Midpoint Rankings

Everyone has been asking, so here it is.  This is the rankings for all of the burger places I've been to up to September.  I'm sure there will be some people with different opinions on their favorite burger, but until you've had 25 of them to compare, don't complain your favorite is not first.   Senate: senate burger (over the rhine) 12$

Daveed's: the black angus burger (mt. adams) 16$

Gordo's: Gordo's burger (rookwood) 8$

Terry's Turf Club: burger with Burgundy Wine, wild mushrooms & truffle sauce 10$

Oakley pub and grill: the soul burger (oakley) 6.95$

Maribelle's tavern: 100% Natural beef burger (east end) 10$

Friendly Stop: garlic burger (glendale) 5.50$

Habit's cafe: the Habits burger (oakley) 8.25$

Gabby's Cafe: angus beef burger (wyoming) 8.49$

915 Pub and grill: Black and Bleu burger (ft. Thomas) $6.75

Arthur's Cafe: boursin burger (hyde park) 9$

Zola's: zola burger (covington) 7.25$

The Rookwood: the barnsdale (mt. adams) 12$

Anderson Township pub: federal Hill (anderson) $7.95

Quatman Cafe: Cheeseburger (norwood) 4.50$

City View Tavern: big ted deluxe (mt. adams) 6.95$

Virgil's cafe: beef hamburger (bellevue, KY) 10$

Lavomatic: green acres burger (over the rhine) $11.49$

Keystone: keystone burger (covington) 7.99$

Gas light cafe: gas light burger (pleasant ridge) 5.75$

Wildflower Cafe: the world's best burger (mason) 10$

Skinny Legs: Black and bleu burger (bellevue, ky) 6.95$

Sammy's Gourmet burger's and beers: sammy's burger (blue ash) 8.95$

The Black Sheep: Bah Bah Black Sheep burger (cheviot) 6.99$

Zip's cafe: zip's burger with cheese (mt. lookout) 5$

By Golly's: 5 alarm burger (milford) 7.50$

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!