Quad w/ Cheese Blimpy - Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger, Ann Arbor, MI

Small, kind of dirty, rubbing elbows with the cook, but an experience not to be missed. This describes a trip to Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger in Ann Arbor, MI (Boo Wolverines! ....Sorry, I am a State fan). Serving the fans in Ann Arbor and the student body of the University of Michigan since 1953 (which they also claim as the oldest burger stand in the AA), Krazy Jim's is a local favorite. Just look for the place with Snowbears in the winter at the corner of Packard & S. Division. Krazy Jim's is one of those places that lets the customer design the burger for themselves. They claim that a Blimpy Burger can be ordered in over 2 BILLION combinations! The math behind this number derives from the choices as they have "four burger sizes, six cheeses (you can order all of them, some of them, or no cheese at all), four different bun types, nine different grilled items (you can get all, some, or none of them) and twelve different condiments (again you can get all, some, or none)." Therefore, a Blimpy Burger is more a personal thing. Let me take you into MY Blimpy Burger.

First, I was instructed on how to order. Grab a tray. Then move down the line and answer questions as they are fired at you. First choice: Do you want something from the fryer? Fresh cooked fries and onions rings. Mmmmmmmm.......That is all I have to say about that. Next choice: how much meat? I, feeling adventurous, ordered the "quad" [4 patties] not knowing exactly how big the patties are. I was glad that I ordered the quad because each patty is a little ball approximately 1-1.5 inches in diameter. This is then smashed flat with a spatula and cooked to medium/medium-well (there is NO room for medium-rare in these). I am not really a fan of this method of patty making as the meat can be overly tough, but I figured I would give it a chance. I chose a kaiser bun, added some bacon, and requested provolone cheese rounded out with mayo, mustard, and ketchup. Not a fancy or overly ornate burger, but I can tell you that I was salivating like a rabid dog. Some of that could possibly be due to that fact that they make you stand and watch your burger being cooked less that 5 feet from your proverbial piehole. You are just standing there waiting and watching your burger cook in all it's goodness. Thankfully the staff is incredibly friendly and entertaining, so it goes by pretty quick. Finally I get the burger and dash for a seat. It should be noted at this point that Krazy Jim's proudly proclaims that they "grind their own meat fresh daily". This is a statment the I fully believe. The burger, while being a little over cooked, was delicious. It really tasted more like they had ground up a good steak and made hamburger out of it. Still juicy, full of savory flavor, and just a bit crumbly. It was a beautiful thing. The rest of the burger complemented the meat well, however I will add a caution. The meat is very savory and quite salty. I don't know if it was the particular combination I ordered or if it is just the style of burger at Krazy Jim's, but I got a bit overloaded on the saltiness of the meal. Perhaps a different combination might alleviate the issue. Overall, though, the burger was a winner. This is definitely a place I will visit again, and I have a feeling a champion may exist in Krazy Jim's menu. Maybe Bo was actually thinking of Krazy Jim's when he made his infamous sign --> "Those who stay [and find the magic combination of burger and toppings] will be CHAMPIONS!"

Quad w/ Cheese Blimpy - 8/10 ********

Other perks of Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger: Ann Arbor is a really cool place [if you can get over all the Wolverines walking around ;)], very friendly staff, an interesting atmosphere, and old school bottled root beer, fresh from the fryer steak fries and onion rings (MMMMMMM, yeah!).