Wednesday, December 26, 2012

BEST BURGER JOINT ANYWHERE?


The reason God created the side of beef was so that David Alioto and his crew could hand form seven-ounce patties and grill them to the exacting demand of each customer at the Healdsburger.  On the very next day, God created the russet potato.

I checked the odometer.  My beautiful grandchildren live just an eyelash under 140 miles from my home on the outskirts of Sacramento.  But the second-most reason for visiting this region of Sonoma County is not the plethora of world-class wineries.  No.  It is the Healdsburger.

High on the list of Church of the Open Road ethics is trade with the small independent businessperson – places where you know the profit you allow goes into the pocket of someone not associated with Wall Street.  Local restaurants are an excellent place to engage in this practice; local burger stands even better.

The Church defines a local burger stand as a stand-alone building with parking in the front, and perhaps on the side and in the back.  There is always outdoor seating and, occasionally seating indoors.  The folks working there may wear a t-shirt commissioned by the owner, but they may just wear what they put on prior to attending morning classes at the local high school.  The menu is posted, but generally, it is a signboard made up of those individually moved letters slid along groves in a backlit plastic.  When something changes, the letters may not always match.  That’s okay.  Because what really matters in the fare.  The food.  The burger itself.


At the Healdsburger, the fries came out early.  Fresh cut from real potatoes – I saw them do this – seasoned to perfection, a young man delivered them to my table from behind the counter. 

“Is this comin’ with the burger I ordered?” I asked.

“Burger’s comin’,” he said.  “Couple o’ minutes.  Wanted you to have these now.”

The fries were – just as I would find out about my sandwich – what that same God intended when (S)he created the russet potato.  They were crisp on the outside, steamy and soft on the inside and not swimming in “Task” or some other such vegetable oil.  Served with the large fountain Coke I’d ordered, not a Pepsi, thank you very much, these tuber delights proved to be a noon-time “hors-duerve” to be relished at a time when fries as a prelude might not be the first thing one imagines when lunching to a burger joint.

I’d nearly polished ‘em off when the entrée arrived: a seven-ounce hand formed – I saw them do this as well – burger patty grilled to my medium-rare specification placed on a fresh bun and garnished with a slab of cheddar, red onion, iceberg lettuce and dollops of perfetto condimenti.  I craftily folded the waxed paper wrap to channel juices onto the tray rather than the lap of my riding togs.  Once I grasped the sandwich, it never made it back to that tray.

The Healdsburger is at off the beaten track the far south end of the main drag through this quaint Dry Creek (California) Valley wine community – off US 101 14 miles north of Santa Rosa.  David and his crew hustled to keep a 1:00 PM crowd fed with efficiency and a personal touch.  Each crewmember wore a company shirt with the tag line: “So good, the locals keep it secret.”  I suspect they do.  This is certainly a place I return to time and time again – when I can sneak away from the grandkids who, at less than three years of age, might be overwhelmed by the fare.  Besides, I want to bring ‘em up eatin’ healthy.  You know, Vegan?


A burger joint runner-up would have to be located on the historic Highway 40 (parallel to I-80) in Loomis (Placer County) California.  Taylors Drive-In serves burgers, fries and about 150 different varieties of milkshakes.  The only black mark in my book is that their fountain cola is Pepsi, not Coke – but that’s because, in my younger days, I worked for a restaurant supply wholesaler who pedaled Coca Cola product.  (“If you want to let ‘em know you sell a quality burger, you gotta sell ‘em a quality drink,” my boss said more than once.)  Taylors is one of those stand-alone stands that probably used that be called “the Jolly Cone.”  The sandwiches are as wholesome as a hamburger can be; the fries well seasoned and delicious.  A large dispenser of catsup is available with a nice stack of those pleated portion control cups available to the customer.  And the young person who grilled the repast, carries it out on a tray, greeting the customer and inviting said customer to ask should there be a need for anything else.  I don’t seem to remember that ever happening at my most-local Taco Bell.


Another runner up is found in Dunsmuir, (Siskiyou Co.) CA on business route I-5.  The Burger Barn is staffed by the owner and by several handsome area high schoolers just learning the ins and out of working for pay.  The fare is most excellent and, if traveling north from Sacramento, just the perfect distance from home for the lunch stop.  (Downtown Dunsmuir is a delightfully historic berg.  I-5 laces across the top a couple of times and it is easy to whiz past never knowing the old place exists.  Travelers’ loss.  If the town is tiny, always take the business route.)  The proprietress at the Burger Barn graciously not only served a classic burger and fries – I ordered a Dr. Pepper because their cola choice was Pepsi and I am not of that generation – but she also coached her young crew about presentation, punctuality and chipperness.  On my rocket trip north to Portland, this was a place I was glad I found, one I will now revisit any time I find myself entering the Siskiyous. 


Not corporate, the Healdsburger in Healdsburg, Taylors in Loomis, the Burger Barn in Dunsmuir and a thousand other places dotted along the byways of our travel – like the Jamestown Frosty off CA 108 in Jamestown, CA, or the Pine Shack Frosty on CA 36 in Chester, CA – offer prices that compare quite favorably with Mac and Jack and food that didn’t spend a week and a half in the back of a reefer big-rig travelling from some place half way across the continent.  And the money spent at these small town independents more than likely goes to the folks that own the joint.

There’s a degree of satisfaction that goes along with such a lunch.

© 2013
Church of the Open Road Press

46 comments:

  1. Haven't visited any of those places yet. So far, Val's in Hayward, CA has the best burgers that I've come across. And I totally agree with you on the coke vs. pepsi issue.

    ReplyDelete
  2. In the same vicinity, the Hamburger Ranch at hwy 128 in Cloverdale deserves at least an honorable mention, IMO. Their "International Connection" burger, if you can call it that, is a thing of beauty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Based upon your recommendation, I shall be sure to check out "the Ranch" next time I'm in the vicinity...

      Delete
  3. There's a little restaurant in Russel called Meridy's. We stumbled on it in 2005 on our way to Colorado. The Burgers (we made it a point to stop there on the way back) were among the best I've had.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The original Owl Cafe in San Antonio, NM, about 10 miles south of Socorro (They now have a second, new restaurant in Albuquerque). Their green chile cheeseburgers are excellent. Another unique New Mexico burger: Blake's Lotaburger; regional chain. Whenever we visit New Mexico, one of the first things we do is look for the nearest Blakes and order a chile cheeseburger. If we plan to pass near San Antonio, we work the Owl Cafe into the plan.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Stella's lounge in Grand Rapids, MI has some of the best meat stuffed with cheese. Highly rated.

    CF penn's in Alabama will have the most greasy burgers ever- deep fried in oil, twice. They don't have a flat top. Been around since the '20's. Most of those customers have got to be dead.

    Brown Bear in Hart, MI has some pretty good baskets

    You have to have a pretty outstanding burger to have me notice these days.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Grover's in Western New York is well worth a side trip. Besides burgers they do a great job on other local specialties like Chicken Wings and Beef on Kimmelweck.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I can't remember the name but it was a restaurant in Maine on Moose Head lake that over looked a sea plane docking area that had a DC3 on floats. Best burger I ever had.

    ReplyDelete
  8. When in North Seattle, up close to Moto International, I do try to stop in at Red Mill Burgers: http://www.redmillburgers.com/

    You know guys, we're all going to die a horrible death from all these burgers being consumed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On a recent edition of Freak-o-nomics Radio (from APM) they talked about peoples incessant fear of spiders, snakes and small rodents - none of which can do much harm. On the other hand, the things that can kill us like over-exposure to the sun and, yes, fried food, we partake in with abandon.

      Still, I'm always ready to ask: "When do we eat?"

      Delete
  9. 25 years ago. Blimpy's in Ann Arbor Michigan. What appeared like ice cream scoops were used to size your burger. One scoop, two, three ........... you named it.

    http://www.blimpyburger.com/

    Actually, my favorites were from when I was a kid, and would order a grill-fried burger served on white bread, with pickle, mustard, onion, from any number of the little beer joints that had little more than that on their menu. Of course the burger was burnt to a nice crisp around the edges, adding to the experience.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Definitely not a burger joint and I feel bad naming someplace in town and not from the road, but Harvest here in Louisville has, hands down, the single best burger I have ever had in my life. Meat all locally sourced and natural, hog jowl bacon jam and goat cheese on a pretzel bun. I know, doesn't exactly sound delish, but it is truly da bomb.

    http://www.harvestlouisville.com/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Closer to my home Shady Glen. http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Overview/14/shady-glen

    ReplyDelete
  12. Vortex in Atlanta.

    http://www.thevortexbarandgrill.com/pages/food-menu

    Check out their Triple Coronary Bypass burger.

    Too bad that I hate downtown Atlanta.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Casper's Chili Parlor, Springfield, Mo. is great! open over 100 yrs. and is a Route 66 original. Mostly a chili place but has great burgers. Try the Casperito, but you better not be on a crotch rocket or have anything to do for a few hrs. They're closed from memorial day to labor day so don't look for them in the summer. It's in a quonset hut and it gets too hot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My father was born in Springfield, MO, in 1918 but never mentioned Caspar's Chili Parlor. I guess he was holdin' out on me!

      Delete
  14. My all time favorite. I love really rare hamburgers and they can be hard to find. This place has an old style meat display filled with steaks. Can't get a steak there, they take one of them and grind it on the spot to make your burger. Total heaven!

    C J's Butcher Boy Burgers Inc
    2803 North Arkansas Avenue, Russellville, AR
    (479) 968-2300

    ReplyDelete
  15. As far as a chain goes... In n out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My daughter, who for some reason knows a lot more about stuff than I do, tells me that In n Out is a chain that pays for the real estate and construction of each restaurant in advance. No leased property. No "mortgage" payments. Don't know if this makes a difference, but if it is true, it certainly provides a different business model than their competition. I think their product reflects a different model as well: a yummy one.

      Delete
  16. My favorite is the Bobcat Bite in Santa Fe, NM.

    ReplyDelete
  17. a difficult ride I must admit but the best burger I've had is Duke's Cheddar Burger

    http://www.dukeswaikiki.com/

    the location is specular too.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Started off as a small place, but has branched out....The Squeeze Inn, Sacramento area.

    The Burger Barn, Camarillo, Ca.

    The Cup and Saucer, in Monterey, Va.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They recently opened a Squeeze Inn in nearby (to me) Roseville, CA. It is on my short list of places to visit.

      Delete
  19. West Pier in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. You can stop here on your way to the 2013 International Moto Guzzi Rally in Lavigne, Ontario. Just remember the place is really small!

    ReplyDelete
  20. The Burger's Priest in Toronto.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Bullseye Burgers and Brew in Chula Vista, Ca...

    Try the Juicy Lucy, ,cheese in the middle of the burger, awesome...!

    Burger Lounge in Coronado, Ca is no slouch, the feature grass fed Bison as well, good stuff.

    Believe it or not, for fast food joints, a place known as Carl's Jr. All over California puts up a great burger.

    The only thing I have tried at Fuddruckers is the fish which is great too...

    ReplyDelete
  22. Red's Drive In. On US 160 in Greenfield MO

    ReplyDelete
  23. Nessy Burger

    4760 California 76 Fallbrook, CA 92028

    ReplyDelete
  24. Ty's Diner in Wichita KS.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Riverfront Restaurant in Chilhowie, Va

    Back in Time Diner in Rural Retreat, Va

    Redstone Restaurant in Clinchport, Va-near Natural Tunnel State Park

    Draper Mercantile in Draper, Va

    ReplyDelete
  26. The Hotspot Cafe. Located 7 miles north of the Yukon River Bridge, Alaska, (on the left) it is a MUST stop. The most delicious food ever!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Have been in pursuit of great independent burgers ourselves for awhile. Found a great one at Jimmy's in Grant's Pass, and Frank's in San Luis Obispo. Also like The Spot in Carpenteria. I'm thinking Healdsburger might warrant a road trip.

    ReplyDelete
  28. The Sugar Shack on Hyway 385 in the middle of the Black Hills of South Dakota.

    ReplyDelete
  29. The Chuckbox in Tempe, Arizona. Across the street from Arizona State University. They broil their burgers over mesquite charcoal. just the grease coming off the burger would make a good sandwich. The fixin's bar in the middle of the restaurant allows you to pile on what you want. Think salad bar for your burger. No need to eat lettuce. http://www.thechuckbox.com/

    ReplyDelete

  30. In Sault Ste. Marie Michigan a small water front drive in called CLYDES been there since 1939. One of the best in the country. we are blessed with some good burger joints (that's about all were blessed with)

    ReplyDelete
  31. Walker Burger with Milkshake used to be a favorite on 395 but, alas, it changed ownership.

    ReplyDelete
  32. In West Lafayette Indiana; The Triple XXX, since before you were born.

    ReplyDelete
  33. The Jackson House in Harrisburg PA make a pretty killer burger. But my favorite burgers are the one I make at home. Home ground fresh chuck maybe a little brisket or top round thrown in. Patty into a heathy portion cooked on the Big Green Egg over lump Charcoal, top with blue cheese, crumbled bacon, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mustard. A few fresh jalapenos are also top shelf.

    Me thinkst I have figured out what the family is having for dinner tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anyone ever had a Moonburger? Moonshine Illinois.

    ReplyDelete
  35. One of my favorite burgers comes from The Oinkster in Eagle Rock, CA (between Pasadena and Glendale). Personally, I like the Gruyere cheese burger with their Belgian fries. mm mm good. And when I'm up north in the Napa Valley, I always make a trip to Taylors in St. Helena.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Top you all: The original Arctic Roadrunner in Anchorage, Alaska!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hodad's in San Diego

    http://hodadies.com/home/

    ReplyDelete
  38. In the rust belt town of Anderson, Indiana is the Lemon Drop. The owner still stands there at the grill and cooks every order as he has since I was a kid. The girls never write down your order, they just remember it, or they don't work there. I don't eat much red meat, but his onion burger on toast is killer.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Here in Sacramento, I've become rather partial lately to Suziebuger at 29th and P in Midtown.

    As more and more places grill their patties to the point of becoming hockey pucks, I'm having trouble finding decent burger joints.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Try Ettore's
    It was VOTED BEST HAMBURGER IN SACRAMENTO!
    http://www.ettores.com/restaurant/lunch-menu/
    Try it with some balsamic vinaigrette.

    ReplyDelete
  41. White Castle double cheese extra grilled onions extra pickles minimal mustard minimal catsup... there is no better burger on earth...

    ch1t... now I'm gonna have to make a bonsai run to Kenosha... sack me bro...

    ReplyDelete