BIG MOUTH BURGER

BIG MOUTH BURGER & BEER
3392 24th St
(between Orange Aly & Valencia St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 821-4821


HI EVERYONE!!
It's been forever since I've updated hamblogger. Where have are all my faithful contributers been hiding as well? Everyone's been busy, but surely they haven't stopped eating delicious burgers.

I myself have moved from Toronto, Canada, to San Francisco, California back in July. I have eating a few tasty burgers, but so far my favorites have come from Big Mouth Burger, right at the corner of 24th and Valencia, in The Mission. Their burgers are so massive, very messy, and really really delicious. I got the Big Mouth Burger topped with avocado, cheddar and chipotle mayo, paired perfectly with a cheap bottled PBR. It was about $13. Not bad, and it also comes with a huge portion of hand sliced french fries, skin-on (best!).

Beware though: Their chipotle mayo is spiiiiiicy! Like, we were basically squirting ketchup into our mouths to try and neutralize it. Wowzers!

Utopia

UTOPIA CAFE AND GRILL
586 College Street
Toronto, ON
416-534-7751


This fine looking burger has been one of my favourites in Toronto for a long time. I do a lot of work on College St., so this is a great lunchtime spot. It's usually pretty busy in there - so I just call in and take it to go. The burgers are always so juicy and fresh! I really like a sloppy burger, and this is just that! Get a little bit of red pepper mayo and you are good to go. The fries rule too!

Pare

Burger Shots

BURGER KING
11,550 locations worldwide!

**Interesting fact I came across while looking up location information for Burger King:
"Burger King has a longstanding presence at U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force installations worldwide, dating back to the 1980s under a contract with Army and Air Force Exchange Service. Today, while other chains such as Taco Bell, Popeye's and Subway have a presence on military bases, virtually every major Army and Air Force installation hosts a BK restaurant.




I'll cut right to the chase. BK Burger Shots are possibly the greatest fast-food incarnation since the Mc Rib. Whoever thought of this little gem at BK is probably basking in corporate glory; freshly promoted to VP of Marketing Genius, traipsing the world in a shiny new G5 and hitting the links while us schmucks sit in a cubicle.

And the reason we’re sitting in cubicles, pondering our existence and fully realizing how shitty our jobs are, is because schmucks like us never came up with the idea of selling sliders en masse.

Sure, sliders aren’t new (ask anyone in Chicago). But that’s not the point. The point is that someone was smart enough to re-package these wee-little lads and call it sliced bread.

Thing is, everyone expects a slider from a cutesy-downtown-boutique-burger shop with yuppies and hipsters in tow. No one expects it from a fast-food multinational that churns out a burger in less than a minute. So when you roll up to a Burger King at Jane and Lawrence and ask for BK Shot and get two sliders, your mind explodes, paradigms shift and the Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

Even the packaging on these guys rule! All with their sardonic illustration on how to un-wrap, bisect and consume said sliders. Oh how I love thee.

I’m sorry, but BK Shots are killing it right now. To me, they are to the burger world what Wu Tang was to hip hop.

- Chenyip

PS: My total amount of BK Burger Shots is currently sitting at 14. I’ll accept any challenge to top that.

FYI

angela - the double decker hamburger is becoming all the rage over
here in new york - full page spread in new york magazine

your new york hamburger correspondent,
natalie

**I further investigated this, and here is the article:


MAKE IT A DOUBLE:
Why burger eaters all over town are discovering that two patties are better than one.
These are indeed burger boom times, with a twist: Not since the advent of Bob’s Big Boy in 1937 (and its copycat Big Mac in 1968) has the double burger been so popular. Despite its seeming heft, the double-decker construction is actually a boon for aficionados of thinner, crisper patties. The beauty of the double, some say, is that the top patty effectively bastes the bottom one with its juicy drippings. And with half the bread, doubles are typically less filling (and less conspicuously gluttonous— well, maybe) than two singles. At some local spots, the double burger is the default. Where to find the best.
By Robin Raisfeld & Rob Patronite

Porter Burger

The PORTER BEER BAR
1156 Euclid Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 223-0393


This weekend I finally got to try a new(ish) gastropub in town. I had heard a lot of good things about it, but just never quite made it down. So in between the an in-store performance at local record store and another show later on, the roommates and I decided to grab a bite to eat there. As you walk in there's an extremely narrow bar area which opens up in the back to a dining area. The Porter’s food menu consist of only 7 entrées, plus some appetizer and brunch options, as well as daily specials (all which give you a beer suggestion to pair with that particular dish). The beer menu on the other hand has over 200 varieties from microbrews to high-gravity Belgian ales to rare specialty beers (some with a price tag of $98 for 1.5L!).

I opted for The Porter’s Half Pound Cheeseburger, which has fresh Angus Beef, bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, and had it cooked medium. When the food arrived, I was drooling over how appetizing it looked. I bit in, and noticed it was cooked more medium-rare, possibly even rare. I didn’t let it bother me and kept on chomping down and enjoyed every bite. I feel like The Porter could be giving other local restaurants a run for their money in “Top Burger in Atlanta” competitions.

Overall, the burger is great, they give you more than enough fries (let a friend get a salad and split your sides up), the service is...decent, but it is in Little 5 Points, so maybe that’s why, or maybe it’s due to the fact they are a new place and the beer selection is AMAZING. I definitely recommend checking it out whenever you might be in the area.

- Bobby!


EDITOR'S NOTE:
WHY IS IT THAT ALL THE BURGERS THAT BOBBY POSTS HAVE INSANE AMOUNT OF ONIONS ON IT? IS THIS AN ATLANTA THING?! WEIRD...

THE FOGGY DEW
803 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 703-4042


Janine, Colin and I decided to go to the Foggy Dew at King & Niagara for dinner and drinks on Friday night. The place was packed, and really warm - they also sat us right next to the fireplace, which didn't help. My sister and I both ordered the Belfast Burger; An 8oz hand made Certified Angus Beef burger topped with crisp lettuce, fresh tomato and a Strub's pickle. She got cheddar cheese and I got swiss.

This was a wonderfully juicy, and really yummy burger! I didn't think I could finish it, 'cause of it's size...actually, I don't think I did! I was completely satisfied! The only thing that was a bummer, was that the coleslaw was seeping onto one side of my hamburger, which was kinda gross. Separate that shit from all the other food! Geeezeeeeeeeee...

Overall, it's a good. cozy little Irish pub to hangout at, with alright priced food ($10.99 for that meal), and pitchers of Mill Street Organic! Although, I highly recommend NOT going there next Tuesday during St. Patrick's Day...unless you're into that kind of thing? I don't care. Do whatever you want...

HOPE AND ANCHOR
347 Van Brunt St
Brooklyn NY 11231
(718) 237-0276


This past week I took a trip up to New York to visit some friends and see some of my old favorite places that I haven’t been to in over a year. Hope and Anchor is one of these places, and it happens to be underneath the apartment I was staying at in Red Hook. It’s a nice little diner/bar with a lot of nautical decorations and themes, including the bathroom covered in Sailor Jerry tattoo flash.

On their menu, they have over ten different types of burgers to choose from, some which are alternates to beef if you’d like that instead. I chose “The Red Hook” which is 1/2 lb. beef, bacon, cheddar cheese and onions and had it cooked medium. It was...well...delicious! It had a nice charred exterior so you get a little crispiness to it but still had the juicy medium interior. They did, however, overload it with the onions. Some people might like that, but not me.

So, if you’re ever in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn, definitely check this place out. Everything else I’ve tried there is pretty tasty too (especially, the Mac & Cheese Fritters). Also, if you’re there on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, feel free to join in on (or be warned about) the karaoke!

- Bobby!

In-N-Out!

IN-N-OUT BURGER
Fisherman's Wharf
333 Jefferson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
(800) 786-1000

+ locations throughout California and Arizona




OK, so one of the things I'm super jealous about when I'm in the West coast, is that they have In-N-Out Burgers. I love going here for a number of reasons - including how consistently friendly the staff are, watching them put potatoes in the hand operated slicer to make homemade fries, and of course, how goddamn delicious their food is! I also love how they are kinda cultish, with their bible verses on all packaging, as well as the word-of-mouth "secret menu" that's available. At the same time though, that's what makes In-N-Out awesome!!

Some of the "secret menu" items include:
- 3x3 (which has three patties and three slices of cheese)
- 4x4 (like the 3x3 only with 4)
- Neopolitan shakes
- Grilled cheese sandwich (hamburger bun, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and sauce, but no hamburger patty)
- Flying Dutchman (two patties, two cheese, no buns or condiments)
- Animal Style (either hamburger or fries with cheese, spread, grilled onions and pickles)

My friend Angela and I went to In-N-Out on Fisherman's Wharf (the only In-N-Out location in San Francisco) Though I didn't order any of the secret choices (I almost got animal style, but then remembered there are pickles on it) I got Combo #1 - which is your basic cheeseburger, fries and a drink. Of course it was awesome! I also love the option of requesting "no salt" on your fries. How thoughtful of them!

I don't normally eat at fast food places, but In-N-Out is must whenever I visit California. Because they make everything fresh though, you don't really feel that bad for eating it.

OH. EMM. GEE.

NOTE BENE
180 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 977-6400


Nota Bene is my new favorite restaurant in Toronto. I thought I should make that abundantly clear, so that my bias is way out in the open before we start.  We ordered Jennifer's Stilton Brisket Burger.  Angela said with half a mouth full of that that "this is the greatest thing I've ever tasted".  I agree 312%.

GO TO NOTE BENE! EAT THIS BURGER! DIE HAPPY!

Best burger in Toronto. I'll fight you if you disagree..seriously.

-Mayor McCheese

99 Burger

WAYNE GRETZKY'S
99 Blue Jays Way
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 979-PUCK


Last night the whole family got together to go for dinner, then out to the Monster Trucks, for our brother's 23rd birthday. His choice of restaurant was Wayne Gretzky's, on Blue Jays Way - conveniently close to the Sky Dome.

Hermano Darren ordered "The Great One" Burger - a half pound sirloin burger, grilled medium well, topped with double smoked bacon and Canadian cheddar. To add that special something to it, the bun is branded with 99 (Wayne Gretzky's jersey number)

After a few bits, Darren looked up at me, scrunched his face and said:
"Hey! Here's your review....IT'S GOOOUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!!"

Besides the burger, all the other food that we order was pretty great - minus the calamari dipping sauce, which everyone agreed was gross. If you plan on going here for dinner - especially on a Saturday night with a family oriented sporting event happening - you'll need to get there pretty early to avoid waiting around for hours for a table. You can make a reservation (which we did) but the latest you're able to is 4:30pm?

Macrobiotics burger

SEED
1604 Pacific Avenue
Venice, California
(310) 396-1604


I'm not sure what you think of when you say Macrobiotic, but I imagine Gwenyth Paltrow eating a bowl of dark green leafy mush covered in mold and maggots and anything else...well, bacteria-like. Sounds appetizing, doesn't it?

Seed has changed me. Well not my bad habits overall, but that mental picture I carry around.

They are a cute little joint one block from Venice Beach who carry a seriously exciting mix of Asian and American food, all with a vegan macrobiotic slant. I ordered the Mediterranean Burger, a bean and grain patty (hence the mashed up dirt coloring to it) with a red pepper aioli spread and served on an organic seven grain sourdough bun*
*If you can't tell, I copied that description from the menu...

I was afraid by the looks of the patty's color that it would be dry and/or burnt tasting, but it was the softest, juiciest non-meat burger I have ever had. The fresh organic tomatoes and onions were the perfect compliment and with a little organic hot sauce (provided by the restaurant), I scarfed down that burger in about 32 seconds flat. I promise I tasted enough of the food to write this review.

Your pal,
Siobhan, the Veggie Burger Connoisseur

YUMMMMMM!

GOURMET BURGER CO.
482 Parliament Street
Toronto, Ontario
(647) 344-5103


OH HI THERE!

Family Lunch continues...

Today we decided on Gourmet Burger Co. - the newest fancy burger joint in the East end of Toronto. I've been reading nothing but good reviews on this place from different blogs, so we had to give it a whirl. They have a pretty eclectic selection of specialty signature burgers - including the Aussie, that is topped with pineapple (it really freaks me out, actually). Though everyone at the office got a signature burger (Smokey Bacon with avocado), I opted to build my own:

6oz. Gourmet Burger Co. Burger topped with BBQ sauce, chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, aged white cheddar, and avocado (to my surprise, the avocado is mashed, not sliced, which is a great, 'cause slices always seem to slip their way out!)

It was by no means a clean meal (lots of napkins required!) Sloppy, and condiment heavy, which was delicious! The bun was super soft (always a key for me), and the 100% beef itself was juicy and cooked to perfection. I am ridiculously full right now...but very satisfied with my meal.

Also, their onion rings are the best ones I've tasted in my entire life!!
On a side note though, if you are ordering from there with people, share your orders of fries or onion rings. There is only one size, and it's monstrous!

Pricing is about $8 or 9 bones a person. More expensive than any fast food, but an alright price for 'gourmet' type burgers that are handmade/dressed for you.

MMMMMM&M's

M&M's MEAT SHOP
http://www.mmmeatshops.com/


Tasty Burgers from M&M's Meat Shop are juicy ground beef, seasoned to perfection, and sized just right to slap on a bun, load up with the good stuff, and still fit into hungry mouths.

Hermano Darren liked them so much, he ate two!!

East Side Mario's

EAST SIDE MARIO'S
12 Lebovic Avenue
Scarborough, Ontario
416-285-6626

**+100 locations in Canada and 4 in the United States


Last night my family and I celebrated my sister's birthday with a trip to our local East Side Marios. I suggested the all-you-can-eat ridiculousness of Scarborough's Frankie Tomato's, but it was shot down early in the suggestions process. In retrospect I'm glad, because when put into all-you-can-eat situations, it brings out my inner Takeru Kobayashi, and I tend to overdo it. I don't see "all you can eat" as a value, as much as a challenge, and gluttony induced hospital visits are no way to celebrate the birthday of a family member.

So, East Side Marios it was.

I don't go to East Side Marios very often, and every time I go it seems to be different from the last. They seem to be a restaurant chain with a identity crisis. Initially they seemed to be something of a broke-ass Olive Garden, and then they expanded their menu and sort of Jack Astorized themselves. Now it appears they've tried to redact their jackastorism and classy up their menu, a la the Pickle Barrel. The reason I mention this is with all the shake-ups, they've removed chicken fingers from the menu. Chicken Fingers! I think every restaurant in the world should have to serve chicken fingers by law, just for picky children and guys like me. See, I generally enjoy simpler cuisine, so when in a fancy (or trying to appear fancy) restaurant, my unwillingness to try new things finds me defaulting to chicken fingers, which are often found on the secret "bar menu" that a lot of places have. It's pretty hard to mess up chicken fingers, I reason. But in East Side Mario's haste to appeal to classy mall shoppers, they've let them fall by the way side. People often claim that the Chinese character for "Crisis" is the same as the one for "opportunity" (which isn't true, but never let the truth get in the way of a good saying). Those Chinese are fucking onto something!

So with that in mind I ordered up a Burger, iPhone camera in hand, and thought "well, at least I can write a review for Angela's site, finally".

"Quit bullshitting. How was it?" you ask? Hold on, I'll tell you. Relax. Jeez...

It was actually delicious. The meat was juicy and the bun was warm but not crispy, the lettuce was just the right amount to give it crunch but not fall all over the place. It came served with Tomatoes, but I removed them as they're forged in the lowest rung of hell by the devil himself (which, you'd think would make them taste awesome, but I guess Satan has better taste in music than food).

So there you have it, for a place thats generally tethered to a mall and is primarily known for pasta and singing Joe Pesci lookalikes can actually make a good burger.

-Matt

Thank you.

PATRICIAN GRILL
219 King Street East
Toronto, ON
(416) 366-4841


Last night was a mission to find Lindsay Lohan in Toronto. During which, we drank a lot...rendering me completely hungover today. The office has started this new thing where we have Family Lunch Day once a week together - thank goodness we chose today to do it!

We decided on cheeseburgers from the Patrician Grill. It's roughly a 3 minute walk from the office, so Rita and I went to pick lunch up for everyone. The place itself is a super retro, authentic diner, complete with old menus, brown bench booths, and a beige rotary phone. The menu stated that all their hamburgers are homemade, and grilled - and are they ever! It was super tasty, flavourful, and so filling. Though topped with processed cheese slices, I found it to be rather delicious.

This cheeseburger turned my feeling like a 4, into feeling like a 7. I still don't feel amazing by any means, but this surely boosted me up for sure! :)

LOVE!!

THE DRAKE HOTEL
1150 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 531-5042


Jayme has been raving about the Drake Hotel hamburgers forever now. It seems everyone I know loves going to the Drake, but I had never gone until this afternoon. We both ordered the Drake Burger, which is a hamburger topped with aged white cheddar, smoked bacon, and russian dressing; served with handcut french fries, and coleslaw (which I did not eat). I don't need to give any fancy description about this burger, except for IT'S GODDAMN AMAZING!!! So juicy and fresh, the bun was soft, the meat practically melted in your mouth...and i don't know what 'russian dressing' specifically is, but it's pretty tangy and tasty.

Please, take yourself out to the Drake Hotel immediately, and try one of their burgers. This may have just taken over the top spot for my favorite burger in Toronto!

Ann's Snack Bar

ANN'S SNACK BAR
1615 Memorial Drive
Atlanta, GA 30317


Ann's Snack Bar has been around for close to 40 years now. Somehow it took until early this year for me to even hear about it. From what I had heard it's comparable to the famous "Soup Nazi" that everyone remembers from "Seinfeld". She has rules posted that you must follow or she will get on your case. She is a sweet lady, and I did witness her getting on to a few people (one person didn't close the door behind them, another was leaning on the glass and the third talked on his cellphone).
Her 8 rules are:

Please do not...
1. Lay or lean on counter
2. Consume alcohol or smoke in snack bar
3. Sit or stand babies on counter
4. Illegally park in lot
5. Allow children to slide on rails
6. Stand at counter if seats are available
7. Curse in Snack Bar
8. No shoes - no shirt - no service

Overall, that's not too much to ask of anyone.

I had heard you can wait in line for hours before you can go inside to sit and order your food. I decided to show up around 11:15am to check this place out to hopefully avoid any long wait. I got there and there were already 4 people waiting on the patio. Once 11:30 hit, we walked in and each of us grabbed one of the eight stools at the bar and took a seat. "Miss Ann" then started at one end taking orders and once everyone's order was taken, she got to cooking. I decided to order the "World Famous Ghetto Burger". Her kitchen consist of an electric stove (not unlike one at your own home), 2 small flat top grills (one for meat, one for toasting buns), one deep fryer and a refrigerator (again, just like you have at home).

Once the food was almost ready, she served everyone their fries. She let's you season them the way you want them. She gives you salt, pepper and seasoning mix. Then you watch her build the burgers. This was a bun with ketchup, mustard, and mayo, followed by a layer of chili, then topped with 2 American cheese-covered patties with grilled onions that had been cooking on the burger for nearly the whole time the burger was cooking, and finally your bacon, lettuce and tomato. It comes to you already cut in half, served on a styrofoam plate, with a plastic fork and knife. This burger was huge, practically taking up the entire plate. I stared for a few minutes trying to figure out exactly how to eat this thing. Finally, opting for the fork and knife route. The burger was amazing, the seasoning, the juiciness, everything. I know it doesn't necessarily look fantastic, but trust me... it is.

All in all, if you're in the Atlanta area, go check it out. I'd advise getting there early or be prepared to wait in line. It's worth it. She's been rated by Citysearch as best hamburger in Atlanta in 2006 and 2007 and Best Burger in America in 2007 by the Wall Street Journal.

-Bobby!

SMOKIE MOUNTAIN BURGERS

MC CUTCHAN'S BRASS GRILL RESTAURANT
Fine Dining In The Smokies
710 Parkway (Highway 321)
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
865-463-4168


I spent the past few days down South in Gatlinburg, Tennessee for my friend's wedding. It's a beautiful, really fun place, with tons of touristy things to do, as well as homemade candy places everywhere and good restaurants - including Mc Cutchan's Brass Grill Restaurant. We were happily greeted by a man named Jim; who, upon checking out their website, is the owner!. He immediately struck up a conversation with us about his 41 month old son (when are you supposed to stop counting months?), and was convinced I was from New Orleans.

That aside, we were all hungry...

I was originally going to order the Smokie Mountain burger, but wasn't feeling the bacon. Instead, I got the Sirloin Steak burger with pepperjack cheese. What a treat! It was juicy, flavourful and the spiciness of the cheese was perfect! I wasn't a huge fan of the waffle fries, but who really cares?

I was completely satisfied, and pleasantly full.

If you ever happen to be in Gatlinburg for any reason, you should go to this sweet little pub. Surely Jim will be there to greet you as well, and tell you all about his kid....by then, perhaps he'd be 52 months? Ugggh....

Pretty tasty, mister!

MR.TASTY'S
348 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON
(416) 863-0633


Michelle sent me a message tipping me off to Mr.Tasty's on Queen East. Apparently the burgers there are pretty good. I've always been a little weary of that place, since the area is pretty sketchy. However, I trust Michelle, and work about a 10 minute walk from here, so I will definitely mosey over for lunch one afternoon.

Until then, the best I can do is relay how delicious Michelle thought it was!!

Thanks lady :)

Burger wraps!

GRAPEFRUIT MOON
968 Bathurst Street
Toronto, ON
M5R 3G6
(416) 534-9056


OK!
To make up for my terrible hamburger experience the other day, I needed to give it another shot. Christina and I decided to treat ourselves to dinner at our favorite little cozy restaurant, Grapefruit Moon. They specialize in vegetarian and vegan dishes, but also have some rather tasty meat selections. Their hamburger is called a "Rudy's Wrap", and is such a perfect balance of bread to meat ratio. It's always hard to find that, but with a burger being wrapped in a toritilla, it works perfectly. The burger is topped with lettuce, brie and roasted red peppers - you don't even need to add anything else to it, though I did dip it in ketchup.

Absolutely delicious!!
I've had this before, but today's mighty burger wrap was better than ever!

I totally suggest eating here. If not for their burgers, but for their welcoming atmosphere, organic brewed beers, and friendly service :)