Cheeseburger at Gott's Roadside- San Francisco, CA

With 3 Bay Area locations in St.Helena, Napa and in the SF Ferry Building, Gott's Roadside has the reputation for making one of the best burgers in the city. Gott's has a wide menu selection ranging from seafood to burgers to hot dogs to salads, beer, wine and shakes and is a popular hangout for pre-Giants game fans.

The burgers are by far the most popular item on the menu and are chargrilled, 100% family farm raised Niman Ranch Beef- ground fresh daily. One of their signature burgers is the green chili cheeseburger ($8.99) with jack cheese, lettuce, grilled onions, salsa verde, charred Jalapeño mayo on a toasted egg bun. Once chargrilled and assembled, all burgers are given a quick steam in a contraption that softens up the egg bun.

I ordered the Cheeseburger ($7.99) medium-rare, however, the first one came out medium well- their standard doneness- so I sent it back and asked for it medium-rare again. I was sitting at the bar overlooking the kitchen and watched as they prepared my second burger. The burger went on the grill and one minute ran into another, then three, flip and repeat...and it was again being overlooked right before my eyes. The cook didn't even poke the meat to check for doneness, which should have been a given since I just sent the last one back...but instead it arrived at my table- well done again- sans the quick steam.

The cheeseburger arrived topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and special sauce on a toasted egg bun. The special sauce is mayo based, slightly sweet and a tad spicy with dill or sweet pickle relish chunks. The well done burgers weren't as juicy as they should have been, however the flavor was quite beefy even though it was drier than I'd like. The cheese could have used additional melting and in the rush to send out my second burger, it missed the quick steam that my first burger received and the bun lacked the softness that it needed. I took a bite or two and sent it back and asked for my money back...I wasn't about to wait another 10 minutes.

Apart from my 2 returned burgers, what I did eat was acceptable but it definitely would have been a better experience if I got it the way I ordered it. Gott's normally has a good reputation for their burgers and is often rated as one of San Francisco's best...but not on this day.

Aburgeraday rating: 6/10

The Ding Dong Style Pterodactyl Burger at Pinky's Westside- Charlotte, NC

Pinky's Westside grill is a roadhouse style burger bar that has built quite the cult following recently. Located near Uptown Charlotte just off the I-77 on the west side and marked by it's VW bug painted in patriotic stars and stripes on the roof, it's nice to occasionally go somewhere to try something out of the ordinary. Pinky's does make traditional fare including sandwiches, hot dogs and your more typically topped burgers, but it's the burger topped with peanut butter and Sriracha that I was after on this visit.

Pinky's has limited parking in their lot but ample overflow parking is available across the street. Both sit down, bar and patio seating are available and Pinky's is open late to satisfy that late night burger craving.

When scanning the menu you may want to try the crisscut potatoes topped with melted pimento cheese or the deep fired pickles as an appetizer or side dish to any of Pinky's burgers.

Pinky's burger menu offers burgers in 3 sizes- The Pterodactyl- a single 5 ounce patty, the mammoth- with two 5 ounce patties, and the Triple G- with you guessed it- three 5 ounce patties. Burgers are available in 4 styles- "Everything" with mayo, onion, lettuce, tomato and pickles, "Westside" with mustard, chili, slaw and onion and "Ding Dong Style" Topped with crunchy peanut butter, honey- cilantro slaw and Sriracha sauce.

I went for the Ding Dong Style Pterodactyl burger with pepper jack cheese ($4.60). The burger came out on a nice soft bun and was cooked to medium. The burger was juicy and the hit of crunchy peanut butter was noticeable, but not overpowering. Some might think that peanut butter on a burger as an odd thing. Well, if you think about other meat and peanut combinations- like thai pork satay, the peanut/meat infusion really isn't that odd and this actually works really well together. The sriracha added some zip and a hint of sweetness and the slaw cut through everything and balanced it all out- and for $4.60 this makes for a real value when it comes to burgers. The Ding Dong style burger didn't disappoint and I'd recommend it to anyone tired of the same old burger.

Aburgeraday rating- 6/10

Cheeseburger at Mo's Grill- San Francisco, CA

This week's burger quest brought me to the popular North Beach area of San Francisco where hilly side streets are dotted with everything from tattoo parlors to fashion stores to restaurants. Mo's on Grant street serves up some killer breakfasts as indicated by 90% of the plates that were being brought to tables around us on this Sunday around lunch time. I think I even saw a breakfast chili burrito the size of small child being served to one of the patrons sitting next to us!

Mo's Grill. San Francisco, CA

Mo's claim to culinary fame is the rotating barbecue grill that rotates slowly as passersbys on the street peek in to see slowly cooking burgers and steaks dripping their lucious juices onto the flaming volcanic rock grill beneath. Seating is limited to about a dozen tables and bar seating that can host about 8 more so you can expect a wait during busy hours, however the service is fast and keeps people moving in and out the door briskly.

Beef grilling over volcanic rock

All burgers are made from 7oz center cut Angus corn-fed ground chuck- generous for most gourmet $7 burger joints- ground daily and hand formed into patties and cooked to order.  I ordered the Cheeseburger ($7.75)- medium-rare with American cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion- all served on a toasted kaiser roll. Pickles spears are available upon request.

Cheeseburger at Mo's

The burger came out perfectly cooked, however the romaine lettuce was bitter so I removed it. The soft kaiser bun was soft but only after you got passed it's overly toasted exterior. I don't like fighting through the bun to get to the meat and in my opinion the importance of a soft bun that can be easily bitten through is a crucial for a good burger. The American cheese was substantially thick but could have benefited from additional melting. The beef was super juicy and seemed to be seasoned perfectly. The ground chuck was pretty compacted, not overworked, but not entirely crumbly either. The beef taste from the ground chuck was lacking and wasn't very complex- very one dimensional you might say. They've been using chuck for years and people love their burgers- I just prefer something a little more complex. I was surprised that the grilled flavor from the volcanic rock below the grill wasn't as present as I thought it would be and you couldn't really taste the grilling. Now while Mo's cheeseburger may not be in my top 10 list, it's still a pretty decent burger, and anyone with a healthy appetite for a big breakfast should not pass this place up- it's worth it just for that. But since I only rate the burger, and not the ambiance, service or other items of the menu, Mo's fell short of my expectations.

Aburgeraday rating: 6/10

The Truffle Burger at Umami Burger- San Francisco

Already a staple and well known name on the L.A burger scene, Umami burger is a relatively new player in the Bay Area and opened it's first location in San Francisco in 2011, and a second in Palo Alto March 2013. The name 'Umami' refers to the 5th taste component beyond sweet, salty, sour, bitter and is loosely translated from it's Japanese origins meaning "pleasant savory taste" that can be found in foods.

Umami Burger- San Francisco, CA

The front of the building is unassuming and absent of obnoxious signage. The only thing that tells you that you are in the right place is the overhanging facade with simple orange back-lit outline of a burger. You'll find some limited outdoor patio seating, full dine-in order at your table seating and limited seating at the bar. The decor is open, inviting and modern chic.

If I could use one word to summarize the menu at Umami it would be "fresh" as Umami makes almost everything on the menu from scratch- from the pickles, to the cheese, to the condiments. Condiments include house-made mustard, ketchup, garlic ailioli, and a semi-spicy/sweet diablo sauce. *Tip- try the truffle fries! They are thin cut fries topped with truffle cheese...a side of garlic ailoli or house made ketchup make the perfect dipping addition.

Burgers are a 6oz hormone-free beef patty that is ground fresh daily and come from cows that are first grass fed, then finished with a grain diet. Umami suggests ordering their burgers medium-rare to maximize flavor while retaining moisture, but you can order it any way you like.

Their "Umami burger" is their most popular burger, however, the menu includes some daily specials including the "Brunch burger", topped with pork belly, a fried egg, house-made American cheese and diablo sauce (available only on weekends).

The Truffle Burger

I tried the Truffle burger- medium rare, topped with house-made truffle cheese and a truffle glaze ($12). The burger was cooked on a flat-top and came out with an awesome crust locking in incredible juiciness. The freshness and great depth of flavor of the beef was equally impressive. I really appreciated the simplicity of the ingredients. Rather than overwhelming my palate with a bunch of condiments, the burger was simply topped with truffle cheese and a truffle glaze that added richness, complexity and complimented the fantastic "meatiness" of the burger. The overall result was an incredibly juicy and luscious burger that is absolutely a must try and the Truffle burger from Umami burger goes down as one of the best burgers that I've had in a long time and should be on everyone's burger bucket list.

Aburgeraday rating- 8.5/10

Bad Ass Burger at Bad Daddy's Burger Bar- Charlotte, NC

Formerly Big Daddy's, renamed Bad Daddy's Burger Bar has three Charlotte and one Raleigh, NC location. The roadhouse inspired burger bar is known for award winning over the top burger creations that keeps people lined up out the door.

Bad Daddy's has a wide selection on the appetizers including deep fried pickles with ranch dipping sauce ($7.25) and Irish nachos- french fries topped with Guinness beer cheese sauce, fried egg, scallions & bacon for $7.95.

At Bad Daddy's you can buy specialty burgers off the menu including the "Sam I am burger" topped with cheese, an over easy egg, rosemary ham and pesto mayo ($10.55). There are also specialty and build your own burgers made from buffalo, turkey, black bean and even ahi tuna.

Today I decided to go a bit messy and throw my diet right out the window. I went for the Bad Ass Burger- $13.00 (includes a side of fries, slaw, or homemade potato chips) *tip- try the chips with the pimento cheese dipping sauce- it's pretty wicked good stuff.

The burger includes two 5 ounce patties that contain a mixture of ground beef (a freshly ground custom beef blend made from hanger steak, chuck and brisket) and ground bacon. Yes I said ground bacon! The burger is then topped with English cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and more bacon- this time in the form of buttermilk battered deep fried bacon. It's then topped off with some horseradish mayo.

The Bad Ass Burger

Burgers are made to order- in this case I ordered medium and it came out exactly that way. The beef and bacon patty was juicy, crumbly, and not too packed. You could taste the bacon, but it wasn't too overpowering or too salty. The bun was super fresh- very similar to a potato bun and really held together even with the amount of juice this burger was dripping. The horseradish mayo gave the burger additional complexity and tied it together. But it was the the buttermilk battered deep-fried bacon that put this burger over the top and created a burger masterpiece ranked up there with some of the best burgers I've tasted.

I really hope that the great product that Bad Daddy's produces allows it to expand beyond the Carolinas 'cause it's something that y'all gotta try some time soon.

Aburgeraday rating- 8/10

Cheeseburger at the Palo Alto Creamery- Palo Alto, CA

The Palo Alto Creamery can best be described as an upscale diner that serves a wide selection of standard diner fare (with a few twists I might add) to appeal to everyone from kids with simple pallets to those with discerning tastes. Opened in 1988 and with 2 Palo Alto locations, the previously owned "Peninsula Fountain Grill" sign still hangs out in front of their downtown Palo Alto location which might confuse some who are looking for the "Palo Alto Creamery". Once inside, you step back in time to a 50s diner setting with plenty of booth and table seating as well as standard stools that you would have found in a diner of yesteryear.

Palo Alto Creamery, Palo Alto, CA

The diner has an onsite full service bakery where they bake all of their own bread and many of their deserts. Best of all- they bake all of their sesame seed buns for their burgers.

All Palo Alto Creamery burgers are 1/3 lb fresh, hormone free, natural certified Angus beef. Today I went for the Cheeseburger ($10.95 with fries) and ordered it medium. The cheeseburger came topped with American cheese and grilled onions. Lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles are all on the side. The burger doesn't come with Mustard, Ketchup or Mayo however those options (sans the mayo) are available at the table.
The burger came out bbq grilled to a perfect medium- just as I had ordered. I was surprised at how I didn't really miss the mustard, mayo, ketchup and spread that you'd typically find at other burger joints. This can be risky if the meat isn't cooked perfectly but today it was perfect- great moisture, great beef flavor, nice crumbly grind, perfectly seasoned and topped with melty American cheese. The freshly baked sesame seed bun was a really nice touch. It was soft, yet held together without falling apart. I definitely recommend the burger at the Palo Alto Creamery, and if you're ever there it's a must try.

The Cheeseburger

Aburgeraday rating- 7/10

The Jeros Bacon Cheeseburger at Cornucopia, Eugene, OR

Cornucopia has been given the title of the making the best burger in Eugene. And in a mostly college town, where pizza slices, sandwiches and quick cheap bites are aplenty, that's a pretty serious title to hold where there's a lot of competition for the fast food dollar. However, Cornucopia isn't a fast food eatery, it's a roadhouse bar and grill that serves well drinks, has a large selection of local and craft brewed beers and great food.

Cornucopia. Eugene, OR.

Cornucopia takes pride in it's ingredients sourcing a lot of local ingredients in the menu items including the burgers which are made with all natural certified Angus beef- farm to table, hormone and antibiotic free.

I went for the Jeros Bacon cheeseburger ($12.50) a 1/2 lb char-grilled beef patty topped with bacon, choice of cheese (I chose American), lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo. The burger looked impressive when it came to the table- stacked tall bulging at the seams and all held together with a steak knife that had skewered it together from the top. I took my first bite in anticipation...this was voted the best burger in Eugene after all...and.......blah! It was dry, I mean well done, overcooked, dry. I gotta give it some credit though- the beef patty had an extremely intense beefy flavor but this burger was doomed from the start.

The Jeros Bacon Cheeseburger

On this day, Cornucopia made me a very average burger, and paying a little more attention to the grilling process could have made it great...add the $12.50 price tag (albeit including fries) Cornocopia isn't a bargain either. Well...I guess my search still continues for finding even the best burger in Eugene, let alone the rest of the world.

Aburgeraday rating- 6/10

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