Today, May the 28th is International Hamburger Day! And of course we're celebrating... But before putting our party hats on and plunging into some burgers, guilt-free, I thought it would be a good time to clarify a few points that have been working up your minds lately. For example, why is Brgr.Co better than Classic Burger Joint or why is Marky's one of my favorites... So I decided to clarify this point.
How about some history first: A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll. Hamburgers are often served with lettuce, bacon, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese, and condiments such as mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, and relish. There are many types of hamburgers with significant variations. Nothing is more American than a big, juicy hamburger. Hamburgers and cheeseburgers have been a staple of the American diet for decades. Although hamburgers originated in Hamburg, Germany, eating the burger in a bun is actually an American innovation. The hamburger sandwich was most likely invented in Seymour, Wisconsin.
But today, and has been for a while, a hamburger has become a part of the everyone's culture, no matter where you are or where you're from, there's a guy down the road making some burgers as we speak... Each country seems to have a way of doing it... but at the end of the day it is called a hamburger.
Choosing the best burger is a problem. It is a daunting task. A task that requires a lot of time and details searching... it's hard, no matter how you turn it... It's like asking someone to tell you who your favorite child is... this is not easy. So to be fair for all and simplify matters I decided to divide the burgers in different section and find the best in each category... this way analyzing every burger in more fair and manageable.
This way you give everyone a chance... for example it's not fair to compare a $5 burger grilled down the street to a $20 gourmet burger prepared in a restaurant... And a burger at Frosty Palace will be in a category while a burger from Rod's will be in another.
Burgers can be divided into "4" major categories.
The burgers categories:
- The Fast Food Burger
- The Street Food Burger
- The Diner's Burger
- The Gourmet Burger
Yes, four categories and each has a 'best'; and each is different. This way I can justify my choices in each category... I have been on a mission since 2011 to find the best burgers in town. I have gone to various places, street joints, fine dining restaurants, diners and so on... and each place I would enjoy a burger... Some use Angus beef and premium ingredients creating an innovative fine creation that should be enjoyed with care, while others are fattier, less complicated yet enjoyable with all its chaotic ingredients spilling all over the place.
As an example only:
- McDonald's, Burger King and Hardees are part of the Fast Food category
- Rod's, Marky's and B12 are in the street food category
- Roadster, CBJ and Crepaway are in the Diners category
- Brgr.Co and Frosty Palace are in the gourmet category
We might not all agree on the same categories but segmenting them is a must to give each one its chance to excel. So, from now on, while NGNO reviews a burger, you know which is where and why. Happy Hamburger Day to all of you.
