Epic Portions » burger

@burger – Ann Arbor, MI

John — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:01:48 +0000

If I am ever in search of a quality burger in the Ann Arbor area, Blimpy Burger is the obvious choice. There is nothing better than a burger cooked on a grill that has been seasoned by decades of use. I don’t care what condiments you add to it. Quality beef is a worthy substitute to the properly seasoned grill, but I prefer the taste created by age. Recently, the “gourmet” burger trend has been making its way from the West Coast and Ann Arbor has become a hot spot for these burger joints. Bagger Dave’s popped up a few years ago, there are plans to add a Five Guys(which originated in D.C., but follows the west coast burger idea) on State St., and most recently a joint called @burger popped up on Liberty.

I followed @burger’s development pretty closely because it was interesting to see a new burger joint pop up in the downtown Ann Arbor area. When I was a kid, Ann Arbor was all about authenticity. My Mom would drop us off and we would grab a Flafel sandwich from Jerusalem Garden, sometimes double up with a hot dog from Le Dog, stop in at Discount Records, and enjoy the uniqueness that was Ann Arbor. There were places we could go that you couldn’t find outside of the city. As the years go by, more and more of these businesses have closed, allowing Starbucks, Potbelly, and Chipolte to move in. Each time one of these chains moves in, it seems to lessen Ann Arbor’s authenticity. I’m not saying Ann Arbor has lost the character that makes the city what it is, it’s just that every time a business like Cosi moves in, the more the experience is cheapened.

The first thing that worried me about @burger was that it’s owned by Big Boy. This is the first location and there are plans to turn it into a national chain. I’ve had a burger at Big Boy. Burger is not plural because I never any desire to ever try another one. What positives could Big Boy possibly bring to the world of burgers?

The more I read, however, the more I thought this might be a quality joint. The meat is all ordered from Wolverine Packing Co., a Detroit based meat packer, and all of the buns are baked in house. The “build your own burger” option would be there, with micro brews being available in the near future. Maybe Big Boy was doing something right? I was still a little hesitant to accept their modern burger joint concept into Ann Arbor, but I went to check it out anyways. The things I do for my readers…

The first thing I noticed was the interior. It’s incredibly cheesy and the designer seemed to be having an identity crisis at the time of hire. There are multiple plasma TVs on the wall, giving the feel of a sports bar surrounded by modern furniture and minimalist design giving it the feel of a hipster hang out. As you walk in, the menu is displayed on an LCD screen, then on paper in front of the registers. The design just gives off an incredibly unauthentic feel. It just seems a little phony to me.

The menu consists of burgers, one chicken sandwich, salads, and sides which include chips with toppings and fries. They also have Custard shakes. An employee takes your order at the cash register and you are given a device which tells you that your food is ready. We ordered the BBQ Velveeta burger, the Caprese Chicken Sandwich, Buffalo Chips, and two drinks. Our total came to $22.00. Not breaking the bank expensive, but also not what I want to pay for two burgers and some chips. There are many different condiments to choose from, along with multiple flavors of popcorn seasoning. This confused me, because I didn’t see popcorn anywhere on the menu.

Your buzzer goes off when your food is ready(it actually says “your food is ready”), but an employee brings your food to you. Once again, I was confused. If someone is bringing you your food, why spend money on electronic devices to notify you that your food is ready when someone is going to bring it to you ten seconds later?

When my burger arrived, I was less than impressed. The BBQ Velveeta Burger comes with bacon, BBQ sauce, Velveeta cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles. The burger as a whole just didn’t look very appetizing to me. The burger patty was lacking in size and looked a little over cooked. The cheese was minimal, and I had a hard time finding any BBQ sauce at all. There was also shredded lettuce. Seriously, shredded lettuce? On a positive note, the bun looked impressive, and the bacon was plentiful and crispy.

BBQ Velveeta Burger

Upon my first bite, the first thing I noticed was the dryness of the bun. It had the feel of a bun that had been sitting around for hours. Typically that’s not how you want your buns to taste when you advertise that they are baked fresh in house. Second, the burger was dry and overcooked. The flavor was good, but there was no juiciness at all which was very disappointing. Third, the bacon was very crispy and delicious. I would definitely recommend bacon on any burger you get here. Past that, the cheese and BBQ sauce were not very plentiful which did not help the dryness of the burger and bun. I think they have a good concept with the beef and condiments on this burger, but just wasn’t prepared very well that day.

The Buffalo Chips were chips served with Buffalo sauce and Bleu Cheese dressing on top. The chips were crispy and tasted fresh, and the Buffalo sauce was delicious. I could have used a little bit more sauce on top of the chips, but all in all this is a great accompaniment to a burger. They have several other types of chips you can order on the side and I would definitely recommend you give them a try.

Buffalo Chips

All in all, this place could be a lot worse. The decor inside may be a little cheesy and it may be owned by Big Boy, but I think they’re on the right track. My burger wasn’t very well prepared, but I think if I went back and tried the exact same burger I might get different results. I still say if you’re looking for a burger you should head to Blimpy’s, but if you’re not a fan of the hole in the wall burger joints and are scared of getting cursed out for ordering wrong, @burger might be a option for you.

Poutine Burger at Grange Kitchen & Bar

John — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:45:39 +0000

Weeks ago, I wrote about Poutine and how much I loved it. It was a simple, yet glorious post and it called out one of the most delicious piles of slop I have ever eaten in my entire life. Recently, I was catching up on my reading over at my other home on the web, AnnArbor.com, and I came across Jessica Webster’s article on the best burgers in Ann Arbor.

What I saw almost made me shoot projectile tears at the monitor. That almost sounds like some sort of EMO kid thing. I feel a little weird now.

A time ago, Grange Kitchen & Bar decided they would begin serving a Poutine Burger.

Yes, a Poutine Burger. A Burger topped with Poutine. Poutine resting on a burger patty. Poutine. Burger. Just for the record that’s a grilled grass-fed burger, aged cheddar, French Fries and creamy cheese curds in a duck confit gravy.

Feast your eyes on this beauty:

Apparently they’re not currently serving this beautiful creation, which brought the projectile tears back out but for a whole new emotion, so I will not be able to try it anytime soon. Please, Grange Kitchen & Bar. Bring it back.

update:

Grange left me a comment informing me that as long as Poutine is on the menu, this burger is available. Time to wipe off my computer screen.

Check out their website. Really interesting concept and menu. I’ll be visiting this place very soon.

Grange Kitchen & Bar
118 W. Liberty
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
http://www.grangekitchenandbar.com

Blue Tractor’s Carnivore Burger

John — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:00:12 +0000

New on Blue Tractor’s menu… 1/2 lb patty topped with pulled pork, bacon, smoked cheddar, and fried jalapeño chips.

I need this. That’s in bold because I really need it. Add this to the list of things you will see me eat very soon.

Bagger Dave’s – Ann Arbor, MI

John — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:16:14 +0000

Me and Coco aka That Guy aka co-host of the Coco and Warhammer Show went over to Bagger Dave’s for some burgers the other day. There’s one right down the street from our work and I had never been, despite hearing mostly good things. Apparently this location is one of three, with all of them being Michigan based. A guy who owns a bunch of Buffalo Wild Wings decided he wanted to open a gourmet burger joint in Berkely a few years ago with the hopes that it would catch on and become a chain. Not a bad idea. With the exception of the obvious hole in the wall burger joints, Michigan lacked any kind of gourmet burger establishment until Five Guys started moving in recently. With the two additional Bagger Dave’s locations being added since 2008, it looks like the idea is working so far.

Before I walked in I was expecting a mostly carry out based burger joint. The place is actually more of a sit down restaurant(100+ seats) with a pretty solid(mostly local) beer selection. There’s flat screen TVs and a mini train set that constantly runs around the top perimeter of the restaurant. It doesn’t really have the feel of a burger joint, but it’s a comfortable, yet different, environment.

"Amazingly Delicious" Turkey Black Bean Chili

I started off with the “amazingly delicious” turkey black bean chili, mainly because of the whole “amazingly delicious” proclamation. If you’re going to say something on your menu is that delicious, then damnit it better be. I’m not usually a “substitute turkey for other meat” kind of guy, but like I said, the menu says amazingly delicious. I had to put it to the test. Gotta say, stuff is legit. I can usually tell when things are made from turkey. It just has a weird taste to me. This was delicious, and had a good amount of spice. Despite the fact that a bowl is $4.00+, I would have to recommend that you get some of this before your burger.

Create Your Own Burger

For my burger, I felt that there was no other choice for me than to create my own. There are a many options on the actual menu, but come on. How much fun is that? The thin patties start out in the open kitchen at 3.5 ounces — one costs $3.29 and two $4.29 (turkey burgers are a dollar more) and come in a plain, sesame or whole wheat roll or sourdough bread. For 75 cents you can add one of six kinds of cheese, and for $1 you can add on “premium” topping of fries, fried egg, guacamole, bacon or that delicious turkey black bean chili. Bagger Dave’s also offers 16 “meaningless free toppings” that range from ketchup and lettuce to sautéed mushrooms, Cajun spice and green peppers.

The burgers are advertised as hand-crafted from lean ground beef that is never frozen. The burgers are all cooked medium-well, which is always troubling to me. The result is a smaller patty that was actually a little dry for my tastes. I felt like the condiments and add ons made the burger, not the actual patty. I feel like if you’re opening a restaurant that specializes in burgers, your patty should stand out even without a single condiment. These didn’t.

I will say that my creation, with a hell of a lot of toppings, was absolutely delicious. I went with a plain bun and two regular beef patties with pepper jack cheese, Santa Fe chipolte sauce, a fried egg, applewood bacon, mayo, and Cajun spice. Like I said, the beef is pretty average but the slop on top made it into a solid burger. Check this guy out.

Not anything amazing, but pretty solid. Expect to pay about 12 bucks per person if you’re getting a drink, fries/chili, and a burger. A little steep for burgers and fries, you’re getting a lot more than that if you’re creating your own burger.

The Flood Burger

John — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:13:42 +0000

Normally my daily Serious Eats experience usually consists of scrolling down quickly, not seeing anything too interesting and then moving on elsewhere. Lately, however, I’m becoming a fan of their Hamburger Today column. Especially when it features things like it did this week. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt decided to squeeze the juice out of two burgers, freeze it, surround it with two formed patties, and grill it. The results look absolutely ridiculous, and by ridiculous I mean delicious. He calls it the Flood Burger.

This will be made in my household very soon, and by very soon I mean TOMORROW.

Greatest Burger Joint Ever?

John — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:59:34 +0000

Michael Symon is a personal hero of mine. Making him an Iron Chef was one of the best things the Food Network has ever done and of course they’ve screwed it up by not giving him enough screen time. The man loves meat, and he recently opened up The B-Spot in Woodmere, Ohio which quite possibly gets my vote for the greatest burger joint ever. I don’t even need to try it. I can tell just from reading the menu. Clearly written on the bottom is “We cook in Lard“. None of this ‘Your burger may come in contact with lard” business.

The Red Hot Burger has my mouth watering. This burger is topped with pulled pork, pickled tomato, hot peppers, pepperjack cheese, siracha mayo.

The Red Hot Burger courtesy of funplayingwithfood.blogspot.com

They do offer a vegetarian burger called The Why? Before you lose faith in Symon’s love for meat, you are given the option of adding bacon free of charge.

You can even get your burgers cooked the way you like them. They’re not all cooked into submission like other joints. In fact, you are encouraged to order your burgers rare. The cooking temperatures on the website are as follows:

Rare: blood red, cold/cool in center
Mid Rare: reddish, cool in the center
Medium: reddish/pink, warm center
Mid Well: barely pink, warm center
Well: no pink, very sad, hot center

In case that wasn’t enough, The B-Spot also boasts a respectable beer menu, which includes three of Dexter’s own Jolly Pumpkin’s selections.

Road trip!

Steak ‘n’ Shake!!!

Dave — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:58:52 +0000

I looked through the archives of this site and was shocked to see that Steak n Shake has never been reviewed on this site! Of course, it may have something to do with the fact that the one in Ypsilanti is one of the worst in the nation and I have no clue how close Todd is to the ones in his area. I know there are NONE in VA, which really pisses me off. So I knew when I went back to Springfield, MO for leave, I would definitely have to make a trip to Steak n Shake. Why?

Maybe it’s because the five best S n S’s in the country are here due to the fact that the owner of the company lives in Branson, MO.

Maybe it’s because I’m a former employee and I know the standard of service to expect from the place.

Maybe it’s just that I love burgers made from grade A steak cuts rather than ground beef.

Maybe it’s the shoestring french fries or the hand-dipped, home-made Milkshakes.

Maybe it’s…

BEAN CROCK!

Anyway, for a brief history of the place go here, I’m not making this any longer than I have to…

So for our little culinary jaunt to our oldtime haunt, Amy Went with a classic fave…

The Mid-westernly famous Frisco Melt!!!

In case you have trouble reading image captions, that’s a Frisco Melt. Two Steakburger patties with swiss and cheddar cheese, 1000 Island dressing, and lettuce on sourdough bread. She also got cheese fries. In fact, this is pretty much all she ever orders from Steak n Shake. For her drink, she went with a Vanilla Dr. Pepper (that’s right, you can add cherry or vanilla flavor to your drink at no charge!).

So what did your bespectacled and currently enbearded author order? Well, usually I go with a Mushroom n Swiss Steakburger with Fries and a cup of chili and have a chocolate shake, but I was feeling a bit adventurous and saw a new menu item that caught my fancy!

The Western BBQ Bacon Steakburger!!!

Yes, once again, I’m doing a review where I ordered a BBQ Bacon Burger. What can I say? I love them. This one wasn’t outstanding but it was pretty good. It had french fried onions on it, which was pretty tasty. I used to eat entire cans of that stuff like they were potato sticks. Anyway, digressing. I also got a cup of chili with cheese and crackers.

Oh yeah, I got this with my meal too...

For my beverage, I got…

A Hershey's Syrup Special Dark ChocolateMilkshake

Oh yum… Seriously, that was an amazing shake! I don’t know if it’s worth $5, but it’s a damn good shake (100 pop culture cool points to the first person other than John or Todd to name that quote).

On the subject of their shakes, they have over 20 different varieties of milkshakes. I mean, it’s half their name, so one would expect some quality and variety, am I right?

Here’s a few pics I took of their selection…

These ones are candy inspired...

Some classic shakes: Chocolate, OrangeFreeze, Strawnana side-by side, Root Beer Float, and Turtle sippable Sundae

They have your regular shakes in Chocolate, Vanilla, Mocha, Strawberry, Spec Dark, and an

Orange Freeze which is made by mixing vanilla ice cream with water and orange flavor instead of milk.

Then they have the specialty shakes such as Butterfinger, Cookies n Cream, Cookie Dough, T urtle Nut Supreme, Mint Cookies and Creme, Double Fudge, Peanut Butter Cup and Banana Split. These are called Sippable Sundaes. They also have strawberry and raspberry smoothies. My favorite thing they do with their shakes though, is the Side-by-Side. You can take two flavors of shakes and have them side by side in the same glass. Create flavors such as Banocolate, Strawnana, Chocnilla, or MochaChocolate.

Another thing I like about the location I went to today is the fact that if you sit at the counter, you can see the food being made on the line.

View from the side

ORDER UP!

So if you’re ever in any of the states from Texas to Pennsylvania (excluding LA, VA, NJ, and MD), check this place out for a fun, nostalgic, good food served fast experience. And if you want the best service from Steak n Shake, come to Springfield, MO. Seriously, I scarcely had time to think “where’s the food?” when it was in front of me. Excellent service. I leave you with some pics of my kids playing with the fold up cars they gave us.

Amelie's car

Steak n Shake
Various locations throughout the Mid-West to East Coast

http://www.steaknshake.com/