Maribelle's Tavern

Burger #17: Maribelle’s Tavern – 100% Natural Beef Burger   10$

Lots of outdoor seating.

 

It’s Sunday and I have some extra time while watching dog-sitting my friends 2 foster dogs for a few hours.  This is the second burger review of the day, but I am still pretty far behind in my reviews.  My travels took me to Maribelle’s Tavern on the beautiful day of Wednesday, June 11^th.  This week’s review   was number 27 on the list, but the 17^th burger for this year.  For a Wednesday night it seemed exceptionally busy, but we didn’t have to wait for seating by any means.  You can find it in the East End of the city on Riverside Dr.  This is a fairly empty street that you can drive past the place, as I have done, and not even notice.  It’s an upscale restaurant, but it’s just lonely out there by itself.  My 2 friends and I were seated upstairs on the second floor because the temperature outside was too hot for sitting out there.  It also turns out that we happened to get there on half price wine night.  Too bad none of us were having any wine.  

The 4 cheese flatbread.  It's like a piece of art!

Maribelle’s is definitely the opposite end of the spectrum from the other burger review I did today of Friendly Stop.  Most things on the menu are easily 2 to 3 times the price but the quality and experience is well worth it when you want a fancier meal.  We started off with the 4 cheese flatbread appetizer which came with the look that this was almost a piece of art.  It’s cool to see the difference in the small things like the appearance of your appetizer you get at this establishment.  Being a Wisconsin native, 4 cheese anything is always the way to get on my good side.  The flatbread was topped with goat, mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan cheeses as well as arugula, tomato and a tasty basalmic reduction.  I would definitely get this again.  I had a quiche from Findley market that had a similar reduction that hits your salty taste buds perfectly.  If I weren’t getting the burger I would’ve tried the lamb sliders too.  

That is really how beautiful my plate looked.  

My burger was called just that, “burger.”  Not too much description, but you do get to customize it with 2 toppings of your choice.  It was a half pound burger with tomato, lettuce, onion, and I added bacon and sautéed mushrooms.  This is one of the small things that make a burger great.  The add-on of awesome bacon can be the key to making an average burger top notch.  It was cooked with just enough pink in the middle and not overly greasy but not dry.  The egg bun was soft and fresh, which can also kill a burger when it isn’t.  This burger is definitely at the higher end of my great burgers in the city.  I opted to add brussel sprouts as my side since all of the fries I’ve had are sinking into my mid-section.  These were the best I’ve had at any restaurant and will definitely get them again.  I know, I hear all of the non-adventurous people out there crying about how they have hated brussel sprouts since they were little and blah blah blah.  I understand you’ve had bad ones, but now you need to try good ones.  I have now converted 2 of my roommates into brussel sprout eaters just from a simply sautéing them for a black coating that brings out a completely different flavor than just steamed or boiled.  But I digress…on with the review.  One of my friends ended up getting the baked cheese sandwich with truffle mustard, goat cheese, muenster, tomato, and arugula on a baguette.  If you don’t dig on meat, then this would be the next best thing for anyone.  Hell even if you like meat, have a friend order it just so you can try this sandwich.  My other friend had the Scottish salmon with lemon, tomato, fried caper, dill, and red bell pepper which I did not enjoy as much as the rest, but he thoroughly did.  We went on a try everything spree here as is usually the case when I go out with these 2.  We also had the sweet potatos with honey, goat cheese, and pecan as well as the jalapeno cheddar grits which were phenomenal.   

I am going to say that Maribelle’s is definitely on my list of places to hit again after my burger quest is done.  While the price is higher than a lot of other restaurants on the list, the quality, taste and presentation were fantastic.   And try brussel sprouts!

Friendly Stop

Burger #16: Friendly Stop – Garlic Burger   5.50$

Friendly Stop, not what you are expecting.  Not my picture.

It’s Sunday and you know what that means, burger review day!  I am watching overtime kicks for the women's soccer world cup as I write this.  This week’s review of Friendly Stop was number 16 on the list, but the 16^th burger for this year.  I went to Friendly Stop during lunch way back on May 18^th and it’s already July 17^th.  Where does the time go?  You can find this fine establishment in the Glendale area.  When you look it up you see mostly positive reviews.  The place is really small and was packed during the lunch time rush.  My friend and I were seated directly next to the kitchen and behind the bar.  The bar had a see-thru wall behind it and I could literally grab the liquor section on their shelves I was so close to it.  Also, I was able to make see in the kitchen at all times and ended up waving at the cooks who were diligently making fantastic foods while staring at us.  It was interesting to say the least.  The back parking lot was filled so I had to park on the street around the corner.  

The walls are very busy.  Not my picture.

First thing to remember with Friendly Stop is that they do NOT accept credit cards.  We didn’t know that until the end of our meal but luckily I had cash.  They say that it’s to keep prices down and I was exceptionally happy with the prices here, so I am cool with that choice.  The bbq here is what they are known for.  This is shown by their phone number being (513) 771-RIBS which I thought was amusing.  The waiter said that the meatloaf sandwich is a popular item as well.  Maybe I’ll try it another time after my red meat intake has gone down a bit.  Aside from that the menu is pretty standard fair for a pub.  

The garlic burger with gigantic onion rings.

Do you see those whole garlic cloves? 

My burger at friendly stop was the garlic burger.  This is a 1/3 pound burger that they make daily.  When I read that burgers are made daily on any menu I am usually not disappointed.  That still holds true with Friendly Stop.  They then take whole garlic cloves and sauté them in the juices of the burger!  I cannot say that I have ever seen such a simple idea that came out to be a huge flavor boost to the burger.  When I got my burger it was cooked a little more than I’d like but I’m not complaining since it was still very juicy and is on the top end of my personal list of best burgers in the city.  The burger list here included a normal, bbq, Cajun and mushroom swiss.  The latter had sautéed mushrooms with swiss and gravy!  I guess you can only make things better with gravy, kind of like bacon.   Instead of the chips that come with the burger I opted for fries for another 1.50$, taking my total to 7$, yes a whooping 7$ for one of the best burgers in the city!  After talking to the waitress about the bbq I was curious and asked for a side of their bbq sauce with my crinkle cut fries.  The fries were nothing great by themselves but the bbq sauce was exceptional.  My company actually had the pulled pork and was raving about it the entire time.  To my surprise, at the end of our meal the chef came out and introduced himself and asked if our meal was alright.  I have never had a chef come over and ask about our meal at an establishment like this and I happily said it was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.  Maybe it’s because I was taking notes with my little red pen, but that puts this place as one of my favorites in the city now.  Too bad it’s like 25 minutes from my house. 

My final comment is to tell you to go to Friendly Stop soon.  It was a great meal and one of the cheapest on the list!  Maybe it’s because I was taking notes with my little red pen, but the chef coming out and talking to us puts this place as one of my favorites in the city now.  Too bad it’s like 25 minutes from my house. 

Virgil's Cafe

Burger #6: Virgil’s Café – The Burger 10$

 

This is the 14th burger I’ve done out of the list of 40.  I’d always heard good things about Virgil’s and so I was looking forward to it being ranked number 6 on the list.  Virgil’s has been shown on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and they are very proud of their homemade andouille sausage.  I’ve had the chance to have their andouille in an omelet on a different occasion and I’d definitely recommend it.  Virgil’s is located near my area at 710 Fairfield Ave, Bellevue, KY 41073.  The building Virgil’s inhabits is a lot smaller than I would’ve thought and it just looks like a house.  They don’t use their front door so you have to go around the side, which is a tight squeeze.  When you get in the kitchen is immediately to your left up the stairs, as is a small bar.  There is a single table set up awkwardly in front of the kitchen up those stairs and I wouldn’t want to be stuck with that seat since it was the busiest area in the restaurant.  After you wind around right to get to the main seating area, you will know why it is highly recommended to get reservations for Friday or Saturdays.  They are also closed on Tuesdays which I found out trying to go there my first time a few months ago.  It’s about the size of a medium sized living room, although you aren’t touching elbows with anyone so it’s quaint.  The crowd is on the older side.

Not my picture.

The menu at Virgil’s changes all the time with daily specials for the season so the menu online is not necessarily up to date.  They use fresh local ingredients and actually have a farmers market menu on They have their staple items that move from menu to menu I’ve found such as their frogs legs, jalapeno hush puppies, and their house made pastrami, which I was told was killer.  They have a twitter feed on their website with the specials being duck stuffed collard greens, beef tournedos and lemon seared mako shark.  The beef selection is good for a small place too.
The burger I had was an ancho chili rubbed burger with a few other toppings.  When I saw that it was rubbed in chilis I thought it had to be awesome and spicy, right?!  When the burger came it was a nice sized patty, cooked perfectly medium.  It was a juicy burger but it wasn’t soaking my plate and the soft, warm bun.  I will have to say for all of the hype about this place, the ancho chili rub didn’t have the flavor or spice level I was hoping for.  It didn’t have a spicy flavor to be honest with you.  It was a very good burger, but I wouldn’t go back to Virgil’s for their burger since they have so much else to offer.  This burger definitely is not going to be #6 when I am done with this quest.  I chose to get jalapeno hush puppies as my side and I didn’t taste a bit of jalapeno, but they were exactly what I was looking for as a side dish, so get those if you have a chance.  My company for this outing had the shrimp creole and would also recommend that dish.  Since I went for the burger I went back for brunch one Sunday, which is only serving from 11am to 2pm.  I had the andouille sausage omelet which was a great sausage, and the server mentioned it was on the tv show and they made it in house.  Sadly, the omelet was the only form of the sausage they had this Sunday afternoon, but it went well with the toasted bread and jam.  I didn’t care for my potatoes which were American fries with absolutely no seasoning it seemed like.  I hate having to put ketchup on things but these needed it.

Look it's Kintucky!

In the end, I would go to Virgil's again, just not for their burger.  It seems they put a lot of effort in to their other dishes, so get something else that looks good to you.

Sammy's gourmet burgers

Burger #33: Sammy's Gourmet Burgers and Beers - Sammy's Burger 8.95$

Not my picture.

 

Well after a month of not doing reviews, I'm back!  These are going to be short from now on unless a place was amazing.  This week's burger was the from Sammy's in Blue Ash.  This was a strange mix of a sports bar with a Mexican influence.  Apparently it's owned by the people who own the best Mexican place near my work, El Pueblo.  I don't see a website for them on Google so I'll definitely be keeping this review short.  But really, who doesn't have a website for a business nowadays?  Do you NOT like getting money from new customers?  I visited Sammy's on Friday, April 15th for lunch with 2 coworkers who have been there before.  They said it was good, but never went back, which was the first bad sign.  The second is that when we got there, there weren't enough parking spots even though the place wasn't close to full.  We eventually parked in the abandoned business next door and went in.  It was sunny outside so we chose to sit outside, which is where everyone was.  There are quite a few seats outside if  you are looking for some.  The burger I had, Sammy's burger, was a big burger with a fried egg, bacon, and veggies with Sammy's sauce on it.  The service was sketchy since we got our meals after others that sat down and ordered after us.  The first thing I looked at when my food came was the meat of course.  It was a bit too perfectly formed to not have been frozen and it had no real flavor, which explains the sauce they used to cover it up.  I ordered it medium and it came over cooked with no pink in the middle.  It was slightly juicy still which was better than it could've been.  Second I looked at the topping and noticed the fried egg had been over cooked and the yoke had no runny yoke, like the burger at Black Sheep.  The yoke is meant to give the burger flavor, so when it's overcooked it's just pointless to have on the burger.  As I tried the bacon and Sammy's sauce I noticed a lack of flavor from them as well.  I thought that the Mexican influence would've given the sauce a spicy chipotle flavor, but I can't give it any comparison but maybe thousand island.  I didn't believe my taste buds so i dipped my fries in it for a while and the burger and the sauce were better without it.

So obviously this isn't going to be one of the most memorable burgers I've had, but on the list I am following it is still in front of gordo's and mayberry.  I just can't believe that and I haven't even been to mayberry yet.

If you are looking for a good burger, don't go to Sammy's.  If you like Sammy's then you need to get out a bit more and try one of the others I've reviewed.

Wildflower Cafe

Burger #1: Wildflower Cafe - The World's Best Burger 10$

 

Well, school starts again tomorrow, so I may as well get a review out of the way before I don't have time for them.  School is the reason I am 8 to 9 weeks behind on writing these reviews from when I actually have the burger.  I am getting to the point that I am scheduling my next 3 burgers for the next 3 weeks and am looking forward to a few delicious ones in there.

Wildflower uses a house as camouflage,
sure fooled me.

This weeks burger was the number 1 best burger in Cincinnati in 2009!  Wildflower Cafe's properly named World's Best Burger was very different from what I was expecting.  I see all of these signs at every restaurant or bar that has a type of food, and it all gets called the "world's best" something or other.  It's like crying wolf one too many times, and we all just become bored of the whole phrase.  This is a more unique restaurant than most in that it's a farm to plate in a few days.  After doing research on their website for this review, I found out that Wildflower does not own a freezer!  What, what, what?  This is the 21st century, we know about health problems and freezing food is good for stopping bacteria, although not so good for taste.  Wildflower is a house made into a restaurant.  I will admit that I completely passed by without even seeing it, there isn't some bright neon sign saying "open" or "eat at joe's" or something.  They actually have a greenhouse out back from which some of the food is made.  A big thing here is having a very low impact on the earth, so you can expect there to not be any air conditioning, if that's an issue for you dress lightly. The owner is also the chef, so you know who's spit is in your burger when you tell them that burger  is for a cop.  hahaha, sorry, just remembering a great movie.

The burger is called the world's best burger on my list but they now have one labeled webb valley farm burger which is slightly better sounding than this one.   The world's best burger was their own grass fed beef on a pretzel bun, swiss cheese, herb aioli , double smoked bacon and fresh greens.  The first part I tried was the bacon, which was the best I've had anywhere.  I for one saw this description and thought, damn...that sounds tasty!  This one had all the makings to be great, and it was really good, just not number 1 burger in the city great.  First, the meat was perfectly cooked medium, and I get medium because I like the juices to saturate the bun, adding to it's flavor.  This meat was extremely fresh, well made and all, but it was too healthy.   Yes you heard me, I just said the meat was too lean.  Second, the pretzel was actually too hard to deal with that I had to cut the burger in half to eat it.  So combine a lean cut of meat, with a dry pretzel and you are just asking for me to put ketchup on it.  A great burger is one that is a combination of ingredients, toppings, veggies, bun, and cheese that does NOT need a condiment like ketchup.  Overcooked burgers need ketchup, but that wasn't the issue here either.  I think a borsin or goat cheese or something with more creaminess to it would have helped with equalize the lean meat.  The aioli should have done that, but there wasn't enough on it to notice.  I think that a different bun would've helped as well.  I see on their website they have changed to an english muffin with double smoked bacon...yes, this new one sounds like it will be great.  On the side, they give you chips or you can sub for a salad or soup.  I opted for the soup which was a moroccan lamb stew.  I was completely blown away by this side dish's spices.  I will say that this is one of the best house made soups I have had and it only cost $1 more than normal.

Even in the bathroom you are not free from the posters!

The rest of the menu has some nice apps and sandwiches.  There is a sustainable fish sandwich that changes daily, organic chicken club, and quiche du jour.  The grilled cheese has 4 cheese with double smoked bacon.  I just copied this from their site because it is fun to see that you have they use a different part of the animal everyday.  "Grass Fed Beef- We raise our own grass-fed beef, and therefore have a various selection of cuts available to us, which we change daily, in an effort to utilize the whole animal.  We humanely raise the animals, on an organically farmed, open pasture at Webb Valley Farm.  Each cut is prepared in a special way to maximize the flavor and composition of the beef.  We serve the beef with sides that pair well, usually house potatoes and wok-fired local veggies"

Nice pic from the web. 

This is not a bad review for wildflower.  I think this might have been a fluke and will be better if I try the burger again.  The rest of the menu alone is more than enough reason to go back.  I highly recommend making the trip to Mason to try this one out.  Oh and try the bacon!

Terry's Turf Club

Burger #3: Terry's Turf Club - Burger with Burgundy Wine, Wild Mushroom & Truffle sauce 12$

Not my picture.

Alright, let's see if I can't fit in 2 reviews in one week.  This is my 11th burger that I have had from the list.  Somehow I ended up going to the top rated burger place in the city in many peoples' opinions, TTC, the week after I went to the top on my list so far, Senate.  This was a very good 2 weeks as far as burgers go.  The food at both of these places was upscale comfort grub, but the atmosphere was worlds away in their differences.

On Thursday, February 17th I went to the #3 burger on the list and the number 1 if you look on cincinnati.metromix.com for 2010 and 2009.  It's located at 4618 Eastern Ave, way east by Bella Luna.  This one has also been visited by Guy Fieri from Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives."  It's funny because when you see the freakish, circus like signs cluttering the outside of this establishment, you would think this is a tourist  attraction.  There is a no parking lot, only street parking a few blocks away sometimes.  This doesn't deter people from coming in droves though.  There is a line about an hour deep on a normal Thursday though the weekend for dinner. If you get there much earlier or much later than 7:30, you will only have a 15 to 20 min wait.   Once you get in and see the menu, this is by no means dive bar food I expect to see.  There is something fun about the communal seating.  I've me some interesting people this way, and I think it adds to the atmosphere, it's all about friendly.  Plus, while you wait you get peanuts and can toss the peanut shells all over the floor.

I went to Terry's with a group of six, so we didn't have communal seating this time.  The beer selection goes between normal draft beers to very expensive, high quality bottles.  I think everyone I was with got a burger.  There is only 1 burger listed, but you can make it in so many different ways that you could come back and have a new one every time.  Terry's is big into sauces.  They have roasted red pepper & goat cheese, rosemary garlic, mango curry,wasabi red curry ginger, etc.  I wish I could go back and try every single one of them because sound damn tasty.  Some of the more distinct topping are lump crab, shrimp, shitaki mushrooms, as well as cheeses like brie, halloumi, gouda and goat to name a few.  The featured burger on my list was the Burger with Burgundy Wine w/ Wild Mushrooms & Truffles (10.50$).  It came with the normal veggies, then sauteed onions and banana peppers.  Just for fun I am going to link a page to truffles, because honestly, they look gross in the raw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truffle_%28fungus%29

Truffles either look like coal

or dried poo...I'll let you decide. 

I ordered my burger medium like usual.  It came out 20 minutes later perfectly cooked.  It came greasy as hell, hard to eat almost, but delicious like no other burger!  The burgundy sauce is nothing like you'd expect.  It was hearty, with a meaty flavor by itself.  The burger wasn't spiced that much, but what they are going for here isn't to season the burger with one flavor.  You are meant to explore a new sauce with every burger you get here.  Which reminds me, fries are a friendly, communal thing to be shared by 2 people, you can't order 1 order.  If I could've dipped my fries in this sauce instead of ketchup I would've...they were fresh cut and very crispy which is how I like 'em. One person in my group got a side of a curry sauce and we dipped our fries in it.  I would definitely go back and try the other sauces with how much I liked these 2.

A greasy burger that's a great size too.  Not my picture.

Other things on the menu I want to try are the 6.50$ filet mignon chili, scallops with wasabi, or a halloumi grilled cheese.  Also, there is the burger not so wellington which is 2 fresh baked croissants with liver pate, with cognac, garlic, shallots, creme fraiche.  If you want you can even just get a filet with Bearnaise for 15$, in a place where you step on peanut shells...stay classy.

Final words would be to tell you to go to Terry's tomorrow, you won't regret it in any way, just know that they are "not" fast food, so plan accordingly.  I recommend bringing some cards or something to keep yourself occupied, and a jacket because you'll  be outside.  Get out of your comfort zone and try something new.

At terry's...this sign is awesome!

 

Senate

Burger #10: Senate - Senate Burger 12$

Not my picture.  Wish it was though.

I have some free time due to my semester coming to an end this week.  No new homework and only 2 exams next week to go!  This week I am writing a review that should be the complete opposite tone as last week.  I think last week was more disappointment than it was a bad burger by any means.  It sucks to have something built up as this amazing experience and then to have that be just a plain and ordinary thing got to me. The owners of this weeks review are opening a new restaurant soon nearby called Abigail Street.  I recommend checking them both out.

The poutine: truffle fries, melted cheese curds,
gravy and braised short ribs = delicious!
Not my picture.

I am happy to say that I am finally getting to this week's burger from February 15th.  This week's burger review is from Senate, a restaurant that is about a year old in the Over The Rhine area across from Lavomatic, at 1214 Vine Street.  There is parking right next to the building.  I'm glad Senate opened there because this is a good place for me to go before Ensemble Theater shows since I have a season subscription there.  It used to be that I had to go to Lavomatic, but I had a bad experience there with the service during restaurant week 2 years ago, so I try  not to go there anymore.  They are still on the burger list, so I'll have to make one more stop there.  Well, back to Senate...I on a Tuesday night and it was pretty empty when I got there, but by the end there were quite a few people for a Tuesday.  When you walk in, you'll see the bar on the right and seating on the left.  This is not a huge place and there is probably a long wait come dinner time on a weekend, but we were seated right away this day.  This is an upscale restaurant, that specializes NOT in burgers, but  in hot dogs!  Yes I know, who specializes in hot dogs?  Senate does and it does it well! Rachael Ray did a March Madness type bracket of the top 64 hot dog places, and as you can see, Senate made it down to the top 16, being beaten out by the overall winner.

http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/rrmag/everydayLiving/travel/MM6.pdf 

Some of the gourmet hot dogs.
I've had 2 kinds now and they are amazing.
Not my picture.

The hot dogs that are usually on the menu are between 9 to 10$ include the Korean (kimchi and braised ribs), trailer park (bacon wrapped, coleslaw, and crushed grippo's potato chips!), and the Dan Korman (red canalini bean and Turkish lentil sausage, sun dried tomatoes, shaved fennel, arugula and goat cheese).  Also, there is a hot dog of the day, and for this reason I highly recommend following them on facebook here, they named are Senate Restaurant. The dog yesterday posted on their page was "Lisa Lampanelli, it's a pork & sweet onion sausage, chipotle mayo, bacon, beer cheese & fried onions. Obscenely Delicious!"  Beer cheese screams to my inner Wisconsinite in me!  These don't come with sides so you should grab some duck fat fries, truffle fries or lobster mac and cheese to go with it.  This is not a cheap place, but everything I had makes it completely worth it to let go and experience all the noms that Senate has to offer.

On the rest of the menu you'll find a lobster BLT, yup I said lobster BLT, with a basil mayo.  The MC belly (bbq pork belly with wasabi cole slaw and tempura onion ring) and foie gras creme brulee.  Everything sounds so tempting :)  All of this comes with a great beer selection at the bar.  I had a Kentucky bourbon barrel and they had a really good berry beer on tap.

My partner in crime during this adventure recommended the poutine as an appetizer.  It is french fries with local cheese curds melted on top, braised short rib & gravy.  Yup, once again my inner Wisconsinite almost had a tear my eye after seeing that they not only know what cheese curds are, they made them tastier with out deep frying them.  This was one of the best sides I have ever had.  I do think it's also one of the least healthy options as a side, but well worth it to try it since you're there.  My company had a dog which had a taquito on it.  It was really good, but she said she thought the other dogs were better.

This is what a perfect burger looks like afterwards.
Plus it is cooked over a wood stove.This picture was me
trying to finish the burger falling apart.

My  burger was the Senate burger...they only have one, so there it's not a hard choice.  This was a giant, wood grilled angus burger with cheddar, and caramelized onions.  It's worth noting that the brioche bun was very fresh and worked well with the burger.  The house-made pickles were actually 3 kinds of pickles, not just one.  I love pickles so this was an added bonus.  I ordered my burger medium and it came out a little pink in the middle, with a great seasoned taste, not bland at all.  Everything went together perfectly on this burger!  This is by far the completely opposite experience that I had the week before this burger.  It was filling, especially after the poutine.  I may  have eaten too slowly, because by the end the bun soaked up the grease and well...as you can see below, my burger was falling apart. So far this is the fest burger on my list.  If you were going to get one burger this year, I will tell you to go to Senate.

Greasy deliciousness!
That is a tomato hanging on for dear life. 

Go to Senate!

Zip's Cafe

Burger #23: Zip's Cafe - Zip's Burger with Cheese 7.50$

Back to it again.  This is one I've been waiting to write for a while.  This is going to be a short review today because, frankly, there isn't much to say about this one in a positive manner. I apologize to everyone for this negative review, I know it's my fist real bad one.

Not my picture.

 
The 9th burger that I had was Zip's Cafe in Mt. Lookout.  I went to Zip's on Sunday, January 31.  Zip's has been around since 1926.  That is a long time for an overpriced burger that was average at best.  Zip's is right in the center of Mt. Lookout's bar scene by Mt. Lookout Tavern, good ole' MLT's!  I went at 1pm with 3 friends and I had to walk 2 blocks to get parking.  There just isn't a better way since it was all street parking.  It was great weather so it was crazy busy.  When you get inside, you see that there are long tables of communal seating so you are arm to arm with your neighbors like at Terry's Turf Club.  There is a train going along the ceiling which was kind of unique.  The rest of the place seemed kind of old, and broken along the walls and trim.  It didn't take long to get seated, but by the time we left there was a huge crowd waiting.

Not my picture.

The burger I had was just the standard Zip's Burger with American cheese.  This is a 1/4 pound patty for 5.25$, which is much smaller than you would think.  It wasn't seasoned, noticeable anyways.  It's cooked well done weather you want it medium or not.  There was nothing good about this burger.  The bun was average, the meat wasn't tasty, just greasy.  Nothing about this experience stuck out, except the fact that I read reviews saying that this was one of the best burgers in the city.  The french fries were average too, which for an extra 2.25$ should've given you more.  That is a total of 7.50$ for my food, and honestly, I went home and ate some more food after this.  Yes, I know, I could've gotten the double burger for 8.75$ with NO side, taking that meal up to 11$ with fries for a meal that wasn't that good.  But my list says the Zip's burger and I was trying to stick with the list for good measure.

Left is the double burger, which you need if you aren't a child sized person.  Right is the mett with a burger. Not my picture.

One of my friends had the train wreck burger for 11$, which is a Zip's burger covered with a grilled mett and shaved ham.  Then he got onion rings for 3.25$ which were much better than the fries.  Also on the menu I noticed the Zip's "famous" chili could be something to try.  Aside from that there is nothing new or unique about the menu.  If I were ever asked to go back to Zip's I probably wouldn't.  I'm sorry this one was just built up WAY too much by people who grew up on their burgers and not knowing what a great burger really is and I feel sorry for those people.

Not my picture.

Also, I promise my next one is going to be a raving review!

 

Oakley Pub and Grill

Burger #7: Oakley Pub and Grill - Soul Burger 7.95$

Not my picture.

Not my picture.

 

After a week of exams and general craziness, it's about that time again for a burger review.  I am once again excited to be writing about my a great burger experience!  I actually had my company write  a few things about this burger because I just couldn't say them and have them come out right.  It was a hilarious burger stop to say the least. Listening to some new Rise Against music while writing this one :)

This is the 8th burger I personally went to but #7 on the big list, also known as Oakley Pub and Grill at 3924 Isabella Ave. This is located right in the middle of Oakley, across the street from another burger place, Habits.  They have won several awards for there burgers and for good reason.  As you walk up to it, the building just seems like any other bar out there.  Nothing particularly sticks out in my mind about why this would be a top 7 burger.  When you walk in, it seemed like just a college sports bar with huge influence from Xavier, UC, Notre Dame, Gators, and Missouri.  It was a Tuesday, but it was pretty busy for a normal weekday.  That's always a good sign if they have the crowd on a weekday.  After looking at the menu the waiter stopped by and asked if there were any questions.  For some reason he felt compelled to mention the Tuscan sandwich, saying that it's great if we're looking for something "exotic", whatever that means.  It was a pizza in a sandwich.  The menu also has a hung over section for weekends.  Everything was very cheap, which is always surprising for #7 on this list.  There is normal pub food apps, a crap cake stuffed portabella, pizzas, etc.  Sandwiches were standard fare.  The fish tacos stuck out as something that looked tasty.

Beer selection.  Not my picture.

Slowly, this list is just getting full of the weird comments that I write when I am eating the  burger.  I have definitely found that to be fair, I have to write comments because nothing is as clear even the next day.  The sights and sounds can be forgotten so very easily at some places sadly...as can the burgers.  On this occasion, it was definitely the random things were said when upon taking our first bites and then as we attempted to finish the burger that made it fun.  My burger this time was the soul burger for 7.95$, very cheap compared to some 12$+ burgers that don't come with sides out there.  That is a whole different category of burger though.  Burgers are nearly half-pounders black Angus chuck meat, with jerk spices, bacon, grilled onion and cheese.  My burger came perfectly cooked at medium, and didn't have the kick that I am used to with jerk seasoning but it did the job very well.  This was very greasy.  Sometimes you just want a greasy ass burger that tastes great, and this was just that!  I am going to have my guest have her input here because I just can't say it better.  She had the black and blue  burger with cajun spices and homemade blue cheese dressing.  The comments start with a head nod and a "I'd give this two thumbs up, but it'd fall out of the bun".  She mentioned that it was the most difficult burger to eat, but it's messiness matches its taste.  And I just have to throw this one in there, "it's all over my face and so it must be good!"  And as the last bites of her burger went down I heard "I wasn't hungry, but I've got to finish all of this!"  Oh and as I writing my comments, I also got a "once again a girl beat you at eating a burger."   All I can say is hahaha, that's so true with this quest, far too many times now.
I have to add that you get fries or their unique slaw, so I had half and half.  If I got back there I would get the slaw hands down.  I am happy to be finding out the I don't hate all slaws out there.  This was another asian slaw, which was fantastic!  The fries were ok, nothing to write home about.

Picture for the bad-ass asian slaw.  Not my picture.

If I go get burgers again after this quest, this will be one of those burgers places I remember next year.

Gordo's Pub and Grill

Burger #35: Gordo's Pub and Grill - Gordo Burger 8.50$

Not my picture.

 

Ok, I am excited to write this review for two reasons, first, it was an amazing burger experience and second, it gives me an excuse to put my business law book down and stop thinking about the US constitution for a short time.  :)  These reviews take so long that I just start a CD and get done with it by the time my review is done.  Me First and the Gimme Gimme's are covering "The Longest Time" by Billy Joel to start this write up!

Just a heads up, after 7 burgers when I went to Gordo's, it was in the  lead. And they are opening a second location in April 2011 in jungle Jim's.

I have been to Gordo's on 3 occasions and it's always been a great new burger to try.   Gordo's is located at 4328 Montgomery Road in Norwood.  Everytime I go there I drive past it because it's in an area that doesn't look like there would be a burger place there.  They have parking, but it's on the right side of the building so when you pass it up you have to turn around to get to the lot.  Gordo's is a single building that probably used to be a regular bar that was bought and renovated.  The bar looks nice and they have several flat screens to watch the games on.  It's a more upscale sports bar feel, with a Xavier college nearby.  I went on a Tuesday night and like most places there was an ample amount of seating.  They seem to have one of the most diverse beer selections I've seen.  There online beer menu is huge, if that's what you're into.  I usually don't have any drinks when I am having a burger, just as another way to be unbiased, because everything tastes great when you are drunk.

Beer selection.  Not my picture.

The menu is quite different from the usual offerings at a sports bar.  This is due to the fact that the chef was a Chef de Cuisine for the Jean-Robert Restaurant Group.  There are loaded cheese fries, quesadillas, mozzarella sticks, and chicken wings which you would expect.  The ones that I didn't would be a goat cheese bruschetta, baked mixed mushrooms, and the nanay egg roll, which is ground beef mixed vegetables with pickled carrots and a soy sesame sauce.  The egg roll sounds interesting to say the least.  The sandwiches seem to be the standard bunch, a reuben, fried fish, ham and cheese, etc.
Gordo's Burger was something close to perfection.  The half pound burger was lean ground beef mixed with bacon, onion compote, and mixed herbs.   You can't go wrong by starting your burger out with bacon INSIDE of it! Top that with roasted poblano peppers, mushrooms, onions, smoked bacon, boursin cheese and mayo (I skipped the mayo, seemed kind of redundant with the creamy cheese).  I ordered my burger medium, like I do all of my burgers.  It was cooked perfectly.  The burger was just the right amount of greasy.  The burger patties were taller then most other places, as opposed to wider, just a weird thought.   I love peppers, and these poblano peppers stick out in my mind still, very tasty.  The bacon was the best I've had on a burger.  I hate when one ingredient takes over ALL of the flavor. This was the case, since all of the flavors could be tasted.  The bun was soft and flavorful as well.  The burger comes with giant steak fries, but you can upgrade for 2$ more to Asian Coleslaw, Saratoga Chips, Small Mac and Cheese , and Vegetables.  I asked the waiter for his recommendation and he said he loves the mac and cheese.  I really liked it, but it was no keystone mac and cheese.

Gordo's burger made with a tall patty rather than wide. Not my picture.

My partner in crime had a strange craving for sweet and savory I think, so she got one of the most unique burgers I have tried.  The BPJ (8$) is a burger topped with fried banana, chunky peanut butter cream cheese, jam and smoked bacon.  I don't remember it coming with fried banana, but the PB & J was a perfect combination with the savory flavor of the burger and the great bacon.  I highly recommend trying a PB & J burger at least once in your life.  Hers came with the steak fries which were giant, but otherwise ordinary.  Other burgers include Jean-Robert (Topped with Lettuce, Grape Compote, Mayonnaise, Bleu Cheese and Goat Cheese), Surf & Turf (Topped with Fresh Crab Meat, Bearnaise and Spring Mix), and the other strange burger the Chocolate Stout (Creamy Goat Cheese Folded into Chocolate Shavings and Cocoa Dust, Mayonnaise and Chocolate Stout Mushroom Sauce).

I am keeping Gordo's on my go to places for a nicer, but still cheap place to take friends who want to try one of the best in the city.  You should go there now if you haven't been yet!  Get out of your rut and try something new.




Remember this guy?

 

City View Tavern

Burger #2: City View Tavern - Big Ted Deluxe $6.75

The view is second to none when compared to any other cheap, shady burger joints!

Look I can see my house!

 

Well I bet you probably thought I'd forgotten to write about my burger experience for this week, but you were wrong.  I have been told by so many people that they are living vicariously through my burger quest so I must appease the masses.  This review is more important than getting my homework done, so let's get on with it.

For the 6th burger I drove across the river from my northern Kentucky apartment up to Mt. Adams on a quiet Tuesday night to burger #2: City View Tavern - Big Ted Deluxe $6.75.  The drive was literally 5 minutes from my house and there is free live music on Tuesday nights over at the Tap and Go rugby bar, so this was a no brainer when I was asked to drive up the hill that night. City View is located at 403 Oregon Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 which is surprisingly a few blocks off of the main businesses in Mt. Adams.  When I drove up the hill and turn onto the street  where it is located I thought I turned down the wrong street because there was literally nothing on your  left side but a hill and on your right there are houses.  This bar is in the middle of a residential street with nothing else on the entire block.  Once again, it is not where you'd expect one of the top burgers in the city.  I arrived earlier than my friend who lives in Mt Adams, so I walked in by myself.  There is no huge sign to let you know about this bar, and a bar it is.  This is NOT a restaurant so don't go here expecting that.  When I walked in I was greeted by a pool table on my right with what looked like 2 workers talking.  The walls just looked like this was a corner bar anywhere else in the city.  In front of me was the bar with 2 older looking gentlemen who  were definitely into their late 60's having a beer.  The walls have lots of old pictures and sports stuff on them and there are blue christmas lights that are just out of place.  There is nothing special about City View, but the one thing that brings you there.  Walking towards the bar the left side of you opens up into a seating area with a young couple eating their burgers and staring out a window spanning the entire wall that looks out onto downtown and northern Kentucky!  I really was put off by the shear size of the window, but it was gorgeous to say the least. One more thing I just found out is that they have one of the worst websites I've ever seen.  cityviewtavern.com‎  I highly suggest checking it out.

When I went up to the bar I didn't notice a large selection of beer, but I did see Kentucky bourbon barrel, I guess it's catching on around the  city.  City View tavern isn't known for it's beer though, it's know for 3 things I read, the Big Ted deluxe, the bloody Mary's and the jukebox.  I didn't read about these until after I had visited there.  I hadn't heard any particular music when I was there so I can't tell you about the jukebox.  I loves me a bloody Mary, but I didn't have a bloody Mary, that really appeals to me more so on a Saturday or Sunday morning, not a calm Tuesday night.  The menu that was written on a chalk board behind the bar had about 3 things on it, but when I went to their website they have 5.  I guess they dumbed it down for a Tuesday night.  The big Ted deluxe was voted "best cheeseburger in paradise" by readers of Cincinnati Magazine.  It starts with a 6oz fresh, hand made burger and is topped with american cheese, brown mustard, onion, mayo, lettuce, catsup, tomato when in season, and pickle.  They also have the Teddy burger, bbq beef, Myrt's Wurst, and Silas' Really Good Chili, a Texas chili for those with good taste.  The burger took about 15 minutes to get to our table.  I ordered it medium and it was cooked perfectly on a soft bun.  This burger is 2 oz smaller than most half pound burgers on the list.  There was no distinctive seasoning in the meat and nothing from my burger was particularly great.  The burger, which was greasy and tasty,  took on the flavor of the strongest ingredient, the brown mustard.  I question as to how this burger became #2 on the list, but I guess most of the readers of Cincinnati magazine must live in Mt. Adams (oh and Mt. Lookout to get Zip's up on the list too).  I mean these burgers were voted by the readers.  The burger comes with chips, Grippo's bbq chips is what I ordered.  These are one of my favorite chips so I was very happy about the change up from fries.  For 6.75$ this is well worth every penny just for the view, but as a burger it's an average C rating, nothing else.  I will definitely recommend to people to go up and try it when the weather gets nicer.

And don't forget to get out to Tap and Go afterwards every other Tuesday night for free live music from some unknown artists.  I heard a great show after and ended up buying his cd I liked his performance so much.