The Counter

I know, I rave about every other burger. But The Counter impressed me. This fancy little place offers CUSTOM burgers. Did you hear me?... Custom! You're saying, "Burger Brittany, c'mon, when can't you customize your burger?". Well, friend, when can you order a burger with grilled pineapple, grilled onion, lettuce, tomato, sharp provolone and BBQ sauce?! This puppy was messy AND delicious. Burger Buddy Andrew introduced me to this little delight in the heart of Walnut Creek, CA. Inside is decorated to imitate a diner, but at the same time, a classier, up-to-date bar. An interesting angle surely, but I am most impressed to see a purely burger restaurant that is not, in any way, fast food. Yes, there's the Burger Bar, but it was pretty measly and overpriced for the type of burger I ate. Trust me, those toppings weren't offered in that fancy little "burger bar". Just look at the Build-Your-Own-Burger menu shown above! Look at those options. First, you pick your amount of beef (I went with the 1/3 pounder, to keep my lady-like figure, you know). Then the cheese, I was torn between Imported Swiss or Sharp Provolone, but do not fear, you have 10 different cheeses to choose from. And then, you pick 4 out of the 18 toppings to choose from. If you choose to pay the dollar extra, you can choose out of 28 different toppings! Top it off with whichever bun you like, and you have a quality, custom-made burger for about $8. 

Burger Buddy Andrew chose this monster of a burger shown below. If I recall correctly, it is a mountain of grilled onions, bacon, guacamole, beef and perhaps BBQ sauce. I'm not sure how you even begin to tackle this beast, but he tackled and even tamed her. We paired our burgers with a side a half french fries and half onion strings. Yes, onion strings, not onion rings. They 

were unique and delicious, but very heavy. Come to this classy diner with an appetite. Andrew and I were both nearly incapacitated after this hefty meal. Also, a picture of him enjoying his beastly beef can be viewed in the post of burger buddies eating burgers. Check it out!

I give the counter a 9.5/10, because they didn't bring our fries and strings before the meal, like we hungry hooligans requested!

Christmas Eve Inspiration

Hello Burger Buddies,

My deep and sincere apologies for my month long hiatus. Between finals, traveling and painting, I have neglected my blog and this is unacceptable. Luckily, I watched Julie & Julia tonight and was inspired . Just so my readers know, while I may have neglected my blog, I have certainly not neglected burgers. In fact, there have been burgers galore, including both Culver's and In-N-Out. As far as new burger joints, there have plenty of those as well. You must check out my burger boy toy having his very first In-N-Out burger.. how cute!
First and foremost, Jack's Brewing Company, a nice bar and grill in San Ramon, CA, right off of Crow Canyon. My parents took me to this friendly little joint on my first night back home in November. First, I ordered the beer sampler, because what could be better than beer and burgers? I challenge you to find better burger bliss. For you Columbians in Missouri, I would liken this place to Flat Branch (which happens to be the birthplace of the Burger Brittany persona, but this is another story for another blog post). At Jack's, I ordered the Blackjack burger- a burger "loaded with Cajun spices, grilled onions, jack cheese and bleu cheese dressing" (copied from menu). The Blackjack was amaZING. All that gooey, dripping cheese with the tangy grilled onions... my mouth is watering in rememberance and reverence of the unabashedly topped burger. Whether it was the beer or the burger, I left with an afterglow of satisfaction that lasted for hours. I give this burger a 10/10 and you know what put it over the top?.. The helpful, friendly service that chatted with my family and smiled every time they stopped by. Even the owner paused at our table for some bouyant conversation!
The Burger Bar in San Francisco. Now, I do not believe San Francisco is the appropriate place for burger cuisine and I think the Burger Bar kind of proved it. San Francisco is liberal, environmentally conscious and perhaps make an excellent veggie burger.. somewhere.. But beef, fat and frying may not be this city's thing. In fact, I should probably pursue the best veggie burger while I'm here in the Bay Area. Bottom line, this particular burger was mediocre, overpriced and not worth choosing over the Cheesecake Factory, which happens to also be in the same building (Macy's!). Luckily for the Burger Bar, I was in a good mood that day. On this particular day, I was with my ruggedly handsome burger boy toy. He came all the way from Washington to visit me for my birthday, which also happened to be on this day. I know what you're thinking, how dare the Burger Bar serve Burger Brittany a mediocre burger on her burger birthday?! It's OK, french fried friends, I was happy regardless. I give the restaurant a 6/10, but I give their sexy milkshake advertising a perfect 10!

Mmmm, see that? That's delicious guacamole, chipotle mayo and pepperjack cheese conglomerated between two buns and a medium-well patty. It's called The Freethrow and it's just one of many specialty burgers that you can find at the new Stadium Bar & Grill in Columbia, MO. They have an extensive, and rather exhausting, list of different, imaginative burgers. You can also order your burger in amounts of a 1/3 lb, 1/2lb or 1lb. Burgers range from your traditional bacon and cheddar to burgers topped with chili and a fried egg. I requested jalepenos to accompany my burger and GUESS WHAT?! they're freshly chopped to ensure extra spiciness. I dug in with vigor. My burger buddies did too.
I ordered the 1/3lb burger with fries and a Long Island Iced Tea (shout-out to Bar Buddy Jordan!). I was stuffed. I know what you're thinking, that's it?! Burger Brittany's a wuss! And perhaps I was that fateful night, but friends, that meal did me in. I had to go home and lie down while my buddies continued their festivities.You can clearly see I attacked this burger with the ferocity of drunken cat fight, but in the end, the burger beat Brittany. I waved my white flag as a food comatose paralyzed my mind and body. Truly, I could no have been beaten by a more worthy opponent. Burger lovers, I command you to get your burger butts to this restaurant STAT!
My rating is out of ten now, FYI and I give it 10/10!

Burger Buddies and Brethren

Burger Candid Shots!

Burger Buddy Andrew closes his eyes and sinks his fangs into a luscious Counter burger, making a mess of the monster. Clearly, he has experienced a tiny piece of heaven.

Burger Buddy Noelle rips into the seared flesh with a ravenous look in her eye. Although holding the burger upside down, she knows exactly what she's doing. Single-mindedly, she devours her meal before I've even arranged the condiments on my own.

Burger Buddy Stuart reminds us that eating a burger isn't alway as sexy as Paris makes it

Burger Buddy Charles munches down while Burger Buddy Jordan looks on in shock. What an 'aggressive' burger!

I love this: Dad and burger are happiness

Burger Snoopy!

Burger Boy-Toy does not think he is a handsome burger eater, but he is!.. Well he should at least look happier when he is about to eat a burger, I suppose. IT'S A BURGER!, after all.

Like this, my brother is so excited for his burger!

And my mom also looks happy to partake in a burger!

I got my paws on a Juicy Lucy!

Ok faithful Burger Buddies, I know you must love food or why else would you be wasting your time on a burger blog? And any fan of food is a fan of a little show called Man vs. Food. Do you know how jealous I am of that man?? Anyways, I'm actually going to refer to a specific episode where Adam Richman goes to Minneapolis, MN and has a cultural favorite: The Juicy Lucy. Now, there are two restaurants who claim to be the original creators of this bewitching beefy treat: Matt's and The 5-8 Club. They are located across the street from each other and are fierce competitors. If you want the whole scoop, watch the Minneapolis episode! Unfortunately, I was not able to go to either of these places, for they were not conveniently placed near the airport; HOWEVER, I went to the other 5-8 Club aka The 5-8 Tavern and Grill in St. Paul. Friends, I got as close to the real thing as I could manage in my recent, short visit to Minnesota and I knew I had to take advantage as best as I could!

Now, for those of you food lovers living under a damn rock, let me introduce you to the Juicy Lucy. She's luscious, bold, daring and delicious. Inside her buxom beefy build lies a center of

molten cheese just waiting to burst and singe your tongue. Although it is not the clearest picture, you can see the cheese spilling out of the patty! Traditionally, it is served with American cheese, but The 5-8 Club also gives the option of Bleu, Swiss or Pepper-jack... I went with pepper-jack for I love a little spice! My mom (who shared with my Aunt... why two grown women need to share a quarter pound burger is beyond me) and brother chose Bleu, mom and aunt liked it, brother not so much. I say, stick with tradition or try the pepper-jack. I was fearful that bleu would be too strong and swiss too bland. Another great thing about having the cheese in the middle was that the burger stayed juicier and hotter, thus providing optimum flavor in every bite. They happen to also serve it with pickles, Culver's style (under the patty as opposed to on top). I picked out those pesky round crinkle-cut pickles. I still swear they do not taste the same as the spears. I just can't stomach them. If you order the basket, you also get lots of fries and cole slaw. I'm not too fond of the slaw either, so I gave it to my dad. He's one of the only people I know that loves cole slaw.

As you can see, I polished off that baby, no problem. It's a quarter pound, so just the right size for me. For the heftier eaters, they offer a third pound burger called the Saucy Sally in which they fill with their "special sauce" (which I can only assume is simply Thousand Island dressing). I also think they dropped the ball in not calling it the Saucy Suzie, but I can ignore their lapse in judgement.

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience and the burger was well worth the late arrival to the airport!

I give it 9.5/10 Fries! Better than Sesame Seeds, no?.. *Hear ye, hear ye* I think I'd like some input on my rating system. If you have the best idea and I use it, you'll win a $5 Culver's gift certificate! Get creative, people!

Wacky Willie's Field House of Food!

Last Saturday, I accompanied Burger Buddy Noelle to Willie's. Willie's is connected to and owns Field House, popular with the Greek crowd and willing-to-pay-covers crowd. Did you know, because I didn't, that Willie's also owns LSD (the sandwich shop in East Campus), The Forge and Vine, and another Willie's location in Kansas? 

Anyways, we went to watch the game where Mizzou last lost and I figured it was the perfect time to try that marinated burger. Everyone, I did it... and I was impressed. For $6.99, you can expect to receive a juicy, tangy marinated burger and a heaping side of cottage fries. The burger came with lettuce, a pickle slice and some red onion; I went with the lettuce and pickle slice for this baby. Alternating between ranch and ketchup, I made my way through each mouth-watering bite. And those fries! Those tiny, circular, crinkled discs of delectable deliciousness. Burger buddies and burger bystanders alike, I tell you, I almost cried at the Burger Beauty that took place there.

Cooked how I like, medium-well, flavorful juices and hand-picked accoutrements, I found a small slice of heaven that night. In the end, it didn't matter if Mizzou won or lost. It didn't matter that I had wasted the entire day and looked like a bum. The homework, the impending Sunday work shift, what movie to see that night, none of it mattered because that moment belonged solely to me and my burger. 

Folks, if you want a straight-up burger done right without breaking the bank, Willie's Field House is the place to go. 

5/5 sesame seeds (I'm thinking of making the scale out of 10 because if that were the case, I would likely say 9/10!)

Ode to Burgers

I wrote this for my poetry class:

Ode To Burgers!

Petite sesame seeds sprinkled on a golden bun

Embracing a warm, juicy patty,

A slice or two of cheese-

Pepper jack, Cheddar, Swiss, you can't go wrong.

Oh! Beloved sandwich of the gods,

It's time to go on a burger run!

What would you like-

"Have it your way"!

Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles and Onion

Don't be shy, are Mushrooms your style?

Pair your burger with some french fried friends,

Have a seat, enjoy, stay awhile!

A comfort food in its own right,

An emblem for America

Butter Burgers at Culver's

Double-Doubles at In-N-Out

Or good, old-fashioned Whoppers at Burger King

A burger's where it's at, it's certainly my thing!

Burgers make a bad day better

Burgers make a good day great

There's a burger for every occasion 

It'll cure whatever ails ya'

So you might as well go get a burger-

It never fails ya'!

Burger Update

Well, unfortunately I have not eaten any new burgers recently, but I do have some other burger related news. First and foremost, I ate Culver's last week and it was delectable. I was having a rough day, so a burger was just what I needed! FYI: Tomorrow, Oct. 6th, $1 Butterburgers are back!

Also, Burger Buddy Matt directed me to this fantastic website of Burger Art! My personal favorites are the burger bed and burger dress. I would very much like to eat some burger cupcakes *sigh*.

I'm still planning on making my next burger trip at Fieldhouse for that marinated burger. Other than that, no new news. I just wanted to make sure my Burgers Buddies knew I didn't forget about them!

Peace & Burgers

Maid Rite Made Right!

I was told by a couple of people that I needed to go to Rolla for a Maid Rite burger. So when Burger Buddy Colleen presented me with this opportunity, I was not about to decline, even if it would be my third burger of the weekend!

I was a little disappointed that they, like Booches, only offer mustard, ketchup, pickles and onions, but I can forgive this for a number of reasons. First, the loose quality of the meat makes toppings like lettuce and tomato more messy and difficult. Also, after I ordered, I was told that they chop up the onions, meaning they are more incorporated into the meat, not large slices atop the burger. I can handle chopped up onions, and even pickles, so I regret only getting ketchup and cheese on my burger. It was also cheaper (which I suppose makes sense, since it's a fast-food restaurant) and friendlier, which anyone can appreciate!

As for the actual burger, it was quite tasty for what it was and I really enjoyed my burger experience. Pair it with some fried mushrooms and you've got yourself a delicious meal on the go!

8/10 sesame seeds

Chile's Big Mouth Burger.

Delicious! Nothing too special, but I just love the ability to get a big burger with fries and gorge myself. This is a mother of a burger and I polished that sucker off.. Yummmm! Thanks Burger Buddy Colleen!

7.5/10 Sesame seeds!

Muchas Booches

I did it! Burger Buddy Noelle and I ate at what is considered one of the best burger places in Columbia, MO. Here's how Booches works. Most people order, at least, two burgers because their burgers are petite, as you can see above.

They don't use plates, just square pieces of parchment paper. As for condiments, they only have mustard, ketchup, pickles and onions... no lettuce or tomato. And for the life of me, I cannot figure out why. What kind of burger is too good for lettuce and tomato?? So, being me, I just had cheese and ketchup on my burger. (For being my only condiment, they sure skimped on my ketchup!) The other bummer was their lack of fries. Again I am forced to ask, what kind of burger is too good for fries??

The quality of burger is pretty delicious and I enjoyed what I ate, but I don't think I could go back unless I was with someone who insisted on going there. I would rather have a good-sized burger and fries over two small burgers. I would rather have tomato and lettuce, than not even be given the option. It bothers me that I have to run to an ATM just to eat there, because heaven forbid they accept anything other than cash. And quite frankly, I sensed a standard of

exclusive snootiness. It was the type of place where townies or grad students go, a place where the regular customers seemed bothered by young college students. The service was mediocre, but it didn't come with a smile or kind word. Instead, I was reprimanded for taking a picture of the hard-working cook (below). Honestly, it's difficult to enjoy a burger when one can't enjoy the restaurant and this seems to be something that Booches doesn't take into account.

A burger is an American food and in America we have certain freedoms. One of those freedoms is to choose what and how we want things, especially when it comes to burgers. If a restaurant feels it is too good for basic burger accoutrements, then they better have the best damn burger with the best damn service. Not a decent tiny burger with half-assed service. To be so strict and exclusive is simply unAmerican and for this reason, I will be hard-pressed to return to this establishment. Columbia townies can have their special burger place; I'd take Culver's and In-N-Out over Booches any day!

7/10 sesame seeds... same as the McGangBang.

Peace & Burgers

A Quick Burger Blog Update!

I want to make clear that if you have a Gmail account, you can comment on my blog. You don't need a blogspot account or anything like that, so if you have an opinion, burger recommendation or anything of importance to bring to my attention, don't hesitate!

And for all you faithful readers, I will be posting my Booche's experience later today, I just haven't had the chance to upload the pictures yet (and I'm not about to blog with no pictures!) My next endeavor will be the Field House marinated burger... which I'm pretty excited for (and why wouldn't I be? Burgers, duh!). I'm also curious about this recommendation I received last night, has anyone heard of D. Rowes or Drowes? I made a note of it, but it seems more cryptic and I can't exactly recall how it was pronounced. Please let me know!

In the wise words of Burger Buddy Dyer, "The Burger is the ultimate sandwich. You can do anything with it."

Peace & Burgers

The McGangBang is not sexy

Oh god, my stomach is knotting up. Only minutes ago, I ate the infamous McGangBang... and actually, it was delicious. I wouldn't give it Burger Boner status; I consider it a Burger Bonus, though. I ate mine with ketchup and BBQ sauce, no pickles, onions or mustard, as you can hear in my video!         

 

Unfortunately, the chicken sandwich did not include the bun, so it wasn't quite the burger I had read about, but it was still pretty hefty. The sandwich actually made McDonald's fries taste barely mediocre (I guess they do already, but it was even less than that). 

When we ordered, for Burger Buddy Stuart joined me in this endeavor, there was a 30 second pause before the employee spoke again, making sure he had heard correctly. I think the guy who took our order was confused, but when we got our order an employee exclaimed, "I know whatchu talkin' bout! That's how we do it down Souf! Yo, I hooked ya'll up!" And hooked up we were. As you can see from the picture, it was simply a chicken patty nestled between two delicious burger patties. The patty excitement was palpable. I was expecting some lettuce, tomato and maybe some more buns, but this McGangBang did the trick. After a night of casual drinking, this delicious sandwich was exactly what the doctor ordered!

I would recommend it to anyone to try, you'd be surprised, but I'm not sure I'd order it again (mainly for health reasons). I'm hoping my heart and digestive system pull through this, but I think the experience was worth it. I'd give it 3 out of 5 sesame seeds (it's how I'm going to rate my burgers since it's alliteration and a burger reference all in one). Go try one, just once!

Peace & Burgers

Burger Brittany's First Booches Burger!

Hear ye, hear ye! Next Thursday will be my first ever Booches burger! Located on 9th street in Columbia, MO, this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant was supposedly named one of the top ten burgers in USA Today in 2000. Upon hearing about my blog, plenty of locals and college students were first shocked that I'd never had a Booches burger and then highly recommended it to me. So, I figure it should be my very first burger review! I hear it's not served with fries, which I'm not too keen about, but I give every burger a fair shot, despite it's side, or lack thereof. Thursday, 5pm, burger and beer, join me!

!!!!IMPORTANT!!!!!!

IT. RAINS. BURGERS.

Click on the above link NOW

A Comprehensive Comment on Condiments

You would think that a burger connoisseur such as myself would be open to any and all condiments; that if I'm to order a burger, I'm going to want it with everything, the way God intended. I hate to disappoint, but this is not the case. I'll just start with my least favorite furnishing and work my way up.

I know many will be outraged by this, but I can't stand yellow mustard, or really most mustards besides honey. (I won't even kiss my Burger Boy-toy if he's been consuming this cursed condiment) When I was little, I detested this condiment condemnation, but thought that I would like it as an adult, because, well, adults eat all kinds of gross things. It's part of being an adult! Unfortunately, I never developed a taste for mustard and therefor will not eat a burger that has come into contact with it. It's just not happening. Heinz mustard is probably the most popular brand and one of my best Burger Buddies loves her mustard and pickles; popular with most people, but not me!

I'm more fickle with pickles. I generally prefer it as a garnish to go along side my burger, like a french fry. Every now and then, if I want to mix it up with more than just the tomato and lettuce, I'll put on a pickle or two. I also have a preference for types of pickle slices. My least favorite is the little round slices, which are typically for burgers, being the reason I don't like them on my burger. The slices just seem old and rubbery to me, not crisp like the pickle spears. I love pickle spears! Which, once again, explains why I like them as a garnish. As for whole pickles, I like the fresh crispness, but it's just way to much pickle! I don't know why but I find a stork with a pickle charming, so I prefer Vlasic to most pickle brands. Hehehe "best pickle I ever heard"! *CRUNCH*

I LOVE KETCHUP!!! You hear me? Love it! Heinz, in particular, is my very favorite. Hunt's and store brands are all secondary to Heinz. Heinz is the Rolls Royce of ketchups. And don't ever call it "catsup" in my presence. "Catsup" sounds like something a feline may have regurgitated. It's just a gross word, like moist or squirt. Actually, I like both of those words more than catsup. Just don't say it. I used to live in Pittsburgh, the birthplace of Heinz (and perhaps the origin of my steadfast love for this tasty tomato product). When I was in fourth grade I had the exciting opportunity to tour the Heinz factory and even received a ketchup pin! When I eat a burger and fries, I'll generally go through nearly 4 oz of ketchup. To give you an idea, there's 20 oz of ketchup in a basic Heinz ketchup bottle (see bottle on the platter above). Ketchup is the perfect compliment to any burger!

Then there are your more adventurous dipping sauces and spreads. Many people like ranch dressing. It gets a bit old for me, but sometimes I'll go for a dip or two. Mayonnaise should probably not go on burgers, but some enjoy it. Although, I've never heard of anyone who prefers mayonnaise. Thousand Island is popular, but due to my pickle pickiness, I shy away. Barbeque sauce also has its place in the burger world, especially with swiss cheese and

 mushrooms! I've actually even eaten a burger with peanut butter on it! It was called the Guber Burger and it was surprisingly delicious. It can be found at Wheel Inn Drive In in Sedalia, MO. Don't be fooled by the internet; it claims it closed in September 2007, but I visited in the Fall of 2008!

A final word, since I know this blog has been a bit rambling, I generally like just lettuce and tomato, as far as vegetables go on my burgers. There are specialty burger that require other things, like bacon or mushrooms or caramelized onions, but I'll save those for a separate blog! Another little quirk is that I like all my furnishings on the side, including ketchup, so I can choose what and how much I want for every bite!

Peace & Burgers

Hamburger Helper

Oh hayyy! Guess what I made for dinner??

McGangBang

Ok, so McDonald's burger are just gross, BUT the McGangBang has just been brought to my attention (by Burger Buddy Tina) and I intend on eating it! This sandwich consists of two burgers surrounding a chicken sandwich. I'm a bit appalled that this abomination exists, but by golly I must try it! For a better explanation visit: http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/03/the-mcgangbang-a-mcchicken-sandwich-inside-a-double-cheeseburger/

I will be sure to give an immediate report after I partake in this McDonald's massacre of a sandwich!

Burger Bonananza

Check it! Me with a big plate of palatable patties!

Burger Jack!

My burger Boy-toy's buddy!

Fast Food Burger Boners

I'm sure you all have your favorite places to grab a burger and I do too! I'm from the West Coast, but am currently living in the Midwest, so it should come as no surprise that my top choices are In-N-Out and Culver's.

Let's start with In-N-Out. Damn, I haven't eaten In-n-Out in nearly a year and this is a MAJOR Burger Bummer. I love everything from their fresh, simple menu ( http://www.in-n-out.com/freshness.asp ) to their lovely little french fries. Most fans are aware that you can order a burger "Animal Style", which involves everything, including grilled onions and a special Thousand Island-type sauce. However I had no idea their secret menu was any more extensive. Check out http://www.badmouth.net/in-n-outs-secret-menu/ ! I'm only counting down the days until November, when I can go home and wrap my mouth around a delicious Double-Double and a big basket of fries! Not too mention, they treat their employees great, with  wages around $10 an hour!

I met Culver's much later in life and have never looked back since. Who doesn't love a good Butter Burger 

Basket? For those of you in the dark, this generally looks like a delicious cheeseburger (with an adorable signature pickle slice on top of the bun), crinkle-cut fries and a shake (or fountain drink for you wimps). They claim their burgers are never frozen and, well, they taste fresh to me! They also put the cheese under the patty. A little unorthodox, I know, but they make it work. Unlike In-N-Out, they have an extensive menu of delicious frozen treats that compliment their bodacious burgers and my Burger Boy-toy loves their chocolate shakes! What are you waiting for? Get Culverized!! You'll know it when it happens..

On a side note, I hear Whataburger is great, but I have never been Texas or near any region that this chain inhabits. So if you have anything to say about it, let me know!

Peace & Burgers

Burgers!

I'm Brittany and I love burgers! But not just burgers, I love cheeseburgers, bleu burgers, veggie burgers, bacon burgers and more! Essentially, I'm a burger enthusiast who has been inspired to report on the best burgers, burger places and everything burger related. I'll share my latest Burger Bummers and Boners (the worst and most excellent of burger culture). I'll introduce you to my Burger Boy-toy and maybe even a couple Burger Buddies. Just remember, Brittany's my name and burgers are my game!

Peace & Burgers