Frisco Burger Inn - El Paso, TX

Frisco burger Inn, in El Paso, texas, allowed me to combine my two passions, burgers and building houses in Juarez. I decided to search out the best burger in El Paso, while on a recent trip to Juarez. El Paso is right across the border from Juarez, so it was an easy mission. After reading a few on-line blogs, I settled on Frisco Burger Inn.

Me being from the San Francisco Bay Area, where we never say "Frisco", the place had one vote in it's favor right away, just for flying in the face of convention. Located in a strip mall, in a somewhat tired looking suburb, east of town, Frisco burger sported a faded sign with a painting of the Golden Gate Bridge on it. The place was so packed, that the hostess pointed to a chair at a two person table where one chair was already taken. My table partner "Ralph" was friendly and recommended the double-meat cheeseburger ($5.49). I got the basket which includes fries ($6.49). I wanted onion rings ($1.70), but Ralph had gotten the last basket of the day. Despite my hints, he didn't offer me a taste. They were also out of milk-shakes ($1.90) and ($2.49).

The table was black laminate top and it was teamed with red sparkly naugahyde chairs. Ralph and I discussed his favorite restaurants in Juarez and my food quickly came. The fries were medium thick, skinless, hot and crispy (4.5 spatulas out of 5). The burger bun was grilled on the outside, an unusual touch that worked. The beef was cooked medium and the burger was juicy. American cheese works well with this style of thin burger. It really hit the spot. I give it a solid 4 spatulas.

Ralph confirmed this was the best burger in El Paso, and judging by the throng still streamimg in when I left, most El Paso folk must agree.

Burger 4 spatulas out of 5

Fries 4.5 spatulas

Frisco Burger Inn

3111 N. Yarbrough Drive

El Paso, TX 79925

915-591-6737

Little Store - Woodside, CA - Guest Review

My good friend Joe Fantuzzi visited the little store in Woodside and had this review.

The Little Store is a historic site in Woodside California in what has now become an residential area. It may have served as a grocery store, hitching post, saloon or all of the above for travellers on buggies or horses going over the mountains to the pacific ocean. It's decor is decidedly western, with red and white checkered tableclothes, black and white photos and other items from the old west.

We had a lovely waitress that greeted us with energy and confidence. She boasted about the Little Store food in a sweet and polite way. The eclectic menu for a western fare had grilled meats and fishes, an assortment of salads, appetizers like quesidilas and burritos and of course many burger sandwich combinations. Nick ordered the Hamburger sandwich for $7.95 and I ordered the Pulled Pork sandwich for $11.95. We accompanied the meal with drinks, Nick had lemonade and Joe had a Fat Tire amber ale.

The hamburger was ordered medium rare, and came quickly with a sesame seed bun, 'best' fries, and a side of lettuce, sliced tomato, cucumber and red onions. The meat was juicy and tender, and didn't need any salt or pepper to make it perfect. Nick added ketchup on the top before sinking his teeth into it. Before 2 minutes passed, the burger was nearly gone, which is not advisable in burger eating decorum. Nick's enjoyment of the burger sans any cheese or sides other than ketchup, let's him rate the pure burger experience at a 4.5 out of 5.0.

All in all, a friendly atmosphere, family ready but with sophisticated fare for all to find the meal they wish.

John Bentley's - Redwood City

John Bentley's in Redwood City is a great place for a romantic meal. So my wife Pat and I went there for lunch on Valentine's Day. We where chatting with Zu Tarazi, our good friend and General Manager, when conversation turned to my burger blog. Being a burger connoisseur himself, Zu recommended the Grilled Angus Cheeseburger with Fries ($10). How could I say no?

Zu told us that they grind their own chuck on site. The burger was a pretty picture when it came, sitting atop a brioche bun nicely grilled on the outside. The cheese was artfully melted down the side of the patty. Onion, tomato and lettuce came on the side. Thin-cut fies cooked to crisp and tasty were stacked on the plate as well.

The burger was cooked perfectly pink and medium. The bun made for a nice combo. I put on a little mustard, mayo and catchup. In no time I had downed the entire burger. I must say it went nicely with the red wine, something I don't usually do at lunch. The burger was very good, but I would have liked a little more seasoning in the beef. (4 spatulas out of 5). The fries were delightful and very crisp. (4 spatulas)

You can't beat the atmosphere at Bentley's. We will be back. And don't miss the grilled hanger steak, which my Valentine loved. And isn't love what V-Day is all about?

Burger 4 spatulas out of 5
Fries 4 spatulas

John Bentley's
2915 El Camino Real
Redwood City, CA 94061
650-365-7777
http://www.johnbentleys.com/redwood-city/home.html

Tyler's - Palm Springs, CA

Tyler’s is a tiny spot in downtown Palm Springs – former winter haunt of Sinatra, Bob Hope, Carey Grant and Sonny Bono. A hit with locals and tourists alike, there is a line for seats from before they open at 11 am until they close at 4 PM. The tiny structure barely fits a grill, a bar that seats eight and two additional corner counters to sit two or three. Outside is a garden seating area and there is more seating outside in front. We took the less demanded inside seating at one of the corner counters where there was only a short wait.

We busied ourselves reading the countless news clippings on the wall extolling the virtues of Tyler’s. Our waitress was cheerful and efficient as she took our orders. My daughter, Sara, opted for the sliders ($2.50 each), three mini burgers, with all the fixings of the big burger. My wife, Pat ordered the cheeseburger ($6.50). I got the bacon cheeseburger ($8.00). We also ordered a large basket of fries ($3.50), cole slaw ($2.75), and a chocolate shake ($4.50). Alas, no onion rings at Tyler’s.

Before long, the food arrived. I must say this burger is the best I have ever had. The 7-ounce patty is seasoned to perfection with salt and pepper. American cheese drips down the sides of the patty, which is covered in the sweetest grilled onions you will ever taste. The bacon is thick, salty and crisp. Somehow it is light and thick at the same time. The bun is a pillow of white, soft bread, griddled on the inside. The bun holds together admirably despite the juiciness of the burger and onions. Mayonnaise completes the combo that plays together like a fine rock and roll band.

Sara loved her sliders, which are just a small clone of the burger and just as tasty. Pat devoured her plain cheeseburger. She usually only eats half.

The fries were thin and light with a crisp exterior. There were lots of crispy pieces at the bottom of the basket. The slaw was creamy and peppery, but I prefer it a little nuttier and spicier. The shake was very good; although it had some ice chips in it. It had a good flavor and consistency.

If you are ever even close to Palm Springs you must hit Tyler’s. It is probably worth the two-hour drive from L.A. or the even closer drive from Las Vegas. When you see the bronze statue of Sonny Bono smiling on the main drag in Palm Springs, it is probably no coincidence he is facing in the direction of Tyler’s.

Burger 5 spatulas out of 5
Fries 4 spatulas
Milk Shake 3.5 spatulas.

Tyler’s
149 So. Indian Canton Drive
Palm Springs, CA

Norm's Place - Danville, CA

Norm's Place, in charming downtown Danville, CA, is an equally charming pub style place. I met my burger buddy, Mark and his brother Buzz for burger's and conversation. We were seated at a dark, wood-topped table by our friendly waitress Liz. The red walls were adorned with an interesting assortment of auto parts hung as art. Flat screens were strategically scattered throughout Norm's to keep one up with all the scores and highlights, even at noon on a Wednesday.

The menu is scattered with 10 ounce burger combinations like the Hart'z Burger and the Englishman. I asked Liz what she recommended. She pushed me off menu to a combination of her own making called the Dirty Burger, with bacon, avocado and swiss cheese. ($11.50 with fries.) She asked me if I wanted the bacon crispy. I can't imagine having it any other way, but I appreciated the choice. We also ordered onion rings. I asked Liz if they had milk shakes and I think I offended her. "We have upscale burgers. This is no burger, shakes and fries place." You have to love an employee with such passion.

As the onion rings arrived I noticed Weezer playing on the speakers. Next came Cocaine Blues, the Johnny Cash version from Folsom prison. I liked the place even better. The rings were thick with crispy batter. Hot and tasty, we rated them 4 spatulas.

The burgers and fries came next. I like to taste the fries before I taste my burger. These were medium thick with skins on. Slightly overcooked, salty and a little soggy, they rate a 2.5.

The burger however is a different story. It was cooked a perfect medium, juicy and seasoned nicely with a pepper mixture and topped with the afore mentioned crispy bacon and avocado. Another nice touch was the nicely toasted brioche-style bun. I really liked this burger and rate it 4.5 spatulas.

We sat and chatted, very comfortable in this charming spot. Liz kept our drinks full and didn't rush us out. I will be back.

Burger 4.5 spatulas out of 5

Fries 2.5 spatulas

Onion Rings 4 spatulas

Milk Shake - Don't even ask for one.

Norm's Place

356 Hartz Ave.

Danville, CA 94526

925-552-6676

Da Kitchen - Kahului, Maui, HI

Da Kitchen in Kahului, Maui is a local spot recommended to me by a friend before out recent trip. I was assured it is a great place to get the local flavor, both cultural and of a cuisine nature. She was right.

My wife, daughter and I arrived at the Maui airport just a little after noon, the day before Thanksgiving. By the time we waited for our luggage and got a rental car, we were quite hungry. I had been told that Da Kitchen was behind the Krispy Kreme, near the airport, but I asked the clerk at Avis how to get there. She told me it was across the street from the K Mart in the Triangle Square. It was pretty obvious we were close when we drove between the Krispy Kreme and the K Mart. We found the Triangle Square and there tucked in a strip mall unassumingly was Da Kitchen.

We were greeted warmly by our server and given a booth made of wood and vinyl. Up on the high wall was a big 3-D wave sculpted from fiberglass. If you aren't lucky enough to get a booth, there are outdoor style tables with green plastic chairs in the middle. Very casual.

I wasn't counting on having a burger until I saw the Loco Moco ($8.75). The menu described it as "A Homemade Burger topped with two eggs, gravy, sauteed onions and mushrooms. Please consult your physician prior to consumption." I asked the waitress if this was something only the stupid tourists got, or do the locals eat it. She laughed and said, "Lot's of locals eat it, That's the best thing I've ever heard." How could I resist? Given a choice of "mac" or salad on the side I took the mac.

Before long a towering plate of food arrived. Its centerpiece was sitting on a bed of rice. A burger covered in brown gravy, two fried eggs, over easy, sauteed onions and mushrooms. There were also two huge scoops of rice and a dollop of macaroni/potato salad. I cut into Mount Loco and the egg yolk oozed over the whole luscious mess. It reminded me a lot of Salisbury Steak I used to have as a kid. This is a very unusual taste that I liked better with each bite. The gravy was a little too salty for me, or I would have rated it even higher than the 4 spatulas I ended up at at. For sheer audacity and originality it deserves at least a 4.

The Mac was very good too. Creamy and a nice counter balance.

A real coincidence occurred the next day. My wife is reading a book called "The Tenth Muse" by Judith Jones. The author was the book editor for Julia Child. She tells a story of being in Hawaii and trying the Loco Moco. So my server wasn't steering me wrong. It is a local tradition.

Burger 4 spatulas (out of 5)

Mac 4 spatulas

Da Kitchen

425 Koloa St.

Kahului, Maui, Hawaii

Mr. Bartley's Gourmet Burgers - Cambridge. MA

With a slogan as bold as "You Can't Beat Our Meat", the burgers here had better be good. Bartley's is about a block away from Harvard Square. I went there with my wife and two children for lunch. The place was completely full with people of all ages, from college students to the elderly.

We were greeted by Mr. Bartley himself and seated by his wife. We quickly took our seats right in the middle of the action and looked around at the walls that were filled with memorabilia, much of it political. Menus were soon dropped in front of us and we were looking at a list of more than 50 burgers. Our daughter chose the macaroni and cheese. Our son the hamburger. My wife decided on a greek salad. I chose the Mitt Romney, medium rare as Mr. Bartley recommended.

While we waited for our food, we looked around at the walls and pointed out the various artifacts. There were posters of Bill and Hillary, Reagan, Bush. A blow up deer head. Elvis. The Beatles. A Dice-K jersey. A barber pole and magazine covers. Then the food arrived. 

The Mitt Romney is a 7-ounce patty of choice beef covered with caramalized onions and Swiss cheese.  The side order of onion rings towered on the plate. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium rare. The onions were just right with the cheese melted perfectly. This burger was one of the best I have ever had. It gets a 5 spatula recommendation from me. 

The onion rings are billed as the best in the world, but I have had better. They were simply too bland for my taste. Jeffrey's in Menlo Park, CA trumps Bartley's onion rings by a long way. If you can get to Jeffrey's, that's the place for onion rings. 

My daughter thought macaroni and cheese was the best she had ever had. A kid can't go wrong with the mac and cheese at Bartley's.

Our visit to Bartley's was a really good experience. I look forward to my next visit and to trying the Bill Clinton burger. By the way, the menu says the Hillary Clinton burger will tax your taste buds.

Curt D. Van Emon

Burger 5 spatulas (out of 5)

Onion Rings 2.5 spatulas

Mr. Bartley's Gourmet Burgers

1246 Massachusetts Ave

Cambridge, MA 02138

617-354-6559