Another Worthy Burger in Strasbourg (France)

Every once in a while, fate smiles upon you. As most of you already know, my wife and I founded the "Share-A-Burger" initiative in December 2004 in a genuine attempt to change the world one burger at a time. If you're not already a fan by the way, please like our facebook page immediately.

As of today, we have 479 fans sharing the love of burgers and even better, a restaurant in Strasbourg that serves burgers using our GNU General Public License Burger recipe with only minor modifications. So, do not hesitate to go try it for yourself at Le Catsy's Chez Frieda!

And of course: May The Burger Be With You All!

Summer 2012 Burger Awards

Following up on last year's Burger Awards, here is this summer's list of the best Burgers I've had.

Starting with this beautiful Bacon & Cheddar Burger with Jalapenos and Red Onion from Bill's Bar and  Burger in New York: I loved the generous amount of Jalapenos as well as the overall texture and taste of this one!

Bacon cheeseburger at The Corner Bistro: Although this burger was good, I must admit it didn't live up to the hype of being The best burger in New York City. I, later, learned that the chef that used to prepare this rumored excellent burger doesn't work at The Corner Bistro anymore which might explain my relatively disappointing experience:

Another Secret Bar In New York: Bleecker Heights Tavern

Should you ever wander on Bleecker Street in New York after 4pm and stumble upon the Five Guys burger joint pictured above, then follow this route: head to the counter but instead of ordering food (which is something you can also do before following my instructions), follow the restrooms sign and...

Behold The NiederBurger

Not content with being the hypest food in France at the moment, the burger is also subject to various Alsatian takes on its recipe.

The French love to do things differently (is that the reason why Steve Jobs would very often refer to France in his keynotes?) and the Alsatian people take pride in setting themselves apart from France. You might ask yourself if that is a good thing in the realm of burgerness and here I come to give you the ultimate answer (which differs from 42): IT IS A GOOD THING.

I had the extreme pleasure of sampling two different Alsatian burgers in less than a week and can only conclude that although they both strayed away from the Classic Burger that I love, they were both excellent and very original. The former is featured in my previous blog post here while the latter is the subject of the post you are reading now (isn't that logic?).

I loved the idea of creating a very tasty and juicy burger using a custom-baked pretzel and crusty and thick patty. The result was absolutely great and I can only advise every single one of you to pay a visit to l'Atelier du Sommelier in Niederbronn-les-Bains (Alsace, France) to try other delicacies (I'm not 100% sure they have the burger on their menu so call in advance should you wish to sample it).

And of course to set things right, my delicious burger was preceded by a fantastic and genuine Caesar salad (in the American sense of the term, not the usual French interpretation of the Caesar salad):

The Alsatian Burger is Here

Though it may not be the corner stone of any nutritious breakfast, the Alsatian Burger featured at La Tocante Restaurant in Vendenheim is a delightful combination that has to be had! The idea here is to replace the bun with potato pancakes (or "Grumbeerekiechle" as they call them in Alsace) and serve ketchup on the side. The closest idea that comes to mind is, of course, KFC's Double Down sandwich.

As for the meat in my burger, it was not only perfectly cooked but juicy and tasty as well. Moreover, the cheese melted to perfection definitely added a plus to the cheeseburgerness factor of the whole thing:

The Best Burger in Newquay, UK

As I was on a trip to Newquay (UK), I thought I'd take advantage of this visit to sample some British burgers. I had done my research before my trip and it seemed that Bank Street Bar & Grill was the place to go for the best burger in town.

Well, let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed at all. I ordered a Bank Street Bad Boy Burger and Boy (no pun intended), I loved it! I usually don't like any burger interpretation that strays away from a classic burger but this time, I was impressed. My chili sauce and the combination with excellent meat, tasty bun and cheese was just delightful.

The Best Burger Blogs

I have a passion for burgers and I love to take pictures of them. There are, however, dedicated blogs that do a much better job than me. So here's my list of not-to-be-missed burger blogs:

- Burgerac: http://www.burgerac.com/

- Hamburger America: http://hamburgeramerica.blogspot.com/

- Burger Junkies: http://burgerjunkies.com/

Drool more after the break:

PizzBurgers Strasbourg Review

There seem to be no rest for the true Burger lovers in Strasbourg these days and this is a very good thing in my unbiased opinion... Well almost unbiased...

Last november, Speed Burger opened a location in Strasbourg and I reviewed them here. There is now a new alternative to burger home deliveries in our great alsatian city thanks to PizzBurgers. I tried them out twice and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their burgers. I found them to be more than reasonably good and the selection on their website is quite large. Most importantly, both times I ordered, delivery was fast and the burgers were still burning hot when they arrived!

Franky's Diner: An American Diner In Strasbourg

I couldn't believe the news today nor could I close my eyes and make it go away: a full-fledged Diner finally opened its doors in Strasbourg. I had to give it a try and so, it won't come as much of a surprise that a good 22 minutes after Franky's Diner opened I could consider myself one of their first customers.

As I'm used to being disappointed by the usual amateurism associated with attempts to recreate true and great American food, I wasn't expecting much.

First of all, let me say that I was pleasantly surprised with the setting of this Diner in the sense that it pretty much looks like the real thing. Granted there are no napkin dispensers on the table and we can't choose the music but the seats, color theme & atmosphere makes you feel like you're 5000 miles away from the capital of Europe... Well, as long as you're also not paying much attention to the music: Franky: The Stray Cats formed in 1980 and their music mostly consisted of a blend of rockabilly music with punk elements. It is not the kind of music that is usually played in a Diner. I wish I would have listened to some more appropriate music such as: Chantilly Lace or Purple People Eater for instance.

What about the experience ?

The Share-A-Burger Initiative: Changing The World One Burger At A Time

This blog post is dedicated to those who thought the world had already come up with the craziest ideas anyone could think of. I hope that they will realize that nature keeps reinventing itself and will never cease to surprise us.

So here comes the craziest idea ever: The Share-A-Burger Initiative.

What is it?

Well, it's fairly simple: Two years ago, I embarked on the bold endeavor of preparing the finest Sunday burger ever. After numerous attempts at Burger Xanadu, I, in all modesty, believe that I now hold the recipe for the perfect Sunday Burger.

Subsequent to that realization, my purpose in life is to spread Burger wisdom throughout the world. And how better to do so than by sharing a Burger?

So here's the deal:

Le Camion Qui Fume - Food Truck - Paris

Making a close to perfect burger requires two major skills: humility and method. Kristin Frederick (pictured above), the chef behind "Le Camion Qui Fume" (The Smoking Truck), is gifted with both.

Humility is essential when it comes to burgers because no matter how talented a chef you are, you have to recognize that the best burger can only be a classic burger. It is thus essential to feature it in your menu no matter how fancy, smart or inventive you think you are.

La Cantoche de Paname - Paris

As many scientific breakthroughs are the results of random acts, it only seems logical to conclude that the same rule must apply to the Art of Burger. In their almighty Cheddarness, it seems that the Burger Gods deemed me worthy of witnessing such an occurrence. Or maybe they wanted to balance the forces of Cheddarness for the better as my lunch at Blend Hamburger on the same day had been a bit disappointing.

Speed Burger Strasbourg Review

Now that Speed Burger has a joint in Strasbourg, I had to try it out. I can't believe they opened shop two weeks ago and I didn't know! So, here comes my relatively late review.

First of all, you need to know that Speed Burger has many locations in France and specializes in home deliveries, an unexplained rarity in France and particularly in Strasbourg. Doesn't it feel great to know you can pick up the phone and just order a burger that will be delivered to your home in less than thirty minutes?

So, how was the service and food?

Sunday Sandwich Sunday

Tonight's special!

Beauty Lies In The Eyes Of The Burger Beholder

The Sunday Burger Challenge is back! Enjoy it!

Sunday Burger Sunday Holiday Season Edition: The Best Of Two Worlds

To celebrate the coming Holiday Season, I made a special burger tonight featuring the best of two worlds: the beauty of the Burger from the New World & Gourmet ingredients from the Old World. I must say that this simple looking burger was fabulous. The combination of Pepper Mustard, Foie Gras, Truffles and Meat was just perfect! YOU SHOULD ALL TRY IT.

Of course, I had to have a regular burger to establish a baseline for my comparison. So here's a closer look at my meal:

I wish to thank all my friends that joined the Sunday Burger Challenge tonight. Many thanks to Steph & Typedown in particular!

More to come next week! Stay iTuned!

Week-End In Baden-Baden

Some people take pictures of buildings and nature when they go on vacation or out of town for a week-end. As for me, I believe that food pictures are the best way to remember a fine vacation! As I was in Baden-Baden (Germany) last week-end, I wanted to share with the world a few pictures. So, check-out the herring sandwich above and the lovely wraps below.

As for desserts:

Sunday Bagel Sunday

Should I ever be transported to an alternate universe where Hamburgers are replaced by Bagels and Bagels by Hamburgers or vice-versa or the opposite, this is what I would have on Sunday evenings!

More info on how to get your hands on the bagels pictured above here.

Sunday Burger Xanadu Sunday

Tonight's attempt at burger Xanadu was 96,66 % successful. I can safely say that the burgers pictured in this post were the best I ever made. They consisted of two slices of melted cheddar cheese, fried bacon, one slice of Buffalo Mozzarella, onion, pickles, one slice of tomato, mayonnaise, two beef and pork patties and either Harissa (a.k.a. the traveling condiment) or Jalapeño mustard.

In my mythical quest of the perfect burger, I believe that I have, so far, managed to elevate my soul and my sauces to new heights. Tonight, I was blessed with a glimpse of the divine and through the fulfillness of my taste buds I was ascended, if only for a fraction of a second, to an alternate plane of existence where the complete knowledge of the universe seemed to be at grasp. Back on earth, my beliefs are now shaken and I'm thinking there must be a God or at least a Burger God.

Note: Forgive the blurry pictures but it seems that such beauty induced tremors in my earthling hands.

The Latest Home Design Trend: Burgerize Your House

As I a man of the world gifted with a sense of taste that many of my peers envy, I use every second of my spare time to improve the design of my apartment and come up with unexpected ideas that will make it to your homes in a century or two (OR NOT).

As I was profoundly asleep and dreaming of juicy burgers last night, it came to my mind that the Beauty of the Burger should not be restricted to being displayed in a plate but should actually be everywhere around us. I am thus embarking on a quest that will end the day I manage to convince my family that it is ok to hang poster-size pictures of Homemade Burgers in our living-room.

In order to make my quest more plausible, I invite you all to do the same and Burgerize your house!