I have to admit that I’m a little suspicious when a restaurant (especially a non-pizza joint) offers a “build-your-own” option. It often shows the restaurant doesn’t trust its own creativity, and if it can’t do that, is it really worth your money?

But our good friends at The Counter have made quite an enterprise off this model. With locations around the country, The Counter has emerged as a funky new kind of burger joint, and is picking up quite a following locally and online, with 28 locations in the US and three in foreign countries.

Among the interesting features of The Counter are the many possible combinations of ingredients you can choose from, as well as the inventory of sides, where sweet potato fries, parmesan cheese fries, fried pickles, and onion strings join the traditional fries as options.

This time, however, I’m brought back because of The Counter’s burger of the month. The restaurant has a regular set of pre-crafted signature burgers, including a special one each month. This past month, it was a Greek-Inspired lamb burger.

At times I’m not eating burgers, Greek is one of my favorite kids of food. I lived near a Greek wrap place in Rhode Island not so long ago, where I noshed on wraps with grilled spice meats with fresh veggies and toppings to my heart’s delight. Truly a nice break from eating sandwiches all the time. To this day, no other Greek food I’ve had has come close.

In addition to spiced lamb, this burger had roasted red pepper feta cheese, fried pepperoncinis, mixed greens, red onion, tomato, and tzatiki sauce. A lot of these ingredients you’d find in many of the Greek wraps I used to eat, along with either grilled chicken, grilled gyro meat, or Kafta (spiced lamb).

You don’t often see lamb offered at burger joints, but this rendition was a nice throwback to my Greek eating days. The spiced lamb clashes nicely with the tzatiki sauce, and the pepperoncinis and onion provide extra color to the flavor without getting in the way of the lamb.

I heard a rumor amongst the staff there that The Counter is considering making the Greek Lamb Burger a permanent addition to the menu. Here’s one diner hoping that rumor becomes a reality.

For those of us who live in Texas, we embrace Mexican food and have even integrated it into our own cuisine, Tex-Mex. Many restaurants, fast food chains and backyard BBQ’s have promoted a spicy hamburger as “Tex-Mex Burger”. Though no fast food chain has combined these cuisines to the extent that Burguesa Burger is.

Burguesa Burger: More Than A Jalapeno Topping

Burguesa Burgers, a new chain of burger stores, has used the Mexican influence into American cuisine and has engineered a hamburger like no other.

The Burgeusa Burger signature hamburger the “La Monumental” is piled with two beef patties, two slices of cheese, ham, avocado, refried beans, crunchy tostada, lettuce, tomato, onion, a creamy special sauce and of course the obligatory jalapeño as a garnish, making this a very handsome looking hamburger indeed.

The fries are offered regular or spicy, and if you have never tried one you should – the bacon wrapped hot dog (very yummy!). The one little item that caught my eye while browsing the menu was the churro filled with dulche de leche (caramel). I cannot tell you how yummy these tasty treats are, similar to a donut, only long and thin, served warm, dipped in cinnamon sugar and then filled with warm caramel – a guaranteed eye-rolling, delightful treat if there ever was one.

Burguesa Burger: Drinks Menu

The drinks menu is listed with the fountain sodas but Burguesa Burger promote the use of cane sugar rather that the controversial high fructose corn syrup used liberally across the United States in soda’s and they have created their own blend of sodas.

They also offer Coca Cola and Jarrito’s soda imported from Mexico, which is sold in glass bottles in a variety of flavors. There is something about a coke in a cold glass bottle and when you are so used to corn syrup, tasting the difference between and that and the cane sugar, is quite noticeable.

I did perk up at the hand dipped milkshakes blended the old fashioned way, but did cringe a little when I saw it was served with a donut skewered to the straw, perhaps a little over the top but, hey, just because it is there doesn’t mean you have to eat it, does it?

Burguesa Burger, the Real Deal?

The concept was founded in Dallas in 2009 by restaurant entrepreneur Jeff Sinelli, and has been named one of the 11 burger chains to watch in 2011 by BurgerBusiness.com.

Burguesa Burger, now have 4 store locations around Dallas Texas with plans for further locations around the Rio Grande area which is on the borders of Texas and Mexico and in my opinion, will probably be a very popular chain before too long.

The Mexican impact on the food here in Texas has been a positive and a negative. While many restaurants are able to focus on creating a menu filled with fresh and interesting foods, some establishments have “Americanized” and cheapened the foods or simply changed the whole concept of what the foods were supposed to be originally and have all but ruined the taste buds of those who have been victims of bad Tex-Mex.

Here is to hoping that Burguesa Burger keep the traditions of the Mexican food culture and the traditional hamburger so that we may acquire a taste for the real Mexican tastes combined with our old favorites instead of the other way around where tastes and flavors can get lost in grease and sauces.

Umami is in the science department of the food world and touted as the fifth basic taste element after the original four; salty, sour, sweet and bitter, apparently Umami enhances all of these elements, thus creating an element combining all four factors to produce a characteristic of its own.

So what is Umami? And what does it have to do with our beloved hamburger?

Umami, put simply, is (gasp!) monosodium glutamate or lay terms, MSG. A few years ago MSG was put on a back burner because it was thought to cause health issues and has probably been given an unfair trial. Studies have concluded that some people may have “MSG symptom complex” and have adverse effects when eating foods containing MSG, but it is safe for most people and like anything that is good should be used in moderation and of course with the correct application.

Many foods are organically rich in umami, naturally occurring glutamates can be found in meats and vegetables for example: fish, shellfish, cured meats, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach etc. The first encounter we have with Umami surprisingly is, in breast milk. It contains roughly the same amount of umami as stocks and broths and I think this answers the ultimate question, why men are so fascinated with women’s breasts!

Umami Burger

Back to our burger, a restaurant in Los Angeles serves a hamburger created with Umami rich elements. From the ketchup to the meat and including the bun, this chef has designed a “secret sauce” from his own homemade version of MSG and is taking LA by storm with a burger that delivers full, rich flavor that will have you coming back for more.

Umami has a mild after taste that is difficult to describe, it induces salivation and a ‘furriness’ sensation to the tongue and stimulates the throat and roof and back of the mouth, it stimulates the part of the brain that indicates pleasure. I already consider a hamburger as a pleasure to eat so what will I experience when I eat an Umami burger? Will I ever be able to eat any other type of burger?

When Food Turns to Art

Thankfully, Umami is a creation and science of flavors and tastes, and just like adding salt and pepper, it simply enhances the flavors of the food. Cooking with Umami is considered an art in Japan and is very complex and yet simple and is gaining popularity all over the world particularly among leading chefs and it is also influencing the basic fast foods like the hamburger.

There are many recipes you can make at home using Umami and these recipes and loads of information can be found all over the internet. Umami is like top of the line MSG, it is created to encourage natural flavors in foods already rich in Umami and though basic MSG is available in your local grocery store it is only the bottom layer of what Umami actually is.

Either way food is here to enjoy, and basically, if you throw a super delicious hamburger my way, I will eat it not matter what it has on it.

Part 1: The California Burger War
Part 2: In-N-Out-Burger Review
Part 3: Five Guys Review

Part 3: Five Guys Review

After dominating the Mid-Atlantic, Florida, and all parts in between, Five Guys has come to California to challenge the almighty In-N-Out for west coast burger supremacy.  We’ve already visited the reigning champion, so let’s now have a look at the challenger.

Five Guys has already landed two locations in the SF Bay Area with plans for more.  Today, in Sunnyvale, the layout is pretty simple.

As you can see, since their foreign to most people in these parts, Five Guys touts its victories in other parts of the country.

The menu’s pretty simple.  Regular hamburgers/cheeseburgers are actually what pass in most other joints as double burgers.  You’d have to order the little burgers for something sized normally.

The fixins for the burger are pretty standard.  If you order “All the Way”, you get the most popular ones altogether

The fries here come in cups, and either with simple seasoning (Five Guys style) or Cajun seasoning.  Even a small order is quite sizeable, and they’re fried in peanut oil. And if that wasn’t enough, crates of free peanuts line the walls of the restaurant.

As you wait, you can also partake in the crayon notecards, carrying all matter of messages from previous patrons.

So how did it measure up?  Let’s look at the tale of the tape:

BURGER:

Five Guys has a great patty to other ratio, with the regular cheeseburger sporting a sizeable patty.  It makes for some difficulty keeping the burger altogether like most In-N-Out burgers, but the patty was well-cooked and juicy, and the fixins were just enough.  Combine that with how the In-n-Out burger I had was a little too veggie-loaded in relation to the patty…
ADVANTAGE: FIVE GUYS

FRIES:

Five Guys cuts its fries thick, and serves a lot of them.  Frying in peanut oil also helps gives a distinctive flavor.  However, they give you a lot, even for a small size.  So as a result, the crisp tends to fade away as the meal progresses.  In-N-Out fries, however, maintain a good crisp and are appropriately portioned.
ADVANTAGE: IN-N-OUT

EXTRAS:

Five Guys serves a couple of other things (like hot dogs and veggie sandwiches), and the peanuts are kind of a nice touch.  In-N-Out has the secret menu and ice cream shakes, but the secret menu isn’t really a secret, and the ice cream is pumped from a machine, so hard to give them a lot of credit there.
ADVANTAGE: PUSH

ATTITUDE:

With the crayon board and the good humor of the employees (“Guest #51, there’s a lack of motion from your general direction!” -Heard upon entering), you can see there’s a certain buzz from the people at Five Guys, and a genuine effort on their part to become a big part of the scene here.  You don’t really get that from In-N-Out as much, as they’ve been around for so long.  That can only hurt in the battle for the hearts and minds of the next generation.
ADVANTAGE: FIVE GUYS

So when you break it down, the challenger, Five Guys, has prevailed.  However, let’s not declare this a debate-ending victory for the eastern challengers.  What these guys may very well merely done is fire a warning shot across In-N-Out‘s face, and the response from the old boys will no doubt make this burger war one to watch for years to come.

Any why not spark the battle with a not-so-flattering comment from one to the other?

Part 1: The California Burger War
Part 2: In-N-Out-Burger Review
Part 3: Five Guys Review

Part 1: The California Burger War
Part 2: In-N-Out-Burger Review
Part 3: Five Guys Review

INTRODUCING THE CHAMPION: IN-N-OUT BURGER REVIEW

On a recent weekday, I paid a visit to In-N-Out’s new Redwood City, CA location. Opened a mere couple of months ago, this new branch has the same general layout as most locations.

The menu you see at the counter looks surprisingly simple, but hang around the counter long enough, and you’ll hear In-N-Out veterans reciting orders from the “secret menu.” It has long been a rite of passage for In-N-Out visitors to tweak their orders with stuff from the “secret menu”, and it only strengthens the ties this west coast institution has with its customers.

Today, it’s an easy #1. A double-double (two beef patties, two slices of cheese), fries, and a soda. While the burger itself comes with lettuce and tomato, I add the secret menu’s grilled onions to the burger.

In-n-Out prides itself on freshness, and that no burger hits the grill before its ordered. The beef is never frozen, and always emerges from the grill very juicy and moist. While solid, today’s version seemed to be outweighed by the vegetables, and by all means, an exacting patty to extras ratio is critical to a good burger.

The cheese is always well melted, and the spread is basically Russian dressing. No real surprises here. They add to the burger, but don’t overwhelm it.

In-n-Out fries are unique in that most times, you can see the Associates (yes, they’re called Associates, NOT employees) actually running the potatoes through the slicer. The fries are small but crispy and tasty with a hint of salt. Sometimes they do put too much, though, so one ought to be a little careful about the salt on the fries.

In all, the meal is substantial and not overwhelming, which was what I was after today. The burger was nice and flavorful, and the fries were very noshable. Did not opt for a shake today, but many customers do, even if it comes pumped from a machine (Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, or if you fancy, Neapolitan). In-n-Out has great fundamentals and good consistency across all of its locations, making it the longtime favorite it has been.

But can it stand a challenge? Stay tuned.

Part 1: The California Burger War
Part 2: In-N-Out-Burger Review
Part 3: Five Guys Review

Part 1: The California Burger War
Part 2: In-N-Out-Burger Review
Part 3: Five Guys Review

The California Burger War: In-N-Out Burger Vs. Five Guys.

California has had a special relationship with the burger. As one of the first states in the US to fully embrace the automobile, the drive-thru burger restaurant became a classic west coast institution. As people went everywhere in their cars, it reasonably followed that people would want to be served in them. As a result, the burger, with its minimal preparation and ease of consumption, found a natural home in the Golden State.

To this day, the one chain that defines this golden era is In-N-Out Burger. Originally founded in Baldwin Park in Southern California, In-N-Out Burger expanded throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona. With their tradition of fresh ingredients including never-frozen beef that doesn’t hit the grill until ordering and fries made from potatoes you can see being sliced, In-N-Out has become a west coast institution, so much so that both the San Francisco and Los Angeles airports have locations within mere minutes of the terminals.

Recently though, the reigning champion has had a new kid on the block step into its territory. After hugely successful runs in the DC Metro area and Florida, Five Guys has come to the west coast to challenge In-N-Out’s burger dominance. They bring their own style and execution to the table, and it’s starting to win over converts as new branches start sprouting up all over California.

While California no doubt has great, small singular joints that serve great burgers, no chain has come close to challenging In-N-Out on a grand scale.

However, Five Guys has come to play, and the battle lines are being drawn:

Part 1: The California Burger War
Part 2: In-N-Out-Burger Review
Part 3: Five Guys Review

The first mention of the earliest type of hamburger was around the time of the Mongols, specifically around the Genghis Khan era. His army was followed by the people of the villages with the purpose of feeding the army and provide them with cuts of meat that were beaten to tenderize then the horsemen would then put these ‘patties’ under their saddle to soften and then simply ate it raw. The ability to eat with only one hand while still riding was made possible with this simple meal as well as providing proteins and nourishment – well as much nourishment as you can get from a lump of meat that has been pressed between your horses rump and yours.

Steak Ta-Ta

The Mongols, obviously having full stomachs and energy from the ‘saddle burger’ were able to traverse many lands and introduce this food into Russia, where it was picked up by imaginative cooks and Steak Tartare was born, still in its raw stages and not yet being piled with salads and condiments.

Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the emergence of shipping and visitation of other countries, Steak Tartare was then introduced to more people with more ideas and finally found its way to Germany. It was here that steak tartare was converted and altered and now named Hamburg Steak and though it still didn’t resemble the hamburger we know today, it was finally a cooked product and it now had the opportunity to grow and improve and it is probable that some kind of bread was added at this time.

The Hamburgler

Once again through the movement of people traversing the world and immigrating to other countries finally Hamburg Steak was introduced to the United States and was a favorite in the German and Jewish communities. And this is where the story is a little convoluted, the late 1800’s and early 1900’s saw a number of people who claim to be the inventor of the modern hamburger in America, and although many cities or towns celebrate an annual event for this honor, it is still unclear as to who was the actual ‘first hamburgler’!

This was around the time of blossoming European restaurants, and the emergence of State Fairs, and of course fair foods have to be eaten with one hand so it is highly possible that all of those who claim to be the originator of the burger as we know it today are all deserving of the award, I think many people had the same idea at the same time and each had probably put their own twist to it with the adding of cheese, salad and condiments. I have read that one guy ‘accidentally’ dropped and piece of cheese on his cooking burger patty and consequently invented the cheeseburger.

Wrapping It Up

The official fact is that White Castle were the first fast food chain to distribute and sell the hamburger nationally in 1921, and for 5c, for this tiny little burger was probably an absolute treat at the time. In 1948, McDonalds hit the scene and well as they say the rest is history. McDonald’s is now the most known fast food restaurant in the world and the Big Mac one of the most eaten hamburgers in any given country.

And There Is Always A Moral

So the moral of the story is, next time you chow down on your favorite burger, think of White Castle’s brilliance of packaging and distributing the hamburger as we know it today, for on the go food and certainly think of the Mongols, riding hard across distant lands, conquering, pillaging, and just plain being, well, an army, with scary meat sploodge oozing out from under their saddles. Burger anyone?

This week, we had stuffed bacon gorgonzola burgers. I was inspired to create this burger because the weather is still cold, and more snow was on the way – we wanted something warm and satisfying, yet sumptuously decadent for dinner. These burgers are not hard to make, so give them a try.

It All Begins With Quality Ingredients

I used super lean, high quality ground beef for this particular cheeseburger, because I added fat to it in other forms. If you use meat that is too fatty, you are likely to end up with a crumbled mess on your hands, and no cheeseburgers!

Pick your favorite Gorgonzola, and your favorite bacon. Peppered bacon would be nice, but I used a simple hickory smoked version – thick cut, of course! Choose toppings that appeal to you: I had avocado mashed with a little garlic and Worcestershire sauce, lovely gourmet lettuce from Tanimura and Antle, and a dab of bleu cheese dressing.

The Recipe – Stuffed Bacon Gorgonzola Burgers

Makes Four ¼ Pound Burgers or Two ½ Pound Burgers

Be sure your one pound of lean hamburger meat is completely thawed before you begin. Place it in a bowl, and, in a separate bowl, beat one egg with a fork. Add the egg to the meat, and mix it together. I use my own clean hands to do this – it is a messy job but everything blends together better. Take off any rings you’re wearing before you start.

Wash your hands, and add the following to the top of your meat:

1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Next, in a separate bowl, mix together ¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola, and ¼ cup chopped bacon. You can use bacon bits if you want – just be sure they’re the real thing and not those fake crumbled soy bits.

Now, you’re ready to make your stuffed burgers! Use a patty maker if you have one, or form your patties by hand. I always divide my meat before I start to make the patties, that way the portions are just right. Since these are stuffed burgers, divide your meat into eight equal portions if you are making four burgers, or four portions if you are making two burgers. Start by making the bottom sections, and lay them out on a plate. Make a slight indentation in the middle of each, and divide the gorgonzola bacon mixture evenly between the patties.

Next, make the top sections. Lay them on top of the filled lower sections, and press the edges securely together to form a seal. Your burgers are now ready to be grilled! Since you’re using lean beef, be sure to oil the grill before you start, so they don’t stick. If you want, you can do them under a broiler on low, but if you can, make them outside on the barbeque.

I grilled these beauties outside over a low hickory chip fire, enjoyed a glass of wine and looked up at the stars…Do the same and you’ll enjoy them even more! Let them go until they look done to you. Don’t poke and prod them, and turn them only once. Be patient with these burgers, they’re worth the wait.

When they’re finished, top each with a slice of muenster cheese and some grilled bacon. Toast your buns, add your toppings, and eat! I recommend a glass of your favorite red wine with these, or maybe a solid stout beer. They’re super rich, and absolutely delightful. Enjoy!

If you enjoyed our Stuffed Bacon Gorgonzola Burgers then try more Stuffed Burgers and Homemade Burgers.

Check out tvfoodanddrink.com for more great recipes.

The bison is flavored-up with chopped jalapeño, browned or almost burnt onions and your favorite BBQ sauce.

Ingredients:

• a pound of ground bison meat
• 1 bell pepper, chopped roughly
• 1/2 small to medium white onion, chopped roughly (separate a quarter for later use)
• 1/2 small to medium red onion, chopped roughly (separate a quarter for later use)
• 1 egg
• 1 jalapeño pepper with seeds
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red paper flakes
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Sliced cheese
• BBQ Sauce
• Kaiser rolls or other soft rolls

Instructions:

Mix the bison meat, onions, bell peppers, red paper flakes, jalapeño, bread crumbs, egg, salt and paper in a bowl. Make sure to thoroughly combine everything for an even flavor. Form the mixture into patties (about three to four pieces, your choice!).

Cook the patties in olive oil on a hot skillet for about three minutes each side. Repeat this two to three times. Be careful when flipping the patties as they break apart easily. Top the patties with cheese and allow to melt a little before taking them out of the skillet. Do not turn off the heat.

Toss the separated onions on the skillet and stir until they start to turn a little brown.

When they do, place the Kaiser rolls on the skillet face down and press them down with a spatula for about a minute.

Remove from the skillet and immediately place the burger patty on the bun, including the onions. Dress the burger with BBQ sauce and serve.

Check out tvfoodanddrink.com for more recipes with photos.

These sliders are topped with melted cheese, bacon and a special chipotle mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb to 1 1/2 lbs. of ground lamb
• 1 oz of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked
• 2 tbsp of mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp of chipotle pepper
• salt and pepper
• 8 small rolls, about 2? round

Instructions:

Season the lamb, or whatever meat you want to use, with salt and pepper. Form the meat into patties. The meat should be enough for around 8 to 10 slider patties.

Cook the patties on a grill pan or skillet for 4-5 minutes. Then flip them over and add the shredded cheese and bacon on top of each patty and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes.

To make the chipotle mayonnaise just mix the chipotle powder into the mayonnaise thoroughly.

Toast the rolls slightly, spread the chipotle sauce on, add the patty and another roll on top and you’re ready to go.