What Goes On Your Burger?

I'm making good on my promise to make a Ketchup and Mustard Belt Thread.
It never dawned on me that mustard and ketchup weren't standard fare on burgers all over this country of ours. What's liked and disliked on hamburgers in your neck of the woods?
This is a spinoff from the White Castle thread's revelation that ketchup and/or mustard are not standard fare on burgers in some parts of the world, at burger joints and at home.
I grew up with regular old mustard, ketchup, and sometimes pickles, onions, and cheese. We had a few places in KC that served German-style mustard at the counter,(Frank Wachter's Grill) but that was the height of sophistication.
Mayo and the Secret Sauces were for the special issue burgers from the chains. stuff like the Big Mac, Whopper, etc. Tomatoes were an adult thing, along with lettuce. All this other junk on top or inside?.... well, no thank you sir! What do you put on YOUR burger?

If given a choice, I want the following on my burger:

Two slices of cheese - preferably one of sharp cheddar and the other of swiss
Grilled onions, preferably chopped
A dab of steak sauce
Leaf lettuce.

Provolone, yellow mustard, three bread & butter pickles, tomato slice, and if I have room, plain ol' lettuce.

Around here the standard is ketchup, mustard, onion, pickle. My current choice would be lettuce, tomato and mayo. But tomorrow it might be different.... That's a great thing about burgers, don't you think?

Cindy

We like to add chili (no beans). I think 2 pickles are best.

Any & all responses are fine by me. I think they'll end up somewhat the same. the thread police has a nice ring to it, don't you think? obey the speed limit, Mr. Voss, or we're gonna' pull your license to post. Ya'all come, back now, hear?

Don't want to upset the Thread Police, so I'll answer every possible question:

Personally, I prefer cheese and that's it. If I feel it needs something more, I'll opt for mustard. Never Ketchup. Or catsup.

As far as my neck of the woods...in my original neck (Western NY), burgers typically came with both mustard and Ketchup. In my current neck (Manhattan), I honestly don't know, because I generally only eat burgers at places where the customer personally designates the toppings. But, my general assumption is that you don't see much mustard around here on burgers, but mayo seems to be more common. Pickles are pretty standard in both places, I think. Perhaps AndyNYC or someone else from the area will know more.

We have a few places in Denver that serve Gyros and other Greek-styled foods that serve burgers too. The toppings at these places are usually are a Russian/1000 Island type sauce minus the pickle relish, onions, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Its a nice change.

While living in Iowa in the early 90s, a chain similar to Colorado's Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard opened and marketed a Green Olive Burger that had a ridiculous amount of olives on it. Needless to say, that didn't last to long in my white-bread hometown.

As for my personal references, Good mustard, steak sauce, those snappy pickle slices, cheese and raw onions. Also, thick peppered bacon too.

Dinosaur BBQ Sensuous Slathering Sauce, a stacker type dill pickle, lettuce and tomato (in season), hold the cheeze please.

I could give a hoot (to be nice) what anybody else around here has on their burgers.

Personal preferences: Whole grain roll/bread, spicy mustard, romaine lettuce, roma, creole, or ripe beefsteak tomato, cheese (swiss, provolone or mozzarella), onions .. or .. steak or B.B.Q. sauce, onion and bacon on thick fresh rye, French or Italian bread.

In my neck of the woods (or corner of the swamp) when one is ordering a burger the lady (I'm being mildly sexist here, but this is more often true than not) will say "ya waunt dat boiger dressed?". Your answer to this query will indicate whether you would like lettuce, tomato, and onion on your burger. I say yes.

At home, when making my own, it is stinky cheese of some sort, ketchup, zatarain's mustard, homemade mayo, green tomato relish, on a LARGE sesame seed roll graced by a medium rare burger patty of 80/20 beef.

Would you like me to be specific?

This here's chiliburger country. Outside of that, most places do them with ketchup, mayo, mustard or a thousand island sauce variation. Onion, lettuce and tomato are also common------pickles less so. As for me-----I prefer no greens or tomato on it------just grilled onions, ketchup, Guldens spicy brown mustard and maybe some dill chips.

Grilled onions, ketchup, mustard, mayo, good cheese (sharp cheddar or a none-to-subtle blue cheese are good, I imagine gruyere or comte would also be nice, but I've never tried it).

Tomatoes only if they are in season. Lettuce if its been patted dry. Bad tomatoes and lettuce make burgers taste waterlogged IMO.

Pickles I can take or leave.

Grizzly,

Where DO you go for burgers in Denver? What are the Greek restaurants you mentioned?

My boyfriend lives in Aurora and I live in Lafayette, and we hit places all over Denver, but he doesn't like chains much, so we're starting to run out of places. Any suggestions?

Oh, and we avoid LoDo like the plague.

grew up in New England--we ate them at home with cheese,raw onions and ketchup---at the track--with grilled onions and too much salt!Still like just ketchup and onions,either way and tabasco---or occasionaly with roasted peppers and salsa added!

I saw a program on thr food network , Reguarding the original Hamburger stand, I dont remeber many of the details, What I do recall is, That I belive it was in New York state, and had been in operation since the turn of the centuary, They had the original vertical flame gas grills, {Love to find one}They offered very limited topings.
Does anyone have any info on this spot.
Personal toppings Bacon and blue cheese, Nothin else.

I think Louis Lunch is what you mean. There's plenty of folks here that have sampled their burgers. Ketchup is forbidden.
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=402

Thanks
Argen

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

I think Louis Lunch is what you mean. There's plenty of folks here that have sampled their burgers. Ketchup is forbidden.
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=402

Here in plain old Minnesota, burgers are plain and given names if they come with stuff on them.
A California burger has lettuce, tomato and mayo, a cheeseburger, of course cheese unless it's a bacon cheese burger
a swiss buger has swiss and mushrooms

Some regular resaurants make up names for their specialty burgers to coincide with the theme of their place. A fifties joint would have the Elvis and the Bobby Darin, the place with the movie posters on the wall has a John Wayne and a Humphrey Bogart.
sorry, I can't speak for the fast-food chains, i don't go to them except an occasional white castle and they come with onions and pickles, no ketchup or mustard

also, a variation on this thread.
Is it Ketchup or catsup? (in your neck of the woods?)

I personally like mine with cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and a pickle, oh, and a lot of grilled onions, sliced not chopped

MayHaw....
Glad you don't get tooooo specific ! BTW Where does one get "Large Sesame Seeds" to put on a roll to carry ur burger??? In Kentuciana I don't think those seeds are graded by size?? Does Size matter? Or is it more of "what you do with what your seed", than the size of the seed?
As for me, I prefer a double burger...or a triple as opposed to one THICKER patti. I like the broiler flavor.
Easy on the cheese, if I wanted a cheese sandwich I would order one. But one slice of cheese is ok. (American)
For other toppings
1. ONION--Prefer grilled Red or xtra-sweet and cut into large slices. Keep the onion in a solid slice as opposed to a bunch of rings. --
2. BACON several slices cooked "not quite" crisp so it doesn't crumble when I bite into the sandwich...but not "chewy-stringy" either.
3. SAUCE-- Anyone remember the "3 D" sauce developed by Howard Johnson's?? It was the forerunner of the Special Sauce of Big Mac fame. Thats the one for me...Although in a pinch a Hot'n'Sweet Barbecue Sauce will suffice.
Then TOAST/GRILL the Bun to help keep it intact when you put the contents on-in it.
But I am not fussy, I like White Castles also !!

In my neck of the woods they come unadorned, or with lettuce, tomato, and pickle. If you want something else you have to ask for it. A catsup bottle is usually presented, if there is not one already on the counter or table.

I order them rare, with grilled onions, hold the garden, mayonnaise and brown mustard on the side.

I don't know of any distinctive local traditions when it comes to hamburger dressing. Most of the usual condiments one might want are generally available, and there is no taboo (like that against putting ketchup on a hot dog) against using any of them. And one can always order a burger with extra toppings - bacon, onions, what-have-you.

My current standard for local hamburger excellence,[url='http://www.stanleyshamburgers.com/']Stanley's Famous Hamburgers[/url], will always serve a burger with grilled onions and sliced pickle, unless instructed otherwise. It's a good practice, at least in my opinion - the added flavor of the onions complements the beef perfectly, and when one adds bacon and cheese it is really something special. I also always enjoy a patty melt - the rye, swiss, onions and beef combination is a thing of beauty.

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

Pardon me for being the thread police, but the man asked what's liked and disliked in your neck of the woods, not what YOU want on your burger.

Err, uhm, check the title of the thread versus the content of the opening thread. :-)

I assure you that I was replying to the title.....

That said, here in Cincinnati, I don't really see any regional trend. Pretty much every place that offers a standard burger (I am excepting White Castle here), including the megachains, offers catsup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, raw onion, pickl, and cheese. Some ingredients are not availale on some burgers -- I was refused when I asked for lettuce on a double cheeseburger last night, for example. Bacon is occasionally available for an added charge. Higher end places offer chiliburgers, or such toppings as grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, different cheeses, chopped oloves, or even weirder stuff like guacamole and etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

MayHaw....
Glad you don't get tooooo specific ! BTW Where does one get "Large Sesame Seeds" to put on a roll to carry ur burger??? In Kentuciana I don't think those seeds are graded by size?? Does Size matter? Or is it more of "what you do with what your seed", than the size of the seed?

OK, OK, I should have been even MORE specific. WHat I meant was that I enjoy a bun of large size (a burger with "back") with REGULAR sized (the same size as everybody else, standard size seeds, not giant seeds ) sesame seeds on it.

Man, you gotta be careful around here.

Also, you mentioned 3D sauce, is that anything like the old Durkee's? I used to like that quite a bit, but it seems that it is now hard to find.

Nothing special that I know of in SE Wisconsin. You are usually asked what you want on hamburgers, or a variety of toppings are available for your use, nothing usually outside of the basics.

I got to eat my first Maid-Rite sandwich a couple of days ago in Muscatine, Iowa, and was told that "the usual" toppings were pickles, onion, and mustard. Ketchup had to be requested specially. I thought that was interesting. (I chose mustard alone. Next time I think I will go naked! )

Around here, there are burgers, and there are burgers. If you go to a local diner or "joint" type place and order a burger "all the way," you will get a thin patty on a soft steamed bun with mustard, onion, slaw, and chile. At other, "chain type" burger places, they usually come with mayo, lettuce and tomato, and a thicker patty of meat. If you want it any different, you specify. Raw onion, rather than grilled is the norm.

Personally, if I'm in an "all the way" joint, I eat them that way. In the other places, I usually order them with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato and onion.

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

...here in MI... locals like to eat chopped green olives (yes, with what passes these days for pimento). It's tasty, especially if you get it with mayo to balance out the olives.

Yeah, I loved olive cheeseburgers (chopped green olives+mayo) when I lived in MI. Have never seen that topping offered here in CA.

Normally, we never eat hamburgers but during Football season, a restaurant in a small town 4 miles from us has a "special" on their hamburgers every Sunday and it has now become a Sunday evening tradition for us to go there and get their 1/2 lb burger with a ton of fries for only 4 dollars.

Here is a desciption of their hamburger and the toppings that you can select from.
The Beck Burger!!
"Here's the beef!!" We grill this monster to order and top it with your choice of 3 tasty toppings (below) with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and raw onions if you like. Choose our half-pound size, or for the heartier appetite, try THE POUNDER!!! (please allow ample time to prepare medium-well to well done burgers.)
8 oz. /$5.95
16 oz. /$8.95

Toppings: cheddar, american, swiss, provolone, monterey jack, sautéed onions, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, grilled ham, BBQ sauce, bleu cheese

I always get mine with the bleu cheese, sauteed mushrooms and bacon!
(and of course the free lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Tyler

quote:

Originally posted by clothier

...here in MI... locals like to eat chopped green olives (yes, with what passes these days for pimento). It's tasty, especially if you get it with mayo to balance out the olives.

Yeah, I loved olive cheeseburgers (chopped green olives+mayo) when I lived in MI. Have never seen that topping offered here in CA.

This is a new one on me but intriguing; trying to do the Atkins diet, olives are a regular snack (I buy 'em by the case at Sam's ). Is this like the olive salad on a muffaletta . Or just green, stuffed olives .

I am gonna have to try it Olive salad sounds better to me since I'm not really fond of mayo on a burger.

Slice Sweet Vidalia Onion
Slice Beefsteak Tomato
Crisp Lettuce
Heinz Ketchup
Salt/Pepper

Bill, growing up in southwest Missouri, most places served mustard, pickles, onions, lettuce and catsup.

Down here around Austin, the standard seems to be mustard, mayo, lettuce, pickles, onions, and tomatoes. I don't remember any local place putting catsup on. It's always served on the table.

Many places I have to tell them to hold the mayo. Sometimes I have to ask for mustard.

Bushie's "Austin Standard Burger" described above, with a little cheese added, is my ideal burger, whether it's one I'm building at home or ordering out. And let's toast or grill the bun, please.

Thanks, clothier, for your explanation. The more I've thought about it, I've decided I'm a traditionalist when it comes to burger toppings, so I may take a pass. Anyway, I've just found a place that does a pretty good muffaletta, so I'm gonna stick to that and popping stuffed Queen olives straight from the bottle .

Wellllllll, I was going to say, the local branch of the Hamburger Toppings Institute won't release their latest data , butttttt, judging by the advertising for the FF chains, 'Texas style' means 'mustard and extra pickles.' That includes JIB, McD, BK and Wendy's; I don't know what Sonic puts on their burgers. The standard dressing on a Whataburger is mustard.

As for non-chain places, I don't know how anybody can sum it up, with so many places to choose from.

I never had ketchup on a burger until I had my first Quarter Pounder w/cheese at McD ca. 1973. I prefer sliced tomatoes, tho they're usually so tasteless I can understand the use of ketchup.

Mesquite grilled patties are fairly common around here. Salsa or Pico de Gallo are offered at a number of places as toppings (I think they have about as much place on a burger as ketchup).

Can't remember now the other stuff I was so frustrated trying to post last night, but I'm thinking of starting a 'specialty burger' thread; there are a couple of interest locally and I've heard others elsewhere.

hermit - have you ever been to Barnaby's cafe? The bacon-bleu cheese burger is fantastic. A huge grilled patty with three slices of thick bacon and heaps of bleu cheese. Lettuce, tomato, and rings of purple onion.
Great for the Atkins if you don't eat the bun, AND can resist their famous fries that they sprinkle with Tex-Joy seasoning.

We have lunch there at least once a week and everything I have had is fabulous.


As for my region - I would have to say lettuce, tomato, mustard, pickles and onion.

Here in Texas its usually mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion. The Ketchup is reserved exclusively for the fries. Secret sauce is a California thing (In N Out, Bob's Big Boy). Louisiana border is more mayo, lettuce, tomato , and onion, when going West the trend is mustard instead and add the dill pickles. The prefered onion is the 1015 yellow onion. Bacon cheddar is the best, but other good toppings are garlic sauteed mushrooms, guacamole, grilled onions, chili, hickory bbq sauce, picante sauce and jalapenos, pico de gallo, etc.. I have had green chiles, ok. I had chopped giardiniera, good. Roasted red peppers and black olives good as well. Wanted to experiment with fresh basil and sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese. What about hoisin or satay sauce? Marinara sauce is good on a burger or cheesesteak. But here in Texas, stick with bbq theme or TexMex, like the combo cheddar, hickory sauce, bacon, and onion rings, or the combo picante sauce, jalapenos, cheddar, and lettuce.

What kind of patty though? Beef I guess. But what about buffalo, turkey, black bean, or portobella? What about other sandwiches like grilled chicken or tuna steak?

I go for Cheese (I like provolone best), onion (vidalia is best), dill pickle slices, tomato (if in season and fresh), mayo. All on a nice thick juicy medium rare Hamburger patty !!! I also like a sesame seed bun.


I also like pimento cheese on my burger. but in that case, I just want the hamburger with pimento cheese and sometimes an onion slice .... but not much else.

Bun lightly toasted after being lightly spread with soft butter.
Shredded iceberg lettuce anchored with a little mayo on the bottom bun.
Slice of good tomato if available atop the lettuce. (In off-season, those tomatoes-on-the-vine you can get at the grocery are OK, if salted and sprinkled with a pinch of sugar first.)
A slice of sweet onion, preferably Vidalia or WallaWalla; red onion is OK too. Make it a thick slice, and grill it slightly beforehand if you want true overkill.
Burger, appropriately grilled outside or on a grillpan. (After you form the patty, make a little depression in the center, 'bout the size of a quarter. It keeps the burger from getting that "bulbous" look.) Anoint with Worchestershire during cooking, brush with a little excellent barbecue sauce at the end.
Top with a sliced garlic dill OR pickle relish, and either cheddar or swiss cheese. Add ketchup and mustard.
Gobble heartily.

OR...Or...ororor...

Season burger with cayenne and dry mustard before grilling. Season finished burger with Dijon mustard, and top with bacon and blue cheese.

quote:

Originally posted by Lone Star

hermit - have you ever been to Barnaby's cafe? The bacon-bleu cheese burger is fantastic. A huge grilled patty with three slices of thick bacon and heaps of bleu cheese. Lettuce, tomato, and rings of purple onion.
Great for the Atkins if you don't eat the bun, AND can resist their famous fries that they sprinkle with Tex-Joy seasoning.

We have lunch there at least once a week and everything I have had is fabulous.


As for my region - I would have to say lettuce, tomato, mustard, pickles and onion.

Lone Star - yes, I've been to Barnaby's and had a burger, but not the bleu cheese. I'm not that taken with Barnaby's . As far as cheese on a burger, I'm guess I'm just an old stick-in-the-mud traditionalist -- I like a sharp American or cheddar more than anything, and enough of it I can taste it without having to open the bun and look to see if it's there . I do love bleu cheese, tho. Great on the Atkins diet .

Thanks for the info about the Tex-Joy, tho. I just bought some today to try in the chili I'm planning to make.

I glad people mentioned the TexJoy steak seasoning, Its what this Beaumont boy grew up with, and I do put it my burger patty and fries. Texas Coffee Co. also makes the 7 spice for Saltgrass steakhouse chain. As well as Seaport coffee. I also use the seafood seasoning, the fajita seasoning, chili powder, cumin, pepper, paprika, parsley, oregano, and the granulated garlic. They also have file for gumbo. And OF sausage seaoning, but the Italian seasoning is too salty for use.

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

I think Louis Lunch is what you mean. There's plenty of folks here that have sampled their burgers. Ketchup is forbidden.
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=402

So are buns.

So Michael, for Argent's benefit, and the rest of us too, is it up to it's reputation? Is it a roodfood "gold star winner"? I'd like one of those broilers too, just as an aside.

I have pretty much given up ordering burgers out in Western Mass. Since I like my burgers rare, I all-too-often need to send them back because some zealot has spent too many of his waking hours reading food-handling labels instead of cookbooks. Still, condiments are generally served on the side, and nobody faints if you ask for mustard, which is my preference. As I said in the White Castle forum, I think ketchup is just too overwhelming, and two very thin slices of fresh tomato are what I would prefer.

On another note, I find that if you cannot find good beef – and I prefer to grind my own hanger steak for a luscious burger – blend in some ground lamb (this is what I did in my Sutter Home Burger). The beef needs to have a good fat content, but if you are watching that cholesterol meter, try crumbling or grating some cheese in with the ground meat. As the burger cooks, the cheese emits moisture, thereby keeping the patty moist inside. James Beard would put a small ice cube in the center of his burgers to this end.

quote:

Originally posted by Grampy

On another note, I find that if you cannot find good beef – and I prefer to grind my own hanger steak for a luscious burger – blend in some ground lamb (this is what I did in my Sutter Home Burger). The beef needs to have a good fat content, but if you are watching that cholesterol meter, try crumbling or grating some cheese in with the ground meat. As the burger cooks, the cheese emits moisture, thereby keeping the patty moist inside. James Beard would put a small ice cube in the center of his burgers to this end.

Oh, that does sound good . I'll have to try the hanger steak/lamb burger.

I've added grated cheddar and coarsely grated parmesan to hamburger patties with good effect, although with the latter you still need good fat content to the meat. I've also heard of putting a chunk of bleu cheese in the middle of the patty, but haven't tried it. Maybe that's the way Barnaby's makes it, as mentioned by Lone Star above; if so, I'll have to give it a try .

Bleu cheese works perfectly, but it is very definitely going to change the flavor. A mild goat or sheep's milk cheese crumbled in works very well.

OK grampy Beard, Ice cube and cheese, or no ice if cheese? and what % beef do you like? Here in Southern Oregon, we can get from 7% to 30% + ground round if we're feeling rich. Local lamb too. I've got to try this combo.

quote:

Originally posted by Grampy

Bleu cheese works perfectly, but it is very definitely going to change the flavor. A mild goat or sheep's milk cheese crumbled in works very well.

Yeah. I thought bleu cheese on top of the burger was bit too strong, when I've tried it. Also remembered I've used some of the mild Mexican cheeses and Queso Enchilado, a flavored, hard grating cheese, like Parmesan (in texture, not flavor ).

Thanks again.

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

OK grampy Beard, Ice cube and cheese, or no ice if cheese? and what % beef do you like? Here in Southern Oregon, we can get from 7% to 30% + ground round if we're feeling rich. Local lamb too. I've got to try this combo.

That local lamb sounds great. We have a couple of local purveyors of beef and lamb -- and you never want to go back to the supermarket. If I do, 15-20% fat for the beef. As for the cheese/ice cube issue, use one or the other. I wasn't especially keen on the latter and prefer to keep the ice in my Martini shaker.

I find if you go below a 15% fat content , A burger just wont stay together. My favorite burgers are fresh ground each day on premisis. So as to control Fat and quality.

I want a fairly thick patty, grilled medium. Mayo or Miracle Whip, a dab of yellow mustard or a new spicy honey mustard my daughter brought home. Thick slice vine ripe tomato, 2 bread & butter stacker slices and a dab of ketchup opposite the mustard. Nice hunk of lettuce leaf and a slice of Kraft American cheese on a large, seeded bun that has been lightly toasted.

Nice additions are fresh guacomole when available and almost crisp bacon.

I hate an over-cooked burger and almost never order one at a restaurant any more. The food police have ruined burgers.

The only place I have heard of stuffing the patty with cheese and bacon is Tookie's in Seabrook. (before the bridge in Kemah).

We have placed feta cheese in the middle of the burger before cooking, BOY that is a tasty burger with a little Cavendars Greek seasoning on top, too. Making me hungry and here it is lunchtime...

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

So Michael, for Argent's benefit, and the rest of us too, is it up to it's reputation? Is it a roodfood "gold star winner"? I'd like one of those broilers too, just as an aside.

I haven't been to Louis Lunch in many years. When I was growing up in New Haven I was there at least once a week. My grandfather's store fixture place was two buildings away. Truth to tell, though, I never got hamburgers. I liked my hamburgers on buns, and they put them on toast. I always had steak sandwiches. They were heavenly things, made with paper-thin-sliced eye of the round, cooked on a griddle, then placed on toast with lettuce, tomato and onions.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

So Michael, for Argent's benefit, and the rest of us too, is it up to it's reputation? Is it a roodfood "gold star winner"? I'd like one of those broilers too, just as an aside.

I haven't been to Louis Lunch in many years. When I was growing up in New Haven I was there at least once a week. My grandfather's store fixture place was two buildings away. Truth to tell, though, I never got hamburgers. I liked my hamburgers on buns, and they put them on toast. I always had steak sandwiches. They were heavenly things, made with paper-thin-sliced eye of the round, cooked on a griddle, then placed on toast with lettuce, tomato and onions.

I've been there only twice, but agree. I much preferred the steak sandwiches. For me, it was one of those few cases where it was more about the place than the food.

Also, perhaps Michael or someone can resolve a disagreement of sorts: is the name of Louis Lunch pronounced "Lew-ISS" Lunch or "Loo-EE" Lunch?

I like my burgers large, medium rare with 20 to 25 percent fat to meat ratio. Basically I like them unadorned. I find, like others, ketchup etc. overpowers the taste I am eating the burger for. There are exceptions depending on my mood. I will always eat cheeseburgers over plain ones. Toppings when the mood hits are either slow cooked onions or bacon and sometimes both.

quote:

Originally posted by Phil J.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

So Michael, for Argent's benefit, and the rest of us too, is it up to it's reputation? Is it a roodfood "gold star winner"? I'd like one of those broilers too, just as an aside.

I haven't been to Louis Lunch in many years. When I was growing up in New Haven I was there at least once a week. My grandfather's store fixture place was two buildings away. Truth to tell, though, I never got hamburgers. I liked my hamburgers on buns, and they put them on toast. I always had steak sandwiches. They were heavenly things, made with paper-thin-sliced eye of the round, cooked on a griddle, then placed on toast with lettuce, tomato and onions.

I've been there only twice, but agree. I much preferred the steak sandwiches. For me, it was one of those few cases where it was more about the place than the food.

Also, perhaps Michael or someone can resolve a disagreement of sorts: is the name of Louis Lunch pronounced "Lew-ISS" Lunch or "Loo-EE" Lunch?

It's really lew-iss, but I grew up calling it lew-ees. I should mention that the Lassens are my third or fourth cousins.

Grew up in New England and live there again now. What I remember being the 'regular' add-ons at most places when I was growing up was ketchup and onions, with cheese or without. What I typically use at home is BBQ sauce (lost the taste for ketchup somewhere) onions and swiss cheese, maybe shredded lettuce if in season. Whoever said that bad or soggy lettuce can waterlog a good burger is absolutely correct.

With due respect to you all, the only cheese on a 'true' cheeseburger should be American cheese. This is 'Roadfood' we're talkin', right?

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Tyler

With due respect to you all, the only cheese on a 'true' cheeseburger should be American cheese. This is 'Roadfood' we're talkin', right?

Hmm. American cheese? -- Vermont cheddar sounds pretty good to me right now. Thin and bubbly.