Gimme Back My Burgers!!!

Posted on 04/02/2010 by Rev

PSYCHE!!

I hope everyone enjoyed our little April Fool’s Day joke. While I actually do enjoy salads and eat several of them a week, I am, have been and always will, fueled by burgers. Burger Conquest isn’t going anywhere!!

On a serious note, these are some of my favorite salads in NYC and I do encourage moderation and balance in one’s diet, as well as exercise.

COSI SANDWICH BAR

Cosi Signature Salad Lite
8 out of 10 tosses

UNCLE NICK’S GREEK CUISINE

Maroulosalata
7 out of 10 tosses

CHOP’T

Vegetarian Powerhouse with “Spa” Tex-Mex Ranch Dressing
8 out of 10 tosses

STAND

Burger Salad with Turkey
8 out of 10 tosses

Will someone please call Weird Al and have him make the Burger Parody?

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Pop Burger – Miley Cyrus Packs It In

Posted on 04/02/2010 by Rev

Pop Burger
http://www.popburger.com
60 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10011-4901

THE CONQUEST
You’ve seen it heralded as one of the Best Hamburgers in NYC. You’ve seen it get Burger Famous on TV shows like the Travel Channel’s “Hamburger Paradise.” You’ve heard rumors about them dissing Miley Cyrus. It’s even been in the news. It’s NYC’s Pop Burger and it’s known for a lot of things but the buzz is all about the burger. Located in NYC’s meat packing district, Pop Burger is like the mullet of restaurants. If you’re just looking for a quick, fast and delicious burger and fries, step up to the counter in the front. Or, you could venture into the back where there is a full party night club with servers, pool tables, DJs and such.

Perfect for a quick bite or a fancy party, Pop Burger serves burgers (and drinks) into the late night. It’s a great place to go if you like your burgers late in the night and served with cocktails. It’s a terrible place to go if you hate your burgers with club kids and loud music, although you could just stop in at the counter real quick! For my wife Cara and our friends Tom, Amanda and Matt, it offered the solution to the problem of “It’s after midnight and I’m hungry but I still want to drink at the bar.” For me it did the same and also served as the coming out on my Salad Conquest April Fool’s joke.

THE BURGER
If you’re in the lounge for dinner or post dinner hours, you can only order Pop burgers by the 3’s and your only option is cheese or no cheese. But no worries, they are slider size with bigger patties. Unfortunately with smaller sized patties, there’s difficulty in keeping them from getting charred, overcooked or dried out. While the Pop Burgers are cooked more than I regularly enjoy they’re still tasty and juicy. Maybe it was all the Jack Daniels in my system but the first 2 Pop Burgers just weren’t achieving the burger nirvana I was hoping for. To combat the issue I topped my last one with onion rings, fries and ketchup. That was my favorite of the 3 but draw your own conclusions based on the moves made. Maybe they just needed a little extra of the special sauce.

Apologies for the less-than-normal quality photos. I wasn’t expecting to be out for burgers and all I had was the camera on my Blackberry.


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev



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The New Burger Conquest – Turning Over a New Leaf

Posted on 04/01/2010 by Rev

On Friday, October 16th, 2008 – 5 friends went out for a burger at Arthur’s Steakhouse in Hoboken, NJ. On that day, Burger Conquest was born. 531 days later and I have eaten and written about 188 burgers on this site. For those of you doing the math, that’s 1 burger just about every 3 days. I’ve eaten them in 5 different countries, all around the US including Alaska! I’ve had them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’ve eaten them in meetings, with friends, with my family, with bands, with the Burger elite and for birthdays. Burgers have been consumed in restaurants, at home, in cars, on bicycles, in backyards, on planes, in cable cars, in RVs, in baseball stadiums, at my own wedding and even in the hospital. Ive had them grilled, fried, steamed, frozen and raw. They’ve been eaten with pirates, with Bats, Turtles, Iguanas and even murderers! I’ve contributed to travel blogs, metal blogs, alternative music magazines, food sites, food labs, foodie blogs, and even joke blogs about sports celebrities. I’ve even been asked by a celebrity chef to make them a burger and I have even eaten them for TV.

For something that literally started as a fun joke to have with my friends, it’s gone further than I’ve gotten more BURGER FAMOUS than I could have ever imagined!

With such massive consumption of beef, cheese and bacon, I am putting myself at serious risk. Not to mention the french fries, onion rings, tater tots, tacos, beer and liquor that have accompanied them. I’ve had a great time and although I have been able to stay in good shape through exercise and control, I think it’s time for a change.

You see, I don’t want to become like the Marlboro Man or Spuds McKenzie and promote unhealthy choices without a thought for consequence. I want to contribute to society and help to make this world we live in a place we can enjoy for ourselves and also promote better living as our legacy. So with that, I flip the electronic page and, literally. turn over a new leaf.

Enjoy the new face of Burger Conquest…

http://saladconquest.blogspot.com
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In-N-Out NYC – Bad Timing or Bad Joke?

Posted on 04/01/2010 by Rev

Either I picked the wrong day to curtail the Burger Conquests or this is a very sad April Fool’s joke. Walked past this display at the corner of Broadway and 23rd Street. For those in the know, that is across the street from the Shake Shack and down the block from Fresh N Fast.

If In-N-Out really is coming to NYC, then the 2 competitors above may want to figure out a game plan now because this is like a burger lovers wet dream come true. I couldn’t find anything on the In-N-Out website but based on this Facebook post they put up, I think it’s a joke…A VERY CRUEL ONE!! People who play bad April Fool’s Jokes are mean and hurtful. Shame on them!

Update … just found another sign at 14th St and Broadway. Finger’s crossed that it’s NOT a joke!!

Story update – In-N-Out’s statement:
“You may be aware of a rumor or April Fool’s Day hoax about In-N-Out Burger coming to New York City the Summer of 2010. This is not true. We are very sorry for any confusion this may have caused and have no idea how it got started. We want to make sure everyone knows that it is false. We currently operate restaurants in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Thank you for your interest in In-N-Out Burger and if you’d like to find the location nearest you, please visit our locations page. “

However, it did come out in the wash put on by collegehumor.com

YOU RAT BASTARDS!!

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Energy Kitchen – Better (For You) Burgers

Posted on 03/31/2010 by Rev

Energy Kitchen
http://www.energykitchen.com
417 West 47th Street
New York, NY 10036

THE CONQUEST
As my 2 week burger hiatus was coming to a close with the Salad Conquest April Fools’ joke, I got a very appropriate email from Energy Kitchen. All of their health(ier) burgers were only $5 for the month of March.


With dinner impending and a location in my neighborhood, the decision was quickly made.

The Energy Kitchen is a quickly growing chain with 8 locations in Manhattan and 1 in Hoboken, NJ. While they each have small dining rooms with counter service, the Energy Kitchen is also great for delivery. Their menu offers many items not unlike what you would find on the menu of a fast food restaurant or small diner along with salads, snacks and smoothies. The difference here is that nothing they serve is more than 500 calories. All food items are baked, steamed or grilled, never fried and with a low-fat / low-calorie content. In other words, fast food for the healthy conscious.

THE BURGER
With the choice of 9 different burgers on the menu, I chose the Barbecue Turkey Burger, topped with turkey bacon, American cheese and chipotle barbecue sauce served on a whole-wheat kaiser roll (463 calories). Not only did it sound tasty but it was one of the most expensive burgers therefore giving me the biggest proverbial bang for the (5)buck(s)! For an additional $3.99 you can choose 2 sides and sticking with the health(ier) theme I added the steamed broccoli and vegetarian chili. Both of which were good, especially the chili, but the star of the show was the burger.

The turkey burger patty at Energy Kitchen is packed with ground veggies and spices. Unfortunately healthy foods have given themselves a bad reputation on the taste scale and driven away potential fans. However, that is NOT the case here. The burger was tasty, had zest and flavor like it was put together by someone who wanted to cheat their waist line, not their taste buds. I can’t confirm is the BBQ sauce was “diet” but I can tell you it was sweet, smoky and tangy with a peppery taste. I quite liked it, especially smothered over the salty mix of cheese and turkey bacon. I don’t care if you’re eating the greasiest, biggest, deep fried, grease bomb of a beef burger, or it’s low-fat/calorie counterpart at the Energy Kitchen, a whole-wheat always trumps a simple white bun. Fortunately for the foodie in me, the bun here was soft, fresh and held together throughout the whole sandwich.

While I can honestly say I wouldn’t give up eating all kinds of burgers and trade in for these, I definitely plan on eating there again. Too bad the $5 promotion is over! My only grip, they close at 10 pm. Where are all the healthy food options at 3 am in the morning when I am salivating over a cheese steak?


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev


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The Four Seasons Restaurant – The Power to Lunch

Posted on 03/30/2010 by Rev

The Four Seasons Restaurant
http://www.fourseasonsrestaurant.com
9 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10022

THE CONQUEST
Hi. My name is Rev. Have we met? I’m kind of a big deal. I write 3 very popular food websites; Burger Conquest, Salad Conquest and Steak Club 7. I’m also a partner at Yeah! Management, an executive at Artist Arena and the host of the NYC Wing-Off. I’ve created recipes and videos for Bobby Flay. Burgers got me on the 11 O’Clock news. The Travel Channel used me as a burger celebrity and expert. I am integral to certain gatherings. I fly First Class, I ride in limos, and drive fancy sports cars. I eat burgers with rock stars, famous authors, captains of industry and even exotic animals. I’ve get invited to private tastings, elite gatherings and attend fancy ball’s. I am what people (note: by “people” I mean “I”) like to call “Burger Famous.”

When it comes to burgers, I eat where I want, when I want, how I want and with whom I want. So there should be no surprises when I tell you that we recently dined at the very exclusive Four Seasons restaurant. Known for it’s fine dining, expensive artwork and classic design, the restaurant is a favorite among the NYC’s elite. The famous gather here to taste the delicacies. The business elite have made it the ultimate destination for a power lunch. The restaurant has a very strict dress code printed right on the front of their website which reads “Gentlemen wear jackets; ties are optional. If you prefer to travel without a jacket, you are welcome to borrow one of ours (sizes 38-52).”With an exclusive Pablo Picasso painting on the wall that cost $50,000 to create, you can tell, they don’t just let in anyone. (For more info on the Four Seasons and power lunches, click here to watch a CNBC special on the restaurant.)

But if you’re the Rev from Burger Conquest, these rules and traditions have no meaning. When our buddy JJ announced that he was moving to LA to become a powerful booking agent, we wanted to send him off in a proper manner with a congratulatory power lunch at the Four Seasons. For someone as “burger famous” as I am, getting a reservation was easy as pie and the jacket requirement, well…no one even mentioned it. In fact, we were immediately shown to a large table next the window with a beautiful view of 53rd st and Park Avenue. Jacketless, Mark, John G, Adam, Matt, JJ and I settled in and began to peruse their short menu.

THE BURGER
The options are pretty fancy ranging from Bison Filet to Maryland Crab Cakes to Dover Sole to Loin of Rabbit and beyond. They also have a very famous, signature $27 Sirloin Burger and even though everyone else opted out on the burger, I don’t fault them for it. When were they going to get a chance to dine again at the Four Seasons!?!?

We started off the meal sharing a plate of their Burrata cheese, one of the special appetizers of the day. It was fantastic!! Burrata is an Italian cheese made from a mix of cream and mozzarella while the outer shell is comprised entirely of mozzarella. It had a light and creamy texture with a distinct flavor. The taste was not unlike mozzarella but with a more savory zeal. The beets had little to no appeal so after ate bite or two, I didn’t bother to return. To go along with the cheese I also selected the Sweet Pea Agnolotti, Parmesan Broth. Agnolotti is a smaller kind of ravioli made with flat pasta. The sauce was buttery, cheesy and oh so savory. The sweetness of the peas made for an interesting flavor balance while the sage pulled it all together from the middle. I could’ve easily eaten a 2nd bowl but since I knew a tasty and high priced burger was coming my way, I practiced restraint.

The burger was smaller than I had envisioned, easily fitting into my (not) patented “left hand grab.” I don’t want to give you the impression that it was a small burger but for a $27 gourmet burger I was imagining something the size of a NY Strip between 2 loaves of bread. A couple bites into the sandwich revealed an absolutely perfectly cooked medium-rare patty. Clearly it was prepared with precision and care. The beef was fresh and so juicy and the crunchy brioche barely contained the dripping. I ordered it topped with Wisconsin cheddar and added a little schmear of mustard. The burger came accompanied with chopped tomato, pickle and lettuce garnishes but the sandwich just had no need for any of it. Between the bun, cheese and mustard, there was already more than enough flavors packed around the quality ground beef! The french fries had a real crunchy skin and it was near impossible to stop eating them. If you are rich, famous or have you friends who are, get in on a reservation and check it out for yourself!

I’m not much of a person for sweets or dessert but the others are so they ordered the Vanilla Creme Brulee, the Lemon Cheese Cake and the Chocolate Velvet. They were all good, especially the Velvet which came with Crème Fraiche Sorbet & Strawberries. However, better than all the above was the assortment of bite sized cookies they brought us. My favorite was the Macaron, a meringue based cookie with a light flaky outside and a chewy center. Apparently they are very hard to prepare and very delicate in nature which makes them a coveted treat. But you know, its Burger Conquest, so of course they made sure we felt special.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev




P.S. All of the statements made about my “burger fame” are true facts I made up for the sake of this story. In fact, it is entirely possible that I am an absolute nobody with a stupid opinion and silly set of blogs. Although under dressed and with tattoos, it’s not out the question that we were allowed to dine because it gave the other powerful diners a good laugh. Thankfully for you the reader, everything I said about the food is actual truth.

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The Art of Balance – 2 Weeks Burger Free

Posted on 03/30/2010 by Rev

I love burgers. I also love steak, hot wings, pizza, BBQ, burritos, bacon, french fries, beer, alcohol and just about every other type of food that is “bad for you.” While I would love to eat like that all the time and I am sure my public persona appears to do just that, it simply isn’t the case. I do eat a fair amount of healthier foods like salads, vegetables, fruits and nutrition bars (at least compared to my 16 year old who lived on a diet of fast food and microwaveable frozen foods.) I also spend a fair amount of time at the gym working out while attempting to do as much walking as possible. It’s all peaks and valleys but kept together with an attempt to stay balanced.

So with that, I thought it might be interesting to show you just how I do it. Since returning from SXSW, I have kept a list of foods eaten and exercise achieved. While this list began on Sunday March 21st, 2010, I have actually been BURGER FREE now for 2 full weeks! My last burger was at Dirty Martin’s on March 15th, 2010. It should also be noted that I have lost 12 pounds since the year began and dropped my lipid panel 40 points! Neither of which is easy to achieve without diet and exercise. It’s been difficult but I am really proud of myself.

Now before you take a look remember this post isn’t a statement about how healthy I live, it’s meant to show you that I attempt to maintain some level of good health.

Enjoy.

Sunday March 21st:
30 minutes walking
Dinner – whole wheat burrito with grilled chicken, black beans, soy cheese, tofu sour cream and a salad with balsamic dressing

Monday March 22nd:
30 minutes walking
Breakfast – Zone bar
Snack – almonds
Lunch – mixed greens salad with pears, grapes, pistachios, dried cranberries a dash of Gorgonzola and light sherry shallot vinaigrette.
Dinner – split appetizer or cured meats and cheeses. Split orichette with arugula and bolognaise
Snack – Odwalla Superfood

Tuesday March 23rd:
45 mins walking
1 hour at gym
Breakfast – Myoplex lite bar
Snack – Apple
Lunch – romaine salad with carrots, broccoli, edamame, walnuts, dried cranberries, smoked turkey, a little bit of Parmesan cheese and lo fat dijon dressing.
Dinner – Mongolian chicken (grilled w onions and black pepper) with a couple table spoons of brown rice. 1 steamed veggie dumpling.

Wednesday March 24th:
45 mins walking
1 hour at gym
Breakfast – Myoplex lite bar
Snack – Grilled turkey breakfast sausage w low fat cheese
Lunch – 2 short ribs, pulled pork (no sauce), half-rasher of bacon
Snack – peanuts
Dinner – 1 slice of cheese pizza

Thursday March 25th:
30 mins walking
Breakfast – Kashi protein and fiber bar
Lunch – soy burger on wheat with side salad
Dinner – turkey with a little gravy, green beans and a small portion of mac and cheese

Friday March 26th:
40 mins walking
1 hour at gym
Breakfast – Myoplex lite bar
Lunch – salad with pears, grapes, pistachios, dried cranberries, low-fat dressing and a small scoop of Gorgonzola cheese
Dinner – 1 slice pepperoni pizza
Late night snack – half meat ball parm hero

Saturday March 27th:
30 mins walking
Lunch – half meat ball parm hero. Half dish of stuffed shells
Snack – popcorn
Dinner – grilled Asian chick salad
Late night snack – chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, angel hair pasta with olive oil and garlic

Sunday March 28th:
30 mins walking
1 hour at gym
Brunch – whole wheat bagel with peperoni, salami, ham, mozzarella and scrambled eggs
Snack – Naked Juice – Blue Machine
Dinner – grilled chicken burrito in whole wheat wrap with black beans, tofu sour cream, soy cheese and avocado. Side salad with balsamic dressing

Monday March 29th:
40 mins walking
1 hour at gym
Breakfast –Myoplex lite bar
Snack – mixed nuts
Lunch – mixed greens salad with pears, grapes, pistachios, dried cranberries a dash of Gorgonzola and light sherry shallot vinaigrette.
Snack – Laughing Cow Light Baybel cheese
Dinner – Salad with feta, scallions and dill. cup of chicken and rice soup with lemon & grilled chicken kebob with onions and peppers

Tuesday March 30th:
40 mins walking
30 mins gym
Breakfast –Myoplex lite bar
Snack – Odwalla Supefood

This blog post has been brought to you with music by Shadows Fall and is dedicated to my pal White Balance.
“The Art of Balance”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNYMlfsge8k]

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Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch – Equal Opportunity Eating

Posted on 03/25/2010 by Rev

Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch
http://www.curlyslunch.com
328 East 14th Street
New York, NY 10003-4230

THE CONQUEST
My good buddy and business colleague Matt was visiting from London. Although a devout vegetarian, Matt has participated in past Burger Conquests. He’s a good sport about the whole thing which is a reflection of his generally positive attitude to just about everything. During Matt’s visit to NYC he worked out of our office when not at meetings or shows. So when the chance to grab lunch with him came up, I suggested we hit my favorite vegetarian restaurant in NYC – Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch.

Curly’s is located just a few blocks east of Union Square technically on the borders of Stuyvesant Town, the East Village and the Gramercy-Flatiron District. They are only open from 11 am to 11 pm on weekdays with a focus on their classic diner-esque fare. There is a lot to choose from on their menu but all of it … and I mean every single item, is vegetarian. While I am clearly not a vegetarian, I do have an appreciation for the cuisine and believe in equal opportunity eating. Besides, you really shouldn’t eat meat for EVERY meal! Since I have been on somewhat of a health kick, post SXSW, this gave me a perfect excuse to have a veggie burger conquest.

THE BURGER
While Curly’s really does have a wide offering from veggie burgers to breakfast to burritos, salads, smoothies and all sorts of mock-meat sandwiches, the choices are really diverse. We started with an order of the mocknuggets, a pun of the McDonald’s “McNuggets.” Dipped in honey mustard and smoky BBQ sauce, they were pretty good. I mean at the end of the day, you can fry and bread anything and it instantly makes it tasty.

The Curly vegetarian burger is a “A Homemade Vegan Patty Of TVP (texturized vegetable protein) Black Beans, Seeds, Vegetable, Onion & Garlic, On A Ciabatta Roll.” TVP has just as much protein as beef, zero fat content and cooks quickly. It really is one of the best options as a meat substitute. I ordered my topped with tofu bacon and cheddar cheese for an extra flavor zing. The ciabatta was fresh, crunchy and the type of quality bun that I wish regular burger spots would consider using! Tofu bacon has a smoky and salty taste to it that does it’s best to mock the bacon flavor and while it will never come close, it isn’t bad at all. The fresh spring mix of greens added a hint of a pepper back ground to mix well with the savory cheddar and tofu bacon. The patty itself although a little thin was chewy with a nice soft texture and a nice mix of flavors. Most prevalent was the garlic followed by the black beans. While neither overtook the taste of the whole sandwich, it was a good mix of flavors and certainly healthier than the meat equivalent(s).

As far as veggie burgers go, it’s pretty good. However the next time I hit up Curly’s, I am going back to my old standard – the “Cubano Nuevo roast loin of soy, Virginia baked sham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard pressed in a wheat hero.”


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev


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Dirty Martin’s – A Classic Break For the SXSW Inclined

Posted on 03/16/2010 by Rev

Dirty Martin’s
http://dirtymartins.com
2808 Guadalupe Street
Austin, TX 78705

THE CONQUEST
11 years ago, I stepped onto the streets of Austin, TX for the very first time. I was there for the annual South By Southwest (SXSW) Music conference and festival. Back then, I was young(er), (more) innocent, un-inked, had never been introduced to the concept of brisket and the closest thing I had to a blog was an email address. On that trip I tasted my first Texas Market Style BBQ, drank my first Shiner Bock and got my first tattoo. I also watched a shit-ton of great rock and roll bands. Yes, I know, I’ve come along way. 11 years later and I still go to SXSW every year. It’s a great place for the entertainment business to gather, see emerging acts, make new contacts and have a nice BBQ & beer filled spring break.

With so many great choices for BBQ and Mexican food, Hamburgers almost seem like an after thought for visitors to Austin. But after many years of delicious smoked meats and tortilla filled delights, it was time to branch out. Last year we gave Casino El Camino a run for the money and for as much as people love it, left unsatisfied. Enter SXSW 2010. Since last year I have discovered the bible of burgers, Hamburger America, written my my now burger buddy – George Motz. Nearly every burger I have eaten featured in the book has been great so when it came time to plan my Austin eating adventure, I wanted to find some gems that weren’t located in the downtown area. Most people attending the conference never venture outside of the main part of downtown where the activity happens. With 10 of these under my belt, I gathered up a bunch of the music industry’s elite and selected a burger spot near the University of Texas campus called Dirty Martin’s Place.

Though originally named “Martin’s Kum-Back” when it opened in 1926, it earned the nickname “dirty” due to the dirt floors. In 1951 a concrete floor was added but the name stuck. Prior to that point, most of their business was done via car-hop, a lost forgotten art of in-car dining now mostly only available at Sonic Drive-Ins. Dirty Martins not only serves up a classic thin patty burger made of fresh, never frozen, ground beef but they also offer up a selection of sandwiches, dogs and sides including my all time favorite burger side car – TATER TOTS! Wash it all down with homemade lemon and lime aids, shakes and malts, or do as we did – several pitchers of the locally made Austin Amber from the Independence Brewery.

THE BURGER
We started off with an order of corn nuggets, which essentially is cream corn that is breaded, fried and served with ranch dressing. It’s a sweet and salty treat that one must try. Warned in advance of the smaller patty size, I ordered a double meat, bacon cheese burger known as the “O.T. Special.” When I saw the magic words “fried egg” on the add-ons menu, I immediately made the request. Want to take it up a notch like my friend Heather? Order the “D.H. Special” – a hamburger served with grilled onions between 2 pieces of cheese toast! The Dirty Martin’s burger is a classic designed real slice of old-school Americana. Before burgers became thick and gourmet, they were served as thin, fast cooked sandwiches cooked on a flat grill. Chains like McDonald’s and White Castle made this concept world famous but at Dirty Martin’s, you get the real, fresh and never frozen, deal. The sesame seed bun held together well the salty slices of cheese, tasty crisp bacon, fried egg and 2 beef patties. It’s the kind of hole-in-the-wall joint that made the burger a quintessentially American favorite.

Also, the tater tots were AWESOME!


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev



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Thurman Cafe – Extreme Drippage Metal

Posted on 03/13/2010 by Rev

Thurman Cafe
http://www.thethurmancafe.com
183 Thurman Avenue
Columbus, OH 43206

THE CONQUEST
Day #2 of the Metal Road Trip (click here for Day 1 – Weber Grill) began with an arrival announcement arrival announcement of fellow Burger Conquester Chuck, “I’m here with bacon and juice!” We slammed some breakfast burritos, coffee and then piled into the SlayRv for the next part of our journey. A brief Coors Lite soaked ride later we arrived in Columbus, OH for the Scion Rock Fest. An event, now in it’s 2nd year, put on by the car maker Scion, features 4 stages of metal bands all for the low, low price of FREE.

scion_rock_fest_columbus_ohio_2010

Attending the virgin outing of the fest last year, allowed us to make stop at the world famous The Vortex for tasty burger relief. With year #2 taking place in the college town of Columbus, we set our sites on a different burger…THE THURMAN BURGER!

Gaining notoriety for years now as one of the country’s best burger spots, the Thurman Cafe, has been in business since 1942. It’s Located at the corner of Jaeger (yes many drinking jokes were made) and Thurman in the German Village part of town and is still family owned. The joint is relatively small so expect to wait up to an hour, especially on a rainy Saturday afternoon! Walk in, sign yourself into the waiting list and feel free to have a beer while you hang out in the vestibule. When your table is up, your name will be called as it was in our case, by the courteous and over-worked Victor. As if we weren’t full enough from Chuck’s bacon-fairy move, we were about to dive head first into one of the most critically acclaimed and BIGGEST burgers in the Midwest.

THE BURGER
While The Thurman Cafe offers up all kinds of bar-fare, the burger menu is what keeps them coming in. With 2 pages of burger options, that are all centered around a 3/4 LB sized patty of freshly ground beef, it’s enough to make your head spin. Me? I didn’t even need to look. I know what brought me here and it’s the signature Thurman Burger – “Our head honcho overloaded with ham, mozzarella, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, sauteed onions, pickle, banana peppers, and mayo with chips and a pickle spear.” Not daring enough? Go for the “Thurman-Ator” – “Bun, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickle, hot pepper, 12 ounce burger, bacon,cheddar, another 12 oz burger, sauteed onion, mushroom, , ham, American and provolone cheese, top bun and served with fries” While I do love to go big, the thought of wolfing down that beast and then attending a metal show at dirty rock clubs seemed like a bad idea. I ordered the Thurman, medium-rare sans pickles, tomatoes and mushrooms.

I was expecting a sandwich of legendary size, the pure girth of the real deal is a sight to behold, while the actual burger itself is just plain hard to hold!! After a few moments of awe, I wrapped my mitts the best I could around the beast and ATTEMPTED to get my mouth around it. Bread was originally wrapped around the contents of a sandwich to make it easier to eat, keep it all in one place and to a certain degree, keep one’s hands and fingers relatively clean. In the case of the Thurman, I don’t think a case of cement shoes could hold in the contents! Check out the extreme drippage on Steve’s Thurman burger, even before the first bite!

Much like a rock fest with 4 venues, there is a lot happening on this sandwich. It was hard enough to eat it, let alone experience each flavor held within. The onions and heavily stacked ham really dominate a lot of what is happening while the mild cheese choices sort of get lost in the mix. I loved the addition of banana peppers and thought they really added something unique to the burger. The lettuce, covered in mayo, almost seemed unnecessary as it practically shot out of the bun after a few bites. It’s a concoction of loving design, created with the freshest of ingredients that presents not only a challenge in eating but also in finishing!


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev


Wino from St. Vitus / Hidden Hand / Shrinebuilder / The Obsessed joins SAVIOUS on stage.

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