The SF Burger Barons

You Gonna Eat that Burger?

2008-04-29T13:10:00.001-07:00

Mad props to ugonnaeatthat and her burger-heavy food/travel blog. Based in Calgary, ugonnaeatthat travels, photographs, and writes about food. She showed up on my radar (i.e. Google blog search) because her most recent post (4/27/08) is titled "EDMONTON: The baron's burgers"--it's about one of the oldest burger drive-thrus in Canada. Apparently, Edmonton is a burger town, because it is the home of the Motoraunt.

I recommend reading her post to find out what happens behind those doors (and why it weighs 2 lbs).

EAT LIKE SNAAAAAKE

2008-03-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

Words really can't describe how bizarre and unappetizing this Burger King commercial is. It probably won't surprise you to read that this is from Japan. The song is gonna be stuck in my head all weekend, I just know it.

UHH! WHOPPER! The commercial acknowledges that this burger is so big, you'd really have to be able to UNHINGE YOUR JAW to eat it. Is that appealing? I like more food over less food as much as the next person, but I also like being able to eat the food I order.

burgertime

2008-03-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

We, the mighty Barons, are determined to keep this blog chock full of meat for you to spool through, so here's a couple of the spots that we will hit up next:

Belly Burger: This place hides out right on the border of the Inner and Outer Richmond. We've been there a few times and even managed to get some pictures, but yeah, we slacked. We'll give this place a thorough review soon.

Pearl's Deluxe Burgers: This Nob Hill establishment has garnered a lot of attention and an ample amount of satisfied customers, including our friend Lina (who was so inspired she snapped that photo just before devouring the subject) who had this to say:

"yes, those are grilled onions. to perfection. this was the best burger experience i've had in a very long time. there was nothing left on my plate. "

Sparky's: A Consensual Beef Injection In The Castro

2008-03-04T11:41:00.000-08:00

DISCLAIMER 1: Going into an estabilished diner and specifically reviewing only the burgers is like going to Wondercon just for the free movie posters... That’s simply not all there is to it. Nonetheless, I feel like Sparky’s deserves a fair run, seeing as how the main attraction is ultimately still the hamburgers.

DISCLAIMER 2: This entry was written over a year ago, prior to Sparky's remodeling. you can thank Joe for the delay in getting this thing up. It is no longer a kitschy 50's diner, it is now a 50's kitsch diner melded with a Pac-Heights sophisticate's idea of a 50's diner. Think expensive hardwood floors and over-planned paint schemes. In fact, if you are to compare Sparky’s to, say, Denny’s or even Lucky Penny, it is probably the best place to be after 3am (with the possible exception of Orphany Andy's).

Be prepared to drop about about 10 bucks for a full burger meal. In and of itself, that's not too bad, but like I said, it's a full-fledged diner. Don't say that you weren't warned when you end up with a 22 dollar check spent on killer milkshakes, mac'n'cheese, or any of that other good crap you probably could have made at home for half the price but were too drunk to care.

Onto the Burgers!!!

MENU: Sparky’s has well over a dozen different kinds of hamburgers. I guess in the spirit of the Castro District’s celebration of diversity, the big S has decided to grace your palate with a plethora of choices. Some come with bacon, some come with mushrooms and onions, some come with super snobby fancy cheese, and some, like the Ranchero Burger I ordered (and recommend), come with a “dollup” of ranch… which just seriously sounds dirty to me, for whatever reason.

But as exemplified in the highly disappointing Bill’s Burgers out on Clement and 23rd, just because you have 100 different ways to make a burger doesn’t make a burger joint awesome (incidentally, we never got around to writing a review for Bill’s, because it was just that subpar).

Here is how Sparky’s burgers stack up:

THE PATTY: 7.5/10

As expected, the patty was small-ish, somewhere in the 1/3-lb ballpark. Nonetheless, it got the job done. The servers are courteous enough to ask how you would like it cooked. I also recall all of these particular patties to be quite greasy, which is advantageous in the following situations:

The consumer is under the influence of a moderate amount of alcohol.
The consumer's chair is squeaky and creaking, upon which said grease is perfect substitution for WD40.
The consumer is nostalgic about the high school years and wants to develop extremely bad acne just for old time’s sake.
The consumer does not aspire to impress any sort of resemblance of the opposite sex.

Grease aside, they do not taste previously-frozen, so Sparky cares at least a LITTLE about preparation.

THE BUN: 6/10

If I remember correctly, there wasn’t anything particularly special about the buns. Neither here nor there. BUT, unlike Burger Joint’s super-absorbent and oversized suckiness, Sparky’s seemed to be a pretty good size. They also got the job done, holding all that shit in so it doesn’t slip out onto the plate and cause unnecessary annoyance.

THE PRODUCE: 7/10

The produce varies depending on what kind of burger you order, but it's always stellar. The mushrooms and caramelized onions featured on select burgers (and available as actual accessories to other burgers for a price) are definitely done really well. My ranchero burger came with a pepper in it, and THAT in itself was pretty frickin tasty. Lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and other regulars are about average, but seriously, it’s a 24 hour diner in the Castro. I'm not expecting everything to be straight from Mother Nature’s birth canal here.

SAUCES: 8/10

With hot sauce as standard fare, you can't go wrong. The portion of ranch that came with my Ranchero was more than enough. This is a huge plus because usually when special sauces are included at a diner, they’re always stingy about it. BBQ sauce is also pretty common in the menu. The choices are pretty numerous, perhaps a bit too much for the types of creatures who frequent these things at such an ungodly time of the night--present company included.

SIDES: 8.5/10

Ok, this is pretty much the first instance where you will find me giving such a high rating despite the fries NOT coming with the order. Reason: there are about 50 different other sides to choose from, including salads, soups, breakfast items, milkshakes, etc. Since you are going to be spending about almost 20 bucks, you might as well treat yourself to a little something extra. It sure beats just getting fries and feeling lame for saving only a few bones and missing out on having, say, a coffee shake and hash browns. It’s a diner, ‘member?

ATMOSPHERE/SERVICE: 8.5/10

Sparky’s diner seems to run along the same line of thought as the fictional Café 80’s in the 2nd Back to the Future movie… as Doc Brown put it, “its one of those throwback places, but not done very well.”

Its like if you gave a gay Gen-Xer $100,000 to open a “50’s” diner, and he had all his roommates help him pick out the CDs to go in the jukebox, and all the accidentally provocative route-66-ish paraphenelia to go on the walls (example: “Gay Johnny” Fruit Stand, San Antonio Texas).

All kidding aside, the jukebox is pretty decent (wanna hear Tears for Fears, Nirvana, Madonna and The Clash all in the same sitting?). The tables are spacious, comfortable and clean--although late at night the waiters tend to shy away from seating you in any of the booths unless requested. Most importantly, the waiters are all kind, courteous, have great senses of humor. They are also (usually) AMAZINGLY patient. This is particularly impressive around last call. I could never imagine being in the midst of that--I’d probably get skinned alive.

***
Sparky's Diner

242 Church St
San Francisco, CA 94114

(415) 626-8666

Carl's Jr: unappetizing and proud of it!

2008-03-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

My fellow Barons and I all groan when these commercials come on. Here's the latest that left us all baffled and nauseated:

Note the disgusting *squish* sound effects. There's one with every bite, there's even one thrown in when the girl picks up her sloppy-floppy chili fries. Does that really make you hungry? Hey, if you want your food to sound like you're trudgin' through the swampy-swamps of Dagobah, boy-oh-boy are you gonna love this!!

The shot of the actual burger sitting there isn't all that appetizing, either. It's like someone just poured Taco Bell meat all over it. It's like staring shamefully at something the Lunch Lady has just thrown onto your shiny orange tray. You know things are bad at Carl's Jr. when their main selling point is how gross their food can be. --Roman

Expensive, Juicy, and Asian (like my women)

2008-03-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

So Kanye West is touring with N.E.R.D., Rihanna, and Lupe Fiasco this year, and while tickets are frickin' expensive, you know they're definitely worth it. (N.B: none of the Barons have ever seen Kanye West live, but we fully trust it would be worth it if someday we could afford tickets). Namu, located in the Inner Richmond, is a tad bit out of our price range ($11), but their tasty n' inventive burger is definitely worth mentioning.

Essential Details

Namu means wood in Korean, a great name, since this place feels like it was designed by Renzo Piano. Cool slate, steel, and polished hardwood tones seem more appropriate to SOMA than the Inner Richmond. but it's a welcome change.

In fact, Namu staff have told your correspondents that their bar is actually a solid piece of wood from Golden Gate Park. In the evening, Namu is overtaken with awesome Japanese movies on the flat screen and chill hip-hop, but on to more pressing matters...

Na-moo!

As mentioned above, Namu's burger ranks around $$ on a scale of $ to $$$$$. Spending this much moo-lah, we expect only the finest beef. Niman Ranch, bitches. Everyone in the Bay Area knows that this North Bay farm treats their cows like royalty. Before slaughtering them. These patties ain't no frozen merchandise. The fresh, hand-sculpted patty is cooked to order, faithful to the customer's request. With beef of this caliber, we recommend medium-rare. The outside is seared, creating a delicious crust of caramelized meat sugars. The interior retains a wonderful drippy beefiness. Mmm, erotic...

Accouterments

We loooove the creative Asian-fusion twist on produce and condiments. The burger comes dressed with your choice of cheese, wasabi-infused mayo and soy-glazed onions. On the side, to add at your leisure, are roma tomato slices, romaine lettuce, watercress, and--our favorite--slices of daikon radish in lieu of pickles. We suggest using all of the provided dressings, creating various tensions between the tart daikon, sweet soy-glazed onions, and oh-so-slightly bitter watercress. Holding it all together is a bun with character and flavor of its own while showcasing its cargo.

We really could go on about this place forever, but let it be known that while pricey, Namu is definitely worth the cash for one inventive and tasty burger.

Namubar.com

Updates

2007-05-24T12:10:00.001-07:00

We know our dear readers (all 3 of you) have been languishing like jilted lovers waiting to hear the next installment from the intrepid Barons. Henceforth and forthwith, here is an update.

Jon's review of Sparky's (in the Castro) is ready to go, complete with photos. It is full of wisdom and obscenity. We will upload it shortly.

We have also visited the recently-opened Belly Burger on Geary. All three of us liked it. We took photos and discussed some ideas, but have yet to write the review.

We don't mean to string you along like a melodramatic 16-year-old girl unknowingly torturing a classmate who she thinks is just her "best friend" but is really madly in love with her. We're just lazy.

So stay tuned for our updates.

Darla's: The David Paymer of burger joints

2006-12-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

On the way home from Darla's, we mused about which B-list celebrity best embodied our experience. Paul Giamatti was certainly unattractive, but was determined to be far too superior an actor to be compared with the competant but unstellar performance of the Darla's burger. Plus, he's kind of an A-lister these days. So we decided on David Paymer. You may wonder who the fuck is David Paymer. Oh, yes, you know him: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001601/

While Mr. Paymer is a versatile actor, he is neither attractive nor especially talented. He is a "solid" character actor. Mr. Paymer knows what he is and does not pretend to be more.

Darla's, on the other hand, runs advertisements in the Onion, claiming to offer "Great Fucking Burgers." This is simply not true:

Darla's burger consists of a hand-molded, football shaped patty on a greasy store-bought French roll. As you can see, the mayonnaise has left quite an impression on our dear burger. Think of this photograph, if you will, as a microcosm of Darla's presentation and ambience -- the beige walls, the sticky floors, the stickier menus, and a faint, but strange odor that Joe describes as "combination nursing home and rancid bacon."

Okay, it's not that bad -- but the look of the place certainly doesn't make one hungry.

While not all is well in the state of Darla, there are some silver linings in her somewhat cloudy McCloudface cloud (for you, dear Jon). The first glimmer of hope was when our lovely waitress asked us how we would like it cooked, indicating that they just might take grilling seriously. Next was the look of immediate surprise on both of our faces after our first bite.

Darla's cheesburger sure tastes better than it looks. The patty was juicy, flavorful, and as we mentioned, cooked to order. Joe thought it was a little too salty, but Roman was generally pleased without exception. The default cheese was American, but there were other choices including mozzerella, cheddar, swiss, and jack.

The produce seemed fresh, but limited: there was only a leaf of crispy romaine, some red onions, and pickles. What's missing from this picture? That's correct-a-mundo: tomatoes. Even Jack in the Crack serves tomatoes on their burgers. For shame, sweet Darla.

The burgers came with a choice of fries, coleslaw, or potato salad. A side green salad could be had for $1 extra (remember, garden salad substitute at the 'Meister is free). We both ordered fries, which seemed to be from a frozen Sysco bag. They were also covered with a seasoned salt slash paprika that was gross.

The drink test: We both ordered soft drinks. They were bottomless. Speaking of sodas, Joe noisely finished his diet Coke, sucking rudely on the straw, and then pushed the glass to the edge of the table. Within moments, the waitress was at our side asking if we would like refills. VERRRYY NIIICE. Good service. Seriously.

When the waitress brought our check, she gave us two small complimentary brownies. The thought really counted. The brownies were fine, too. This touch earned Darla a couple extra points. Total rating: 6/10.

http://www.darlasrestaurant.com/

And for an added bonus, our very own Joe Rose wrote a song about our experience. And now it's yours to download. We're sorry.

Burger Politics

2006-11-16T13:06:00.001-08:00

I really dislike the new online ads for the upcoming film version of Fast Food Nation. Actually, I have always disliked the whole FFN phenom--sensationalism at its worst. But the new ads take the cake. Here's a summary of the simple animation:

First it shows an image of a swarthy-looking latino man (hilarious Luis Guzmán, in fact) with a grim look on his face. The caption explaining that 25% of all workers in the meatpacking industry are undocumented. Then it cuts to text that reads "You may not like it, but you still eat it." Finally, a hamburger flops down and the title of the film is displayed.

The first frame of the animation made me think that it was some progressive group raising awareness about the plight of undocumented workers in meatpacking plants. But the second part, about how us conusmers may not like it, seemed to be a shameless play on xenophobia and latino stereotypes: We may not like the fact that dirty illegals have their hands on our meat, but we eat it anyway.

I suppose we could give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that we may not like undocumented workers packing our meat because it's a hard-knock life for them. Maybe if we stopped eating at Jack in the Box, these workers would get green cards and computer programming jobs instead. But I think Fox Searchlight knows that the American everyman will experience a gut reaction more approximate to xenophobia than compassion when he imagines swarthy hands all over his burger.

To add insult to injury, the burger that falls into the ad looks really quite delicious. Why should I be upset that a meatpacker from below the Rio Grande handled my meat when it looks and tastes so good?

Burger Joint

2006-11-14T17:15:00.000-08:00

Summary

According to Burger Joint's publicity page, their burger was named one of the top 20 in America by GQ magazine. This is an indictment of GQ's taste. To be sure, the Burger Joint burger is composed of good quality beef (sourced from Niman Ranch, just like the Barons' preferred Burgermeister), and they have desirable appurtenances, but they lack proficiency at the grill.

The best counterpoint to Burger Joint is Burgermeister. As mentioned above, they source the same beef, they have approximate price points. A BJ cheesburger with fries will set you back $7.45, while Burgermeister charges $8.29.

A note of caution: This review was written a relatively long time after the last visit to Burger Joint. We will certainly visit again and revise as necessary.

1. The patty (6/10)

Burger Joint's patty would have been great for $3.99, but lacked the flavor, density, and juiciness we would expect from almost $8. This may have to do with their seasoning mix, the amount of salt used, or shortcomings at the grill. Burgermeister's is significantly better.

2. The bun (6/10)

The dryness of the patty was exacerbated by the size and absorbancy of the bun. Too much bread and not enough juice from the patty results in an uncomfortably dry mouth and a difficulty swallowing. Also, the flavor of the bun had nothing to recommend it.

3. Produce (9/10)

Produce was fantastic--definitely on par with the 'Meister. It was fresh and varied.

4. Sauces (7/10)

Standard fare.

5. Sides (8/10)

Burger Joint include fries, which is on par with other good burger places. Fries are the only option, whereas the 'Meister offers a choice of fries, cole slaw, or salad. But who wants cole slaw or salad anyway. No one. The fries were well-cooked. They were crispy and plentiful. However, we take issue with the Joint's decision to use peanut oil instead of other vegetable oils (such as canola) to fry the potatoes. the Joint claims that peanut oil imparts more flavor to the fries. We don't think so. There was something discernably "off" with their flavor. We think this could only be attributed to the peanut oil.

6. Atmosphere/Service (10/10)

Counter staff at BurgerJoint is friendly and enthusiastic about the food. Orders must be placed and then picked up at the counter--there is no table service. At the same time, the quality of service at the counter is excellent. They asked how the burger should be cooked without prompting and engaged in friendly conversation about their cooking techniques. The kitchen and grill are in full view from the counter as well, leaving nothing to the imagination. The retro dining room was comfortable, clean, not overly crowded, and attractive.

7. Honorable Mention

While we did not fall in love the the cheeseburger at the Joint, we believe they deserve honorable mention for their shakes. Made to order with real ice cream, the Joint served the absolute best shake we had had for under $5 (just under... $4.75).

(by Joe)

Clown Alley: A Circus of Late Night Mediocrity

2006-03-13T22:29:00.000-08:00

ok, so this should have been posted sometime late last december when joe and i WENT to Clown Alley over in North Beach, but laziness and several hundred rounds of Halo 2 kind of got in the way. oh, and also school, girlfriend, thai food, an oriental vacation and extreme drug use.

but that's basically an entirely different story.

in any case. i will now attempt to reach deep into the hazy banks of my memory and try and recreate me and joe's Clown Alley experience. don't worry, i remember enough of it to the point where i still to this day have mixed feelings about it.

BACKGROUND CHECK

named Clown Alley because it apparently gets all types of people frequenting the joint, ranging from A-list celebrities to homeless christian scientists, it is conveniently located at the mouth of North Beach, on Montgomery at Columbus. to be honest i felt a little uneasy going to a burger place with a circus theme to it, because my odd thread of logic tempts me to associate circus animals with the food content. but i figured what the hell, it's always in plain view whenever i go to North Beach (which isnt often, admittingly) and i wanna find out how far 10 bucks will get me in this restaurant.

joe and i both ordered a cheeseburger. and instantly, to our dismay, we find out that fries are not included with your purchase of a burger. total bammers.

THE PATTY: (6/10)

let's put it this way... Clown Alley is brave enough to have the kitchen in plain view of the customer. to my extreme dismay, the patties werent exactly top-of-the-line. drawn from a meat locker, i thought to myself "man, i paid 7 bucks for a burger that i basically could have made at home."

to their credit, they know how to flame a burger. it wasnt bad.

THE BUN: (6/10)

the buns also felt and tasted store-bought. this burger joint was beginning to head into shitlist territory. honestly, grocery store burgers grilled at home dont taste horrible, in fact i enjoy a nice bbq'd burger from time to time when the weather permits it. the low rating, however, comes from the hefty price tag and the utter lack of complementary fries to compensate for this very average-tasting burger.

PRODUCE/SIDES: (8.5/10)

as joe and i sat down to eat, we realized that our burgers were completely naked. no lettuce, kethcup, puppy semen.... nothing. either Clown Alley really did not want our business again, OOOORRRR...

THEY HAVE A CUSTOM CONDIMENT/PRODUCE BAR!!!! finally, a silver lining in this very cloudy mcCloudface cloud. it seriously had everything: jalapenos, tomatoes, lettuce, 2 kinds of onions, peppers, salt/pepper, several kinds of sauce ranging from ketchup to buttermilk ranch, etc. etc.

this seriously saved the place for sure. everything seemed decently fresh, also.. no browned leaves, no mold of any kind... no snot on the sneeze guards...

supoib.

and the fries, despite having to PAY EXTRA for them, were fully fried, not too oily, and crispy good. overall, i would say the condiments are the kicker for this place, rather than the actual food itself.

ATMOSPHERE: 9/10

alright, so yeah the burgers are so-so, and yeah it may creep some people out to be reminded of juggling elephants and coked up entertainers with funny shoes and dots on their eyelids while they eat a hamburger... but the place is actually really comfortable and inviting.

bigtime bonuses:

- there is an outside patio, with a picturesque view of the TransAmerica Pyramid, and a sizeable portion of the rest of the SF skyline. it is especially pretty at night.

- as mentioned earlier, the condiment bar is DYNAMITE.

- on fridays and saturdays, this fuckin place is OPEN UNTIL 3AM... can you say post-bar-hopping munchies???

- the people running the place seemed nice enough, i mean they kept the condiment aisle clean and fresh, along with the rest of the interior/exterior.

only drawback (about the atmosphere, at least):

- this place, unfortuneately, is cash only. so all you kids out there who took a jackson out of the ATM and spent most of it on drinks thinkin you can just slide some plastic later on for food here, think again... luckily for you losers, there's an ATM right at the front entrance.

Where to next, mateys? ARGG

2005-11-16T11:43:00.000-08:00

Here be the list of possible next destinations for us Burger Pirates!

- Fiddler's Green: Home of the "Gaelic Burger", this Irish pub/restaurant gives a whole lot of food and a whole lot of Flogging Molly. Sounds good to me!

- Bistro Burger: I hear they use fine quality beef for a fine quality product. Let's see if it helps create some fine quality blogging.

First Stop

2005-11-08T23:02:00.000-08:00

Sunday, November 6, 2005 marked the first night of our epic exploration, and our first stop was Burgermeister in Cole Valley.

Voted #1 on several burger lists (including The Guardian and SF Weekly), Burgermeister has given itself the slogan "A Taste You Can Trust" - and yes, I would fall backwards into this establishment's arms. The restaurant boasts a laid-back atmosphere, friendly and prompt service, and wouldn't you know it, free refills. While being a tad upscale for the average consumer, Burgermeister offers plenty of salads, sandwiches, milkshakes, and even soups for one's diverse palette, but we were there to see if we could really Trust the Taste of this burger.

Assisted by my lovely girlfriend Corinne, the four of us contemplated the many choices on the menu. While Joe and Corinne went with the traditional Cheeseburger, I went with a Bacon Chee, and Jon decided to wow us all by going with the Double Cheeseburger, weighing in at a gastronomical 1 lb.

The Patty (8)

This establishment takes pride in the fact that they only use the finest organic beef from Niman Ranch, located in Marin County. The beef doesn't include hormones, filler, or the like... this makes for one fine patty. It was seasoned properly so that it didn't need any kind of special sauces, and didn't shrivel on the grill. The dishes we got looked like they could've been shot for a magazine (and we'll bring the cameras next time). The only problem is we weren't asked how we liked our burgers cooked, and as a result, everything was made well-done.

The Bun (8)

Well, it had sesame seeds, wasn't greasy, worked alongside the beef, and not against it. If only society could learn from this good bun's example.

Produce (7)

The quality of lettuce was impressive, and I can never refuse a good red onion, however our tomatoes were a little greenish, and the pickle was floppy. It didn't take from the flavor of the overall burger, I guess I'm just nitpicking now.

Sides (9)

Another impressive feature of Burgermeister - sides come with your order, and it's a good thing, because these burgers are a little pricey. You get a choice of fries, salad or cole slaw. The fries were excellent; not too dry or salty, the perfect accompaniment to a good burger. The cole slaw was a tad bland, but considering I don't really know what's in it, I'm not really going to hold that against them.

Atmosphere/Service (9)

Call me crazy, but to me, atmosphere is more than half of a dining experience. In other words, if the food's bad, but they got a good jukebox, I wouldn't be that upset. Luckily, Burgermeister has the best of both worlds. Fast n' friendly service, good music, fun decor... all in all, Burgermeister is a great place for a night out, but because of the price, you better make it once in awhile.

The criteria

2005-10-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

The following is the Burger Baron criteria. Each category is rated on a scale of 1-10.

1. Patty. The patty must be fresh and tasty. It must not be too dry--a juicy burger is a tasty burger. The natural flavor of the beef itself must also be present. Special seasonings or sauces can be wonderful additions to a burger, but they must not be used to mask poor quality ground beef. The patty should always be cooked to taste--servers must ask the customer how the burger should be cooked.

2. Bun. The bun must be a complement to the burger itself. Too much bun means a dry and carb-heavy experience. A good bun must be balanced with the size of the patty. It must be soft enough to bite easily, but firm enough to support the juices and sauces inside. It must also be relatively light and spongey--a very heavy, dense bun can really get in the way. The best buns are usually lightly toasted or grilled.

3. Produce. Many burgers are brought down by poor produce. Lettuce, tomatoe, onion, and pickles must be present. All must be fresh/ripe. Pale or white iceberg lettuce is not acceptable. Neither are orange/crunchy/unripe tomatoes. Onions are best in moderation. Also, the option of grilled onions should be available at no extra charge.

4. Sauces. Sauces and condiments should be to taste. They should always be spread directly on the surface of the bun. They should also complement and not mask the beef itself.

5. Sides. French fries are very cheap to make and plenty should always be available at no extra charge. They should be hot, crisp, and golden--never pale and limp. They should taste like potatoes. Potatoe chips, pickle spears (never flaccid!), and other sides are good, but should never be provided to justify charging extra for french fries.

6. Atmosphere/Service. Good, friendly service is expected--even late at night if the establishment is open late. A lot of things can factor into this category. For example, soft drinks should be bottomless, under $2, and refilled often. The dining area must be clean, inviting, and interesting.

Introducing the Burger Barons

2005-10-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

September 2005 marked the inauguration of the Burger Barons, a close-knit group of intrepid aficionados who venture to review the finest cheeseburgers in the City of San Francisco. This site will soon offer detailed reviews of various burger establishments, thoughts by the Barons themselves, and the centerpiece of the Burger Baron way of life: the Burger List.

Stay tuned...