Big As A House Burger - Pizza House, East Lansing, MI

If you have spent any significant amount of time on the southeast side of MSU you know Pizza House. Nestled in Hannah Plaza adjacent to MSU, Pizza house has been a crowd favorite for over 23 years. Known mostly for it AMAZING pizza (duh!), including an awesome version of the Chicago-style deep dish, it also provides a hefty line burgers. Normally Pizza House is not my first thought for a juicy burger, but I figure that everybody deserves their fair shake. I mean they say "We’re committed to using the leanest meats, finest poultry, real Wisconsin cheeses, fresh baked breads and produce delivered daily to create your favorite meals from our expansive menu!" And I can personally say it is true in regards to their pizza. But now...the burger.

Atop their burger page in the menu the have a selection that couldn't be passed up. It is called the "Big As A House Burger"! While I certainly applaud Pizza House attempt at catering to all palates, maybe they should just stick to pizza. The first clue could have been in the description where they state "chargrilled medium-well, unless otherwise specified". Perhaps they meant "will be charred to medium-well or more regardless of your preference". I 'specified', but did not obtain medium-rare. Dry and lacking a lot of taste the burger seemed to go on forever. As it claimed, it was big. However, bigger in this case did not mean better. The bun was so-so and the toppings were to satisfaction. My choice of topping was cheddar, and thankfully cheddar is what I received. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Pizza House. However, my Daddy always said 'you don't get race horses out of shetlands' and I say you don't get great burgers at a pizza joint. (Maybe next time I will try their pizza burger.)

Big As A House Burger - **** 4/10

Other Perks of Pizza House: GREAT PIZZA! You can't go wrong here. I really like the vegetarian pizza, lots of cheap beer, nice atmosphere, and close to MSU

Back from a siesta....

Hello Burger Lovers,

Pardon my ill-timed and unanounced departure from the blog. Life happened. But the good news is that I am now on break from school and several entries are in the making. You will be privy to my culinary wanderings as I journey west to my native lands and eat at establishments of my youth.

Happy eating and Happy Holidays!

Doc

The Elevation Burger - Elevation Burger, Falls Church, VA

If you are short on time, just take the Five Guys burger I recently blogged and take everything up a few notches and you have The Elevation Burger (aptly named).

I will be perfectly honest here. I don't normally associate the phrases 'organic', 'better for you', or 'better for the environment' with a winner of a burger. However, I was proved ABSOLUTELY wrong recently. While at my brother's house I was searching for a tasty treat (by which I mean a good burger). I happened upon a lovely little operation called Elevation Burger. I know that many of the best 'houses of burger' claim and abide by a certain code of conduct, but this place takes the proverbial cake.

Have you ever really had 100% organic, 100% grass-fed, 100% free-range, 100% ground-on-premises beef? I have and it was a vision! Take all the savory, salty beef you have ever had in your life and throw that idea out. The flavor of the elevation burger is something that we in America don't ever get.....it tasted like beef itself. Juicy, savory, and just a bit sweet. The meat reminded me of elk or venison, but it still had that distinctive heavy savoriness that we all know in beef. But instead of the fatty saltiness of corn-fed midwest beef, this meat had a subtle sweetness that seemed to push the flavor all over your mouth. The meat melted together with a thick slice of REAL cheddar in a symphony of pure, natural flavor. The bun, which obviously must be made from wholesome, all natural ingredients, was nothing to get terribly excited about. However, it didn't get in the way of what was a truly elevating experience. Add on mustard, ketchup, lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes for session of burger zen......ahhhhh. The only thing I could have asked for was a bun that truly complimented the amazing flavor and it a be a bit bigger (about the size of a McDonald's double cheeseburger). However... the Elevation Burger definitely raised the bar! WELCOME TO THE TOP TEN!!

Elevation Burger - ********* 9/10

Other perks of Elevation Burger: CHEAP (it will only put you back ~$3!!), it was quick, and it was clean.

Tony's BLT

Not a burger, but definitely worth a mention.

1 lb of bacon with some lettuce and tomato for good measure. I love Michigan.
CLICK HERE!

Not the only one....

Evidently I am not the only person who is excited about Five Guys outside of D.C. I have had multiple comments on my facebook about Five Guys and I just saw this on another blog [Click Here]

BUT... I also found this [Click Here]. Just reinforces something I abide by when looking for a good burger. When you are looking for a good burger --> look for local places or the original place if it is a franchise. 'Nuff said.

Cheeseburger - Five Guys, Arlington, VA

If you have ever lived in the D.C./Arlington areas you will know about Five Guys. This summer I visited my brother in McLean, VA and of course asked him where to get the best burger in the area. >He immediately introduced me to the semi-legendary status of Five Guys. Found in shopping malls, strip malls, and probably other types of malls Five Guys have been busting out fresh cow meat since 1986. In that time they have expanded from a sole mecca of charred heaven to over 300 locations in 25 states. To me that deserves a looking-into.

When it comes to their burgers Five Guys stand by several tenets which are a source of inspiration and pride. 1-The burgers and toppings are never frozen. There are no freezers in a Five Guys shop, only coolers. 2-In relation to #1, the burgers are always fresh and cooked to order. 3-They use only the tastiest peanut oil for their awesome fries. 4-Their fries are made only from Idaho (YAY IDAHO!) potatoes. In fact, the day we went to Five Guys there was a sign stating the fries were from Driggs, ID that day.

Having surveyed the rules, I would have to say that they live up to the standards of their claims. The cheeseburger at Five Guys was great! When you bite into a Five Guys burger don't expect to stay clean. The juiciness and the salty-savoriness of the meat hits you will full force. The burger, which is not wimp at about a 1 inch thickness, is cooked beautifully even though was not medium rare. The toppings were fresh, crisp, and juicy in their own right. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't be able to tell if the burger was ever frozen because of the sweet fattiness of the meat, but the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions spoke loud and clear. The bun was nothing special, but thankfully didn't disintegrate in the river of luscious flavor. The one bone I have to pick is the cheese. Everything about Five Guys screams fresh backyard BBQ. Everything but the cheese, that is. The cheese was definitely of the American processed types. Don't get me wrong, the cheese was melted beautifully and incorporated into the burger as you ate it. However, the savory-saltiness of the meat and the 'cheese' got to be a bit more than I would like by the end. That being said, the cheeseburger at Five Guys is a wrecking ball of flavor and deliciousness. Five Guys....welcome to the Top Ten.

Five Guys Cheeseburger - ******** 8/10

Other perks of Five Guys: It was super fast and cheap, they are expanding rapidly, and the FRIES WERE GREAT! (peanut oil, fresh, just thick enough, and they were from Idaho).

After a little though...

I have officially decided that the Papa Joe Burger deserves to be on the TOP TEN!! Welcome and enjoy your time Papa Joe.