James' Third Base

Usually when I think of third base, two things come to mind: baseball and the backseat of my car in high school. On a day when Josh was working hard in college, I had a a meeting at my accountant's office. On the way back home I discovered another kind of third base as I slid into James' Third Base Sports Bar and Grill.

Located at 1079 Reading Rd. in Mason, Third Base lives up to its name, at least in terms of the decor. It is you typical sports pub with TVs playing all of the available sports channels. They see themselves as much a neighborhood casual restaurant as a sports pub and do their best to combine the two. The menu is fairly extensive compared to many similar places. They offer a fairly wide selection of sandwiches, salads and wraps to compliment the traditional bar food appetizers.

But I was there for the burger. The lunch menu (when I was there) only offers a single steak burger but at dinner time you can get the double and even a triple. I settled for the single with American and a light run through the garden.

When you call your burger a steak burger the diner just assumes that the meat is ground sirloin. I'm not sure what it was but mine didn't really have that sirloin flavor. It was well cooked and fresh but tasted more like an 80-20 ground beef that had been slapped together. In short, there was nothing special about it. And at $7.49 ($8.49 at dinner time) it seemed a tad over priced, especially when I could have driven a couple miles and eaten at a Five Guys.

Don't get me wrong, Third Base is a decent place. I'm sure during peak sports times the place is rocking and folks have a great time. Perhaps I was anticipating more from what was called a steak burger (shoot, this wasn't even Steak N Shake quality) but I left disappointed and wondering why my money really went. It was kind of like leading off the inning with a stand-up triple and being stranded when my teammates couldn't get the ball out of the infield. Oh well. There's always next season.

Hooters

I was out of town on some business while Josh was back home attended to his college classes. Some of the people I was working with wanted to head to Hooters after work. Now I've been to Hooters a few times (always for the food, never to look at the girls) and know that they have some decent grub, especially their wings. When we got there they had a special on their burgers and it dawned on me that I hadn't ever devoured one of their meaty offerings.

Hooters was started in Clearwater, FL in 1983. The business was incorporated on April Fools day because even the six business men who founded it didn't think the concept would succeed. They were wrong. The casual dining chain owns 140 restaurants and franchises 430 more. They also operate a Las Vegas casino. To find one near you (if you don't already know) check them out on line at http://www.hooters.com/Home/Default.aspx.

The Burger

I was a little apprehensive about ordering the burger. As I said, I'd had their wings on numerous occasions and had even eaten a few other sandwich specials over the years. But the burger was virgin territory for me. But I was game and so I ordered up a "build your own" burger with pepper jack cheese and my choice of garden. 

The food arrived in a decent amount of time, hitting the table hot off the grill. The burger was thick and juicy, the bun soft, yet firm. I was still a little worried considering the luck I'd had at other chicken/wing restaurants in the past. But I'll be honest, this was a pretty decent burger, especially for a chain. The meat was fresh with a nice flavor. All of the ingredients complimented each other and none really stole from the flavor of the meat, even the bit of bite from the pepper jack cheese.

I wouldn't go so far as to say this was a great burger. But it ranks up there with a Friday's burger, perhaps. Well, close to it anyway. The fries were decent and the service was fast and friendly (and not bad to look at considering that we met one of the Hooters girls who was featured in the 2014 calendar). I don't go out of my way to eat at a Hooters and this burger isn't going to change that. But if I'm in a position to nosh at one of these I might actually consider the burger next time and not just dive into the wings.

Andy's Cafe

With Josh being the good college student and attending classes, I had to run over near Elmwood to pick up some materials for an upcoming commercial shoot. I was pretty familiar with the area because I had spent an extended time working with a production company that was once housed over there. For that reason I knew there were a few nice little neighborhood diners in the area and I decided to stop in Andy's Cafe for lunch.

Andy's is a true neighborhood place and one of the joints we would go on occasion for lunch. Located at 7201 Vine St., just south of where Paddock meets Vine at the "big Indian sign," it is a small corner building with the bar and a few tables in front and more tables in a back room.

They call themselves a "family restaurant" and it comes across not only in the people who work there but those who frequent the place. While I was sitting there I saw several people stop in, see someone and not only say "hello" but ask about their family. This is a place where everyone not only knows your name but your family as well.

I hadn't had one in a long time so I ordered up a Big Andy double decker burger. This is a freshly made burger with beef that took a little time to prepare. They were frying it up on their flattop just for me.

When it arrived it looked perfect. There was that char around the edges of the meat that a good cook knows how to make. The two beef patties were stacked high on a standard bun with my garden sitting on top. I bit in hoping this was going to be as good as it looked. I was only a little disappointed. The beef tasted fresh and had that perfect flattop grill flavor. The tomato, understandably considering the season, was not the best but the cheese, the slice of American cheese tasted like it was bulk purchased Kraft. For me that really drew down what otherwise was a pretty good burger.

Overall I enjoyed my trip to Andy's Cafe. I could have done with a better slice of cheese. But the ambiance is neighborhood joint cool and the service was friendly. If you are ever traveling along I-75 around meal time you might want to hop off at the Paddock Rd. exit and head west a block to Vine then south to Andy's. And while you're there, check out that "big Indian sign."

The Best Burger in America

With Josh in college and Mark on the road, this week we're posting an article we found on line touting the best burgers in America. Now, of course, we all know, just like this column, all such lists and rankings are totally biased. It really depends on what folks are looking for. And one person's favorite may not make another person's top 10.

A quick look at this list reveals quite a range in prices. Now granted, we have only tried one of these (it happens to be the cheapest) but if the others are as good then we would like to tout those as well. While we might want to try them all but come on, a $26 burger? On our next trip to New York we might just give it a try.

Check out the list and let us know if anyone has eaten at any of these: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/best-burgers-america-160524886.html

J. Alexander

Founded in 1971 in Nashville with a nationwide expansion plan that is rather selective, J. Alexander's is an upscale casual restaurant that now has over 30 locations in large cities in 12 different states. With more of the trappings of a high end restaurant rather than the "neighborhood" casual places that dot the landscape, J. Alexander's prides itself on using wood fires to cook fresh, high quality food. That's the company line.

We ventured to the one location here in the Tri-State located in Rookwood Commons (you can find them on line at http://www.jalexanders.com/index.php and while the site is smooth and stylish it doesn't really tell much about the restaurant). But we didn't go to check out the web site, we went to try a burger.

We each had an Old Fashioned Cheeseburger that is made from fresh chuck that is ground daily and then hand patted into a thick burger. They brag about their food being wood cooked and as we do the vast majority of our grilling using wood (and different types of wood for different types of food, we know something about the subject.

One bite and you can taste the wood smoke that has cooked into the meat. The burger is fresh and juicy and was cooked to our tastes. The flavor of the fresh chuck was enhanced by the use of Tillamook cheddar, an Oregon cheese that pairs very nicely with the burger. In fact, the entire burger is very, very good.

But this isn't the kind of place most people will want to make their regular neighborhood burger joint. Though the burgers are very tasty they come at a price; and that price is high. Our burgers were $12 each and the fries added another $5.

If you want a good smokey burger then you might want to make a visit to J. Alexander's. Just bring a lot of money. If, like us, you want a good, fresh, wood smoked burger, just run to Jungle Jim's for some fresh 80-20 Angus chuck and fire up the grill with some hickory wood.

Wild Mike's

With three locations on the west side, if you live over there or, as we were, just passing through, you can probably find one near to where you are. We ventured to the one in Green Township (4498 Harrison Ave. at Race) but there are also locations in Delhi (5043 Delhi Pike) and in Miami Heights (7587 Bridgetown Rd.). You can also find them on line at http://www.wildmikeswings.com/.

This was the first visit to any of the Wild Mike's for either of us so we can only speak to the one location. But if the others are as fun and friendly as this one then they should be must stops for folks in the area.

The restaurant is small and when we went in for lunch was pretty crowded. Still, it didn't feel cramped as there was room to move around among the booths and tables. There were a number of TVs hung on each of the walls and, with the possible exception of where Josh was sitting, anyone could see several without really having to turn their head very much.

Service was prompt and extremely friendly. Our server chatted with us, joked and even laughed at an exchange we had concerning how it was going to be many, many years before Josh ever picked up the tab.

We each ordered the half pound burger (yeah, we were hungry) that was run through the garden. Josh chose American cheese, Mark provolone. For mid-September the garden wasn't terribly bad. The tomato wasn't a tasty as those coming out of our garden but then again, few are. The burger, chargrilled, had the scent and the flavor of that flattop with edges seared just right. The burgers were cooked a little more done than we prefer but the overall flavor was there.

The Kaiser roll on which it was served was firm but not hard the way some can get. We weren't sure but it seemed to be something that was made this morning.

Along with the burgers we each ordered up a small curly fry. Big mistake. We could have easily split one order, especially with the size of those burgers (they didn't shrink very much from their original half pound). The fries were nothing special, pretty much standard frozen restaurant curly fries but they were cooked properly and, without a doubt, they were plentiful.

Wild Mike's is primarily a wings joint though they have a pretty complete menu with a number of burgers, sandwiches and even complete dinners. The place is filled with the perfume of a tasty wing sauce. We were almost tempted to order those wings and will probably stop back to give them a try. In the mean time we did enjoy the burger. No, not the best and not going to make our Best Of list but still a good substantial burger at a heck of a price. And the people were friendly, too.

If you live on the West Side you've probably already visited one of Wild Mike's locations. If you don't, toss caution to the wind and drive up Harrison Ave. one day and aim for one of the three locations. You're bound to be glad you did.

Augie's Tavern

Sometimes we go looking for a place and sometimes the place just seems to find us. We were off on a fool's errand when the stereo grumbling of our stomachs made us realize that it was half past hamburger time. As fate would have it we were wandering through Reading and a misguided turn down a residential street led us to 201 Walnut St. led us to Augie's Tavern.

Augie's is the picture of a neighborhood place. Nestled actually in a neighborhood. This is the kind of place that is filled with regulars all the time. And from the looks of the place and their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Augies-Tavern/115427431812392), this group of regulars seem to do as much away from the place as they do inside and on the patio. Well, maybe not as much but there does seem to be a lot of events and activities sponsored and organized by Augie's in which people can get involved.

Being wandering tourists that day we seemed to stick out like that proverbial sore hitching digit and yet we were greeted by friendly folks all around; and not just those who were on the tavern's payroll, either.  A couple of the regulars went out of their way to say hi and ask what brought us in. We figured if they were that friendly to a couple of "foreigners" then this place was already elevated in our book.

That is all well and good but we hadn't stopped in for some friendly chat (though that never hurts) or to see who won this year's golf outing (it wasn't either of us). We were there for burgers. And so we ordered up a pair as we sipped a nice cool drink of the soft variety.

As friendly as the service its speed, at least with our food, wasn't about to break any sound barrier. Don't misunderstand, it wasn't slow. In fact it took just the right amount of time. You see, they cooked up our burgers fresh and brought them out to us just about the time we were hearing what happened on the seventh tee during the recent golf outing.

The burgers were everything you look for in that form of hand held cuisine. The meat was fresh and cooked just the way we like it. The bun was sturdy and did its job. The cheese and other goodies were there to compliment rather than get in the way. Was this one of the best burgers we'd ever eaten, not quite. But it was good enough (and the rating probably elevated by the tremendously friendly atmosphere) to perhaps drag us off the beaten path again in the future to have another go at Augie's. And who knows, maybe we'll bring our golf clubs.

Lana's Family Restaurant

We love little hole in the wall, neighborhood restaurants. They are usually oozing with atmosphere and more often then not they serve up some pretty tasty food. What makes one of these places even better is when hardly anyone but the locals know about it.

That seems to be the case with Lana's Family Restaurant located at 819 Monmouth St. in Newport. There is very little about this place on line. Even Urbanspoon doesn't seem to acknowledge their existence. One of the few comments we discovered about it on Yelp seemed to sum it up best, stating that the reason for this dearth of on-line coverage is probably because no one under 60 goes there.

The day we went there were plenty of people under 60 but it seemed as though just about everybody knew each other. Sometimes that can be a problem (we've experienced it in similar places) because the non-regulars can be treated as "second-class citizens" by the servers while they attend to the folks they know.

That wasn't the case for us at Lana's. We were greeted with smiling "hellos" and our server gave us menus and got our drink orders before out butts had time to warm the booth cushion. Ordering for us wasn't difficult. Their standard fare is a quarter pound burger but since we were both very hungry we opted for the double with two patties of meat.

Right up front it must be said that when you order a burger you get just that, the burger. For us our doubles came with a slice of American cheese. If we wanted it through the garden it cost an extra fifty cents. Now that may seem like a pretty crappy way to do business but consider this, our burgers, made with fresh, never frozen pure beef patties on buns that were bakes daily that were run through the garden cost us each $4.25. Yeah, you read that correctly.

And the flavor was delicious. There was that tell tale flat top char around the edges that's a mark of a really well cooked burger (not a well done burger). It was juicy and packed with true, 100% burger flavor. And the garden was worth the fifty cents. The lettuce and tomato tasted as though it had been bought from a farmer's market that morning.

While the sandwich comes with chips you could order fries for an additional buck and a quarter. Mark stuck with the chips, which pretty much tasted like fresh Husman's while Josh got the fries which were your basic restaurant service variety but they were nicely cooked, crisp on the outside and soft and tender in the middle.

Like most great hole in the wall joints Lana's isn't known for their burgers. They advertise serving breakfast all day and even at lunch time when we went there were a lot of people finishing up and ordering from the breakfast portion of the menu. Everything that we saw looked and smelled delicious. It was to the point that we almost didn't order burgers at all. But we made a mental not to head back and try some of their breakfast items.

All the while we were there we were soaking up the quaint charm of this Newport joint. People were all saying hello and talking about things that happened to them earlier that week. This is one of the precious commodities that everyone needs to check out at some time or another, the local neighborhood restaurant. You owe it to yourself to head toward Newport and hit up Lana's.

Drew's On the River

If you have never been to Drew's on the River you are probably one of those east side people who won't travel west. Drew's is something of a Delhi institution. It only opened in 2004 but it has withstood some high water from the river and kept coming back strong. Located at 4333 River Rd. in Delhi and on the web at http://www.drewsontheriver.com/ Drew's is exactly what you would expect in a fun pub on the river.

Featuring a menu that relies on bar food and sandwiches, Drew's offers up regular entertainment every weekend. There are daily lunch specials and you can even pull up in your boat at their dock and stop by for a meal.

Burgers

We ordered up the Anchor Cheese Burger, a half pound of Angus beef that is nicely seasoned and grilled just right. Let's cut to the chase: this is a pretty good burger. Everything about it was fresh. Our service was good and friendly. As we sat wiping the juices from our chins we realized that this was one of the better burgers we'd had recently for this blog. We aren't sure if it ranks up there with our favorite burgers in the area. We will have to go back and chow down a few more times just to make sure. Maybe we'll see you there, even if like us, you live on the east side of town.

McWendy King's

It's surprising to us how often people will comment on the fact that we do this little burger blog. We don't have very many readers but that was never our intention. We do find a couple of things odd, though. One is where our audience comes from. For example, this past week we have gotten almost as many hits from Russia as from the USA. (Hey, if you live in Russian, or anywhere for that matter, drop us a line and say hi at turnerbudds@yahoo.com).

The other thing that surprises us is how often people will defend their favorite burgers. We have taken a bunch of heat for our lukewarm review of Carvers. We're sorry, the burgers we got just weren't that good.

Now we honestly don't really pan many places. Let's be honest, if you use decent ingredients it's pretty difficult to mess up a burger. Remember, we don't go after the exotic burgers on the menu just the basic number with meat, cheese and our choice of condiments and garden.

Perhaps the biggest surprise to us is how often we've had people tell us that they actually like a fast food burger from one of the Big Three. Nothing wrong with that. We've both eaten our share of McWendy King products. Josh, being a college student, still does. Mark, on the other hand, prefers real food.

But, to be fair and being prompted by some "new" claims about certain burgers, we decided to suffer the public humiliation and rank the Big Three in order of our preference. We tested each restaurant's standard burger. At McDonald's it was the Quarter Pounder, at Wendy's it was the Double, and at Burger King it was the Whopper. Of course we ordered fries with each and are rating those as well.

Burgers

We both agreed that Burger King had the best of the three burgers. "At least they pretend to cook it over a real flame," is how Josh summed it up. Yes, they send the meat through their flame broiling conveyor belt like something out of a 1920's German movie and then let it sit around until it is time to pop it in the microwave to heat up for a customer. Still, the flavor of the actual flame (and we've read that the flavor is added to the meat prior to cooking) makes the Whopper the best tasting burger.

For the second place burger we differed. Mark preferred Wendy's offering as the meat tasted fresher and it seemed as though the burger wasn't actually sitting around for very long. Josh admitted to being a fan of the Quarter Pounder, liking the consistency and the flavor. For Mark the consistency of the Quarter Pounder is a bit strange. It doesn't seem like real meat and that, for him, was a problem.

Fries

This was a no brainer. Number one is without a doubt McDonald's. They absolutely know how to make a French fry. Because everything at every McDonald's is consistent you are sure to get crispy fries that actually taste like potatoes.

Second best went to Wendy's. These are you basic fries with nothing special about them. They are cooked right but are just like every other frozen food service fry in the world.

The worst fries come from Burger King. Though the fries are better than they were before their recent change, they are still coated and seasoned in such a way that gives them the consistency of cardboard and makes than almost uneatable. 

That's our opinion. Do your own three way taste test and decide which, if any, of these places you want to head to for a fast food lunch.

Second Chance: Culvers

Back in 2011, Mark was out of town and some friends took him to Culver's. We had heard about Culver's from a number of people. Founded in Wisconsin in 1984 the chain is now in 19 states. Everyone we talked to had raved about the food except when Mark went, it wasn't really rave worthy (http://turnerbudds-burgerblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/culvers.html). Even the friends he went with admitted that the burgers weren't very good.

But because of how many people commented on the review, we decided to give it another go. So here is a rare second chance for Culver's.

Burgers

Stopping in on one of the local Culver's locations (see their web site for one near you: http://www.culvers.com/). 

This time the restaurant wasn't as crowded as when Mark first visited. That seemed to help. Maybe the kitchen wasn't dashing through the burgers as fast because, while the meat of the "famous" Butterburgers we ordered were seared, they weren't pancake flat chunks of char. Still, the two one eighth pound patties weren't as flavorful as, say, a Steak and Shake which does a similar style burger. The patties had shrunk considerable and that can only mean a high fat content. But generally with a high fat content there is more flavor so somewhere in the wilds of Wisconsin they have discovered a burger paradox.

While the meat wasn't a highlight, what made the burger was the bun and the very delicious Wisconsin cheddar cheese. To say they were both well above average would be an understatement. Perhaps the fact that they are so tasty actually detracts from the quality of the meat. Or maybe they are designed that way to help cover the quality of the meat. Who knows.

Last time Mark commented on how bland the fries were. They really weren't better and needed to be dunked in considerable ketchup in order to enjoy.

Overall we were disappointed with Culver's. So many people have told us how good they are and how much they like them but in our opinion a place like Steak and Shake is doing the same thing only better. And if you want to take a step up, head to Eastgate and check out Hwy 55. 

More Inside Out Burger: Full of Surprises

Quite a while back I posted a piece about one of our favorite ways to fix a burger at home. Of course it involved grilling. We grill just about everything at our house. If I am able to get outside and start a fire we will put dinner on the grill. I even grill the Thanksgiving turkey each November.

So grilling burgers is an absolute natural for us. Back then I had posted our take on the somewhat famous Juicy Lucy (http://turnerbudds-burgerblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/inside-out-burger.html) that we had been doing for quite a while. We refer to it as an inside out burger because you put what are traditionally considered the toppings inside. We keep playing around and trying new things and recently we found an absolutely delicious combination.

Now this takes a little more prep work than the typical burger but it's worth it. You start by frying up some bacon and then use the bacon grease to saute some green peppers and mushrooms. You could add onion if you like. In fact, you can use just about anything that sounds delicious. When you have them cooked, you want to finely chop everything up, including the bacon. Then mix it all together.

Next, put the meat in a large mixing bowl and season it with salt and pepper. You want to start with good quality meat. I prefer ground Angus sirloin that is 80/20. Remember, you want some fat content because that's where a lot of the juicy flavor comes from but too much will just cook away on the grill.

Pour some of your favorite steak sauce on the meat. For close to two pounds of meat we used two tablespoons but you might want to adjust this depending on what you like.

Stick your hands in and mix it up good. You want the spices and the sauce equally distributed.

Now you want to make the patties. Keep in mind that two patties are actually going to go together to make one burger so be sure to make them fairly thin. Also, because two go together you may want to limit the size. But also remember that you are going to need some size to put the goodies inside so this might take a little trial and error.

Once you have the patties ready, put a slice of your favorite cheese down on one of them. On this occasion we used Provolone. Next, spread the chopped peppers, mushrooms and bacon on top of the cheese. When you feel you have enough then put another piece of cheese on top of that and finish it off with another patty.

The two slices of cheese are going to do a couple of things. First off, they're going to take great but they are also going to help hold everything together.

Now you want to put your burgers on the grill. I always cook with charcoal and wood. For a burger I use hickory wood or a blend of hickory and mesquite. Then you want to grill the burgers how you like them.

When you bite into this burger you will a ton of flavor from the green peppers, the mushrooms, the bacon and the cheese.

Try out different items for the middle of this kind of burger. There are some amazing combinations that we've been playing with and more that we're going to find in the future. Enjoy.

Uncle T's Eatery

Traveling through Owensville you really don't expect to find much in the way of restaurants. But right there in what can only be considered the heart of town is Uncle T's Eatery. We had been there before during the annual Pumpkin Run Nationals and on a pretty July day we decided to head east and do an official blog visit.

This place is just about what you would expect to find in a small town. It is quaint and homey and not too big. It's one of those places where the folks who work there probably live down the street from the folks who frequent the place.

Their menu is fairly eclectic in a down home, small town way. They offer up everything from wings and other bar food appetizers to burgers and daily comfort food specials. They are heavy on the pizza and hoagies which is what we had tried in the past. But not this time.

Burgers

This time we stopped in around lunch time for the burgers. There is a lunch special where you can get a quarter pound cheeseburger, fries and a drink for $4. Good deal. But we were hungry and wanted to try their steakburgers. The steakburgers come in two sizes: a third pound and a half pound. We stuck with the third pound versions. While Uncle T's offers up the usual garden they have six different cheeses including pepper jack.

We settled on our toppings and waited. And waited. We could hear things sizzling on the flat top grill but for as slow as the place was it seemed to take a long time to get to our order. It came out hot and cooked to taste. The beef was well seasoned and had just enough fat content to really make it juicy. But the seasoning and the fat still didn't make the burgers pop. They were actually pretty bland. Part of that might have been the fault of the not so fresh buns.

Each of us had ordered fries and they were nothing special. Except like in the vast majority of restaurants where fries or chips are built into the cost, these were extra. We didn't realize this until we got the check. So what we thought were just $4.59 burgers with a $2.29 drink had an added $2.79 each for the fries. That was a little steep for what we were getting.

You can find Uncle T's Eatery at 308 W. Main St. in Owensville or on line at http://www.uncle-ts.com/. If you find yourself out in Owensville there really isn't much else in the way of restaurants. If we eat there again we'll go back to the pizza.

Sky Galley

Since 1925 there has been an airfield near the banks of the Ohio River on the eastern side of Cincinnati. Lunken Field wasn't officially dedicated as an airport until 1930 but it had been the home of flying lessons, one of the first firms to get a contract to deliver airmail and even Charles Lindburgh stopped in a couple of times to refuel on trips between St. Louis and New York. Later, in the 1940s, American Airlines would be born there.

Throughout its history there had been small restaurants attached to the airport, most notably one called Wings Restaurant but in 1999 the space was expanded and re-dubbed the Sky Galley. Located at 262 Wilmer Ave. and on line at http://skygalley.net/index.html, the Sky Galley serves up a varied menu for both lunch and dinner.

Now a bit of full disclosure: a good friend of Mark's oldest son and Josh's older brother used to work there as a chef. In fact that was the restaurant where he first started when he graduated from culinary school. While he had spent a great deal of time during high school and college at our house, the fact that he worked there may have drawn us down on more than one occasion but it has never clouded our taste buds.

The Burger

For our visit this time we chose up the traditional Lunken Cheeseburger which is eight ounces of fresh prime cut ground beef cooked to order. We each decided on provolone cheese and, along with our choice of garden soon found a warm, juicy burger in front of us. Though burgers aren't the specialty at the Sky Galley (we each have our favorites), it is well prepared with fresh ingredients. It is juicy and thick, a full half pound of beef that was fried up perfectly on a well seasoned flattop grill.

While this is a good burger we both wished it had a little more seasoning. The flavor of the beef came through but whoever was putting these patties together was a little light on the salt and pepper. Remember, you use those for a reason because they will enhance the food and bring out the best flavors.

The other slight downside was the fact that, because the burgers was good and juicy, the buns tended to disintegrate. Not that that's a bad thing. It just means that there comes a point where you can't set the burger down or else you will end up having to finish it with a fork.

Burgers come served with fries and these were pretty standard frozen restaurant fare. They were nicely deep fried but nothing to really celebrate.

Overall we enjoy the Sky Galley each time we visit and they do serve up a pretty good burger that is worth checking out. If you are in the area or just want to play a little golf or baseball at Lunken Field, perhaps walk or ride your bike around their paved path or simply want to see some small planes take off and land, we recommend that you head down to the Sky Galley.

The Village Diner

While Josh was recovering from having all four wisdom teeth pulled I found myself chasing down a car show up near Maineville and pulled into the Village Diner to grab a burger. Located at 8133 S. St. Rt. 48 in Maineville, the Village Diner doubles as a pizza joint but offers up other menu items as well.

This is the kind of place that harkens back to the days of a small town joint. There is very limited seating and while it seemed everyone knew each other on the day I wandered in, I wasn't made to feel the least bit like an outsider. In fact, the server was as friendly and nice to me as to the people she called by their first names. And even those folks smiled and nodded my way. They were probably wondering what this stranger was doing in their corner joint.

While the atmosphere was warm and cozy the fact that they only had one television in the place and it was tuned to a cable news channel (not FOX) rather than a sports station was a pleasant difference from all of the overblown, wall to wall flat screens seen at so many other places.

The service was fast but not rushed. It seemed the right pace for a sit down country place and gave me time to relax a little. When my quarter pound burger arrived it was pretty much what I expected. An all-beef patty fried up on a flat top. The problem was that the all-beef patty had been frozen so it lacked the true freshness that I would have greatly preferred. The bun was fairly generic and the garden was fresh. At least it wasn't a fast food burger, though.

Like the burger the fries were right out of the freezer and though they were nicely cooked they were pretty bland and in need of some spicing up.

Overall I wouldn't make a special trip out to Maineville to order up one of these burgers. If by some strange chance you just happen to be out that way then it's worth it to stop in for the small town atmosphere.

Johnny Rocket's

There used to be several locations of Johnny Rocket's around the city but now the only one that exists is at The Banks. We have eaten at a couple of now closed locations (Kenwood and Newport) as well as the original which opened in 1986 on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles. The restaurant was set up as a throwback to those '50s and early '60s diners, all chrome and rock and roll. Today there are 300 restaurants in 30 states and 16 different countries all sporting this feel of nostalgia and early rock music attitude.

In keeping with our usual criteria we ordered up one of their basic 1/3 pound, fresh, never frozen, cheeseburgers and our choice of garden. The burgers were made and, yes, cooked to order while we sat in a booth listening to Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.

The burgers were as we remembered and as advertised. They were juicy and carried a nice full meaty flavor that was enhanced by the cheddar cheese, the soft functional bun and our garden and condiments. There was even that little bit of flattop char that can make a burger even more tasty.

Still, as we were enjoying these burgers there was something nagging at both of us and Josh finally pointed out that, yes this was a decent burger but it was still a chain burger. That got us talking about whether or not we have an inner prejudice against the chains. There are plenty of chains that we do like but quite a few where we haven't really thought the burger up to speed. There have also been some local joints where we weren't all that over the top about the burgers.

What we ultimately decided was that Johnny Rocket's makes up a very good burger. Yes it is a chain but so are both Five Guys and In-And-Out Burger and they can put a pretty tasty burger in front of you. Is Johnny Rocket's one of the top burgers we've ever had? No. Is it better than most? Probably.

No, this wasn't our favorite burger of all time, not even our favorite chain burger of all time but it does rate up there. This is a burger that, if you haven't already, you owe it to yourself and your taste buds to check out.

Sports Page

The Sports Page is a downtown tradition, a neighborhood place that looks like nothing fancy. It's a basic sports type bar with some televisions, some places to sit and the smell of good food being fried up on the grill.

Located at 823 Main St. downtown, The Sports Page is one of those places that folks who work in the neighborhood will hit up once every week or so and may very well stop in after work for a nice cold drink. The atmosphere has always been warm and friendly and while it's not the biggest joint in town, there generally isn't much of a wait.

There is lots of Reds memorabilia for fans to look at but what would you expect from a place called The Sports Page. You ain't getting stock quotes in this joint.

The burgers are 1/3 pound fresh ground beef fried up to perfection on a well seasoned flat top. It came out hot and juicy and bursting with flavor. With good cheese and a fresh garden, this is a good burger. Unfortunately the fries are pretty much your standard frozen crinkle cuts and lack any real appeal.

What is appealing is the fact that this place is inexpensive. If you get a burger, fries and a soda you can come out for about the same as heading to McWendy Kings. Yeah, if you're downtown this is a tasty deal to eat up.

Knockback Nats

The place at 10 W. 7th St. downtown has been Knockback Nats for at least three years now but for some reason it's still hard to think of it by this name. It is set up like so many other pubs and bars, a place with plenty of televisions tuned to sports.

While a number of people have recently complained about the service being rude, we didn't find it that way. Indifferent might be a better description. It was as if the bartender didn't care whether we ate, drank, came or went. There was no hurry about getting us menus or even drink orders but they came. Now, you expect to wait a few minutes in a more upscale place but this is a neighborhood joint and it wasn't busy and yet we waited longer to get our drinks than we did to get our food.

Before we get to the burgers it's important to point out that Knockback Nats has a reputation for some very, very good wings. They are tasty and worth the trip. Unfortunately the same can't be said for the burgers.

They did not taste as though they came from fresh meat. These patties had spent some time on ice. They were cooked medium well on a flattop which generally leaves a nice little char around the edges from the fat cooking down. No real char this time. And the flavor was pretty bland.

The buns were nice, doing their job of holding things together but it would have been nice to have some juices coming from the burgers for the buns to soak up. The garden wasn't bad, nor was the cheese. But nothing could save this burger for us.

Maybe Knockback Nats needs to knock back to the days when it was Rockin' Robin. From Mark's memory the burgers there were pretty decent; better than these.

Rock Bottom Brewery

The brew house pub has been a trend for a number of years now and the Rock Bottom Brewery, located on Fountain Square (and on line at http://www.rockbottom.com/), has been doing it for over 20 years. First opened in Denver, there are now almost 40 locations nationwide.

Mark has been going to this location almost since it opened. It was a favorite lunch spot for a couple of his day job clients. Both of us have eaten here numerous times and thought it was about time to put up a post.

The place is large enough to accommodate a good sized business luncheon crowd. The bar side offers the typical sports channels on hanging flat screens. The sizable dining room is more traditional. On both sides you can see and, yes, smell the area where the craft beers are made. But we weren't here to drink, we were here to have a burger.

Burgers

The menu is rather substantial, catering to just about every taste. Even burger lovers have options. Nine different burgers are available. We each chose the Classic Burger, at least a third pound of sirloin, cooked to our taste and covered with a bold cheddar cheese. The burgers are lean and juicy with the taste of a good seasoned flattop. The bun was lightly toasted and the garden was fresh and crisp. 

Because it was a week day when we visited for the blog, we had a bit of a wait. Oh, we were seated right away, even if it was way in the back, but sat and waited to be "discovered" by our server. Once she got to us she was friendly and worked hard to keep things moving. The kitchen, being lunch time, was a bit slow but that allowed us time to chat about our favorite sports teams, the Reds, the Bengals mini-camp, and, of course, our Australian Rules Football team the Collingwood Magpies who are struggling this year to stay in playoff contention. 

When the burgers did arrive they and our fries were hot. Our server making sure they didn't sit around and cool, waiting to be delivered.

We wouldn't say this burger is in our top 10 but for a chain burger it is very good. We've been here when it wasn't as crowded and the service is much quicker. We strongly recommend that, if you haven't already, you give this place a try. Maybe go at dinner and sample one or five of the craft beers.

Terry's Turf Club

To be honest we've kind of been putting off doing Terry's Turf Club. What can you say about a place that has consistently been voted the best burger in town and even in the state. The place has appeared on numerous television shows, including Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. We just felt that there wasn't a whole lot we could add to it.

If you haven't been to Terry's you owe it to yourself to go. The place, located at 4618 Eastern Ave., is very much a dichotomy in terms of it's kitschy look and gourmet style food. Take the reason we went for example. Their burger is, on the menu, called Burger. But it contains some of the best quality meat and the most tasty (and exotically expensive rub; come on, saffron? Really?) components out there. This is a burger that costs $8.50. Sure, you can add all sorts of expensive extras ranging from crab or shrimp to Stilton cheese or an onion Cabernet sauce but to be honest, there's no real reason. These are perfectly executed burgers.

We really weren't going to do a post about Terry's. But people have asked us when we would over and over again and, what the hell, it was a chance to eat one of, if not the, best burgers around.

If you like a good burger you owe it to yourself and your taste buds to head over to the east side and check out Terry's Turf Club.

Thirsty's Oasis

Very large and with so many televisions that it's impossible not to watch a sporting event, Thirsty's Oasis in Mason near Kings Island is a relatively new, very large sports bar and grill that features two bars and an outdoor patio. Located at 5579 South State Route 741 in Mason and on the web at http://www.thirstysoasis.com/, the place hypes itself as not your typical sports bar. But the truth is that it is pretty much the same as anyplace else.

It is large and roomy and offers up what is most likely a very friendly atmosphere during game days and evenings (we went during lunch and it was pretty dead). The menu is very typical and not very lengthy. All of the basic bar and grill staples are available but where they get some added brownie points is in the number of beers they have on tap. When asked we were told over 30 so a nice selection is available.

Burgers

Sticking with tradition we ordered up the Big Big, a half pound of beef that was actually grilled to our specifications and served on a Kaiser roll. For eight bucks you get the burger and two toppings of your choice. One is eaten up with cheese so if you don't want to pay even more you have to decide on the one bit of garden or other goodie you want to include. This did not make either of us happy.

Then the burgers came out and proved to be rather pedestrian. Yes the beef tasted fresh and it was juicy. Both of us had buns that were just a touch old and probably shouldn't have been used. The cheese was basically there and neither added nor subtracted from the burger. Don't misunderstand, there weren't bad burgers. They weren't good either. They were about as middle of the road as you can imagine, in fact, maybe a little below average.

There may have been any number of reasons for the quality not being up to our hopes and expectations. Who knows. What we do know is that for the cost, this is a place we cannot recommend. Make your own decisions, though. If you're out near Kings Island then by all means check this place out. If you have a better experience then let us know.

Longhorn Steak House

We like going to a steakhouse for a lunch time burger. Generally speaking a decent steakhouse, even a chain, is going to offer up a good quality piece of beef out of which they make their burger. So when the opportunity presented itself, we stopped in and grabbed a table at Longhorn Steak House.

Founded in 1981 in Atlanta as Longhorn Steaks Restaurant and Saloon, Longhorn now has over 435 locations throughout the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. In fact, there are seven in the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton area. To find the one nearest to you, go to their website at http://www.longhornsteakhouse.com/. Just don't be surprised if that little music loop that plays doesn't drive you crazy before you can find out where you want to go.

This isn't a fast food joint, it gives off the air of a mid-scale family restaurant, a true steakhouse. In addition to the steaks they offer up a full menu of meals for every member of the family. But we were there at lunch and we wanted one thing: burgers.

Burgers

We each ordered the basic Steakhouse Burger which is a half pound of Angus beef cooked to the chef's specifications (as though we, the consumers, didn't know how we wanted it fixed) and served on a fresh brioche bun.

As is the case with all steak houses, the burger is a bit expensive, some might say even over priced. That holds with Longhorn. But to their credit, the quality of meat they use is very, very good and though we weren't allowed to decide on how rare or well done it was, came out close to what we would have probably chosen. 

The bottom line on any burger is the taste and this one tasted good. No, it isn't up there with our favorites but it is one of the better chain burgers we've had in a while. If you're curious and have never had a Longhorn burger, and you don't mind paying for the privileged, you should check them out some time for lunch. If you're going for dinner, we suggest that you dive into one of those Porterhouse beauties.

Longnecks

Recently, with Josh off doing his own thing, I met with a family friend, Ben, to talk about a number of things. Ben, who lives in Northern Kentucky, suggested we try Longnecks Sports Grill. Located at 1009 Town Dr. in Wilder (and on the web at http://longneckssportsgrill.com/), Longnecks is the "big brother" to Newport's Shortneck Grill (which was reviewed here: http://turnerbudds-burgerblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/shortnecks-bar-and-grill.html). Like Shortnecks, Longnecks knows exactly what it is and that is a sports bar and grill. With 18 big screen TVs positioned around the room there and all tuned to active sports channels there is little to no doubt what the atmosphere of this neighborhood place is.

We showed up at a mid week lunch time and found that they were a little understaffed with the bartender having to wait on most of the inside tables. That isn't to say that we had to wait a painfully long time to be served but had there been any more people there that poor bartender would have never had a chance to slow down.

The place is pretty big and in addition to the TVs, sports video games and pool tables and a very nice outdoor patio that in good weather would present a nice place to sit and enjoy a meal. With a full menu of everything from the standard appetizers and bar food to a large selection of sandwiches and even pizza and calzones, this place is sure to have something for everyone. But we were there for just one reason: burgers.

Burgers

We each ordered the basic Longneck Burger, a half pound of beef grilled to order on their flattop. The best way to sum up the burger is to quote what Ben said after he took his first bite: "You can actually taste the burger." And it's true. This isn't hidden by a lot of special sauces or overly sweet buns. The meat flavor comes through and that is a good thing because these are some very tasty burgers. I'm not sure if they get their meat and other items from the same place as Shortnecks but it wouldn't surprise me. Both have very high quality products.

The condiments, the garden, the cheese and the bun were all fresh and enhanced the burger rather than covering it as is sometimes the case. The fries were pretty basic but were also fresh and cooked perfectly, with that crisp outside and an oh, so soft center. 

Yes, it took us a little longer than it might have to put in our order but the burgers arrived fairly quickly and any extra wait was well worth it. Longnecks might be a little off the beaten path for most of you but if you are heading in that direction any time it's worth the side trip to check out this place.

Hooligan's Pub and Eatery

Hooligan's Pub and Eatery has be serving up food and sand volleyball for over two decades now. Located at 3340 Highland Ave. near Ridge and I-71 (and on line at http://www.hooligans-pub.com/), Hooligan's is a full service restaurant with an award winning menu. Starting in spring they begin their sand volleyball leagues (so sign up now) at their own sand courts located just outside.

With a decor that reflects the activities they offer, this is really a neighborhood place and a destination.

Their menu is compete with appetizers and bar food and also complete with full meals of comfort food and sandwiches. They have award winning ribs (which are mighty tasty) and some homemade carrot cake that any fan needs to try.

But we didn't go for any of that. No, we went for what we like to talk about the most (not the ladies): the burgers.

Burgers

With a handful of burgers from which to choose, we each just picked up the basic burger, made with fresh USDA ground chuck that had to be a 70-30 mix since they came out nice and plump and juicy. The flavor was good since the meat was fresh but lacked a little spice. But that doesn't mean the burger was the least bit bland. With a fresh garden, soft cheese and bun that more than did its job, this was a pretty decent burger.

The burger was served with chips but you could get fries for an extra $2.50. Considering the plain burger, even with cheese was only $6.25, that didn't add too much to Josh's meal. Mark just took the chips and picked at them since they were pretty standard. Josh reported that the fries were nicely cooked and not over salted.

This is a fun place that serves up a decent burger. We could imagine hanging out there with friends after playing some sand volleyball, cooling off with a nice drink and chowing down on some of the great food. Yes the burger would be a good option here even though it doesn't rank up there with the best we've had.

Burger Wars

We don't usually do anything about McWendy King burgers though due to pressure from some readers we are thinking of doing a show down piece on them. But we found this interesting and wanted to share it while we take a week off to digest our latest burgers. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mcdonalds-wendys-battle-value-centric-203300006.html

Frickers

You would think by now we would have learned our lesson. How many times have we gone into a place that is noted for their chicken and ordered up a burger only to be let down in the flavor and quality department.

Frickers is a Dayton based restaurant chain that was founded on the concept of real quality chicken wings. With over 20 locations, mostly in Ohio but with restaurants in Indiana and Michigan, the locals who have tried them have flocked (pardon the pun) to check out their chunks of chicken. Currently there are locations in our neck of the woods in Mason, Middletown, North College Hill and West Chester. You can also find them on the web at http://www.frickers.com/.

Mark has eaten chicken at Frickers numerous times having first discovered it in Bowling Green (Ohio that is, not Kentucky). But it was only recently that the two of us tried one of their burgers.

Burger

The joke at Frickers, which was founded by two brothers with the last name of Frick, is that everything they serve up is "Frickin' Good." And that's true for their chicken. But they have several burgers on the menu ranging from the traditional third pound regular hamburger to the half pound Frick Burger to the massive one pound Big Frickin' Burger. We ordered up the Frick Burger.

Like with other chicken restaurants these burgers did not live up to the quality of their more noteworthy menu mates. The burgers were obviously frozen and trucked in. They came to the table a bit dry from the flat top and not really having much in the way of a unique flavor. They at least tasted like beef but it was rather bland beef at that. Where ever they are getting these frozen hockey pucks from isn't even putting salt in with the meat before it hits the freezer.

Which is too bad because the rest of the food, or at least all that we have tried, is very good. Sure this is a typical chicken wing based sports bar with memorabilia and televisions all over the place. But all of the chicken dishes have always been very fresh and very tasty (with the exception of one of their wing sauces which has gotten mixed reviews). Even their French fries, particularly the Curly-Q fries, are pretty darn tasty.

If you go to Frickers, and you should, go for the chicken and leave the burgers alone. We keep telling ourselves that but man did those burgers look good going to other tables around us. We should have learned our lesson. 

Jack in the Box

They've come East. We didn't have any idea until Mark was driving along and saw one. That's right, Jack in the Box is here.

While Josh had never been to a Jack in the Box, Mark had "enjoyed" their burgers when he was younger and living and working in L.A.

Opened in 1951, Jack in the Box is the offspring of Robert O. Peterson's original Topsey Drive-In which he established 10 years earlier. This was the first restaurant chain to utilize a two-way intercom system for drive-thru ordering. Mark remembers "speaking into the clown's mouth" which was a major ad campaign element.

While in the early days Jack in the Box was trying to go toe to toe with that other west coast fast food chain, McDonald's, by 1980 they began switching their target advertising away from the families with little kids and more toward a more affluent 20 and 30-year-old market. It seemed to work as Jack in the Box continued to grow and morph away from the traditional fast food burger joint.

Today, with well over 2000 locations, still mostly in the west, Jack in the Box has finally migrated to our area with two local restaurants: 5234 Ridge and 7425 Tylersville in West Chester. You can also find them on the web at http://www.jackinthebox.com/

Burger

We went in with Mark feeling nostalgia and Josh feeling a bit of trepidation at the thought of another ramped up fast food joint. We decided to order up their top of the line Sirloin Burger. We were pleased that they took our order and then like a growing number of newer burger chains, handed us a placard to put on the table so our food could be delivered.

It wasn't that long before our food was delivered hot off the grill and out of the fryer. The first thing we both noticed about our burgers was that it actually tasted fresh, not like most chains that ship frozen patties across the country. The second thing we noticed was that these were some peppery burgers. Now don't get us wrong, we both like some pepper on our burgers and these surely were made to please us. But be forewarned, if you are not a fan of pepper then you might want to stay away from this burger because it is a major flavor component.

The burgers were big and juicy and, to be honest, were much better than what we honestly were expecting. Granted they weren't on par with our favorite burger joints around town or even with our favorite newer style burger chains, but these were pretty darn decent burgers, especially considering the price and how quickly we were served.

The fries were fairly standard but also tasted fairly fresh. Oh, they were frozen mass produced fries but they were cooked just right and weren't sitting around getting mushy under a heat lamp until they were bagged.

Overall we were surprised by our Jack in the Box experience. We were left with the question of whether all the burgers were that peppery or that was just something they did with the Sirloin Burger. Maybe we'll have to go back some time and check out another of their burgers, like their classic Jumbo Jack with Cheese.

O'Charlie's

Back in 1969 Charlie Watkins opened a restaurant near Vanderbuilt University in Nashville. Now, with more than 200 locations strewn through 18 states in the South and Midwest, O'Charley's is a recognized staple among the numerous casual dining choices. Currently there are several locations in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. To find the one nearest to you check out their web site at http://www.ocharleys.com//.

With a menu and decor that would be familiar to anyone who ever set foot in one of these style restaurants, O'Charley's has little to set it apart from all of those other chain dining establishments.

Burgers

Offering up a 100 percent ground beef half pound burger, O'Charley's is right in the game with say Max and Erma's (who, by the way, is owned by the same parent company). The burgers and fries were good, there was nothing about the seasoning or flavoring that would offend the average guest. The quality, the service, everything was good and neither of us could really come up with anything bad to say about our experience at O'Charley's.

Except that it was exactly the same as all of the other similar chain restaurants. Try one for yourself and maybe you'll become a fan. For us, though, the determining factor would be which of these cookie cutter spots is closest.

Win Place of Show

You would think a bar and grill called Win Place or Show would be located near a race track. For us, probably down in Anderson Township by the river or maybe in Northern Kentucky by their track. But no, this neighborhood joint is in West Chester. In fact you can find it at 9933 Cincinnati-Columbus Rd (or on line at http://www.wpssportsbar.com/).

This is the absolute definition of a neighborhood joint. When we ventured in around lunch hour the place had about a dozen regulars who were chatting away about guitars and what it was like to be a weightlifter before everyone discovered steroids. There was a different show on each of the televisions including a Mexican soap opera (unfortunately with the sound turned down).

We plopped down at the bar, grabbed a soft drink (yes, even though it was just a touch past one most of folks there had a beer in front of them) and looked through the menu. It was nothing special, mostly bar food, some burgers, fish sandwich, chicken wings and the like.

Burgers

A sign outside assured us that this place was "famous for burgers." With this kind of spectacular atmosphere we couldn't wait to dig in. So we ordered up cheeseburgers with our choice of condiments and waited. It didn't take long before plump, juicy burgers were put down in front of us, along with a huge side of French fries.

These burgers were good; big and good. Not great mind you and nothing neither of us would think would make a place famous. Still, they were better than any run of the mill chain restaurant (of which we have sampled our share). The meat was fresh, the buns were fresh and the fries were very tasty indeed.

If you are anywhere near West Chester you owe it to yourself to stop in the Win Place or Show sports bar and grill. They may not be truly famous for their burgers but the atmosphere and the regulars more than make up for it. This is our kind of joint.

Logan's Roadhouse

Back in 1991, Lexington, KY saw a new steak house open up. Now with headquarters in Nashville, TN, there are close to 250 locations in 23 states. Most of the restaurants are company owned with just a handful of franchises.

Known primarily as a steak house where the beef is cooked over a mesquite grill, there are currently two Logan's in the Cincinnati area. You can find your nearest Logan's off their website at http://logansroadhouse.com/Default.aspx.

They have an extensive menu that is heavy on steak and ribs but has offerings for just about everyone. In fact, they have six burgers alone. Add to that a bucket of peanuts at every table and it's a good bet that customers are going to walk away full.

Burgers

Sticking with our regular program we ordered up the basic cheeseburger with our choice of condiments. Logan's refers to their burgers as steak burgers since they are a blend of Black Angus sirloin, chuck and steak (wait, isn't sirloin a cut of steak? What other kind of steak meat are they using here?) and include what they call natural spices.

The burgers arrived on a grilled bun, plump and juicy. One bite and you can taste the quality meat and the added flavor of the mesquit wood. Trust us, when we grill burgers out in our back yard we will use a combination of hickory and mesquit wood. There's something about the smoke that cooks into the meat giving it that extra quality. Don't get us wrong, a good flat top grilled burger can be amazing but the wood can really kick it up a notch or two.

But beyond the wood flavor there isn't much that separates this burger from any of the others at similar restaurants. Yes it's good, quite good for a chain burger in fact, probably one of the better chain burgers we've had, but at the cost you can do better at one of our favorite local joints. And save some money, too.

Still, if you live fairly close to one of the two Logan's (near 275 and Colerain and at Eastgate), you should give this restaurant a try. It's worth checking out if only so you can toss your peanut shells on the floor.

The Landing

Being in a river city, there's something special about sitting along the banks of the Ohio and enjoying a good meal. One of the iconic East Side places to do just that is The Landing. Located at 401 Front St. in New Richmond and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Landing-Restaurant/169814667101, The Landing has been around for as long as Mark can remember, serving diners a well rounded menu with views of the Ohio River.

Recently, we were in the New Richmond area and decided to stop in The Landing for lunch. Being the middle of winter it wasn't the best day to enjoy the ambiance of this place. But it was rather warm for the season and the sky was clear and bright so sitting inside the restaurant by a window and enjoying the view of the river added to our experience.

When we entered we were a little concerned to see a For Sale sign in the window. Many times there are various reasons for a restaurant to be up for sale. One reason for The Landing to be on the market, surely, is that fact that, sitting right on the river, it is often flooded in the spring time. We don't know the real reason but an impending sale often drops the quality of a restaurant's food.

Burgers

We opted for this blog's usual, the standard cheeseburger with the extras of our choosing. Since there was hardly anyone in the place we could hear and, yes, smell our burgers being grilled up fresh.

Maybe it was the trepidation of a failing, for sale restaurant that had lowered our expectations but when the burgers were served we were both very pleased at how fresh and tasty they were. Thick, tender and juice, the meat was cooked just the way we each liked it. While there weren't a huge number of options we still felt the quality of the extras, with the possible exception of the buns which seemed to be maybe a day old, was quite good.

The bottom line is that we were glad that the For Sale sign didn't scare us off. No this burger probably won't crack our personal Top 10 list but it's worth a trip down to the river to give it a try.

If you have never been to The Landing, you should probably give it a try. If you can, head that way in the spring when the patio is open and before the bugs come out. 

Shake Shack

What rose from a single hot dog cart in Madison Square Park in Mid Town Manhattan, is one of the most tasty, and rapidly growing little burger chains around. Shake Shack has spread to half a dozen locations in New York and has drifted off into cities up and down the East Coast and even over seas.

In 2004 a food vendor, Union Square Hospitality Group, won a bid to put in a permanent kiosk in Madison Square Park and rather than the hot dogs they had been selling started cooking up burgers to order. It became so popular that people demanded more locations. USHG was glad to comply.

To find a Shake Shack near you (and believe me, you really should) check them out on the web at http://www.shakeshack.com/. The one my daughter, Alli, and I went to is located at 8th Ave. and 44th St. It was the middle of the afternoon and there was still a line of people waiting.

But it moved fast. You walk up, place your order and then wait for them to fix your food fresh.

Burgers

I ordered up their "classic" Shack Burger and when it arrived it was so juicy and perfectly cooked, the meat literally was melting in my mouth. Between their light seasoning and their "Shack Sauce" there was a slight twang with each bite. The burger was delicious.

Alli ordered up the Shroom Burger, a portobella mushroom fried up and stuffed with Muenster and cheddar cheese. And when I say stuffed I mean totally stuffed. I took a bite and admitted that it was actually better than their regular all beef burger. Now granted, I like shoorms but never once thought that a mushroom would actually be better than a delicious all beef patty. 

Oh the fries are pretty ordinary and while we didn't imbibe the menu offers up what we have been told are great frozen custard delights. Many people were enjoying them even on this cold March day. And there were lots of people enjoying the food at Shake Shack (including someone that Alli said is YouTube famous). 

There isn't much more to say. If you're in New York, do what the locals are lining up to do, and grab a burger at the Shake Shack. 

Mercury Bar

On a recent trip to New York, one where Josh stayed at home to deal with work and school, I decided to stop in and check out a couple of burgers from the Big Apple.

For full disclosure I have to admit that I'm friends with the owners of the Mercury Bar. We met Bruno and Daniella before they opened this place and were running a restaurant called the Joshua Tree. It was the summer following the attacks of 9/11 and a very young Josh walked up to Daniella (who for those who aren't familiar with many restaurants in NYC, was standing out front trying to bring people into the establishment) and said, "Hi, my name's Josh, thanks for naming your restaurant after me." We were fast friends ever since.

Bruno and Daniella have since closed the Joshua Tree (they got a tremendous offer for the building). But before that they had already opened the Mercury Bar. Located at 959 Ninth Ave. near 46th St. and on the web at http://mercurybarnyc.com/media/mercurybar.html, the Mercury Bar features the same menu and great food as the old Joshua Tree.

My family and I have eaten there many times. I've taken co-workers there and even some locals. People I know who are visiting the city I will send there. I've had most of the items on the menu but until this trip I hadn't tried the burger.

Burger

Yes, I'm biased toward this restaurant. I liked the atmosphere of the Joshua Tree better since this is exactly what it is called, a bar and so is more raucous and lively. Still, the food is always top notch. Bruno runs a very good kitchen.

The burger is huge. It is fresh, thick and juicy, cooked to order. Since it is NYC everything can be found fresh and Bruno manages to find it. The garden was as fresh as you could imagine for a cold March day. Lightly seasoned the meat was tender and savory and by the time I was about half way through I was afraid to set it down for fear that it would fall apart.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't the best burger I've ever had. It's not even the best item I've had on the menu. But if this burger were served in Cincinnati it would be one of our top 10 for sure.

If you are ever in New York, don't be shy about checking out the Mercury Bar. I always do but, as I said, I'm pretty biased.

Buffalo Wild Wings

A while back we ventured into a place that specialized in chicken and ordered their burger. We knew it was a big risk but this place offered up that thing about which we write in this blog and so we were going to give them the chance to surprise us.

Surprised we were, at just how terrible their burger was compared to their regular chicken fare.

After we posted that entry Mark's cousin sent a message saying that, in essence, if you want a steak you go to a steak house, if you want chicken you go to a chicken restaurant but if you want a burger you go to a burger joint. He was right, of course.

But here we are, repeating that mistake once again. A new Buffalo Wild Wings opened near us and we through we'd give it a try for the burger, something Josh had eaten before but Mark had not.

B-Dubs is a Columbus based chain with close to 700 locations acrouss the country. It was founded by a native of Buffalo, NY who couldn't find authentic Buffalo style wings when on a trip to Kent State University.  Speaking from experience, the wings they put out at these restaurants are pretty decent, not the greatest but pretty good with a wide offering of sauces. Their menu also offers a decent choice of wraps, salads, sandwiches and, yes, burgers from which to choose.

Burgers

We picked the Build Your Own Burger (which is quite popular on menus these days) and cobbled together our personal favorites of cheese, extras and condiments. The bugers were thick and juicy and while the patty was most likely frozen it still had good flavor. At least it was better than the last burger place at which we ate.

Still, there's no reason to really go into it in any detail. Suffice it to say two things: the burger was basic and adequate and that it was further proof that Mark's cousin was right when he said don't go to chicken place and expect to get a great burger.

Max & Erma's

On a recent trip a bit north to an indoor car show for our other blog (http://turnerbudds-carblog.blogspot.com/) we decided to eat at the restaurant in the hotel where the convention center hosting the cars was. Josh had never eaten at Max and Erma's and it had been a while for Mark. Max and Erma's (http://www.maxandermas.com/) is a Columbus based chain that was founded in 1972.

They call themselves a gourmet hamburger restaurant though they feature a full menu similar to a Friday's or Applebee's. Still, it is the burgers on which they have built their reputation. In fact, they are so confident about the quality of their burgers that they even have one of their classics called the Best Cheeseburger in America.

Burgers

In keeping with the nature of the blog we both opted for a B.Y.O.B., a Build Your Own Burger. Unlike some places that make that type of offer, Max and Erma's actually gives you a wide range of options, including the type of bun you would like.

We both chose the wheat bun and were very pleased with the choice. Likewise, the cheese we each picked and the various other goodies and condiments were all fresh and flavorful. Josh even braved it to order a winter tomato and said it actually tasted like a tomato.

The 10 ounce patty was dense, showing no signs of filler, and looked and tasted as though it were fresh and hand patted. Thick and juicy we both liked it but it wasn't quite as flavorful as many other burgers we've experienced, even the chain burgers. 

Price wise it was right there with the other burgers of similar chains and yet didn't really jump out at either of us. No this isn't a bad burger, it's actually pretty decent. But from a value standpoint it doesn't even come close to some of our favorites.

If you haven't been to a Max and Erma's in a while, you might want to give them a chance. But look at the whole menu before deciding to settle on a burger. If, though, you're in the mood for a great burger, there are several better options.

Plum St. Cafe

It's been a while since we found ourselves in a cool little dive joint ordering up a burger hot off a flattop grill. We tend to search out burgers in places near where our activities take us. That's why, when it's warm out and we're running around collecting pictures for the other blog we tend to visit places further from home (there will be some places pretty far from home in a couple weeks because Mark is heading out of town on some business and wants to compare theirs with ours).

Recently we headed downtown to the Duke Energy Center to check out the new car show they host there each year. In looking for a cool little joint we didn't have to go far, just about a half block south on Plum St, 423 Plum St. to be exact. The Plum St. Cafe is very much a downtown neighborhood joint. It is small and sparse, not quite as sparse as its web site (http://www.plumstreetcafe.com/) but since this place seems to cater to a pretty regular crowd there doesn't seem to be a need for added ambiance.

The menu is equally sparse and that's OK. Mostly because there is a very, very small kitchen located at the front of the place. It is open and visible from anywhere in the cafe. That means you can see, yes, and smell your food being prepared fresh.

Burgers

We, of course, chose their basic cheeseburger. It's about a third pound of hand patted fresh beef. Like the condiments, they get their meat from just a little north at Findley Market. Everything about this burger is fresh. Even the tomato in winter, something Mark usually doesn't order when not in season, was fresh, plump and tasty.

Perhaps the one downside to it was the toasted bun. The bun itself was good and the toasting was a nice touch. The problem occurred because the burger was so juicy that the bun began to break apart and neither of us could set down the burger for fear of it completely falling apart. Not that this is a bad thing.

Since the Plum St. Cafe doesn't have a deep frier don't expect to get fries. Instead they will toss you a bag of potato chips. And like everything else in the place the chips are pure Cincinnati: Grippos.

When our check came each of our totals were under $8. That's fast food prices for a good, quality, fresh burger. We tipped pretty well.

While Plum St. Cafe isn't the best burger we've ever had it is one of the best we've had in a while (except for Hwy. 55). But that is because this is really the first local joint we've been to in a while. We need to get to more of those.

If you are downtown, especially on the lower west side of downtown, make sure to stop in at the Plum St. Cafe. It's filled with regulars but we're sure, just like us, you'll be treated just like you belong. You'll get good service, excellent food and a check that is easy on the wallet.

Hwy 55

What started in a closed restaurant in a Goldsboro, NC shopping mall in 1991 as Andy's Cheesesteaks & Cheeseburgers, has become one of the fastest growing burger chains in the Southeast. Now, under it's new name of Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes and Fries, one has come to the Tri-State.

Located at 4450 Eastgate Blvd, next to the new Jungle Jim's, and on line at http://hwy55burgers.com/, Hwy 55 is a kitschy throwback style of restaurant that evokes the feel of the 1950s. An old '50s style car sits atop the place and as you enter to a friendly greeting from the staff, you see all sorts of memorabilia and pictures on the wall and hear classic '50s rock and roll.

We were seated, our drink orders were taken and we were told our server would be Doris Day. That took a minute to register and Mark explained to Josh who Doris Day was. When the server who sat us returned with out drinks we looked up at her name tag and saw it read Rosemary Clooney. We thanked her and asked her to give her nephew our regards and have him call the next time he's in town.

The menu is rather small but pretty much offers up something for everyone's taste ranging from cheesesteaks and chicken to shrimp and the reason we were there, the burgers. More on those in a bit.

As we were waiting for our food to come out, it being freshly made as we waited, Doris Day brought us a sample of the frozen custard. She told us it, like a lot of their food, was made fresh daily. The custard was rich and creamy and very delicious. Neither of us had room after our burgers for any dessert.

Burgers

The basic burger, the Andy, is a third pound of fresh, never frozen beef. Since we were hungry we each ordered up a double. Mistake as we really had to push ourselves to finish. The burger literally melted in our mouths. The beef was very flavorful and tasted as though it had just been ground that morning. 

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the cheese. It was so fresh that we were looking around to see if they had cows tucked away somewhere. It was like a slice of American that you could buy next door at Jungle Jim's. This food was never frozen or even stored away for long. In fact, everything from the meat to the cheese, from the condiments to the bun literally melted in our mouths. Without a doubt this was one of the best chain burgers we had ever had. In fact, it might be the best.

On the down side the fries were pretty pedestrian. But with the size and quality of the burger neither of us really cared. 

Going into Hwy 55 neither of us had any idea of what to expect. With the vast majority of the 100 plus locations down in North Carolina, neither of us had ever heard of it. This is the first one in Cincinnati and with this type of quality and such a fun atmosphere we can see it growing and spreading the way it has throughout it's home state. 

If you are a burger fan you owe it to yourself to check this place out. Definitely worth the trip to Eastgate.

Mitchell's

We love it when people tell us we should check out such and such a restaurant. If we haven't eaten there it's always fun to see how it lives up to our taste in burgers. But when Mark's friend and fellow burger guru Doug Cribbs suggested that we try, of all places, Mitchell's Fish Market, we were a little skeptical.

Both of us are huge seafood fans. We have eaten in some very good seafood restaurants over the years, including stops at Mitchell's. Never once inside such an eatery did we have the inclination to chow down on a burger.

Mitchell's is getting ready to celebrate its 20th anniversary as a chain of restaurants. Dating back to 1993 when founder Cameron Mitchell opened a small American bistro in Columbus. The group has grown to feature upscale and upscale casual restaurants under nine different brand names. All are known for a high standard of quality.

The Mitchell's where we ventured for lunch is located at Newport on the Levee but you can find all of their locations on line at http://www.mitchellsfishmarket.com/index.cfm.

Burgers

We went at lunch, figuring it was better to sample a burger at a seafood joint then than during dinner. It took all of our reserve not to say screw it and order up something like sea scallops or fish and chips. Instead we ordered up the Market Burger, cooked to order and delivered with cheddar cheese, apple wood smoked bacon (yes, we know, that's usually against our testing policy but what can we say, we both love bacon) and our choice of condiments.

Seeing as though this is the opposite of a fast food joint, it took a little longer than usual to get our burgers. When they came they were hot off the grill. Advertised as a half pound of USDA Prime ground beef the burgers lived up to that billing. They were juicy and flavorful with a just the right mix of lean and fat to ensure maximum flavor.

The cheddar cheese was a nice little change of pace from your typical American but it wasn't something that made us stand up and say, wow, why doesn't everyone do this. It was a mild cheddar, though, that didn't over power the flavor of the meat. Likewise the condiments were crisp and did their job, adding to the variety of flavors but not taking control. The bun was nothing special, basically there as a device to allow you to pick up the sandwich and eat it without getting too messy.

While the burger was good, it should be considering the price. A $10 burger really does seem a little much.

Overall we will definitely go back to Mitchell's. Only it will be for seafood and not burgers.