Would You Like Fries with That?

Venue: 67 Burger

Location: 67 Lafayette St.., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Burger: The 67 Burger

Average Score: 7.0
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike: Last week we continued our tour of Fort Greene by sampling the offerings of 67 Burger. For those of you who are unfamiliar, 67 Burger is what one might call a “burger joint” (not to be confused with “A Burger Joint”). Burgers are their business, and business is good! Their menu offers up thirteen different “styles,” numerous sides and salads, and a plethora of extra toppings and cheeses. But, in staying true to our mission, we opted for “The 67 Burger.”

Their signature sandwich is stacked with a 7oz. grass fed beef patty, creamy blue cheese, and crispy bacon. All of their burgers come on a toasted sesame bun with tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, and garlic pickles. I ordered my burger medium rare with a side of sweet potato fries. Now, these burgers don’t come with a side, so if you want fries, you’ll have to fork out a little extra. Not to stray too far off topic; but, 67 Burger serves up three different types of fries, as well as onion rings. They’re all top-notch in my book, so it’s worth the additional cost; however, the portions are pretty hearty, so it’s advisable to split them with a friend.

As I get back to the burger, I should mention that my opinion might hold bias; I find the pairing of bacon and blue cheese to be one of the greatest flavor combinations one could throw on a burger. This burger was cooked to perfection! It came with topped with a generous dollop of creamy blue cheese and chopped bacon on the bottom between the beef and the lower half of the bun. In my mind, they did this right! I was impressed that the bacon was chopped rather than left in strips, which ensured an equal amount of bacon with each bite. One might assume that the potent flavors packed by the bacon and blue cheese might mask the flavors of the beef. This was not the case with “The 67 Burger.” The size of the patty was the right proportion, and seasoned well enough to prevent it from getting lost among the other flavors. As I mentioned before, this burger had a lot going in the flavor department; but it was equally abundant in texture as well. This was mostly due to the chopped bacon and creamy blue cheese.

In all fairness, and as few of them as there were, I am compelled to mention this burger’s shortcomings. Though the bun was a suitable size, a sesame bun was a bit lackluster for my taste. I would have preferred something a little more on the sweeter side to complement the abundance of savory flavors—the tomato just wasn’t enough on its own. This was, in part, why I ordered the sweet potato fries. Also, the toppings could have been fresher; is it really that time consuming to cut a tomato to order? To wrap up, I was rather satisfied with 67 Burger, albeit a bit overpriced; I look forward to trying some of the other burgers on their menu.

Overall Rating: 7.1

Kenneth: After walking past 67 Burger for the last 5 years, I always assumed it was a sit down and order with a waiter kind of place; so I was shocked when I had to order at the register. I ordered their 67 Burger medium; and this signature burger comes with spreadable blue cheese, bacon, lettuce, red onions and a pickle on the side. Everything sounded great except the blue cheese. I’ve had an aversion to it ever since I was little, after trying it in a cheese tasting in elementary. Due to the cheese, I was not completely excited about this burger; but when it arrived that changed. This burger is HUGE! The veggies came on the side, so you can add them if you like; and the spreadable blue cheese was on the top of patty, while the bacon came under the burger in a million little pieces. Not strips, but a lot of little pieces of bacon, which filled every single bite of this burger with the wonderful taste of bacon. The bun was fresh, the patty was cooked well, and the toppings were very fresh. I enjoyed this burger even if I had to scrape the blue cheese off half way through the burger. The blue cheese was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but I am going to go back and have a cheddar bacon burger. The tiny pieces of bacon have me hooked.




Rating 7.7

Jeff:  I’ve been to 67 Burger before. I couldn’t recall my impressions of it as I sat outside and it was some time ago. On this occasion, I ordered their trademark burger medium rare with sweet potato fries and was given a table stand with an order number card on top. I was number 78.

The fries arrived shortly after sitting; and again I was taken aback. Why? I’m someone who loves chips and salsa before the main meal; I like appetizers, but to me, fries should still arrive with the burger. That said, the sweet potato fries were good; I wish more places offered them.
       

The burger arrived and it looked good. It had a broad thick patty, the lettuce and tomato looked fresh, and the red onions were sliced just right. My first bite was ok, and by ok, I mean it definitely wasn’t bad. The patty wasn’t medium rare but it was juicy. The blue cheese was creamy versus crumbly so that was an eyebrow raiser as well. Where’s the blue? The bacon was diced and spread out. I’m not a fan of diced bacon on burgers, salads maybe, but not burgers. I’m used to it occurring in fast food chains, so this was a strange occurrence for me. Maybe it shouldn’t be, as I did place my order at the counter and was given a number on a metal stand. The diced bacon was nice in that a bit of bacon was in every bite, but I missed the texture and meatiness that whole strips can provide. As I continue to eat, I can’t help but take in the decor. This place is sort of distracting. It made me feel as though I was at a food court in a mall. I am by no means a snob against malls. Having grown up in the Northwest, malls are quite alright by me, but this has a food court feel to me and food courts are definitely something I’m not down with.

      The bun didn’t hold up too well. A third of the way through, the bottom bun had disintegrated and the top bun had collapsed considerably without much flavor. I thought the bun had been toasted a bit but that was not the case. Yeah, it’s feeling more like a food court experience with every bite. In the end the burger was ok, not spectacular, but not bad either. It would definitely pass as a decent burger if made at home, but I wasn’t home.  I was out and left somewhat indifferent to the whole thing.

Rating: 6.2

World's Greatest

Venue: Stanich's

Location: 4915 Northeast Fremont St., Portland, OR

Burger: The Special

Average Score: 8.8
Price Range: $$$$$

Tom: Let me preface this review by disclosing that I did, and always will, approach this burger with a HUGE bias.  Stanich’s has long been one of, if not my absolute favorite burgers… in the world.  For your dollar, I do not believe you can find a better deal anywhere; but, I will always accept challenges thrown down by fellow reviewers.  From the grease stained pendants of nearly every college and sports team known to humanity covering the walls to the ancient and wizened burger yielding staff, Stanich’s proudly totes the old-timey neighborhood bar/diner feel that makes me all warm and fuzzy when I walk in the doors.  To combat my obvious “10/10 burger” rating of their magnificent creation, I decided it was prudent to employ four other burger judges to broaden taste palates for a more accurate analysis.  Five burgers display on the menu, but I highly recommend their flagship burger, the humbly titled “World’s Greatest” or “Special.” The special comes with a fresh ground chuck patty, American cheese, crispy white onions, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, ham, bacon, and a fried egg deliciously stacked on a toasted sesame seed bun.  The true brilliance of this burger, besides the perfect blend of flavors that will set your head spinning, is the condiment mix.  There must be some special seasoning or ingredient because I have never sampled a ketchup/relish/mayo blend that tastes so good.  Many times I have kept a covert eye on the open grill to see if there is some undisclosed bucket or a blank seasoning shaker that quickly makes an appearance to dash out bit of burger bliss before scuttling back to the secret recesses of the kitchen.  But alas, I have not uncovered any secret truths and must accept that they have mastered the blend of otherwise common ingredients.  If there had to be a flaw with this experience, it was in the inconsistency of the fries.  They’re cut fresh daily, but it is a complete roll of the dice whether you will get a batch of perfectly browned and tender fries or an under cooked mass of floppy potatoes that I inevitably eat while grumbling under my breath.  In the end there are few burger places that elicit an instant desire to continue eating and completely ignore the rest of my day though my stomach is pleading with me to stop.  Stanich’s IS one of those places!

Spicy Lame Burger

Venue: Chez Oskar

Location: 211 Dekalb Ave., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Burger: Spicy Lamburger

Average Score: 4.3
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike: Our Fort Greene tour continued last week; this time, lamb was on the menu. Our destination: Chez Oskar, for their “Spicy Lamburger.” Chez Oskar, a Harlem Renaissance and French bistro inspired eatery, claims to “crank out fine French cuisine jazzed up by Brooklyn's cultural diversity.” Well, I can neither confirm, nor deny that assertion; but, if I were to base my assessment solely on their lamb burger, I would have to strongly disagree.

For $13, you get a 6 oz. lamb burger with goat cheese, served with French fries and a salad. The menu made no mention of what kind of bun it comes on; I gathered this is because they used whatever was on sale at the local supermarket. I don’t often order lamb, so I asked to have mine prepared as the chef recommended, which turns out to be medium. Though, I think my burger was a bit overcooked, leaving it on the dry end. On the other hand, the dryness may have been a result of a freezing, which I gathered from the consistency and texture of the meat. The patty was, indeed, spicy; but the flavor, despite the goat cheese, completely dominated the sandwich, making the fact that it was lamb a moot point. It could have been any animal, really. As for the goat cheese, it had the consistency of that found from the grocery store. C’mon, is anything on this burger made fresh or in-house?! Frozen patty, bun from a bag, goat cheese from a jar—even the tomato looked like it was cut the day before. I should also add that my burger came with a small piece of the plastic bag the bun must have come in. Needless to say, this was not a good first impression.

To wrap this up, it’s pretty obvious how extremely disappointed I was with this lamb burger. The fries and salad couldn’t have saved this sinking ship, even if they were the best sides imaginable—which they were far from it. I would equate this meal with diner food; but that’s not exactly fair, seeing as I have had better diner experiences than this. Give me $13 and a shopping list and I could produce a better burger than what Chez Oskar is trying to pass off for one these days.

Overall Rating: 4.5

Kenneth: Lamb Burgers! I was very excited to try my first lamb burger; but I can’t let this single experience ruin all other upcoming lamb burgers. This burger was so highly spoken of by quite a few of my friends; I am truly shocked that it turned out so unexpectedly awful. I have to believe my friends who gave praise to this burger have not been back to Chez Oskar in quite some time. I consider this terrible burger a product of a new chef or new management that doesn’t care for this dish.

There were a few things I did like about the burger; the fresh goat cheese, the spiciness of the patty, and the bun to patty ratio. The spiciness of the burger was also the only flavor; I think it was so spicy to cover up for the lack flavor in the meat. The bun looked like an Arnold’s wheat hamburger bun from the local grocery story, and tasted just, well it wasn’t good. Having to consume almost all of my fries was the only way to help create some sense of satisfaction with my burger experience. I wish I had this lamb burger a few years back when it was so highly raved about.

Overall rating 4.7

Jeff:  Chez Oskar was one of the first places at which I had a good burger when I visited Brooklyn seven and a half years ago; and not just any burger, but a lamb burger. I have fond memories of that trip, and the burger; as it was while visiting graduate schools that I settled in this place after a long afternoon. This return visit would hopefully justify my memories of that afternoon.


        Whoa, what is this? This looks nothing like what I remember, and my memory for visual things is pretty good. The patty looks prepackaged.  Either that, or the cook spends a lot of time rounding out his patties for a perfect radius and thickness.  And what’s with the bun? Is this from a store bought package of 8 wheat buns for $1.99? It sure looks like it. The tomato doesn’t look that fresh either. What’s going on here? Did I have that lamb burger somewhere else? Restaurant management changes hands, I know, but why would they choose to serve their lamb burger like this?  

My first bite confirms my visual assessment. The bun is nothing but short of mediocre.  It’s not toasted, it’s bland, it’s dense, it looks like it’s been squished, and it’s dry.

Again, why is this on a lamb burger? Why would this be used on any burger?
  One function of the bun is to serve as the vehicle to deliver the patty. It carries the meat of a burger and should compliment the patty. This is bad, really bad, and I feel bad for suggesting we come here. The patty was flavorful, but I don’t taste too much lamb. I see ground lamb, but the seasoning of the patty is overwhelming. Their menu does state that it’s a spicy lamb burger, but where’s the flavor of the lamb? It might as well be a spicy (insert choice of substance) burger because the flavor of the meat is lacking. The patty’s texture also seems a little mealy. I take another bite and the result is the same, spicy; but I don’t taste much lamb. What happened? This is nothing like what I had back in 2004, and I always remember what tastes good. The only welcome flavor I had from this burger was from the goat cheese, but when paired with the mealy lamb and dry bun, it’s joy faded rather quickly.  I’m not going to mention the fries, why bother.


          You know, if all burgers tasted this poorly, I’d be vegetarian just for the sake of making sure the life of young sheep or cows wasn’t being wasted. They should just live on to graze on grass, provide milk and cheese, and be seen in petting zoos for children. Rest assured, I will not be recommending a burger of any kind from here.

Overall rating: 3.7

Thirsty to Get That Onion Taste Out of My Mouth!

Venue: Thirsty Lion

Location: 10205 SW Washington Square Rd., Tigard, OR

Burger: NW Pub Burger with Caesar Salad

Average Score: 6.8
Price Range: $$$$$

Tom:  The Thirsty Lion’s culinary mission statement is to provide an eclectic variety of multi-cultural cuisines with an emphasis on local ingredients, bold flavors, and scratch recipes.  Well… they hit it on the head with bold flavors by adding a 2-inch thick slice of raw onion onto their otherwise near-perfect burger.  What a tragedy!  The gorgonzola infused burger was perfectly cooked to a juicy and delightful mid-rare.  The white cheddar not only added the necessary extra calories for a true artery-clogger, but also complimented the meat very well by serving as the glue to hold this tender concoction together, while not taking away the zing of the gorgonzola.  The arugula salad sat on top of the horseradish cream sauce (interesting direction) and created an almost nutty freshness that tingled in the back of the nose just right.  I was a little dismayed when the burger arrived on a ciabatta bun, as my experiences in the past have shown ciabatta to be entirely too tough for a good burger.  As you try to tear through the thick bun you end up squishing and destroying the burger altogether.  This, however, was not the case.  The bun was airily baked, lightly toasted with butter and fresh as could be.  But the true perfection of this burger came in the form of the maple glazed, pepper-bacon.  Wow!  Probably the best bacon I have ever had.  I would go back to the restaurant just to order a side of this culinary marvel.  But alas, some thick- tongued dolt decided to sabotage the whole operation by adding the “grilled onion.”  I mean that thing even ruins my picture!  And to add insult to injury, I ordered the mediocre side salad instead of the fries.  A rookie move but I do like to mix up my burger experiences occasionally and it usually comes in the form of a Caesar salad.  Slightly less depressing than the pathetic side salad was the thin slice of bland tomato.  Which did absolutely nothing for this burger other than increasing the cold/wet factor and should be discarded in my opinion.

More than Meets the Eye

Venue: Abistro

Location: 250 Dekalb Ave., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Burger:Abistro Burger

Average Score: 7.3
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike: To start off the New Year, we at The Burgerler chose to sample some of the local fare in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. This week, Abistro was the destination, serving up their signature “Abistro Burger.” I’ve had my eye on this establishment ever since it moved into the space just under a year ago. Abistro is an unassuming, yet charming little spot nestled in on the corner of Dekalb and Vanderbilt Avenues that features a fusion of West African cuisine and French technique.

           The Abistro Burger is a prime beef patty served on an egg challah roll with a side of herbed fries and a mixed greens salad. If you want to add cheese, bacon, mushrooms, or Senegalese salsa, it will cost you an extra $1.50 each. I ordered mine medium-rare; and for fear of getting a naked burger, it seemed appropriate to add a slice of cheddar to dress it up a bit. When the plate came out, it soon dawned on me just how important the side salad was to the overall presentation. Because the burger comes without any toppings or condiments, the mixed greens added the necessary color to arouse the visual stimulation that this meal would have otherwise been devoid of.

           Once I bit into this burger, it immediately became apparent to me why it didn’t have any toppings or condiments on it; it didn’t need any. This burger had one of the most flavorful meats that I’ve ever had on a burger. The meat was prepared to perfection; juicy and savory, with a bit of spice that delivered a small amount of kick that lingered on your tongue, beckoning you to take another bite. Adding cheese was a good choice; and the way it was scorched on top added a small amount of crisp and helped protect the top section of bun from becoming soggy. Speaking of the bun…an egg challah was a superb choice for this burger! The toasted underside carried a quality crunch while the outer surface maintained the airiness of freshly baked bread. The top of the roll was coated with a thin layer of butter, which left your hands on the greasy side, but it was worth it. The challah roll presented this sandwich with a soft, buttery, creamy texture that complemented the flavors born from the meat. The downside of the bun was that the lower half was cut way too thin, quickly absorbing the juices of the beef and disintegrating in no time.

           If anything brought my overall score for this burger down, it was the sides. I would hate to think that the same person who made this delicious burger was also capable of making a batch of fries this miserable. Don’t get me wrong; the fries were seasoned well with a mixture of herbs and spices that harmonized well with the burger. Unfortunately, they were soft and lifeless, as if they were warming in the oven since lunch. The salad was refreshing to see on the plate. As I mentioned before, it added much needed color; but it also added another dimension, both in texture and flavor. There wasn’t much to the salad, a slew of mixed greens, a single tomato “slice,” and a wealth of spicy-citrus vinaigrette, but it really didn’t need much more than that. The vinaigrette was quite possibly the most distinct and complex flavor on the plate. Though I did enjoy the dressing, it was a bit much when considering the overall flavor profile. It was like a supporting role trying to take the lead.

           Overall, I enjoyed the Abistro burger. Sure, it looks to be a plain hamburger with no bells or whistles to speak of; but what it lacks in luster, it makes up for ten-fold in flavor. Again, I’m glad I added cheese, and I’d be curious to know what a fresh tomato, some raw red onion, and a leaf of crisp romaine might do to a burger this delicious. I definitely want to return; the owner/chef promises they will open up for lunch a few days a week, starting in the spring, with a menu featuring an entire line of new burgers. I’d also be willing to go back to give those wimpy fries a chance for redemption. Everyone is entitled to a bad day and everyone should be entitled to a second chance.

Overall Rating: 7.5

Kenneth: Walking into Abistro, the first thing I thought, “This place looks like a nice place for a date.” I immediately became excited about trying their burger. After selecting one of my favorite beers, Founder’s Porter, the waiter started to rattle off a list of delicious sounding specials just for us to stop him to order burgers. As usual, I ordered my burger medium-well with bacon. To my dismay, this was a poor choice and it arrived overcooked. The plating of my burger was a beautiful site, as it was accompanied by fries and a salad, leaving no need to choose.

They chose an egg challah bun to join the patty, which was delicious except for how greasy it made my hands with each bite. I had to wipe my hand off each time I picked up the burger, not a good look. The patty-to-bun ratio, on the other hand was, can you say perfect? PERFECT! The patty was well seasoned and each bite contained an overabundance of flavor, even though it was over cooked. Coming to the end of my burger, the meat started to become gamy, which I blame on how it was cooked. You can choose either bacon, cheese, or both for a bit extra; I would suggest getting at least one, otherwise the burger would be bare. Then there was the salad, which came with a tomato that was cut too large for the burger and dressed in a citrus-cayenne vinaigrette; therefore, I would not put the lettuce on my burger. The fries were well seasoned just like everything else. Overall, the patty was pretty good; I disliked the bun, but would I go back to try some of the other burger creations the chef said he was going to make? Yes.

Overall rating 6.5

Jeff:  I’ve been told about the Abistro burger for quite some time. Ever since they moved into the old Cellars spot, which has been vacant for at least 5 years, I’ve been meaning to give it a shot and see how it fares, as it starts Dekalb Avenue’s restaurant row.  Ordered medium rare and with bacon, I patiently waited as my burger cohorts and I took in our surroundings.

The burger arrived and I was taken aback.  No onion, or lettuce, and the tomato was narrow in diameter while also being pretty thick.  How is this supposed to go on my burger?  In addition to the fries, that looked a little over cooked, there was a side salad.  It was nice to have both, as a little greenery after a burger can be a good thing.  I decided to save the tomato for the salad and treat my burger as though it was the first time cooked meat has met sliced bread.  I notice that the top of the bun was glistening.  Is it butter? I’m not sure; traditionally, challah bread isn’t supposed to contain butter, but traditionally, challah bread probably wouldn’t be sharing a plate with bacon either.

Oh my!  The beef seasoned here was right up there with what I had at Dumont. Yeah, this patty tasted great!  Even though it was cooked a little bit more medium than medium rare, it was still juicy and succulent; and the decision to prepare this with the challah bun was a winner.  Challah bread may contain sugar, some may use honey as a substitute.  I'm not sure which was in this bun, but it was damn good.  The bun was toasted just enough to have a firm under side on the top bun, yet a fluffy interior; delicious.  I really would like to know what they seasoned their beef with, as it’s just that good.  I also found that I was able to distinguish the bacon from the patty and have them complement each other as well.  So often as I have found, bacon is used to cover the lack of flavor in the beef; not here.

I took a moment not to devour my burger and try some of the fries.  Wow, this salad is good!  Make no mistake about it, the dressing on the salad definitely has some zing, and I for one, welcomed it.  I couldn’t make out which citrus was flavoring the dressing, nor could I figure out what gave it it’s zing; but it is best enjoyed on its own. The fries? Yeah, well, they were kind of soggy.  I suspect they were baked first then fried; or, maybe they were only baked.  Either way they didn’t stand up to the burger and salad.

Did I really just enjoy a burger consisting of meat and a bun with a little ketchup? Yes, yes I did; and it was good.  Now if they can get their fries up to snuff, they will have an all around winner.

Overall rating: 7.8

Industrially Northwest with One Delicious Burger

Venue: Clyde Common

Location: 1014 SW Stark St., Portland, OR

Burger: Hamburger Sandwich + Bacon, Blue Cheese & Egg

Average Score: 7.9
Price Range: $$$$$

Tom: When I first walked into Clyde Common I was a bit hesitant about my burger experience.  The décor and patronage presented the air of a restaurant that might take itself a bit too seriously for a downright delicious burger.  I am an adventurous burger connoisseur but there are times I feel that chefs feel too much pressure to present a fresh take on a classic dish such as a burger.  Clyde Common is a bustling restaurant in the heart of downtown with soaring ceilings and huge bay windows that cast a nice natural light across the whole restaurant.  That, coupled with the open kitchen, give the feel of a 5 star restaurant one might find in any major city; but the large community tables and fresh clippings of local evergreen trees add a Northwest feel to the experience.  One burger was available on the menu with the option of adding cheese, bacon, and egg; I like the ability to customize a burger, but at the same time I find charging extra for something like cheese on a burger is a bit irritating.  The burger arrived perfectly cooked to a mid-rare (always my choice!).  The meat was delicious and obviously freshly ground.  It was a simple set-up with a touch of aioli, fresh lettuce, and pickled onions.  The lightly fried egg made up for any potential dryness associated with a lack of condiments/sauces on the bun and added a wonderful creaminess to the overall burger.  The blue cheese could have been a bit sharper to counter all the richness of the egg and brioche bun but was still quite good.  The only downfalls were the bun to burger ratio and the lack of a good crunch presented by fresh onions or a crisper cut of lettuce.  The fries were perfectly golden and came with stone-ground mustard and a harissa/crème fresh blend, which I quickly decided was not for me.  All around it was a delightful burger and one that I will gladly return to devour again!

The Burger from Down Under

Venue: Five Leaves

Location: 18 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Thursday, December 15, 2011

Burger: Five Leaves Burger

Average Score: 7.4
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike:  For our final burger run of the year, we were all set to sample the offerings of a little ‘café & bar’ in Greenpoint called Five Leaves.  Having never heard of this place, I felt obligated to check them out online, peruse their menu, and get an idea of what I was in for.  The Five Leaves Burger was, by far, the most exotic burger we’ve tried thus far at The Burgerler.  After some digging, I found that this establishment was conceived by the late Heath Ledger; which might explain the nautical décor and Aussie flare of the menu.  Unfortunately, the restaurant wasn’t realized until after his death; the funding provided by the Ledger estate.

        The menu described the Five Leaves Burger as a grass-fed beef patty with a fried pineapple ring, house pickled beets, organic sunny-up egg, and harissa mayo with the choice of salad or fries.  However, this burger also came with red onion, tomato, and Boston Bibb served up on a sourdough roll.  In anticipation of excess juice from the laundry list of toppings, I decided to go against the ‘usual’ and ordered this one medium with a side of fries.  I was in awe when our server presented the plate before me; it was beautiful thing.  I had never had the opportunity of trying a burger topped with a fried egg prior to this one.  Come to think of it, I had never had a burger with beets or pineapple on it either, let alone the combination of all three.  So, I was both eagerly intrigued and, admittedly, a little hesitant.  As I proceeded to pile on the lettuce, tomato, and onion, I noticed how thickly sliced each of the toppings were, especially the beets.  As I topped this behemoth off with the bun, I realized there was a problem; this sandwich was stacked way too high.  To compound the issue, I made the mistake of cutting the thing in two, which reduced the height-to-width ratio in half, making this sandwich nearly impossible to eat.

         The meat was aptly sized and cooked as ordered, but it possessed only a modest amount of flavor.  Though, the array of flavors produced by the toppings may have been responsible for overshadowing the taste of the meat.  The sweetness of the pineapple was fantastic when paired with the savory meat and egg.  The sourdough roll was an excellent choice for this burger in that it added a bit of tanginess while its hard crust offered texture and allowed it to hold up to the runniness of the egg yolk and other juices.  The harissa mayo was not overdone, which is a good thing; though, it could have had a bit more kick to punctuate the overall flavor profile of the burger.  My only real complaint had to do with the beet.  Its flavor was out of place and, as mentioned before, it was sliced way to thick, causing the top of the bun to teeter, which led to some topping ejection; this is when toppings slide out of the bun while taking a bite.  The fries, alone, were outstanding; but when combined with this burger, they were exquisite.  They were lightly salted, possessed the perfect proportion of crispy exterior to tender interior, and were excellent for soaking up the excess yolk left on the plate from the burger.

          All things considered, I really enjoyed this burger. Sure, it was a little challenging to eat, I had issue with the beet, and the meat could have used more seasoning; but the merits of the Five Leaves Burger were undeniable and surely outweighed the meager pitfalls.  I tend to agree with Jeff in that if I were to try this one again, I would ditch the beet and opt for bacon.  I think bacon would provide the necessary flavor that the beef lacked, further accentuating the sweetness of the pineapple, while incorporating additional texture to contrast the creaminess of the egg yolk.

Overall Rating: 7.9 

Kenneth:  During this burger adventure, I experienced new toppings I never thought would be placed on a burger. Who would have thought an organic sunny side up egg, a fried pineapple ring, with pickled beets over a grass fed beef patty could create such a good combination? Five Leaves!  I felt like a little kid on Christmas waiting for this new burger to arrive; and when it did, the burger arrived opened faced with the fried egg looking at you with lettuce, tomato, and red onions on the side if you need them.  I could hardly hold back my excitement. 

      I ordered the meat medium well; and when it arrived, it was perfectly cooked so I decided to add the lettuce and tomato to my burger.  I skipped on the ketchup this time around, but it did have a harissa mayo which paired well with the sweet pineapple ring and sour beet.  The exotic toppings created a wonderful mixture of both texture and flavor; and the fried egg was a unique experience.  The burger to bun ratio was a bit hard to determine, but the sourdough bun held up perfectly with all the toppings.  This enjoyable first time of having a burger with a fried egg leads me to want to try many more burgers with them.   I love beets and for me it was a great touch.

        The Five Leaves Burger comes with the option of either french fries or salad, and I chose the fries.  I can’t say french fries are my favorite thing, but Five Leaves did a great job!  They arrived lightly salted with the prefect amount of crisp to potato surface area.  I have to end with my foolishness, cutting the burger in half.  Just don’t do it.  Experience it with a full bun, otherwise everything slips and slides. 

Overall Rating 7.9

Jeff:  I finally arrived at Five Leaves on a rainy evening and was all set to broaden my horizons with their Five Leaves burger. You see, I don’t really care for beets. They’re ok if shredded on a salad, but they definitely shouldn’t be in the majority. The Five Leaves burger says the beets are pickled. I like pickles so maybe this will work. The other item in question is the pineapple ring. Come on now, pineapple? Are we in California or Hawaii all of the sudden? Don’t get me wrong, pineapple and Canadian bacon on pizza is delicious. A honey glazed ham with cloves and pineapple is delicious. Pineapple and beets on a burger? We’ll have to see. What made this so interesting was the inclusion of a fried egg. I haven’t had a fried egg on a burger since I lived in Portland, so this was definitely new territory with the beet and pineapple.

I ordered the burger medium, as I wasn’t sure how, if prepared medium rare, the added juice from the beets and yolk of the egg would affect the bun. The burger arrived and it definitely looked good. The sunny side up egg was positioned perfectly on top of the burger. Oh, is that butter bib lettuce I see? Yes, and that’s a plus. Also nice to notice was that the harissa mayo was not overly done. Oh my, the beet on my burger was sliced pretty thick. Well, if that’s how it’s served that’s how I’ll take it. I placed three rings of onion, one tomato slice on top, poked a couple of holes through the yolk of the egg and commenced.

The first thing I noticed was the sour dough bun. It’s nice, very nice actually. As my bite continued and concluded I didn’t taste anything extraordinary. Second bite, nothing. What happened to the harissa mayo? The beet and tomato were squeezed towards the rear of the burger along with the pineapple. After re-composing my burger I was finally able to get everything in one bite. Hmmm, ok. Let’s do this again after I eat a fry. Wow! The fries are really good. They’re light, crispy and have a very good texture inside and out. Back to the burger, the fourth bite, again, had everything in it but the only thing that stood out was the pineapple. This was not the sweet and savory blend that I thought I might experience. I removed the beet. It wasn’t pickled or at least didn’t have the pickled flavor that, say pickled onions can have. It just tasted like a regular beet, meh. The meat itself was prepared all right; it was juicy, but could’ve used some pepper or salt to contrast against the sweet of the pineapple. Yeah, that’s it. With the pineapple so sweet, I feel like this burger really needs something to counter it in order to balance the flavors. Some good, thick cut bacon would’ve done the trick. Everything else was good. The tomato was flavorful, the lettuce was good, the bun, the thin cut onions, the mayo; everything else was spot on. I’ll probably return and try it again minus the beet and with the addition of bacon, if available. This burger just needed more oomph in order for it to really stand out with the ingredients that it presents itself with, especially on a damp rainy night.

Overall Rating: 6.4