Best burger you've ever had.

"Do you mind if I have some of your tasty beverage to wash this down?"

Back on topic, in NYC, you can't go wrong with the burger at J.G. Melon. For that matter, as mentioned earlier, the burger at P.J. Clarke's.

 

More specifically, the Thurman burger.

 

In the late summer, early September of 1966, when I was 7, our family stopped for lunch in a storefront greasy spoon on Drummond Island, Michigan. Just before or after the ferry boat.

The burger was perfectly griddle fried, a little crispy yet still juicy inside, lightly browned sautéed onions, and a griddle toasted bun pressed down on soft-melted Colby Jack cheese. Oh my God yummy.

I didn't get a chance to go through there again for 40 years. When I drove through there again, the storefront greasy spoon was long boarded up. Damn it.

 

That post should have a musical accompaniment. Or maybe conclude it with something about how we can never recover our youth.

 

You don't toast or grill a hamburger bun. That's just dumb.

 

Or read by Jack Handey.

 

Sure you do. Slide the bun across the slightly greasy griddle, just enough to crisp it up a bit. Then build the burger.

 

I suggest you get busy livin'

 

They grilled their buns at Shawshank. That's goddamn right.

 

So Long Saloon, Manhattan, KS.

My go-to is the Crank it up and head south, featuring: green chili slab, pepper jack cheese, chipotle mayo, pico, lettuce & crushed tortillas.

My go-to quote on the topic, though, is Calvin Trillin: "Anybody who doesn't think the best hamburger in the world is in his hometown is a sissy." Manhattan's not my hometown now, but it has been.

 

Hard to think of one that stands out above all others. For sliders, White Manna in Hackensack NJ is very good, was on a couple shows. About 15 years ago had a real good cheeseburger somewhere west of Tulsa. was driving with Mrs from Ark to Tex visiting relatives. can't remember the town, do remember that I was the only guy not wearing a cowboy hat, button down shirt and belt buckle. had my Yankees hat and ECW shirt on.