Entries Tagged as 'hamburger'

Nation’s Giant Hamburgers

December 2nd, 2011 · 1 Comment

Allison and Herm live in the East Bay very close to Billy & Ging and we were looking forward to visiting them on our trip out west. Unfortunately, they were on a trip to Iceland for our whole stay! Before we came out, though, Allison told us to try the burgers at Nation’s in Orinda, not far from where Billy & Ging live. She said they were even better than In-N-Out. GASP!

On our last day in the Bay Area we finally got a chance to visit Nation’s Giant Hamburgers (Since 1952!). We ordered a cheeseburger and two bacon cheeseburgers, fries, and a side of chili. Well, two sides of fries, but the woman working the counter wasn’t the greatest at taking an order, so we only got one. Plus, it was taking a long time to get the food and the line at the counter was long, so we just stuck with the one order of fries. Which stinks, because I thought the fries were great. Definitely better than In-N-Out.

As far as the burger? The consensus was that it was just a bit too big. Billy and Ging shared one. I mean, GIANT is in their name. Also, the way it was assembled made it hard to hang on to without it sliding around. I also added grilled onions and pickles to mine, which I thought was a great addition. I hardly ever eat beef hamburgers, so I thought it was great. Everyone else enjoyed what they had, but thought that the burger itself, under all the cheese, bacon and condiments, was lacking. Good, but not better than In-N-Out?

Not a bad lunch, though. Also, it looked like they had some amazing pies, but we were all too stuffed to try them.

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Roscoe Village Burger Fest

July 12th, 2011 · No Comments

Last Sunday I biked over to join Jen and Quinn at Roscoe Village Burger Fest. We decided to go early because it was supposed to be so warm. At 11:30 a.m. it was already in the 80s. Since there wasn’t a line by the ponies, Quinn took a ride there first. Then he had a turn on the bouncy castle. We were getting hungry, so we went through the fest a bit and bought some burgers. The good thing about Burger Fest is that a lot of the stands sell small sliders, so you can try a lot of burgers without stuffing yourself.


Goose Island Legendary Stilton Burger Slider (cracked pepper, roasted garlic, dusseldorf – $4)

Jen got the Murphy’s Slider (Irish cheddar, bacon, tomato bacon aioli, pretzel bun -$2) from Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro and I got the Legendary Stilton Burger Slider (cracked pepper, roasted garlic, dusseldorf – $4) from Goose Island. This burger was awesome. The cheese and the roasted garlic were so rich and delicious. I also got a Leinies Classic Amber, maybe my first mistake of the day. It was, by then, in the 90s and I was so hot and sweaty. Plus I rode my bike there. I shouuld have been gulping water, not beer.


Hamburger Mary’s


Hamburger Mary’s Mighty Aphrodite Slider (stuffed with olives, spinach & oregano, with baby spinach onion & feta cheese – 2 for $6)

We also tried the Mighty Aphrodite Slider (stuffed with olives, spinach & oregano, with baby spinach onion & feta cheese – 2 for $6) from Hamburger Mary’s. This burger was good, but not amazing.


Quinn creating his masterpiece.


I told Quinn to make a Batman face.

Since it was so hot, we mostly chilled out under the kid’s art tent while Quinn worked on some projects. We didn’t stay long at the fest before walking back a few blocks to Jen and Chad’s house. Quinn had to go to a friend’s birthday party anyway. Also, their backyard was way cooler. It’s shaded and had a breeze. We needed to cool off. We were so hot, we didn’t even stop to see any of the gardens in the Roscoe Village Garden Walk on the way home, like we did last year.

When Jen took Quinn off to his birthday party, Chad and I headed back over to Burger Fest. We had roadie beers for the walk over and the tough security guard would not let us through with them. So we had to chug. Probably my second mistake of the day. Followed by much more beer hydrating.. let’s just say, I did NOT ride my bike home that night.

Chad and I stopped by the Village Tap stand. This is our favorite bar and we’d just been there on Friday night. Our waitress was telling us about the mediterranian burger they were going to sell. Chad and I stopped by and talked to the Village Tap owner to aks if the burger would be on their menu any time soon and the owner said it would be likely. So, we passed that one up, knowing we’d be eating it soon.


Murphy’s Slider (Irish cheddar, bacon, tomato bacon aioli, pretzel bun -$2) & Pulled Lamb Slider (Irish Whiskey BBQ sauce – $2)

On Jen’s recommendation, Chad went to the Mrs. Murphy’s & Sons Irish Bistro stand. He tried both the Murphy’s Slider (Irish cheddar, bacon, tomato bacon aioli, pretzel bun -$2) and the Pulled Lamb Slider (Irish Whiskey BBQ sauce – $2) there. He loved the slider, but not the lamb, and didn’t even finish it. I tried it too… very flavorless. Chad also had a Turkey Slider (gouda, onion jam – $4) from Goose Island, which he really liked.


John’s Place Cowboy Burger (1/4 pound angus beef burger, pub cheese, bacon-onion jam, bbq chipotle drizzle – $5)

John’s Place had a burger called the Cowboy Burger (1/4 pound angus beef burger, pub cheese, bacon-onion jam, bbq chipotle drizzle – $5) that was the Burger Fest winner last year, so I tried that. I was totally intrigued by the bacon-onion jam. The pub cheese was kind of cheez whizzy, but it worked. Added a nice creaminess that complimented the savory bacon and onions.

Trent and Loden recently moved to Roscoe Village and brought their doggies Charlie and Winston over to the festival. We sat for a bit and decided once again that we were too hot, so we headed back to Jen and Chad’s backyard, where it was much cooler.


Chad, Winston, Cortez, Drake


Drake, Jill, Halle, Charlie


Halle


Winston

Jill, Brian, Halle, and Limey met up with us there. We sat around the backyard watching the Cubs game, visiting, and drinking beer (mistake!). After a while Jen and Quinn came back. It was getting to be around dinner time, so we decided again to go back to Burger Fest. Everyone went over, except Jen, who smartly had enough of the heat and decided to stay home.


Goose Island


Goose Island Turkey Slider (gouda, onion jam – $4)

On my third trip to the fest that day I tried the Turkey Slider (gouda, onion jam – $4) from Goose Island that Chad was raving about.


Stanley’s Kitchen & Tap


Stanley’s Kitchen & Tap Roasted Corn Salad (chipotle, cilantro, onion – $2)

Also, my coworker Dave had told me that on Saturday he had the Stanley’s burger and corn side and both were good. It looked like they were only selling full-sized burgers and I was trying to avoid those, so I just got the corn side. It was light and fresh and just a bit spicy. Perfect for the hot weather. This was a good-sized side, so I passed it around to share and everyone really liked it.


Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro – Murphy’s Slider (Irish cheddar, bacon, tomato bacon aioli, pretzel bun -$2)

I also tried the Murphy’s Slider (Irish cheddar, bacon, tomato bacon aioli, pretzel bun -$2) from Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro. Many of us tried this slider and it was great, but the meat patty was a little small for the bun. But the bun was a pretzel roll, so we didn’t mind much. This was a delicious little slider.

So, after a while people were dispersing. I went back to Jen and Chad’s house because Chad had to drop Quinn off for bed. I was getting so tired. By then it was maybe 7:30 p.m.? And I’d been back and forth from the fest drinking beer and eating burgers and sweating my butt off in 90+ weather since 11:00 a.m. I was done! Chad was trying to get me to rally, saying that since I’d opened the fest that day, I needed to close it too, but I just couldn’t. Foghat was playing. Foghat. I was not rallying for Foghat. I took a cab home. My bike is still in Jen & Chad’s garage!

Oh, and the winner of Burger Fest? Each hamburger stand had a code on it and you texted your votes in. I thought that was a great idea. I voted for Goose Island because I enjoyed both of their sliders. Very good. But guess who won? STANLEY’S! The place Dave told me to get the burger from and I didn’t. Oh well. Mrs. Murphy’s & Sons Irish Bistro placed third, losing second place by only one vote! Select Cut Steakhouse won second place. I don’t think any of us even got a burger from that place! On a side note, Dallas used to live above Select Cut probably something like 10 years ago.

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Rockit Bar & Grill

October 1st, 2010 · No Comments

I was looking at the Rockit menu one day and became obsessed with the Rockit Burger. It’s made with kobe beef and is topped with melted brie, fried shallots, and medjool date aioli and is served on a red onion brioche bun. Truffle fries came on the side. Even though the last few offices I’ve worked at have been a 2 minute walk from Rockit, I’d never been there. You know… Billy Dec, it’s a meat market at night, yada yada… but I still kept hearing the food was actually good… so I got Alden to agree to go and check it out with me. Here’s the kicker: When we got to the restaurant I realized the burger is $19. ONE-NINE! I wasn’t paying $20 for a hamburger. Period. Instead I got the wild mushroom burger at the bargain price of $14. I never really order burgers, especially not hamburgers. I thought these burgers were good, but I was glad that I didn’t pay $20 for one. Then again, when I just went and looked up the specifics just now, I really wanted the Rockit Burger again. Dang! Some day I’m going to have to just shell out the $20.

The photo below is funny bc Alden thinks I’m taking a picture of the restaurant and the restaurant thinks I’m taking a photo of Alden.

One other thing… I tried to order a Diet Coke and they only had Diet Rite? Isn’t that weird? Alden and I both grew up on WI and this Diet Rite offer, which I turned down, launched us into a discussion about all the off-brand sodas we grew up drinking. Jolly Good and Sam’s Choice, etc.

And one more thing. Yes, Billy Dec does own this place. He also owns Sunda, where Alden and I had lunch not so long ago. Maybe Alden and I are secretly going to all of Billy Dec’s spots. Next up? Underground? Err.. something tells me the answer is NO!

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Logan Square Farmers Market, Roscoe Village Garden Walk, Burger Fest & Soccer

July 12th, 2010 · No Comments

On Sunday morning I met up with Jess for a quick run through the Logan Square Farmers Market. I was having problems finding a parking spot for my bike, when I ran into my coworker Jeff and his wife Khloe. They had a booth and let me lock my bike there, so problem solved! At the Farmers Market I knew what I needed: tomatoes, lettuce and berries, so I pretty much got it and left. I was also keeping my eye out for Rare Bird Preserves, but I don’t think they had a stand this week. Oh well. Maybe next week. I purchased their rhubarb/strawberry preserves at the market a few weeks ago and we just cracked them open. So good!

I rode by The Rocking Horse, around the corner from the market, and noticed they now have a pole sticking out of the building, and the pole basically is up the arse of a rocking horse. Do not like! You’re telling me the huge sign that says “The Rocking Horse” was not enough? They literally had to attach a big rocking horse to the building?

After the farmers market I headed to Roscoe Village. Jen and Quinn and I went to a few houses on the Roscoe Village Garden Walk and went to Roscoe Village Burger Fest, which was just a few blocks from their house on Belmont between Damen and Leavitt.

Burger Fest had a large kids section that we took Quinn to. Unicoi Art Studio, a children’s art school located on Belmont and Hoyne, had a booth where kids could do free art projects. Quinn made a beard & mustache on a stick!

Quinn also went on a few inflatable bouncy things.. a pirate ship and a kind of maze one with a climbing wall and slide at the end. They probably had like 6 of these structures set up, but they were charging $3 to do on each one, which is a total rip off. There were a bunch of kids having melt downs because they wanted to go on every thing and you had to buy a $3 ticket for each one, which a lot of parents, including Jen, were not going to do!

After this we decided to get lunch. We tried sliders from The Bad Apple and Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro. The Bad Apple definitely had the better burger, but Mrs. Murphy’s won us over with Guinness ice cream! Since we were having lunch by the ponies, Quinn wanted to take a ride after lunch. I always feel a bit sorry for ponies that just walk in circles all day. I don’t think they have a good life, but they sure do make kids happy.

I walked around the circle with Quinn. We talked about which pony was his favorite and how soft the pony’s hair is. Quinn asked “What is that smell?” (poop) and “Why did we stop?” (pony pooped). We talked about what a Buzz Lightyear obsessed boy might name a pony (Buzz Ponyyear or Pony Lightyear or Buzz Lightpony). I tried to avoid questions like “what is that down there?!?!” (while pointed between the boy pony’s legs).

On the way home we stopped off at a few houses to check out their gardens. When we got back to Jen and Chad’s there were 10 or 12 friends gathered in the outside living room to watch the soccer game. Jen and Chad’s house was part of the Roscoe Village Garden Walk so all afternoon they had visitors coming in to look at the yard and then asking what the score of the game was! Spain won, which I guess is good because Brian had put money on them for Dallas when he is in Vegas so he should be getting some kind of pay out. Later on we went back to the fest til it rained, then played cards in Jen and Chad’s garage til it stopped raining, and then went back to the fest to see the Gin Blossoms until it thunderstormed and then we left, thoroughly soaked.

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Triple Bacon Burgers & All You Can Drink Beer

July 6th, 2010 · No Comments


Cory, Danny, Pete, Dallas, Chris


Grillin’ Burgers


Triple Bacon Burger

Danny and Caroline had people over on July 5th to help them drink their leftover beer and wine from their wedding. Danny got a new grill as a wedding gift and used it to make us triple bacon burgers.

Bacon 1: Danny ground the meat himself and with it he included a pound of bacon.
Bacon 2: Danny made a sauce for on top of the burgers that was made from caramelized onions and bacon.
Bacon 3: Crispy strips of bacon on top of the burger.

On my bun top you can also see homemade sweet and spicy pickles, along with some garlic aioli that he whipped together.

We also got to meet Danny and Caroline’s latest family addition, Duff. He’s a yellow lab mix that they adopted on their honeymoon in South Carolina. Yes, he barks with a southern accent.

Also, it is good to know that it really does only take us 15 – 20 minutes to drive to Oak Park, not like the 50 minutes it took us to get to their wedding in Oak Park on Puerto Rican pride day.

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