Andrew Mark Veety

Confessions Of A Dumbass - The Daddy Warbucks

Several times a year I meet up with friends, most of them Dad's, for "investment club". Investment club is an auspicious event in all regards, but if we were being honest we should really just call the night "hamburger club" and be done with it.

Yes, there is always some talk of IRA's, 401k's and the occasional Israeli small cap technology company, but its more of a chance to to get out of the house, have a burger and catch up with friends that we don't get to see as often as we would like between work and family life.

A wrinkle in our recent meeting was that it was in direct conflict with "book club", where our better halves meet up to eat, drink wine and "discuss" a book that apparently only a few of them have actually read.

Talk about a misnamed club!

In any event, with the Mom's headed out for their night of well deserved fun with friends, the Dad's were forced to rethink our night out and have it at home so we could watch the kids and put them to bed. In a perfect world having an investment club at home would mean firing up the grill for some hand made burgers, because it goes without saying that there are few burgers better than a home burger. However after some discussion it was decided that folks would bring over their burger of choice, with everyone separating into two camps for the ordering - one group opting for Steak n' Shake, anther going with Five Guys. 

One one hand you have the smashed goodness of a Steak n' Shake burger, on the other you have the beauty that is a Five Guys burger (minus the fries, thank you). How could I not slip an order in for one of each and do something fantastically disgusting with them.

In honor of our little investment club, I present the building blocks of "The Daddy Warbucks".

On the left we have a Five Guys bacon burger with mayo, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, pickles, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, raw jalapeno peppers and green peppers. On the right we have a Steak n' Shake double Steakburger with mayo, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, onion and pickles.

Counting all the buns, patties and toppings, we are looking at 22 "layers of burger", which I merged into The Daddy Warbucks:

The bottom and top layers are the Five Guys burger, the Steak n' Shake burger is sandwiched in the middle. I tried to cut it down the middle for a cross section view, but was afraid that it would not survive the sawing and hacking so I let it be after giving it a good decent stabbing with a chefs knife.

Unable to get the towering height of this burger into my mouth I attacked it from all sides until it was a sloppy and mauled form in my hands. Each bite left burger toppings in my beard, on my face and all over my hands - it was a mess that called for the foregoing of napkins and the deployment of a kitchen towel.

With all the toppings mixing it quickly became difficult to tell where the Five Guys ended and the Steak n' Shake burger began. However, the two played together amazingly well together with the raw jalapeno, pickles and grilled mushrooms standing out not only in most bites, but most belches in the hours after consuming this burger monstrosity.

When The Daddy Warbucks had disintegrated to the point of no longer being a hand held sandwich, a knife and fork were called out to finish the job.

Let's add this to the "never do again" file. Someone get me a salad.

In The News (Again) - The Church of Burger

As the posts have shown, February was a crazy month for the Church of Burger.

The drama surrounding the February burger has faded in the past weeks, but not before the discussion spilled over onto other local food writers sites and resulted in an interview with the Riverfront Times.

However, weeks before all of this went down I participated in an interview for a mid-west based website called UrbanBacon on a variety of topics pertaining to food writing, social media and the restaurant business. I think the range of questions make for an interesting read.

I appreciate the folks at UrbanBacon reaching out to me and giving me the chance to share my thoughts.

Amuse Bouche for March 9th, 2010

I'm pretty sure this burger joint is in my old neighborhood in Queens.

The State - MTV Shows

In The News - The Church of Twitter...er...Burger

After my review of the February burger from Sub Zero Vodka Bar I was contacted by the Riverfront Times to participate in an interview with Bill Burge and Pi Pizzeria owner Chris Sommers regarding the spattering of Tweets that followed our visit and the place of social media in food writing and the restaurant business.

The outcome of that interview can be found here.

I think the article is quite good and sets the table for a larger discussion once folks get past the more scandalous elements of a poor selection of words and a burger review. I do hope that as a community of writers, chefs and owners we can get to our seats at that table.

There should be no doubt that I understand my part in the ensuing disagreement over food, social media and the hard working folks who make and serve food for a living. I presented a thought that was in context for only a few of the people who follow me on Twitter which was a mistake. I get it.

However, I've gotten a fair amount of feedback that writing about my burger project threatens local business owners and the livelihood of their employees. I do not agree with this viewpoint, but I am willing to listen to anyone who wants to make the argument. My only recommendation is that you use more than a 140 character Tweet to do it. Perhaps a well meaning business owner in St. Louis would be willing to host folks for drinks and debate. It seems like the Schlafly Bottleworks or The Royale would be fitting locations for such an event. I'm unsure who would be neutral enough to moderate it though. Maybe we can just stop yelling at each other in bursts on Twitter and yell at each other over drinks instead.

My friend Kelli Best Oliver shared her thoughts on food writing recently, and I think her reasoning is worth consideration. If you have even a passing interest in this debate, would encourage you to read it.

Finally, I'd like to share my interview in its entirety - if only to gratify my own ego.

Are you more likely to air a restaurant complaint to management or publicly, and why?

For me, I think that is a matter of context.

In my personal life, if I am having a meal and something is not right, I will try and address it directly while I am there. If I am happy with the resolution there is a very good chance that I will say something favorable on Twitter. I do think that when given the chance most people want to and will do the right things. When they do, kudos are deserved.

There are still times when I go out with the intention of not being @amveats, but I can see how that side of me can show up. The line between me and my digital self seems pretty thin at times. I think this is because the tools in my pocket make it so easy to share – I can Tweet, Yelp and update my site and Facebook status from my iphone in a matter of seconds if I really want to.

However, when I am preparing to write about food, I’m going out to eat with a purpose. My intention is to tell a story and share it with my readers.

For many of my readers the act of eating something outside of the home is a luxury. They are spending their discretionary income. It may be arrogant on my part to assume that I’m having a direct impact on their spending decisions, but I bet it happens from time to time. I take that seriously. Why? These are people who have given me the courtesy of their time and feedback. Don’t I have a responsibility to give my opinion, for whatever its worth, on what is good and bad, what works and does not? To avoid this responsibility is a disservice to the readers I’ve cultivated over time.

How is this obligation different than a restaurant who has cultivated a following through good execution? Why is one more valuable than the other? Because one is online and one is made of bricks and mortar? Because someplace has employees? With my writing, if I get sloppy, don’t I run the risk of losing readers? At my job, don’t I advance based on reviews of my performance, why is it bad form to apply the same standard to a restaurant?

Having covered my obligations to my readers, what is my obligation to the places I write about? In scope are to be fair and honest. I would include standing behind what I’ve written and addressing issues when I’ve said something wrong. I have made mistakes in my writing, and I’ve been called on them. It sucks, but I’d like to think that I didn’t strike out when it happens. I try to look at what I did and didn’t do, make amends where I could and to learn something.

What is out of scope? Directly helping a business owner improve how their business operates.

Which method have you found to be most effective in resolving problems?

It is the rare person that can resolve a problem within 140 characters.  I don’t think you can beat sitting down and talking with someone. The advent of Twitter does not negate thousands of years of conflict resolution.

What pros and cons do you see with customers, chefs, and restaurant owners using Twitter, Yelp, etc?

I think that collaborative media is by its very nature, disruptive. It has changed the ways that we create and consume information, if you can actually call a 140 character burst “information”. Although the application of these technologies is still relatively new, they are and will continue to fundamentally change the way that businesses, in this case restaurants, and their customers interact.

I’ve heard the comment that if you have an issue at a business, tell the manager or owner. Well, guess what – every day your customers are telling you what they think. They are doing it on their blogs and Twitter accounts, and they are giving you real time feedback. Are we going to ignore the message because we don’t approve of is delivery method?

These are disruptive tools. They are changing the way we interact and do business. Is there something so special about food and the people who make it that they are somehow is exempt from this?

I agree that these tools are for the most part public utilities. Given that, I don’t think its reasonable to think that a restaurant can control every message linked to their business. That ocean is way to big to boil. So what is left? Yelling at and in front of current and future customers? Would you do that in your restaurant? Why would you do it online?

These tools are all about building a community and a relationship, but so many times they are used by business owners to blast a sales pitch. There is a way to leverage these tools to tell your story. As a consumer of content and services, it’s ok to tell me about your special on Twitter, but it’s not ok to tell me a dozen times a day. Its ok to engage me when I write something you disagree with. Its not ok to somehow imply that I’m a “foodie”, which I think is slang for “amateur”, and a method to try to diminish the value of my comments.

Savvy users of tools like Facebook and Twitter find it more effective to talk about being at the farmers market and finding some fantastic ingredient that will be used in a dish tonight. They are not using it to turn off the very people who they derive an existence from, yet that is what happens. It seems counterintuitive to me.

All things being equal, the wall between the kitchen and the people who talk about food has come down. You have this confluence of opinion and pent up frustration, and they are obviously not coexisting in harmony, they are generating conflict.

I have tried to put myself in the shoes of a chef who has worked hard perfecting a craft and is putting his or her best plate forward nightly. I’m sure is frustrating to read negative comments and reviews that seem both nameless and faceless.  I understand why a chef would take to Twitter and defend himself against criticism.  

If we accept that we are dealing with largely uncoordinated bursts of communication, what do we use to retaliate? More bursts of communication. To make it worse, most of the time these bursts are missing a context. Where does that get the business owner or the chef?

I’ve seen the love that some chefs and restaurants here in St. Louis get. They have fans. Many times the adoration is justified. These fans will undoubtedly take to Twitter to defend a chef, I know this because I’ve seen it happen. I think if a chef or a restaurant is honestly putting out its best food, its best service, if they are working their asses off and pushing themselves, then taking to their Twitter accounts to defend every perceived attack defeats the purpose of all the time and effort they spent generating good will and relationships with their customers. If a restaurant is doing these things, the food should speak for itself, internet comments be damned.

What responsibilities do you think diners have in making online reviews?

Be fair. Be honest. Put things in context. Understand that your words have meaning. Use your own name or develop an online persona that can be associated with you. I blog and tweet under my own name, if I say something wrong people can find me. And trust me, they do.

I don’t think we’ll ever be rid of drive-by reviews, any more than we will ever get rid of angry people. Does anyone think that they could stop a disgruntled, or worse yet generally disagreeable customer from sharing their experiences with a group of friends over coffee? I understand that the issue is that we’ve gone from a small group of people sharing ideas to sharing the same thought with hundreds or thousands.  I think with that fact comes a level of responsibility, backed up by a track record of being a credible source of content.

However, being honest and fair does not mean that I take responsibility for how someone runs or does not run their business. It means I’m trying to do the right things in the right way, for me. It means that I have set a standard for myself and I’m trying to live up to it each time I write.

These tools are new, but their existence does not somehow mean that the cream will not rise to the top. Again, the hard part is sifting though the static for the signal.

What responsibilities do you think restaurant staff members, chefs, and owners have in using social media?

When you are dealing with an organization, I think people need training on how to use a tool and the message needs to be coordinated to a certain extent. Using social media tools requires a set of skills that move the user past the concept of promotion. It requires the ability to develop a voice and foster a community.

I think the staff of a restaurant has a different function in communicating than the chef does. There are personalities and voices within a restaurant that have important things to say. Combined and coordinated, I think they can help tell the story behind the restaurant, they can help to build a long term relationship with not only their customers, but communities both real world and digital.

Burger of The Month - Sweet Art Bakeshop & Art Studio

Welcome to month three of my burger adventure here in St. Louis, or as I like to call it, "The Month That The Wheels Were Supposed To Come Off The Church of Burger." Only history will tell if that dubious title will belong to this or the past months burger. What I do know is that within the inner sanctum of the Church of Burger, no other stop has created the stir that this months burger has. You see, this months burger is not a hamburger, it is a veggie burger. 

Yes, as voted by my readers, this month the burger that I will be venturing out to try is made of vegetables. It is 100% vegan and it belongs to The Sweet Art Bakeshop & Art Studio. Listed as the "Sweet Burger" on their menu, it is a veggie patty topped with organic mixed greens, a house vegan spread, ketchup, "magic" and "love" on a toasted wheat bun. 

I am left wondering if a rouge but well meaning contingent of my friends who happen to forsake meat in favor of vegetables have bombed my voting. Could they be so devious? Or could they be onto something? I will have to find out. The loophole as to what is a "burger" exists in the simple framework of my adventure and I will rise to the challenge. 

I do need to report a few changes to the Church of Burger, effective immediately:

As Sweet Art is not open on Sundays, it makes the act of  worship difficult. So, for the month of March, The Church of Burger will be known far and wide as The Shul of Burger. Shalom y'all! We are celebrating the third festive meal of Shabbat.

Also, due to the feedback we got from last months visit and the diminutive size of the Sweet Art dining room, I am forced to reduce the footprint of our group. Given this, seating with our group will be restricted to our core group plus a few guests, with vegetarians and a special guest getting priority seating. That means for this go around we are already pretty full. This does not mean that friends and regular guests of the CoB can't make a visit, try the burger and let me know what they think. It just means we can't roll into Sweet Art and try to get a table for 10 or more people. My apologies in advance.

Once again, I'd like to express a heart felt thank you to everyone for the comments and thoughts regarding my burger project. I've gotten some amazing emails from folks following along and demand to join us is growing - I'm already making reservations for some folks for our April burger. I've also gotten some well thought out feedback as well, which I greatly appreciate. 

Please keep the comments and notes coming. You can leave a comment here, email me, or find me on both Twitter and Facebook. I look forward to hearing from you.

February Burger Of The Month - Sub Zero Vodka Bar - Recap

For the second time this year I gathered up a group of friends and food bloggers to take down a burger on a lazy Sunday afternoon. This was the next stop in a year long search for the best burger that St. Louis has to offer, based on the input of my readers. You nominated them and I'm eating them, one by one until I crown the best burger in St. Louis in December.

In tow were some new faces and old friends including; Kelli Best-Oliver (South City Confidential / Food Blog Mafia), Bill Burge (STLBites), Stefani Pollack (Cupcake Project), Church of Burger photographer Jonathan Pollack (J. Pollack Photography), Stephanie Tolle (Iron Stef / Food Blog Mafia) and Nik Cameron (13) in addition to a pack of friends and family who wanted to take a look at what my burger project has become.

With the introductions out of the way its time to welcome you all back to The Church of Burger. In the name of the bun, the toppings and the holy burger, I present unto you the February Burger of The Month from Sub Zero Vodka Bar.

The Setup:

Forgoing appetizers but opting for adult beverages, we dug right into the burger menu. Under the guise of "An American Burger Bar", Sub Zero offers up 18 signature burgers ranging in price from $9.95 for the Classic (ground black angus beef, lettuce, cheese, tomato and onion) to $31.95 for the Surf & Turf (American Kobe beef, avocado and poached lobster tail with clarified butter).

Covering the spectrum of burgers between the Classic and Surf & Turf diners can select patties made of beef, lamb, pork, tuna, bison, turkey, chicken, falafel and vegetables. Burger hounds who can not find an acceptable choice among the 18 signature burgers can build their own, with enough combinations of meats, veggies, cheeses, sauces and toppings to boggle the mind, taste buds and digestive track. 

Around the table folks delved deep into the burger menu to make their selections. Among the burgers ordered were several classics, the Hawaiian kobe, a lamb, the southwest veggie, the spicy cajun, the slinger, a pair of falafels, the turkey, the Jamaican jerk and both the Sub Zero and Kobe Beef sliders.

As I need to judge all of the burgers this year, I stuck with the classic, sans cheese and dressed as is with lettuce, tomato and onion.

Without a doubt this was a diverse and complicated order of burgers but the waitstaff covering our tables were efficient and friendly; taking our orders and filling our glasses without showing the stress of covering such a large crowd. 

For the next 45 minutes, conversation ebbed and flowed around the two tables we occupied. Friends chatted and we got to know the new folks who had joined our burger adventure. An hour after we arrived the first burgers appeared, followed by wave after wave of plates until all were served.

So here we were at the moment of truth, the reason we ventured out on a wet Sunday. Behold the burger from Sub Zero Vodka Bar:

The Patty: 

Listed as black angus beef on the menu, the burger was compact but ample, with a hand formed patty at its core. I ordered my burger medium rare and it was cooked nearly perfect with a rosy pink interior.

Like all the burgers that I was surrounded by, the burger on my plate appealed to the eyes. It really looked like a great burger, standing high and dominating the small plate is was served on. However, as I took my first bite I was shocked to find that this perfect medium rare burger was lukewarm at best. My second bite was no better than the first as I noticed a lack of seasoning. By the third bite it was clear that the burger did not lack seasoning, it didn't have any. 

While the pink interior juices of this burger ran a bit into the bun, the patty seemed dry. I checked the bun several times to see if it was absorbing juice as I worked on the burger. It was. However, each bite was devoid of moisture, cold and depressingly free of a distinct burger taste. 

Tasters were divided over the quality of their patty choices, commenting:

"My burger was overcooked and lacked juice and salt. You can get away with one, maybe even two of these, but not all three."

"I know I didn't agree with everyone else but my burger was quite good, perfect size, nicely cooked, yummy"

"It was under-seasoned, overcooked, cold, and on an inferior bun that didn't hold up through even half the burger. When you get a burger in a place called Sub Zero it is, as expected: Sub Par."

"The turkey patty was solid. It was probably premade, given that it was a bit to symmetrical to really be recently hand-mashed. That said, it was flavorful and surprisingly juicy."

"I think Sub Zero should be lauded for having so many interesting-sounding offerings, but the patties fell short."

"Can't claim to be a burger expert, but I think I know the difference between right and wrong. Sub Zero's were wrong."

"I had the lamb, the bbq buffalo, the classic and the southwest veggie sliders. The southwest veggie was the most flavorful by far, but too heavy on the sun-dried tomato taste. The Lamb burger didn't taste much of lamb, and I also didn't taste the mint they promised. The buffalo burger was maybe the best, only because the coleslaw and bbq sauce added moisture."

Caramelization: 

Like everything about this burger, the grill work contributed to the overall beauty of the dish, with islands of char dotting the patty. While the grill marks were not well defined, it did not appear that the meat was handled improperly by the grill-person. All things being equal, the flavor picked up off the grill might have been the only thing saving this burger from being totally devoid of flavor. 

The Toppings:

Our waitress indicated that we could request an item not be added to a signature burger, but no changes or substitutions were allowed. For my classic burger, this meant several slices of tomato, a selection of lettuces and raw onion. The lettuce was a spring mix, fresh but not overly crisp. The tomato was soft, bland and had an out of season taste that I could have done without. The raw onion was sliced thin and had a pleasing sharpness to it when eaten. In hindsight the onion might have been the most flavorful part of this burger.

Tasters commented:

"For what I paid for the burger, the least they could have done would be to put what they said they would put on it."

"Amazingly, the hummus on the burger was overpowering both the feta cheese, and the lamb flavor.  I *saw* bits of mint, but couldn't really taste that either, thanks to the hummus."

The Bun:

The bun for my burger appeared light and airy on the inside when examined, and provided a pleasant crinkle of crust when held. For me, the bun was not quite a classic hamburger bun and not quite a brioche. More than anything it reminded me of a large slider roll. When eaten there was a quality to this bun that made me think of a store bought potato roll that was left out and reused the morning after a back yard cookout. An underlying staleness to the bun did little to help the dry and unseasoned patty. When bitten there was no toothsome pull of the bread before the teeth moved out of the bread and into the denser meat. Instead I was left feeling like each bite consisted of a journey from stale to dry and sadly back to stale. Disappointing. 

Others thought:

"A dry bun that couldn't possibly stand up to the litany of toppings offered at Sub Zero, leaving me a very sober worshipper."

"The bun failed. It literally fell apart on me."

"The bread would have been more solid if it had been dough."

"The bun was a bit tall and dry for my taste."

"The "brioche" bun was dry and relatively tasteless"

The Verdict:

Readers voted the burger at Sub Zero Vodka Bar the eleventh best burger in St. Louis. Given all the issues with this burger, I have to disagree. In my opinion, it appears that the effort of the kitchen has gone into appearance of the burger but not its substance. This represents the worst in dining, where a high sheen is placed on the product to give the appearance of value.

Many diners commented that there was a disconnect between the quality of the burger and its menu price. Truth be told, this burger would be bad at most, if not all price points. 

One member of our group opined, "I was surprised we were going to a vodka bar for the burgers. I would go back to Sub Zero if they have a good vodka tasting option, but why do they try to have such fancy burgers? Stick to vodka and cocktail foods that go with vodka. I don't get it."

To me, it seems Sub Zero suffers because it does not know what it wants to be. The signage says that it is both a vodka and American Burger bar. However, when you walk though the door you come face to face with a sushi table. Why? Its not clear to me how all the parts fit together. Each theme seems more of a hail marry than a well executed plan. Its as if management has attempted to integrate dining trends as they appear, leaving them to lay stagnant in their restaurant long after the fad has passed.

To sum up, I can't help but bestow upon Sub Zero the adage of "Jack of all trades, master of none". 

The search continues.

This Week In The Church of Burger

This has been an insane week for The Church of Burger. Before the reviews of the February burger are posted (to be complemented by posts from several other food blogs and media outlets) I wanted to give you a flavor of what its felt like for me.

To be honest, I haven't decided if I'm Jules, Brad or the burger in this clip.

More to come, thanks for sticking with me through all the drama.

Man vs. Burger: The Fuddruckers Five-Pound Challenge

I review this gastronomical challenge for Gut Check over at the Riverfront Times. Check it out.

Dear Five Guys, What The Fuck Is With Your Fries?

Below, we have an example of actual fries from Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Do they look good to you? They look good to me too. However, they are actually pretty terrible. I'd like to share some thoughts about the fries at Five Guys, and use lots and lots of profanity to do it because the idea of a burger and fries is so basic, so elemental, that it is amazing to me that a place could do one so very right, and another so very wrong.

Five Guys makes some down right fantastic fast food burgers, burgers so good they stomp of the nuts of the best burgers either The King or The Clown have to offer. However, unlike other fast food chains, Five Guys also puts "fries" in their name, which to me means the fries better be pretty fucking good.

Spoiler alert - they are not.

To start, I'm cutting Five Guys some slack for serving copious amounts of fries daily. One only has to watch the traffic though their burger shops to see how quickly product is turned over. They don't have the time or the real estate to make a perfect fry - first soaking the fries, then drying them, then frying them in oil partway, then removing them from the oil for a rest only to fry them again just before serving. Its to much to ask of a fast food joint. I'm not being an unreasonable prick here, I'm simply pointing out that I can't bring myself to remotely enjoy these fries. 

In my experience, and by "my experience" I mean "every time I have tried them", these fries are an oily, soggy mess. Why? My guess is that sloppy frying technique is to blame; poor heat management and cooking the potatoes past the stage that the natural moisture within the potato can protect itself from the onslaught of oil. In the later case, the moisture is boiled off and the oil pushes its way in.

In either case, the result is a bag of shitty fries.

I wonder what is wrong with me, because I order them at every visit. I stand there like a goon and watch them shovel piles of fresh cut fries into a paper sack before calling my number. I actually think I'm getting a deal when I watch the fry-man take a second fist-full of fries and toss them on top of my order. Bonus! Right? 

No. Extra of a bad thing does not suddenly make for something good. It's just more bad.

Why do I let this happen? I've been racking my mind for weeks now why I continue to pair Five Guys shitacular fries with such a beautiful burger. The answer is because burgers and fries go together, especially when you are trolling the depths of fast food burgers. 

Sure, for a restaurant burger the sides are pretty endless. However, on a work day when I have to be back in the office in short order, the only real side for a burger are fries. Hot and steamy fries that are crisp on the outside and snap just so when you bite into them. Fries that are covered in salt and are taken down several at a time, burning your fingertips as you shove them in between bites of that burger.

I'm reminded of this great skit Tenacious D did when they were on Mr. Show With Bob and David. In this clip, I'd like to think that Jack Black plays the part of both a Five Guys burger and me, the person eating an order of fries from Five Guys. Kyle Glass plays the part of the fries, which is sad, because if Kyle Glass was a french fry, he would be fucking awesome.

You see Five Guys, your fries can't quit any more than Kyle could. Its time step up, rock the fucking house and kick some burger and fry ass.

Burger Of The Month - Sub Zero Vodka Bar

Welcome to month two of my burger adventure here in St. Louis. The response to my project has been incredible so far and I'd like to thank everyone for the interest, kind words, opinions and requests to join me for a burger. I also really appreciate all the recommendations for your favorite burgers. While they were not submitted in time to be included in this project - I don't need a special reason to get out there and taste some tasty burgers.

If you have comments, questions or would like to find out more about participating in this months burger, please leave me a comment in this post, or you can contact me on Twitter or Facebook.

I'm pleased and honestly a bit apprehensive to announce our February burger, Sub Zero Vodka Bar. Why both pleased and apprehensive? I find myself feeling both because this whole project was founded on the idea that readers tell me what their favorite burger is and then I go eat them. The premise opens the doors to some burgers and burger joints that have and will continue to create some, shall we say "spirited conversation" over the coming year, not to mention question what a "burger" really is. However, I'll try to save that argument for next month, when this burger journey might careen off the proverbial rails in the opinion of many. Should be wicked.

In any event, I'm looking forward to my visit to Sub Zero, because from what I've heard and read, they are dishing up some jacked up burgers to complement their sushi and vodka bar. Yeah, sushi bar. I said I was apprehensive, didn't I? I always get worried when I look at a place and you can't readily tell what and where their wheelhouse is. Is this place about the burgers, the fish or the booze? Can you excel at all three?

But what the hell, who am I to judge until the burger is sitting in front of me? Let's eat!

Training Our Burger Future

I'm sure at some point my son will look at his old man in horror and embarassment, but right now he does not know any better. I love this picture from this past weekend because it seems to support the idea that the apple does not fall far from the tree.

I also love his tee shirt because its full of all kinds of win.

Photo by J. Pollack Photography.

January Burger Of The Month - Dressel's Public House - Recap

This past Sunday I met up with a great group of friends, foodies and food bloggers to take down a burger. This was the first stop in a year long search for the best burger that St. Louis has to offer, based on the input of my readers. You nominated them and I'm eating them, one by one until I crown the best burger in St. Louis in December.

Before we dive into the actual burger, I wanted to take a moment to thank some people who have not only helped me refine this idea, but really improve it. And for that I am very thankful.

Kelli Best-Oliver (South City Confidential / Food Blog Mafia) - By far my biggest supporter since I thought up this project. She's spread the word, encouraged me as I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do and coined the term "The Church of Burger" - suggesting that we make each months meeting a Sunday lunch. Inspired.

Bill Burge (STLBites) - For keeping me honest and refining how I compare all these burgers. Originally I was going to eat the biggest and most jacked up burgers I could get my hands on, it was Bill who pointed out to me that's not really a good comparison and got me to change my plan.

Stefani Pollack (Cupcake Project) - For recommending that we start with the pretzel with a side of rarebit at Dressel's. While it had nothing to do with eating burgers, it was a damn good call.

Jonathan Pollack (J. Pollack Photography) - For the photos, which I think bring this project to another level. Please check out his site and think of him the next time you are looking for a photographer. 

Finally, thanks to everyone for the votes and feedback that let me put this project together. If you are interested in this project, please leave me a comment or contact me on Twitter or Facebook for more details.

Now, without further ado, welcome to The Church of Burger. In the name of the bun, the toppings and the holy burger, I present unto you the January Burger of The Month from Dressel's Public House.

The Setup:

I arrived early, grabbed a seat at a large table, a pint of cask O'Fallon IPA and contemplated the task at hand as I waited for folks to file in. I was happy to find that Dressel's has an authentic pub feel and is blissfully free of smoke or the remnants of smoking. 

Dressel's has two burgers on the menu; "The Dressel's Hamburger" (a 1/2 beef burger with lettuce and raw onion on a brioche bun) and the "5" (lamb burger, chive butter, bread and butter pickle, tomato and lettuce on a brioche bun). Diners can also top their burgers with cheese, rarebit, sauteed mushrooms, onions, red peppers, kraut and a house made bacon.

Around the table folks opted for the beef burger and then added cheese, rarebit, onions and mushrooms to their orders. I kept to the rules and ordered the Dressel's Hamburger as it came, with lettuce and onions. Nobody in our party requested a burger cooked past medium, with the majority opting for medium rare.

A pretzel was delivered to our table shortly after our burger orders were taken and we all dug into this salty and chewy pub treat served with a side of rarebit for dipping. We took turns passing the dish around the table, ripping a piece off and plunging it into the rarebit. The pretzel was crisp on the outside and crowned with salt, a perfect foil for the fresh bitterness of the cask ale IPA.  

With the pretzel gone and its rarebit artfully reserved for a forthcoming burger, the conversation turned to all things burger. Where to get them. Where you can't get them anymore. How they should be cooked. Why a burger cooked at home is almost always the best burger you can get. Time passed and I didn't see our waitress approach, arms loaded down with burgers on plates and baskets depending on the side ordered.

So here we were at the moment of truth, the reason we ventured out on a Sunday. Behold the burger from Dressel's:

The Patty: 

Listed as 1/2 pound on the menu, the burger looked like a hand made patty that was oozing juice from the top, indicating a good protein to fat ratio, probably 80/20. The first bite was juicy and salty, making an amazing topping unto itself - making condiments an unnecessary addition.

As I mentioned before, everyone ordered burgers medium and medium rare and for a table of seven I only saw one burger that approached that level of doneness. Instead of red to pink interiors, most of the burgers ranged from a light pink to a medium well gray.

Tasters commented:

"Mine was like a rainbow of beef: mid-rare on the first bite to almost full on well on the last. Fat saved it."

"Mine was definitely medium. I like 'em pinker than that. Luckily, it was still awesome."

"Well, really, the two things that make food taste good saved it: salt and fat"

"A bit salty, came out medium rather than medium rare, but worked perfectly."

Caramelization:

I don't care if the burger you are eating is smashed on a flat top or grilled in the back yard, it needs the flavor and crunch that can only come from a good char. For me, the saltiness of this burger did a good job pulling some juice and fat out of the patty before grilling. This led to an impressive set of grill marks which were dark, defined and indicated that the grill-person didn't waste time playing with the meat - it was cooked on one side, then the other, then plated.

The Toppings:

To Bill's point, its a little to easy to jack up a burger with all the extras to hide an otherwise subpar burger, so for the purposes of this project I am eating the burgers as they come. In this case, that meant lettuce and raw onion. The lettuce was crisp and fresh, providing a pleasing crunch. The sharp contrast of raw onion made for a good combo. No complaints.

As far as toppings, no two burgers were ordered the same during our visit, but there was a healthy representation of cheese burgers around the table.  One taster commented that the, "Rarebit sauce is not to be missed". 

Personally I was sad nobody opted for the house made bacon, because I would have been tempted to "tax" a bit of it off their plate had it shown up.

The Bun:

Often overlooked, a bun can make or break a burger experience. Far from being a marquee player of the burger team, it should instead play the part of journeyman, providing solid defense and a pop from time to time. For a burger throwing off as much juice as the one at Dressel's, the brioche bun did a fine job holding things together until the last bite. Like an edible Temper-Pedic pillow it stood up not only to the burger, but repeated two handed trips from plate to pie hole. From my perspective the bun was well done.

However, some of the diners disagreed and commented:

"It was just an oddly bagel-shaped enriched white bun.  There was no real egginess to it the way you would expect from brioche.  I also wished they’d toasted it more.  Someone did do it, but mine seemed like an after thought as apposed to an attempt to actually get it crisp."

The Verdict:

Readers voted the burger at Dressel's the twelfth best burger in St. Louis. Given how well rounded and executed I thought this burger was, it seems to indicate that the "best burger" in St. Louis will be orgasmic in a way that is usually reserved for a sandwich at Katz's Deli. And while that works in the movies, I'm not sure it will happen here in St. Louis. 

For me, the mix of salt and burger juice makes for a fine burger, one of the better burgers that I've had here in town. To get the best out of a burger from Dressel's I would suggest that readers order their burger a little less done than you really want it, and skip the condiments because this burger does not need them to hide behind. 

Others at the table thought that the burger at Dressel's was at best average with a chance of being much better. I can find common ground with that perspective, because it was not a perfect burger. Instead it hangs out in the lukewarm water between run of the mill and potentially great. And lets face it, here in St. Louis, that's not always an undesirable place to be.

Burger Of The Month - Dressel's Public House

We are starting a bit late for sure, but the voting is done and its time to get on with the first of our St.  Louis Burger of the Year contenders.  

With over 100 votes covering 25 + restaurants and burger joints in the area the competition to get into the top twelve was tight and in the end readers selected Dressel's Public House as the St. Louis Burger of the Month for January.

The Dressel's Hamburger clocks in at 1/2 pound, grilled to order and includes a slice of sweet onion, lettuce and a pickle on a brioche bun for $8.00.

After that, you can add cheese, sauteed mushrooms, onions, red peppers, kraut, house made back or American bacon, tomato and relish for an additional charge. 

My plan is to make an unannounced visit to Dressel's over the next two weeks to give this burger a try. I'm already thinking about adding the mushrooms and house made back bacon. The addition of kraut is also interesting. 

I'd be excited to know if you have thoughts about this burger, can suggest other items from the menu to sample on my visit, have suggestions from the beer menu to pair with my burger and most importantly would like to join me. Please leave me a comment or contact me on Twitter or Facebook for more details if you would like to take part in trying this months burger.

Help Me Eat The Best Burger In St. Louis

Twelve months - twelve burgers that you pick and I eat.

We'll focus on a burger a month and at the end of the year - we'll select the best burger in St. Louis.

So far I have 18 burger nominations and over 50 votes covering the best St. Louis has to offer. I'll collect your favorites through Friday, January 15th so leave your ideas in the comment section, or contact me via Twitter or Facebook. To be fair, limit your suggestions to 3 burgers, ranked so I know which is your favorite.

On January 16th I'll tabulate everyone's favorites and weigh them against the most recent "Best of" lists from local media (print and web). However, because word of mouth carries more weight with me than annual lists, they will carry more weight here as well.

Once we have our list, I'll make an unannounced visit each burger joint and break down the best they have to offer into a handful of criteria; the patty (which can be meat or veggie), caramelization, toppings, bun, presentation and most importantly - the taste.

The burger with the most votes will be our December burger, the next highest will be November and so on. On the first of each month* I'll announce that months burger on this site, Twitter and Facebook and I'll open up comments for a week. The person who makes the best case for that months burger will get a chance to join me to eat their favorite burger and help me with the judging - and I'll pick up the tab. In the event that nobody makes an impassioned plea for that months burger, I'll treat my wife to a night out for burgers.

I hope your excited about this project as I am, here is to twelve months of fantastic burgers!

*January will be a bit haphazard - I will announce this months burger on Monday the 18th and I'll accept comments until the 20th. Hopefully by February I'll have the process ironed out. You do what you can.

Shades Of A Former Self At South 21

UPDATE:

Several days after posting this review, I was contacted by George Motz who informed me that the original South 21 Drive-In in Charlotte, North Carolina was and is very much open for business. George writes:

"Andrew - Thanks for your praise for my book. It's always great to hear when real burger lovers are using the book to find real burger joints. Unfortunately it sounds like you went to the wrong South 21 in Charlotte. The family business split up a few decades back and the only original location is on Independence Ave. It looks like you visited the Matthews location which is not owned by the Housiadas family. I just spoke to George at South 21 and he said they are doing great and that Fieri was just there and they are going to be on the Food Network next month...

Visit south21drivein and make sure you get to this location next time you are in Charlotte.

George"

I'm quite embarrassed by this error on my part - the research I did indicated the original location was indeed closed, leaving only the Matthews shop. In any event, I will head over to the original on my next trip to Charlotte and thanks to George for keeping me honest.

Kind Regards

amv

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

In his book "Hamburger America" George Motz does an admirable job waxing nostalgic about classic roadside burger joints like South 21, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. I pick through George's book before I travel for work and lug it in the car for road trips with my family. However, I don't covet this book just for the amazing burgers and photography, I also love they way George has captured the stories behind these small, family run businesses. 

The concept of highlighting these gems of Americana, and in many cases the American Dream, is not a new one although it seems to be enjoying a renaissance of sorts. From Guy Fieri's show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" to Alton Brown's "Feasting on Asphalt" and Adam Richman's "Man v. Food", basic cable offers a regularly scheduled smorgasbord of quirky and uniquely American eateries. Web sites like Roadfood add to the mix, acting as an archive of great road trip eats, frequented by folks who are looking for a bit more than a "Number 2, Large with a Coke".

Interestingly enough the act of cataloguing and making recommendations on American roadfood can be traced back at least in part to Duncan Hines, who out of necessity created a whole category of the foods we should seek out and the ones we should avoid when traveling. In a way, he created the first food blog, and that DNA resides within all food writing and the shows we watch today.

Many times the thread that connects these food resources, people and places are roads like Route 66 that have long since been replaced by our national highway system. We relish sharing the stories of our favorite roadside gems, located on well worn but sometimes forgotten paths. However, when the proverbial rubber its the road, how often do we take the extra time needed to visit these vintage finds? Instead we opt for the convenience of the homogenized taste that is modern America - available with a quick on and off, bus parking and clean bathrooms just up ahead at the next exit - or if you miss that exit - the one right after that.

I had this in mind when I visited the last of the South 21 Drive-in's in Charlotte. Sadly the restaurant George Motz describes has been shuttered since he published his book. Gone is the curb side service, the carhops in black fedora hats and the neon signage that separated South 21 from its competition for over 50 years. 

In its place is a nondescript white building brimming with memorabilia from the original location. The sign on Independence Boulevard does not light up to invite wayward travelers in, instead it shows a graphic of the original sign which sits darkened several miles away. Instead of drive up and in car eating, customers park between the building and a strip mall. Once inside you can view pictures of the classic cars and hot rods that one time filled the car stalls of this Charlotte institution. 

In almost every way, the packaging of this burger joint has changed, even as the actual food packaging and menu remains the same. Instead of being one of the 100 best burger joints in America, it has become an homage to what it once was.

However enough with the lecture, lets get on to the food.

 

The Dog:

To start I opted for a hot dog complete with a house made chili, mustard and a healthy addition of raw onions. The chili was a great partner for the dog, consisting almost completely of loose meat and containing just enough spice. All in all it was a well rounded dog that held up to its toppings and lasted all of about 5 bites. Being the south the bun was fresh from the bag and not steamed or warmed on a flat top. All in all it was a good drive-in dog. 

What was missing from this dog? Slaw. We are in North Carolina folks, where is the slaw dog?

The Burger:

The signature burger at 21 South is the Super Boy - two 4 oz beef patties, mustard, onions, lettuce and tomato with a pickle speared through the top, which my brother (whom you might remember from my post Matt vs. Food) gamely ordered and took down like a champ. But as you can see, he was duly impressed by my order (pictured above and below), the 21 Xpress Special.

Consisting of three 4 oz beef patties, mustard, onions, lettuce and tomato, the Xpress Special towered over the Super Boy - a monster pile of beef resting atop a fistful of roughage. 

Sizable? Yes. Tasty? Well, its easy for me to say that this is not one of the 100 best burgers in America. 

The veggies seemed old and wilted for the volume of business South 21 does. With that much turnover you would expect crisp lettuce. A bad tomato in the late fall can be expected, but a crisp bed of lettuce would have made for a fantastic foundation to this burger. Instead of a crisp snap to break up the sandwich, it was hard to tell where the bun stopped and the lettuce began.

The patties are all beef, sourced from the same butcher for over 45 years, and cooked to well, which for their thinness is probably unavoidable. The burger is charred, but does not come close to that of a good smashed burger, which in all honesty was what I was expecting. Caramelization is so important to a burger and these patties were missing it. All told, it was a pretty standard burger - again - hardly one of the 100 best in America. 

With all due respect Mr. Motz, South 21 is not what it used to be.

The Takedown:

In the end I think what made South 21 so very standard was not the food, its clear that over 50 years, the owners of South 21 have found a formula that works well for them. For me, what is missing is the experience; the neon, the uniforms and the throwback to a car culture that is sadly long gone. In its place is a shadow of what once was, a great burger joint. 

For the kind folks of Charlotte, I'm sure they are happy that some vestige of their burger culture remains. The pictures and the packaging mean something to them and for this I am sure they are grateful. Sadly they left me wanting the real deal, not full size photographs and scale models.

I am positive the same 21 Xpress Special, served in wax paper and sitting on a tray hanging from the window of my old 1997 M-Edition Miata would be an almost religious burger experience. I can imagine visiting on a Saturday night, hanging out in the glow of neon and communing with a killer burger. And that burger would be great, because the place that it was served was so special it could not help but make a standard burger a fantastic one.

The Counter Burger

Thanksgiving found me at my parents home in Charlotte, North Carolina visiting with family and taking some time away from the stress of moving and finding a new home. And while these things are important, it was also a chance to follow up on some of the great eats that Charlotte has to offer. Long time readers may remember the amazing burger I took down at the Penguin Drive-In in 2008.

This year I found myself sitting at the counter with family members at a burger joint in South Park named appropriately - The Counter - which was packed with a well healed lunch time crowd of business people and families who were taking a lunch break from shopping at the nearby mall. We opted for the counter due to the wait for a table and I was immediately reminded of this great scene from one of the greatest Seinfeld episodes ever - The Maid.

The concept behind The Counter is a customizable burger with enough combinations of burger, toppings, sauces and buns to result in over 300,000 different flavor combinations. 

With mini-pencil in hand I began to work this menu with the ultimate goal of creating the famous Aussie Burger, but I was quickly distracted by the lack of pickled beets on the menu. With over 300k + combinations available, you would think a pickled beet would be found someplace.

Undaunted I created the Andrew burger, a 1/3 pound patty topped with dill pickle chips, grilled onions, grilled pineapple, roasted red peppers, honey cured bacon and a roasted garlic aioli. Ridiculous is size and scope, I quickly added a tall chocolate shake to my order and the turned my attention to the first round of appetizers, ordered by my sister at the end of the counter.

 
First up we had a shallow plate of fried pickle chips, a staple of southern bar menus and a treat that I find largely missing here in St. Louis. I've had fried pickles across a broad swath of the south - from the Carolina's to Texas, and while all fried pickles are good, some are just better. They are the best when they have a light, almost tempura coating and are paired with a tangy ranch dressing. They are even better when instead of pickle chips - they are made from dill pickle spears - like they make at The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin. 

Sadly, the pickles at The Counter have a heavy breading that the pickles can't really compete with and it was more like biting into a poorly executed fried zucchini than a crisp fried pickle.

Next up we dug into a plate of sweet potato fries coated liberally in sea salt. The fries were perfectly cooked, crisp on the outside and waiting for a pairing with mayo or the ranch dressing from the fried pickles. For the most part I watched these fries from my end of the counter, tasting once but not really getting to dig in. Everyone seemed to enjoy them, I know I would have had I been sitting more towards the center of the counter. Bummer - such is life when you are eating at a counter with a crowd.

As the apps were swept up and carried away my shake appeared - a picture of ice cream, whole milk and whipped cream in a tall glass.  As a good shake should be, this one was way to thick to pull through a straw until you hold it in your hand for a while, allowing your body heat to melt the drink just enough to begin sipping. I moved the shake to my side and leaned forward to hide it from my wife's roving hands with my arm - alas she never orders her own shake - opting instead to "tax" mine at will - the cost for ordering such a decadent burger side.

After some good natured ribbing of my little brother and a few quick scans of the burgers that were making their way out of the kitchen and too waiting tables, my burger appeared on the counter before me. My first thought was amazement at the construction of this burger as it was obvious that there is forethought given to which toppings ride under the patty and which ride on top.

My burger came with a solid foundation of dill pickle chips and then a liberal coating of roasted red peppers, forming a nest for the 1/3rd pound (after cooking) burger, charred in a manner that suggested it was broiled instead of grilled or smashed out on a flat top.

On top of the patty came a layer of thick cut and grilled onion, several slices of grilled pineapple and then some crisp bacon. Roasted garlic aioli came on the side and I applied a healthy coating to the grilled bun before placing it atop this monstrosity. 

What did it look like? Well I'll show you.

The burger lasted in this state for only a moment before I attacked it in the only way I know how - for a burger this tall you can only knife it down the center, pick it up side ways and eat your way to the other side. 

The burger was moist and cooked to a perfect medium. I found myself trying to get a taste of pineapple into every bite as it played so well with each ingredient, especially the grilled onions and the bacon.

Delicious.

Here are some of the other burgers my family tried that day. I didn't bother to ask them what they put on them because I was to busy focusing on my own. 

Distraction - its a five inch tall burger.

My brother in law took down a onion rich western burger.

My sister in law ordered a 2/3 pound cheese burger.

My wife ordered a veggie burger - huh?
 

Revisiting An Old Favorite And Two Rookie Efforts

The Old Favorite - The Tin Can Tavern "Ten"

A favorite stop of mine during football season is the Tin Can Tavern on Morgan Ford. Around noon friends make their way over to this South City landmark for stiff bloody marys and comfort food to:

1. Help soak up the toxins from the previous nights festivities
2. To nip at the proverbial hair of the dog, because for the Jets, Bills and Browns fans amongst us, it usually ends up being a long, long afternoon.

While much of the menu at the Tan Can is topnotch pub food, the mini corn dogs and tomato bisque are amongst my favorites, I usually find myself thinking about the burger on Thursday or Friday, long before Sunday ever rolls around.

The burger at The Tin Can is called the "Ten" and it comes with bacon, choice of cheese (including none, thankfully for me) and sauteed onions riding on two five ounce beef patties. While this is not a dominating double burger, at least compared to a favorite of mine - the "Big Block" Burger at The Penguin in Charlotte, North Carolina, it is well made and quite tasty.

Burgers are not cooked to order at the Tin Can, so every Ten is cooked to medium / well. However, what this burger lacks in juice it makes up with a crispy exterior to play against the star of the show - the pairing of perfectly cooked bacon and onions. The choice of side off this great menu of comfort food allows the diner to tailor the dish to the vibe of their Sunday. Make mine with mashed potatoes and gravy, a well executed cole slaw or the fries, which are quite good and would make a great partner of some malt vinegar or mayo if they were available at the table.

For the meek or calorie minded the Ten has a smaller brother, the "Five", but really, its Sunday and you're watching football, get the real deal and worry about it on Monday.

Rookie Effort 1 - Plaza Pastries and Donuts

Long under construction, the series of buildings at Connecticut and Morgan Ford has started to come alive with the opening of a child care center, a donut shop and soon, a family restaurant. The entire venture is the project of one family and the development of the property has been a labor of love filled with lots of do it yourself projects and sweat equity - just the thing a quickly developing street like Morgan Ford needs.

A quick check in with Google Maps shows that this new shop sits in the heart of the south St. Louis donut scene. Surrounded by at least a half dozen shops, some of which are Route 66 landmarks, the competition is indeed tough for this start up, but the shop should do well servicing the Tower Grove neighborhood. 

The morning I stopped in, the front counter case was filled with a variety of donuts, however I was disappointed to see several empty cases behind the register. Perhaps the owners are just planning for future demand, but for some reason that I still can't put to words, it made me worried about this small shop. It just made things feel incomplete, they didn't look sold out - they just looked empty. Very odd.

However among the several dozen choices, I was happy to see examples of both cake and yeast based donuts. The cake versions were well made; crisp from frying but not greasy. The yeast donuts I tried reminded me of a dense pâte à choux and came complete with a semi-sweet cream filling.

I happen to think that half the appeal of a donut shop is the coffee, which when made correctly should be thick enough to hold a spoon straight up and served by a lady in a beehive hairdo if at all possible. If I can't have that pairing, it at least has to be fresh (because of the volume of product moved) and a perfect foil for the fried goodness that is the American donut. The coffee should also be made for you, in my opinion. Alas, this is not the case at Plaza Pastries and Donuts, where I was given a cup of joe and a single serving of half and half before being told that the sugar was at the end of the counter and I could fix my own.

Am I nitpicking here? Probably. Did I feel let down? Without a doubt. Unfortunately for me, the ritual is just as important as the product most of the time.

In the end, I'm not so sure having this shop so close will stop me from making the drive to World's Fair or the Donut Drive-In, which not only produce outstanding examples of this classic road food, they have the coffee and old school service to back it up. I am excited that they are here though and the donuts are good enough to make this shop a great addition to the quickly developing Morgan Ford strip.

Rookie Effort 2 - Teaching Reis How To Make Peter Reinhart's Neo-Neapolitan Pizza Dough

Not much of an update here, but pizza night is a big deal in our home. So big that we have it once a week. I'm happy to report that Reis took a great interest in the construction of this Neo-Neapolitan Pizza Dough. I'll make a baker out of him yet.

Amuse Bouche For September 16th, 2009

• As I watch a Coca-Cola tractor trailer try to back into my buildings loading dock, I'm reminded that I recently read that the Coca-Cola Chief called the idea of a Soda-Tax ‘Outrageous’. " My favorite line has to be “I have never seen it work where a government tells people what to eat and what to drink,” Kent said, responding to an audience question at the Rotary Club of Atlanta. “If it worked, the Soviet Union would still be around." Uh boy. That's a good tact to take with a public obsessed with the hand slapping of a backwards hillbilly, er, I mean health care. Also, haven't we had a food pyramid for a half century?
• The Novice Foodie hits up Acero and uses on of my favorite ways of trying expensive restaurants, the prix fixe menu. As I mentioned via Twitter, I ate my way around NYC's best restaurants with the use of prix fixe menus for many years. I'm also a fan of Acero, where I spent my 33rd birthday with friends and enjoyed one of the best meals I've ever had here in St. Louis. Recommended.
• Our mission is to facilitate, encourage and document the consumption of a Cheeseburger on every named peak on the planet - 'Summit Cheeseburger' Documents the Consumption of Cheeseburgers on Every Peak. I'm left to ask, "really?" With the cost of a Mt. Everest summit ranging between 50,000 and 60,000 USD, is it only a matter of time until we see a bobble headed King attempting a summit with a Whopper in hand and sans oxygen?
• Via Stand Up with Pete Dominick and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a review of the 15 most corrupt members of Congress. File it under "All your heroes are whores" and I'll get back to wondering what kind of world my son is inheriting.
• I've been planning a trip out of Surf Dogs, deep in St. Louis county, to try a novel idea - the Pup Sampler. Mini-dogs dressed just like their full size twins. Great idea. At the same time I terrified of the Hamburger in Paradise vibe they are going for. Hopefully the dogs will compensate for the anticipated decor. I'm keeping an open mind, but it closes a bit every time I visit their site.

Amuse Bouche For September 14th, 2009

• Sam Calagione of the Dogfish Head Brewery wants to spit in your beer.
• Excited that a second Pi location is scheduled to open in the Central West End the day before Thanksgiving.
• The jury is still out regarding the new pizza place opening at the old TFA shop - corner of Wyoming and South Grand. There was a sign in the window stating "National Pizza, thinking outside the square". The sign is gone and construction is ongoing. Interestingly enough I've seen 2 dudes sporting Dewey's tee shirts in the area - that is just blatant rumormongering though.
• Alex Hozven of the Cultured Pickle Shop talks with Lynne Rossetto Kasper about the realm of pickling.
• Also from this weeks Splendid Table, the BLT Cocktail, or as I am now calling it, "The Official Morning Beverage of the Tour de Moose".
• A Hamburger Today asks "What's Your Favorite Burger Size?"
• Gourmet Magazine showcases the recipe for some great looking corn dogs, kudos for leaving the ketchup out of the picture.

Amuse Bouche For September 9th, 2009

Some recent food related items that have caught my interest.

• Lack of love for hamburgers is featured in this Flickr group - Anti-Burger Propaganda! 
• St. Louis local Kelli Best-Oliver discusses the film Julie & Julia, Mastering the Art of French Cooking and an attempt at beef bourguignon over at The Novice Foodie.
• A Hamburger Today asks, "What Drink Goes Best With a Burger?".
• The American Farmland Trust publishes its list of "America's Favorite Farmers Markets" for 2009.

I've also created two maps highlighting the locations of my past reviews.

• St. Louis, Missouri Posts
• National Posts

Andrew And Reis Take On Five Guys And Their Burgers And Fries

General Housekeeping:

Its been some time since I've sat down and posted for this site, but for good reason. Since my last update on March 20th, I've been getting ready for the birth of my son, Reis Andrew Veety and getting used to life with a baby. While I have been neglecting this site, I have been busy posting updates to our family site at Three Its A Magic Number.

Two months into this adventure, my wife and I have been out and about, visiting our favorite restaurants and antiquing, which along with hanging out with friends, have always been our primary past times. We've also been plugging around the kitchen and grill, trying to figure out how to cook and experiment with the great meals that we've enjoyed sharing with friends and readers over the years while bending to the demands of a super cute 10 week old.

Its been an adventure, but I'm happy to report that in my absence I've continued to work with some of my favorites, including burgers and backyard BBQ. I've even gotten quite good at a new pizza style - pizza bianca - in addition to working some more with Chicago deep dish and a giant calzone the size of a large pizza bent back on itself.

Recent Pizzas:

Pizza Bianca with a chard and kale pesto, summer squash and zucchini carpaccio and shallot.

Pizza Bianca with roasted tomato and red peppers, artichoke heats, baby spinach and olive oil.

Veggie Chicago style deep dish with a friends top notch home-brew - a tasty "My Neighbor Is A Dirty Pirate Hooker" ale.

From the grill:

Lemon pepper chickens on ginger ale cans, smoked over apple wood.

Exploded Jucy Lucy's waiting for a veggie Jucy Lucy to warm up. Veggie Lucy, how depressing.

The Main Event:

Now that we are back out and about, I'm ready to refocus on exploring the best eats that St. Louis has to offer. Also, if the road trips Sara and I used to take around the country exploring food and visiting with friends and family was fun, it will be even better with Reis in tow. I'm excited to get started, so lets.

Out of the box I wanted to focus on a recent addition to the St. Louis county landscape, Five Guys Burgers and Fries. I've been reading about Five Guys for some time on my favorite burger blogs (A Hamburger Today, Hamburger America and Road Food) and I've waited and waited for one to show up in St. Louis. Five Guys seems to polarize folks into two camps - fans and haters. The fans rave about the quality of the burger and the extensive choice of toppings. Haters focus on the greasiness of the burger, how they are only cooked to well done and how average they are compared to other burgers. 

I have to think that the complaint about the overall averageness of the Five Guys burger has to stem from the fact that they are still expanding across the United States, and the word of mouth is not jiving with the actual experience. Anything short of magical turns out to be a disappointment worth complaining about, or so it would seem from my reading.

Before actually trying for myself, I suggested Jeff Lash (intrepid road warrior and sometimes guest poster) try Five Guys on a recent trip to Philadelphia. Jeff did indeed make a stop and forwarded me this picture of a sad burger at Five Guys, taken with a very capable iPhone camera. 

Jeff indicated he was in the "average" camp. Photographic evidence in hand, I was beginning to think that Five Guys would be a loss. I also wondered where this burgers friends were, seeing only ketchup and some wilted lettuce. Then I remembered a trip to Pam's Chicago Style Hot Dogs that Jeff and I took last fall, and this burgers accompaniments match up pretty well with the dressing of his hot dogs then.

Still, condiments and personal preference aside, this was one sloppy and poorly constructed burger.

So, with Reis, Sara and Jeff Lash's family in tow, we headed out into St. Louis Country to see if Jeff's experience was the standard or the norm for Five Guys and their burgers... 

Babies waiting on burgers while parents munch on peanuts.

The Burger:

A far cry from Jeff's experience, I decked out my first Five Guys with bacon, mayo, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, grilled onion, pickles and raw jalapeno. When accompanied by friends, the burger becomes much more appealing. It also helped that the St. Louis version appeared to be assembled by a competent person, where as the Philadelphia version really looked like a real life "Whammyburger".

While the burger was cooked to well, it was still moist and had some great caramelization from the grill. The patties played well with others, especially the crispness of the pickle and the biting heat of the jalapeno pepper, which in its raw state resembled the color green usually reserved for the Chicago style hot dog. 

The bun was toasted on a grill before assembly and seemed capable of absorbing any grease thrown off by the burger itself. Truth be told, I don't know what it is with people complaining about greasy burgers anyway. For me, burger happiness is forgoing the napkins and licking juice and grease off your hands and forearms. We are eating burgers here people, when has a neat and tidy burger ever been fun, let alone tasty?

A real treat was the wrapping for this burger. The plain aluminum foil carrier smacks of indifference to the burger inside, however for me, it was like getting a perfect Christmas present wrapped only in newspaper. Humble in appearance, it puts the focus on the burger.  Utilitarian in purpose, it kept the burger warm longer than wax paper ever could, which seemed perfect for take out.

In general, I did not find the burger overly greasy, instead I found it a step above your traditional fast food fare. Is it a great burger? Probably not, instead it rates about even with Johnny Rockets or Red Robin. Does it far outshine most of its fast food/national competitors in the St. Louis area? Without a doubt, and at the price, I would drive past the gobs of chains that litter St. Louis and seek out one of the several stores that have popped up around 270 and deeper into the county. 

However, I do have to scratch my head and wonder why they are not venturing into the city. I've heard rumors of a store opening near Brentwood, but I have not been able to verify that, yet.

The Surprise - A Five Guys Hot Dog:

What you don't read about very often is that Five Guys is also a hot dog shop, selling dogs split down the middle, grilled and then topped with the same toppings as their burgers. A unique take on the hot dog in St. Louis, the dog at Five Guys is more like a hot dog sandwich. 

I covered mine with bacon, grilled onion and relish to complement the all beef dog. Thinking back on it, I should have taken this chance to make a hot dog / dagwood sandwich because the construction of this dog and the vast amount of toppings available lends itself to the idea.

The novelty of this dog also is its major drawback - by making it into a sandwich the bun is called upon to do a duty its just not cut out for. The bun appeared to be steamed and disintegrated quickly into the dog and toppings to make a tasty yet amorphous mess.

I will be back to again to try and make that dagwood dog though. 

The Missing:

The fries. We ordered a large fry which was enough to satisfy 4 adults. The fries are cut naturally with the skin on and fried, then piled into giant styrofoam cups and all around the paper sacks that each order is served in. The fries were not salted when they came out of the fryer, which I think is a mistake. They were also soggy from the oil, indicating that they were cooked poorly. They were a largely forgettable addition to an other wise above average burger night out.

The Verdict:

Put me in the fan camp, but there is lots of room for improvement. Given Jeff's experience in Philadelphia, I worry about quality as these stores melt into the local landscape. Kudo's for having malt vinegar for the fries, but shame on you for the actual fries. Kudo's for joining us here in St. Louis, but shame on you for ignoring the city. 

I will be back though, because the burger, while cooked to well done, it also well above the average.

(For the record, Reis slept though most of this meal. That's good, because if he had been fussing, chances are he would have been covered in burger juice and condiments.)

Guest Contribution - Jeff "The Road Warrior" Lash

For some time now I've been pestering friends who always seem to be traveling around the country to contribute accounts of the food they run into on their trips. I'm very excited to share the first of what I hope are many contributions - from Jeff Lash - unfiltered and in the proverbial raw:

At Andrew's request, I was intending on providing a write-up of one specific dining experience -- a Friday Fish Fry at our local St. Louis Catholic Church. However, I have had a number of noteworthy dining experiences lately, and rather than focus on just one or attempt to write up separate posts for each, in the interest of efficiency, I present: Jeff's food travels, March 2009.

March was an eventful month, including a lot of business travel. Business travel often leads to interesting food experiences -- good and bad. Let's start closest to home, though, with...

Friday Fish Fry

St. Louis is a very Catholic town (um, "Saint" Louis, anyone?), the kind of town where many people pick the location of their next home by what parish they want to be a part of. Like the earliest flowers of spring, the Friday Fish Fry signs start popping up right after Ash Wednesday. On some major roads, there's almost a Fish Fry sign every block (literally).

Having been in St. Louis many years and never having attended, I figured it was high time I experienced the tradition. I rounded up a group of friends -- my wife, the vegetarian, not included, since the mere smell of fried fish makes her nauseous -- and we hit up the Fish Fry at Saint Joan of Arc a few weeks ago.

Cheers was a place that everybody supposedly wanted to go to because everybody would know your name. At Saint Joan on a Friday night, it's not too different. Most patrons seemed to be church members and regulars, and it seemed like everyone knew everyone. During the 20 minute wait in line, there were lots of mini-reunions and friendly conversations. Though we were new, people were friendly, and canned beer was offered to us to make the line easier to handle. You have to pay for the beer, though it's dirt cheap. In fact, the whole meal is -- for about $7 you can get a full plate of food, drink, and dessert. (Cash only, of course, though that's understandable.)

I was expecting an all-you-can-eat buffet -- I thought that was part of the appeal -- though Saint Joan does everything a la carte, which is fine, since I really couldn't / shouldn't have eaten anything more than the one hearty serving. They of course have the standard fried fish patty, just like you remember from elementary school (and I say "you" and not "we" since I never was allowed to buy lunch at school growing up), though other options are available including some variety of fish which was fried, head and tail and all. I don't remember what kind of fish it was, since I think I'm still trying to block out the image of a fried fish carcases on various plates. There were also fried catfish nuggets, as well as grilled fish for those not interested in anything from the "fried" food group. Normally I eat very healthy, though if you're going to a Fish Fry, you eat fried fish. Would you go to a steakhouse and order a salad for an entree? Wrong place, wrong time.

Sides included standard fare -- potatoes, either oven roasted or french fried; various vegetables; macaroni and cheese -- and some interesting (to me, at least) options -- apple sauce; spaghetti in tomato sauce. Fine foods, though paired with fish seemed a bit odd.

To drink your options are the aforementioned can of beer, or the classic plastic cup of soda poured from a 2 liter bottle. The enormous dessert table offered a wide selection of homebaked and storebought goods, neatly arranged bake sale style (on small paper plates, covered by plastic wrap). The glass of Diet Coke and 2 desserts I chose added $1.50 to my total bill.

The food is, well, what you'd expect of a fish fry done by volunteers in the cafateria of a church. Actually, no, it's probably a bit better. The fish was a bit overfried and not as warm as it probably should have been, likely due to it sitting out in a heating tray for too long. Still, it was decent, and served as a good foundation for the meal. I wasn't expecting gourmet British-style fish and chips, and thus I wasn't dissapointed. For sides I went with the oven roasted potatoes and mac + cheese. Yes, starchy, I know, though I figured those were good standbys. The mac + cheese was the typical generic cafeteria brand, with big too-soft noodles and a gooey way-too-unhealthy fake cheese sauce. (I probably would have been better off with the spaghetti.) The potatoes were excellent, though, even better than some I've had at "normal" restaurants. And the desserts were solid as well -- the chocolate cake seemed to be homemade, likely from a box mix; and the store-bought chocolate chip cookies, which I later shared at home with my wife, were of course fine. Not the most adventurous choices, though you can't go wrong with box cake and store cookies.

All in all, it was a great experience and I'm definitely up for it again. The next day I remembered why I rarely eat fried food (entrees, at least), partly because my body isn't conditioned for them any longer. (How I ate chicken fingers and fries pretty much every day the first two years of college is beyond me.) Of course, you don't go to a Friday Fish Fry at your local church because the food is going to be stellar; you go because it's going to be cheap, it's going to be good atmosphere, and because it's just a tradition -- and on those things, it delivers. Sure, some local restaurants offer Fish Fry Fridays, though to me that's just not the same.

Since that review was longer that I thought, I'll keep these next reviews on the short side...

Weber Grill Restaurant

I was in Indianapolis for work, and as we approached our hotel downtown, I noticed an enormous novelty barbeque grill hanging off the side of a building about a block away. I knew instantly that was where I was going for dinner. I had heard about the Weber Grill Restaurant, where everything (well, almost everything) is cooked on real genuine Weber Grills. (No, Andrew, I didn't ask to take a tour and see the kitchen.) As a marketer, I marveled at the innovative brand extension. As a fan of grilling, I marveled at the chance to eat at a restaurant where they cooked on real Weber Grills. The restaurant did not fail to deliver, with the highlight being the Weber Sampler appetizer, which included Beer Can Chicken Tenders and Steak Skewers -- a great selection of Weber-ized meats. Though I normally avoid chain restaurants when I travel and try to find something local, this was worth it. (Plus, does 3 locations in Illinois and 1 in Indianapolis really count as a chain?) Recommended.

Burger King Burger Shots

I arrived in Orlando late one night and needed a snack. Not a full meal, not dessert, just something quick and simple before I went to sleep. Across the parking lot from my hotel was a Burger King. (Actually, there was another hotel -- this is Orlando, after all, and we were only minutes away from Universal Studios.) Having been wooed by the advertisements for BK Burger Shots, I figured I'd give them a shot. Tiny burgers seem to be in, with Steak 'n Shake pushing them hard as well. Maybe it's because of the economy, or the lingering fascination we Americans seem to have with all things "Mini" (-Cooper, -me), though I too was sucked in.

Don't make this mistake.

First, the obvious caveat that no food shown on TV or in advertisements actually looks like that when you buy it, though that shouldn't be a surprise. Second, the mini burgers are only sold in packs of 2 or 4. It's not like White Castle (more on them in a minute) where you can order their sliders in any denomination you want. This is probably my biggest gripe -- a 2-pack of sliders is probably about the same amount of meat as one regular Burger King hamburger (not a Whopper or anything fancy like that, just your basic bottom-of-the-line hamburger), and it costs probably about $.30 more. So why would you order the sliders? Because the advertisement makes you want them, that's why. Not that they were horrible -- they were about the same as your standard fast food burger, which is only mediocre. Of course, Andrew probably thinks that I ruined them by having them plain with just ketchup, just like how I ruin my hot dogs. It's okay, I've accepted that, I'm moving on.

In summary, don't fall for the appeal of the sliders, at BK at least. If you really want mini burgers, the venerable White Castle does this as their bread and butter, not as a seasonal side to take advantage of a trend. Plus, their buns are steamed, which makes all the difference.

In 'n Out

Now, if you want a "real" fast food burger, all the foodies tell you that In 'n Out is really the only place to go. I was in California for work and this was really the only place on my food list. I had been once before and dragged along a co-worker who had never been. This particular establishment near LAX was packed on a Thursday evening. I was particularly enthralled by the car-hop taking orders at the drive thru.

In 'n Out is known for two things -- a dead-simple menu, and super-fresh food. As you can see, the menu has a limited number of options, and beyond just differentiating them from the competition, it's probably good for business too (read The Paradox of Choice to learn more). That doesn't mean that you can't order off the menu, though. In fact, they've attracted a whole cult following around the "secret" items to order. In 'n Out lists some on their site, though there are plenty of others.

Beyond the menu coolness, the food is just plain better. The meat is never frozen, the french fries are made fresh from real live cut potatoes, and the shakes are made from real ice cream rather than a mix. I kept it simple, with a single burger, fries, and chocolate shake. The burger patties are bigger than the average fast food variety, though not as big as I remembered. It's more like the size of what you might find at Steak 'n Shake (or Carl's Drive-In, for those St. Louisans in the know) than your standard $1 drive-thru, not that I eat any of those varieties even infrequently. The patty was definitely higher quality, and extra points for the real romaine lettuce rather than shredded iceberg you normally find. The grilled bun is a nice touch -- usually I like my buns warm, not grilled or toasted, though it worked here. (Insert "buns" joke here.)

The fries definitely taste fresh, and the serving size is generous. I'll admit to not being picky about chocolate shakes -- even the crappy fast food ones are okay in my book -- though this was definitely a cut above the norm. Still not to the level of what you'd get at Crown Candy or the venerable Friendly's Fribble, though respectable nonetheless.

If you're on the West Coast and happen upon an In 'n Out, go in and check it out. (Sorry, that was a horrible, horrible pun.)

Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ

Upon recommendation from a co-worker, a group of us visiting our Orlando office took the short ride from the hotel to to Bobbalou's Bodacious BBQ. Or, should I say -- the "award-winning" Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ. A sign of a good restaurant of any variety is framed, signed pictures of celebrities and pseudo- or local-celebrities hanging up by the cash register, and Bubbalou's didn't fail to deliver. Three things I liked about this place:

1) It's in a modern strip mall, perhaps the most soul-less environment known to man, though they managed to make you feel like you're at Iron Works when you're inside.

2) They serve snow cones.

3) Their next door neighbor in the strip mall is a uber-healthy juice bar, which makes for some fun games to play while waiting for your food, as in: "Hey, see that guy parking his car -- do you think he's coming to get some barbeque or going to the juice bar?" Okay, the game is actually very easy and not challenging, though the dichotomy between the two establishments is still amusing.

Nothing else to add in particular here. Standard BBQ main dishes, sides, and prices. Every BBQ place says they smoke their meat the best, or have the best sauces. I'm not a conniseur, so I can't compare all of those claims, I just know this was darn good food.

Matt vs. Food

I was lucky to have my brother Matt and my future brother in law Chris in town for a visit recently. 

We pretty much ate and drank from the moment they got off the plane from North Carolina until they left three days later, starting off with some outstanding sushi at Tani Sushi Bistro in Clayton. For the midwest, Tani somehow manages to get fish that is of a better quality than I can normally find around town. 

Standouts at Tani include the sashimi, the dragon ball, a collection of inventive rolls (sadly many include cream cheese which continues to confuse me) and a real treat - the hot rock - served in a thick bowl and accompanied with thinly sliced raw beef in a soy, garlic, ginger and yuzu. The beef cooks directly on the stone in seconds and is a perfect foil to the sushi.

I took the guys to the City Diner for breakfast the next day and to discuss what we would end up doing during their visit. After a half hour of fruitless discussion, my brother suggested that a eating tour of St. Louis might be in order. 

I was into the idea of a tour of my favorite places here in town, however I had no desire to actually complete such a task myself. I let him know that if he felt up to it, he would be eating alone for the most part and that when in doubt, I would be ordering for him.

Lucky for everyone my brother is hungry, brave and willing to entertain his big brother - and what follows is a minute to minute and bite to bite recap of Matt vs. Food - St. Louis Edition.

09:43:46 AM - City Diner - St. Louis Missouri

The plot is hatched and the day is full of possibilities. I kick Matt's day off with a slinger - two eggs with sausage and hash browns, topped with chili and cheese. Friends recommended that the City Diner slinger should be topped with mustard as well. From the way Matt devoured the dish - I can only assume it was a good addition.

The mere mortals amongst us enjoyed BLT's and The Southsider - eggs, biscuits and gravy with hash browns.

Fortified on sturdy carbs from breakfast we headed out to get Matt the St. Louis eating adventure that he demanded, nay deserved, for flying in to spend the weekend with me.

11:37:56 AM - Woofie's - St. Louis Missouri

I last visited Woofie's in November and I reviewed and contrasted Chicago style and New York style dogs. I suggested the Chili Pie for Matt - a Vienna dog served on a bed of chili, Fritos, onions, pickles and cheese. 

Matt knife and sporking it at Woofies, enjoying each bite a bit to much.

01:22:51 PM - Carl's Drive-In - St. Louis Missouri

I wrote up a long time favorite of mine, Carl's Drive-In, last fall. I can't think of an out of town visitor that I have not tried to bring to Carl's because the burgers are executed so well. Pressed flat on a griddle, the burgers become completely caramelized and for some diners take on a sweet flavor that plays along with the toppings. Matt enjoyed a double cheeseburger with all the fixings and a mug of home made root beer the size of his head.

A few hours and stops in, Matt was motoring along and devouring everything I could put in front of him.

01:48:12 PM - Kolache Factory - St. Louis Missouri

A kolache is a small dough treat filled with any number of meat, vegetable or fruit fillings. The Kolache Factory is a small chain with a shop in St. Louis and serve several dozen varieties of this eastern European treat. 

Matt opted for a Philly Cheesesteak while Chris took a chance with the bbq pork. In hindsight, this seems to be the first time I captured gastronomic distress in my brother.

02:14:53 PM - Ted Drewes Frozen Custard - St. Louis Missouri

Ted Drewes has been serving frozen custard in St. Louis since the 1920's and its likely that no other local location has received as much attention by the national media than it has - the place is known far and wide for its frozen treats. Because of this, "that custard place" is always on the lips of visitors as someplace they would like to stop while they are in town. 

It could be that the massive quantity of cream, eggs and sugar are leading to the serious nature of this picture, however it could be that a concrete from Ted Drewes is nothing to joke about and he's just getting down to spooning that sweet treat into his already filled food hole. 

02:39:47 PM - CC's Depot Dog - Home Depot - St. Louis Missouri

A hot dog from Home Depot? You bet your ass. CC's Depot Dogs can be found nestled by the exit doors of the Kingshighway Home Depot, and they serve up some tasty hot dogs for a price you can't beat for quick lunch - a loaded Chicago style or custom dog will run you about two bucks after tossing a quarter into the tip jar.

Matt "enjoying" a CC's dog in the parking lot, not to mention his third or fourth soft drink of the day. All that sugar - rookie eating tour mistake for sure.

03:12:14 PM - Gus' Pretzels - St. Louis Missouri

Gus' rests in the shadow of the Budweiser brewery and has been making pretzels since the 1920's. With dinner reservations at Modesto for later that evening, I figured that this doughy and salty treat would be perfect for soaking up all the grease and chili Matt had taken down.

Matt Veety - eating machine - he will break you.

10:59:46 AM - Chris' Pancake & Dining - St. Louis Missouri

The next morning we began again, this time at Chris' Pancake & Dining for some much needed breakfast. To my amazement Matt dove right back into the challenge after a nights sleep and healthy constitutional, this time opting for steak and eggs with hash browns. The only issue with his order resulted from his relative unfamiliarity with the menu. When you are offered a side of toast or pancakes at a pancake house, you always, always say pancake. After a quick discussion he indeed have the pancakes.

I joined Matt for the carb load by taking down a stack of pancakes with bacon, eggs, hash browns and a bloody mary. However, to be fair, I didn't eat much the day before and I had just finished running up all 42 floors of the Metropolitan Building for the American Lung Association.

04:41:01 PM - Tin Can Tavern and Grille - St. Louis Missouri

As part of my plans for the weekend, I pulled together a bar crawl around Tower Grove Park with stops at The Royale, Three Monkey's, The Tin Can Tavern and Grille, The Amsterdam Tavern, Tower Pub, Stella Blues, Friendly's and The Blackthorne Pub. 

Matt waited all day to try out the mini corn dogs at The Tin Can and compared their doughy goodness to the classic appetizer called pigs in a blanket - an observation I can't bring myself to argue with.

Keeping up the impressive consumption, Matt didn't hesitate to enjoy a cold PBR with his mini corn dogs, while I enjoyed the opportunity to share my neighborhood and friends with my family.

07:59:49 PM - Stella Blues - St. Louis Missouri

While others faded, Matt saddled up the bar at Stella Blues and took down a basket of onion rings.

Moving into his 48th hour of eating, Matt kept taking his best shot at menu's all over St. Louis. It was an epic showing that left me proud yet concerned about his body's ability to process all that grilled, fried and steamed food. 

10:17:35 PM - The Blackthorne Pub - St. Louis Missouri

Regular readers might remember my post on the Blackthorne Pub, where they serve up Chicago and pan style pizzas in the land of the inedible thin crust pizza topped with provel - St. Louis. The Blackthorne turned out to be the end of Matt's eating tour as well as the bar crawl, which is probably a good thing for all of us.

A group of us destroyed several pizzas in a matter of minutes before retiring for the evening. While we all had a great time, I find myself wishing great piles of vegetables on my brother to help him recover from this eating challenge - because as I was creating this post - I noticed his meals were totally devoid of them. 

Good times - great meals.

Let's never do this again.

Burgers On Air Force One

From National Geographic's upcoming TV series, On Board Air Force One, comes this fun clip of President Barack Obama ordering a burger and touring Air Force One for the first time.

His order? A medium-well burger with cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, lettuce, and tomato — and a side of fries.

I wonder how that medium-well burger turned out, and why he had to ruin it with cheese.

Video courtesy of the National Geographic Channel

Best of 2008

This has been a great year of travel and eating, discovering new tools and techniques for cooking, experiencing great slices of Americana and time spent with friends and family. I thought it would be a good idea to capture a few of my favorites for the past year.

A New Perspective Via A New Grill:

Well constructed and sporting thick cast iron grates, this Brinkman grill creates enough smoke and grill marks to turn my back yard into a decent smokehouse. In short order I adjusted to this new tool and turned out top notch whole chickens, ribs, briskets, massive steaks, pizzas and deserts. 

I really like the front loading door which allows you to feed the fire without lifting the lid and losing heat. Maintaining a steady 220 degrees with minor heat management is priceless, but at around $200.00 this grill is a steal. It takes a bit more work than my old gas grill to prep and clean, but you can't beat it as a cooking tool.

Texas Potatoes:

Potato, onion, butter and bacon in a cast iron skillet. From my post "Roasted Garlic Strip Steaks with Texas Potatoes".

Sony DSC-T500 Camera:

In a year of great new toys the Sony DSC-T500 camera has been my favorite. Small enough to fit into my pocket with 10.1 megapixels, a 3.5" wide touch screen, HD video recording with stereo mics and a 5X Optical Zoom. I also really like the macro lens which allows me to get great close ups of food for the site. I'm also loving not having to pull out my Nikon D70 in greasy diners. 

The large screen is really bright and eats though the battery in short order. After a month or so of use, I'm thinking a back up battery for this camera might be one of my "Best of 2009".

Float Trip Chicken:

There are few things better in the world than floating down a river with friends, beers and cold picnic chicken. From my post "Float Trip Picnic Chicken".

Tortas In The Park:

From my first "interview" for the site - I exchanged emails with my friend and regular Friday lunch companion Bob Baker as we made Tortas for 50 people on his birthday. He went to great lengths to get all the right ingredients and I was happy to help put together this great sandwich. From my post "Tower Grove Park Tortas".

Crab Boil:

I was so happy when my wife completed her LEED certification in September. We filled the back yard with people and I prepared the crabs the only way I know how - with lots of Old Bay and steamed in Guinness. From my post "Seafood Boil In The Heart of St. Louis". 

The New York Times Columnists:

Many thanks to Maureen Dowd, Tom Friedman and Paul Krugman for the insight, information and entertainment this year.

Llywelyn's Pub Burger:

 

One of my favorite burgers of the past year. From my post "Llywelyn's Pub".

Nunez de Prado Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

Happen chance introduced me to this great olive oil as I wandered around Whole Foods this year. It's got a perfect balance for cooking or for dipping bread in. Voted one of the best olive oils in America by Cooks Illustrated, Whole Foods stocks 25 oz. bottles for around 15 dollars. Next to bacon fat, this oil has quickly become my choice fat in the kitchen.

The Salt Lick:

Sure it is for show, but the open pit at The Salt Lick was a treat to see, and the folks were super nice and let me ram around in their kitchen. From my post "The Salt Lick Barbeque".

"My Life in France" by Julia Child

Probably the best book I read this year. In it Julia tells the story of learning to live, eat and cook in France. Julia lived an incredible life and her love of slow-food makes me excited to get into the kitchen.

Carl's Drive-In:

Old school burgers smashed on a flat top griddle. From my post "Carl's Drive-In".

Rear Window Defrosters and Heated Seats:

I said goodbye to my 1997 Mazda Miata M-Edition this fall. While this car was always fun to drive, it was never a great every day automobile. Instead I opted for some features the Miata never had - rear window defrosters and heated seats - attached to an Acura RL. Unceremoniously named an "old man's car" by my wife, it has made the commute into work one of the best parts of my day. Why - because I can see out the back window in the winter without risking a broken convertible top.

Woofies New York vs Chicago Showdown:

This past fall was all about hot dogs, Chicago style. From my post "New York vs Chicago Style Hot Dogs".

Fakesgiving Trisket:

I'm still not sure why I wanted to stuff a turkey into a perfectly cooked brisket, but I did it. From my post "Trisket - A Turkey Inside a Brisket".

Charlie The Butcher:

After a particularly good edition of "Meet The Press", I would send an email to Tim Russert of NBC News to congratulate him on that weeks content. To try to elicit a reply from the busy newsman, I would suggest that he reward his staff with beef on weck from Charlie The Butcher in Buffalo, New York. Tim never replied to my emails, but I got a chance to think again about how much his show meant to my Sunday mornings as I enjoyed a sandwich in Buffalo this fall. From my post "Charlie The Butcher's Kitchen".

The Penguin Drive In:

Punk rock music, burgers named after engines and a sweet soda called Cheerwine. From my post "The Penguin Drive-In".

Fatherhood:

Sara and I recently announced that we are pregnant to friends and family, and I launched another blog to document all the events leading up to the arrival of our first child in June of 2009. I think its a given that updates on homemade baby food will require equal billing with burgers and dogs next year.

The Penguin Drive-In

In 1954 Jim and Jean Ballentine purchased an ice cream shop in the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina. Populated with families and craftsman style bungalow homes, The Penguin (locally known as "The Bird") was an anchor of the neighborhood during its hay-day serving ice cream, burgers and hot dogs. 

Over the years Charlotte sprawled into the county and the neighborhood fell into decline. The family run businesses that surrounded The Penguin moved and were replaced with adult entertainment establishments. Business slowed and the local hot spot fell into disrepair, closing its doors in 1999. 

Since that time, interest in rehabbing the neighborhood took hold. Families moved back to the area to rehab homes and a group of punk rock kids took over The Penguin, bringing the business back to life. Today, like in the past, The Penguin is a local hot spot with great food and lines running out the door. 

I've been waiting for some time to visit The Penguin, specifically to try a new favorite of mine, deep fried pickles. I've been hooked on this dish since Sara and I visited Gulf Shores, Alabama on our honeymoon. Whereas the pickles in Alabama were breaded with corn meal, the pickles at The Penguin have a light and thin coating that reminds me of tempura. Served with ranch dressing, the fried pickles were a great pairing for a beer and the local soda, a cherry flavored drink called Cheerwine.

As soon as the pickles were polished off, I dug into The Penguin's Big Block Burger. The Big Block Burger is two beef patties weighing a combined 2/3rd of a pound topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions.

Finishing off the meal was a Race Track Dog topped with mustard, a loose meat chili, a mayo based cole slaw and chopped onions. 

The most memorable part of this hot dog was the scent of chili and cole slaw that hung low over the table as we ate and made me hesitant to try this dog. However, missing out on this treat would have been a mistake. The cole slaw was light and had a tang that you normally find with a vinegar based slaw. Hidden beneath the dog was a spicy mustard that completes each bite with just a bit of heat. 

A few other treats enjoyed at our lunch at The Penguin:

 

The Tupelo Special - Peanut Butter and Banana on Texas Toast

Thin sliced onion rings with a lonely pickle riding on top.

Opinion: Recommended

1921 Commonwealth Ave

Charlotte, North Carolina 28205

A Word of Thanks

As I prepare for a weeklong tryptophan induced coma, I just wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving with their friends and families. I'd also like to thank you for your readership as well. It's been great to get feedback from so many people and I am looking forward to sharing a few new ideas I have cooking for the coming months.

The planning for this site aside, I'm glad to be taking a break from cooking for a while after this past weekends Trisket Adventure. Instead I will be bringing a case of Schlafly Beer to Thanksgiving dinner with the in-laws back east, a simple and tasty example of all the great craft products St. Louis has to offer.

So as your gather around your kitchens and dinner tables, I'd like to point out that it was not I who thought of trying to make Thanksgiving stuffing using White Castle Hamburgers. 

However, I'm sure glad that I live in a world where someone actually sat down and tried.

Happy holidays,

Andrew

Hardee's Little Thickburger

Lunch options where I work are limited to fast food restaurants nestled in close proximity to the interstates circling the area, and over the last five years, I've tried them all save a few - Hardee's and Jack In The Box. For some reason in my mind I've always associated the two with poor food and service, especially my unfair and long held belief that Jack In The Box tried to kill people in the past.

Hardee's is a different creature though, previously known to me has Carl's Jr, and home of the Thickburger, a 1/3 lb. charbroiled 100% Black Angus beef patty, tomato, lettuce, red onion, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and dill pickles on a sesame seed bun. 

The Thickburger and the 2/3 lb. Monster Thickburger are famous worldwide for their gut busting prowess and the history of these burgers is well documented in the media. I've assembled my personal favorites here:

"If the old Thickburger was 'food porn', the new Monster Thickburger is the fast-food equivalent of a snuff movie," - The Telegraph UK

"Cardiac surgeons, expect a busy century. The era of the über-burger is upon us." - Conde Nast Portfolio

"There's another guy wearing Jared's old pants now," - USA Today

"Why do you hate me?" - My heart, in a recent voice-mail found on my cell phone.

Given the shear mass of the regular and Monster Thickburgers, I was happy recently when I saw the introduction of the Little Thickburger, a 1/4 lb. version of its big brothers. With a buy one get one free coupon, I not only got to try this burger for the first time, but try it at a manageable weight that rests between its 1/3 and 2/3 lb siblings.

I have to admit that this is a very good burger compared to other fast food burgers. The patty is indeed think and while I think attention was paid to its presentation, still appears to be machine made and previously frozen. The Angus beef is tasty and seasoned well. Of all the toppings I was particularly surprised at the crispness of the iceberg lettuce, which provided a great foil to the rest of the burger when bitten into. While not a premium burger by any measure, it does approach the quality you will find at most diners, which is not a bad thing at all.

I can say with confidence that this is one of the better fast food burgers I've ever had, coming in a close second to my all time favorite, the Big Bacon Classic at Wendy's. Where most fast food wares fill me with dread and look and taste like the lifeless gray masses that they are, I look forward to this occasional addition to my work day lunch options.

Opinion: Recommended With Reservations (It is after all fast food)

Multiple Locations in the Mid-West.

Megadeath Burger: World's Hottest Hamburger in Australia

From a favorite read of mine over at  "A Hamburger Today":

"It's like Satan's in my stomach."

In order to eat the Megadeath Burger at Off the Wall Diner in Wellington Point, Australia, you have to be over 18 and you can't have heart problems, anxiety, or asthma. Why? The burger contains chili jam, chili powder, jalapenos, and habanero sauce in quantities that go way beyond what any sane person would voluntarily eat. Thankfully, a lot of people aren't sane and participate in eating competitions for the chance to be labeled as a "Death Burger Immortal" and to amuse/horrify the rest of us who would pass out at the burger's hands.

"This is a food item that should not be actually on the market," says a dietitian in the video. If the prospect of vomiting and heart palpitations doesn't stop people, I don't think anything will. 

Watch the video.

Newstead Tower Public House

Nestled among the treasure trove of new restaurants in The Grove section of St. Louis you can find the Newstead Tower Public House. The owners use the term gastropub and public house to describe their eatery, but in the end the meaning is the same - kicked up pub food paired with great beers and wines. 

Among my favorites on the menu is the burger, locally raised grass fed beef topped with field greens, whole cap mushrooms, caramelized onions, house made quick pickles, ketchup and mayo. Burgers are served with super thin house made chips that play off the meal nicely, without weighing you down like a basket of fries can.

Burgers are skillfully cooked to order, in my case medium rare with a good sear and juices that mix with the toppings and run gloriously down your chin and hands. The bun also appears to be house made and performs admirably to the task of holding this burger together from start to finish.

Opinion: Recommended

4353 Manchester Ave.

St. Louis, Missouri 63110

314-535-7771

Carl's Drive-In

In the 1930's, the small building that is the home of Car's Drive-In was a gas station that did a side business selling hot dogs and root beer. In 1959 the gas station was bought by Carl Meyer, who turned it first into a traditional drive-in, and then by 1962 a diner, enjoying a prime location on historic Route 66 outside of St. Louis. 

In 1987 Carl's changed ownership again, this time into the skilled hands of Frank Cunetto, who can still be found behind the counter daily meeting the demand for his amazing hamburgers and house made root beer.

Carl's is a small sixteen-seat building, with the staff working in the space between two eight seat counters. Diners have a view of the flat top griddle, where hockey puck sized hamburger patties are spatula-smashed until they are thin and begin to caramelize on the edges. Folks who are unlucky enough to miss grabbing a stool wait patiently behind people at the counter, or can take their burgers outside to eat at nearby picnic tables.

Each burger is made fresh and topped right on the griddle while buns get a quick warm up to one side. While I was watching Frank work, I began to wonder if this was what it was like to visit one of the original McDonald's in the 1940's, before process "improvements", accountants and billions upon billions served turned a pristine product into a grey and lifeless burger, overshadowed by its toppings and devoid of soul.

And soul is what Carl's is all about. The grill-man works fast in four to eight burger salvos that eventually become single, double and triple burgers, served on small paper plates. Turnover is quick and the diners are for the most part silent, with the exception of brief comments to neighbors regarding this amazing communion of authentic American classic, born of The Mother Road, and its hamburgers that seem to disappear faster than they are made.

Opinion: Highly Recommended

9033 Manchester Rd

St Louis, MO 63144

314-961-9652

Llywelyn's Pub

I have been struggling with the concept of “best” lately, especially what it means to achieve its largely objective status. 

As one who often represents his own opinions as facts, I am trying to develop a healthy understanding of what the term “best” actually means. When applied to food, best seems to be a dichotomy. Best is an appreciation for perfection. Best also represents the end of the search for that perfection. 

With this in mind I visited Llywelyn's Pub in St. Louis to try what has been deemed by many as one of the best burgers in town. Llywelyn's has several locations; Webster Groves, the Central West End and Soulard. Conversations with friends led me to the Soulard location, which is known for having the best service and friendliest waitstaff. Indeed our waitress was attentive and pleasant though out our meal.

The Llywelyn's Pub burger is a six-ounce chuck burger topped with caramelized onions, bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. The burger and toppings ride inside a thick English muffin which is browned on a griddle before serving.

The beef burger is quite good and cooked as requested, which for me is medium to medium rare. The patty was well caramelized, again appearing to result from a griddle and not an open flame, and added an additional layer of flavor to the interior juices and unadulterated beef taste. Kudos are deserved for the choice of an English muffin for this burger, its heft and dense structure absorbs the juice from the burger from start to finish without becoming soggy or weighted down.

Condiments are available table-side, but are quite unnecessary given the pub burgers choice of partners. The bacon is crisp without being burnt and while the onions were not caramelized in the true sense of the word, they had been sweat to the point where they were a sweet and savory addition. 

I continue my tradition of being outwardly hostile to idea of adding cheese to a burger, but my wife thought the healthy slice of sharp cheddar fit well with the concept behind the burger - telling me exactly that multiple times throughout our meal.

It is at this point that the idea behind the “best” begins to fail me yet again. Is the burger at Llywelyn's Pub the best in St. Louis? I think probably not. It is however one of the most well thought out burgers I’ve had in a while and appeals to my appreciation for culinary simplicity. To often burgers hide behind toppings to compensate for poor technique and lack of attention. This is not the case at Llywelyn's and for that reason I can say it is one of the better burgers I’ve had in town - if only to not allow the idea of “best” end my search.

Opinion: Recommended

1732 9th Street

St. Louis 63104

314-436-3255

Giving Into the Crave.

A highlight of the fall in St. Louis is our yearly bike race, The Tour de Moose. We've stepped things up this year with a planning board and training rides to accommodate a ridership that has grown from 20 to 60 in three years, with 100 expected this year. 

Our first ride of the season was this morning and what started as a quick bike ride with a few adult beverages planned afterward quickly evolved into a culinary and gastrointestinal adventure as well. 

Our Sunday morning ride started around 9:30 AM and about an hour later we happened past a White Castle that my friend Moose (of the Tour de) wanted to put on this years tour as a pit stop. The idea is to offer a break between legs where riders can roll past and grab a slider like marathon runners reaching for bottles of water. As we were already testing our bikes and the race route, we figured it would be a good idea to test our stomachs as well with a mid-morning slider break. 

From left to right we have a fish slider, a traditional White Castle, and resting like a king on its orange throne the new A1 White Castle. My impromptu goal was to compare the A1 slider against the original, and truth be told the only difference is a dollop of A1 Steak Sauce and a lack of pickles. For me, the pickle is what makes a White Castle and they are missed on the A1 where the bite of sour would play nicely against the steak sauce and onions. 

Both burgers benefited from the early morning visit. While the sign out front states that they are always open, it seemed that the bun was fresher than you would find at midnight visit to White Castle. The freshness of the bread did a good job soaking up the grease and onion juice that usually meld a slider to its box and eventually the bag. 

In full disclosure, I added the fish slider because I had skipped breakfast and really, who orders the fish at White Castle? In my opinion it is the best item on the menu, but it too could benefit from the liberal application of a pickle or two, alone or riding in some tarter sauce.

Opinion: Recommended with reservations, usually the morning after.