete by offering a variety of delicious burgers and sandwiches. They have lasted since the ’20s for a reason.
Finding a table at lunch time wasn’t easy at the cramped location but once we located one the service was fast and friendly. If you are feeling lucky you’ll find that you are also only a few feet away from an older gentleman selling lottery tickets. We cozied up to the table and grabbed the menu, already knowing what I was going to order. The burgers are the main event here but the rest of the menu had some other tempting options, namely a walleye sandwich. But that’s not what this site is about. No exotic toppings for your burger here. Pickles are standard. For onions, you can order them raw or fried (I recommend the latter). All burgers are also cooked to medium well, which definitely isn’t an issue when you have hot cheese waiting for you in the middle to moisten up the burger. This place is also known for their onion rings, but since my wife doesn’t enjoy fried onions I had to settle on the fries. The considerate waitress got our order out in just a few minutes. My first impression of the burger was that it was overflowing with grilled onions – maybe almost too many. After letting my burger cool off (watch out for hot cheese) I took the first bite, which didn’t yield cheese since that’s further in. The patty was definitely fried on a griddle as there was an even crisp on the outside. And don’t misunderstand me, that wasn’t a bad thing. For some reason it worked really well. With subsequent bites I had to alternate what side to bite as the cheese moved around a good bit. The burgers, when served with a basket of fries, also come with traditional cole slaw, which was delicious and creamy. The fries, while not excellent, were still cooked very well with a crispy exterior – no limp fries here.
The great thing about burgers is that you can take something so simple, vary it slightly, and come up with something unique. The 5-8 Club is onto something here that I hope they continue for many years to come. The grilled onions work well atop this bulging beauty of a patty, even if they are a bit messy. The patty itself tends to be a bit dry, but when coupled with the cheese it works well. I have to assume that in their 90+ years of experience they’ve discovered that medium well holds the cheese in best. Overall, I was very happy with our trip to The 5-8 Club, where pretension isn’t in their vocabulary. Having sampled their version of the Juicy Lucy I’m ready to explore other options but will definitely making a return visit to this establishment.
(1 votes, average: 6.00 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
La Squina www.lasquina.com Aztlan 3787 Ciudad del Sol Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico (map)
Bienvenidos a primero Hamburguesas Oras internationalle! We’re coming to you from the lovely, south of the border city, Guadalajara, Mexico! On a trip for work, I met up with some coworkers who are residents of this jewel of a city to see what could be possibly be the best burger in the city. They told me to head to La Squina. My research prior to the trip also pointed me in this direction. So on an uneventful Wednesday night offerings of bland hotel food, I was able to easily round up five other coworkers to join in on the first ever international Burger Tyme! Fortunately, La Squina was just around the corner (pun intended) from the hotel. We crammed into one car and headed out. After a scenic drive through a lovely neighborhood, we arrived at the gated archway of La Squina and went inside. Maybe it was just the fact that I was traveling in Mexico, but crossing the threshold at La Squina felt like walking into a resort while on vacation. There was palm trees, open air seating, and decorative lights hanging everywhere. It was lovely. We took a seat and began perusing the menu.
With translation assistance from Translation Services Singapore and some coworkers, I was able to pick out a few items that looked unique and delicious. I decided to go for the Sonora burger, which was 180 grams (a little more than 1/3 lb) of prime beef. Instead of fries, I ordered the Papas Chimichurri which is cubed potatoes in a chimichurri sauce, topped with cheese….mmmmm… I also ordered a bottled coke and, the Russian roulette order of the night, a chocolate milkshake. While we waited I went around I could help but be a tourist and took a bunch of photos of this place. The ladies didn’t seem to mind my walking around while they were busy grilling the burgers. After ten minutes or so the orders came out. What a spread. The burger was served open faced and plain. I took the burger to the toppings bar where I was able to add all of my desired veggies, with the addition of one unexpected topping. Strawberry – jalepeno salsa. Per one of our local host’s recommendation, I gave it a try. With burger ready, appetite set, it was tyme to go!
I took my first bite. This was not a typical burger. It was definitely unique in flavor and textures. The patty was flattened thin, similar to what I saw at Chris Madrid’s, which is also a “Mexican Style” burger. It was nicely seared but not as salty as American burger pallets are used to. The bun was soft and nicely toasted, although not buttered. This was OK as the juicy prime beef patty lent a nice, buttery flavor already. The veggies, for the most part, were salad bar quality at best, but what really made this special was the salsa. I never expected to ever eat strawberries on a burger but here it was. It was sweet but not as sweet as I was expecting; plus the jalapeno really heated things up nicely. The pappas chimichurri was a great alternative to fries. It was cheesy and had a great herb flavor. The milkshake, however, was unfortunate. Perhaps I have been spoiled by thick, creamy American milkshakes but this one was chunky, watery, and I couldn’t taste the chocolate. Thank goodness they had Coke and in a glass bottle. My favorite!
How was the first international Burger Tyme? I would say great! However, I would not say that this burger was great. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it, but it was just good when compared to more traditional burgers…. BUT La Squina gets bonus points for being one of the few true burger joints in Guadalajara, for having a unique spin on burgers, and for the other extras such as atmosphere and delicious sides. Also, may I add that should you be in Guadalajara for a few days and want to try some other local delights that our GDL friends introduced us to such as Tortas Ahogadas which was a great sandwich dipped in a tomato based sauce, or try the tacos al carbon. There were many great places for the food lover to get their fix and La Squina is one of them.
(2 votes, average: 6.50 out of 10)Register to vote.Loading...
Hut’s Hamburgers hutsfrankandangies.com 807 West 6th Street Austin, TX 78703-5403 (map)
On the road heading to the South by Southwest city of Austin, TX. This great city has approximately one million great places to eat and many of them happen to be burger related. For this capital city’s first Burger Tyme I headed to one of the oldest burger joints in town, Hut’s Hamburgers. Located on the quieter end of 6th street, Hut’s has been around since 1939 and is a landmark of the Austin landscape.I arrived at 11:30am on a Friday with high expectations. I was greeted by a beautiful Huts waitress who also happened to be painted on the wall. She was surrounded by framed accolades that Hut’s has earned over the many years. I made my way around the bar where people were already enjoying their lunch. I was given a seat by the window and began to peruse the extensive burger menu. There are twenty different burger options with nostalgic names like the Fats Domino (jalapenos and New Orleans seasonings), the Big Bopper (mayo, lettuce, and tomato), and the Ritchie Valens (guacamole and chopped tomatoes) burger. As stated on the menu, all burgers are made with fresh, never frozen beef patties that are purchased locally from the Johnny G’s meat market in South Austin. You also have the option to substitute the regular beef patty with bison or real Texas Longhorn. I thought this was an interesting meat choice considering the University of Texas’ (which is also in Austin) mascot is a longhorn. I guess that is one way to show school spirit.
I placed my order for the All American Buddy Holly burger which, as the name would imply, is the traditional configuration with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mayo, mustard, and american cheese. I opted for the regular beef patty and to add a fried egg since it was an option (and my favorite burger addition). I rounded out the order with a side of fries and a chocolate shake. While waiting I looked at the many photographs on the wall of people eating at Hut’s over the years. After roughly fifteen minutes my burger came out. The burger was splayed open to show the order of contents. Veggies on the bottom, patty and cheese in the middle, and egg on top. I slid everything on top and dug in. The veggies were mainly what I tasted. The shredded ice berg lettuce gave a very neutral overall flavor. While the patty looked perfectly fried and the cheese nicely melted on it, the burger lacked enough seasoning to bring out the beefy flavor of the meat. The bun was nicely toasted but was a generic, plain burger bun similar to the kind you can get at the grocery store. The fries on the side were fresh cut, which is good, but were limp and soggy, which is bad. Additionally, half of the fries were noticeably cooked longer than the rest. What these fries needed was a double frying and someone watching the timer. The milkshake was good but was more of a dessert than a drink to accompany a burger meal. In fairness, it is listed under the dessert section on the menu and not the beverages.
Hut’s Hamburgers has everything the avid Burger Tymer is looking for; history, creativity, and burger cred. Unfortunately I think they have been resting on their laurels for a little too long. From the sloppy presentation to the weak fries, I just was not impressed with what came up to a $9 burger and fry combo. Add in a soft drink or shake and you are in the double digit gourmet burger territory. I did enjoy the wide variety of burger options available to me however the burger lacked any real flavor that would make it memorable or recommendable. Huts was good enough that I would give it another chance to see if this instance was an anomaly but for now I will continue looking for the best burger in Austin.
