Boston Burger Blog

  People voyage West for many reasons.Some go to make it big in Hollywood, while others go "strictly for the weather, women, and the weed-sticky green." Sorry, I couldn't resist a Biggie quote. I went to visit friends and if I happened to come across a burger or eight then so be it. I have to note that by the end of the vacation my road-trippin' buddy Rocco had had enough of my ravenous burger appetite. I also have a confession to make, before my first post, "West coast vs. East coast burgers," I had only visited the left coast a handful of times. So looking back on my commentary I realize my arguments were largely generalizations of the few burgers I had consumed in the West. Although this may be true, I still believe there are regional distinctions not only between a typical West coast and East coast burger, but throughout the entire country. For a thorough examination of different burger styles check out this article on serious eats.
   A few hours after Rocco and I touched down in Seattle and picked up our electric blue PT cruiser convertible we decided to check out Red Mill Burgers, one of  food critic Alan Richman's  twenty five burgers you must eat before you die, written up in GQ.  Arriving at night, a bright, neon sign of a windmill illuminated what looked like a classic, American burger joint. Inside the eatery vintage decor lined the walls, I was excited! After studying a very basic menu for a moment I ordered the bacon deluxe. While reviewing burgers bite for bite isn't my thing, my overall impression was that every ingredient except the grilled, beef patty was top notch. The crisp, pepper bacon was among the best I've ever had and the homemade mayo had a nice, light, smokey flavor. The fries were crisp but nothing special. If you happen upon Red Mill burgers  I would recommend checking it out but perhaps ordering your burger rare might produce a juicier patty and a more memorable experience.
           From Seattle we hopped into the PT cruiser and headed South to Portland, Oregon. I had wanted to visit Portland for a while, not for the burgers but just because I had heard that it was an amazing city for many reasons. I did however have somewhat of a burger agenda based on suggestions from some Portland burger bloggers. After I was lucky enough to see a great show by Patton Oswalt, I headed over to see some friends. They suggested we check out a bar/music venue called Rontom's that just happened to be on my list. After drinking some really good micro-brewed beer I ordered the house burger. Again, without breaking down the sandwich bite for bite I have to say that it was one of the better burgers I'd had in a long while. The burger, although cooked mediumm(I forgot to ask for medium rare) was juicy and robust. While I can't remember where the beef was from I know that it was listed on the menu which is always a bonus. Accompanying the beef was fresh, Boston lettuce, praline bacon, a fried green tomato, and a garlic aioli. Next stop was The Matchbox Lounge. Again, the burger impressed with pancetta, Manchego cheese, and aioli. On another note, the burger experience was enhanced by a friendly staff and an awesome jukebox. From the food carts downtown serving everything from Indian to Czech cusine, to the ecelctic Voodo donuts and unique, bar burgers, Portland proved to be a food city worth revisiting.
            

The West coast verses East coast feud is not just limited to the hip-hop world. It also includes a long culinary debate that is just as heated as whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich, but I'll save that for another post. Ironically, many tragic deaths in the hip-hop community may have been avoided had several rappers come together on the common ground that the West Coast burger is superior to that of the East coast. In fact, notable hip-hop artists from both coasts sing the praises of the West coast burger institution Fat Burger.
        On his track "Going back to Cali" the legendary East coast rapper Biggie Smalls sings "If I wanna squirt her take her to Fat Burger" A bit vulgar but there is something to be said about getting a girl into bed by taking her to a burger joint. I can't even get a warm hug from a woman after buying her an appetizer combo at Chili's. If only there was a Fat Burger in Boston my love life might be blooming . And who can forget Ice Cube's "Today was a good day" which among other things included a late night trip to Fat Burger. Need more evidence? How about The Beastie Boys who say "I chill at White Castle 'cause it's the best, But I'm fly at Fat Burger when I'm way out West." Because of their contribution to hip-hop I'll forgive them for referring to the joke that is White Castle as being the best but nevertheless they still give props to Fat Burger once again.
          So how does one differentiate a West coast burger from that of the East coast? A burger from the left coast can be loosely defined as: a fast food style, thin, burger pady that is cooked on a griddle and often accompanied by a thousand island-like sauce. The East coast burger offers a much larger portion of ground beef, usually grilled and cooked to the temperature of your choosing if you're lucky. If you can't already tell I'm partial to the West coast style even though I'm an East coaster through and through. And though I, along with several rappers, have sung the praises of Fat Burger the real king of burgers in the West is the immortal In-N-Out Burger chain. I use the term chain very loosely because unlike the horrible,corporate, fast food juggernauts that are McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King, In-N-Out Burger has less than hundred and fifty restaurants and uses all fresh ingredients. Also, this family-owned business limits their menu to burgers, fries and shakes just like the early drive through burger joints that were very much a part of the West coast culture of the nineteen-fifties.
             To get a better idea of how the East-coast burger, particularly in Boston, fails to satisfy the palate check out Rich's review of two of Boston's most celebrated burger destinations, RF O'Sullivan's and Eagles Deli. Several Boston burger destinations like Flat Patties in Harvard Sq. and Kenmore Sq.'s Uburger have adopted the West coast style and are excellent alternatives to the pedestrian, "back-yard" burger spots that I have mentioned. Finally, I hav'nt given up on the East coast style burger yet. Bartley's Burger cottage in Harvard Sq.and Flippin Burgers in Newton center come to mind. And although I have yet to try the multitude of burger options in New York I'm sure they have plenty of amazing options. At this moment in time though when it comes to burgers I have to choose the West.

~Nick