THIS WEEK'S BURGER QUEST:
Visit the Dining section of NewHampshire.com to read previous Our Gourmet reviews listed by town. |
Considered an all-American treat, the hamburger actually goes back thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians ate ground beef. Historians say the Mongols, led by Ghengis Kahn, would use lamb or mutton scrapings, formed into patties and softened under the saddles of their horses. Like commuters today, the army needed food that could be eaten easily with one hand while they rode.
These days, hamburgers are a staple in fast-food restaurants, but the really good ones are found in restaurants and diners where it takes a little longer to make them. And during these troubled economic times, even the priciest of burgers can make for an inexpensive dinner out, making the best burgers one of the best budget meals around.
One night over burgers and beer, The Dining Companion and I got to wondering: Who makes the best burger in the area? We started out on a quest, trying out burgers in restaurants of our choice and at those suggested by readers. Every other week for the next couple of months we will give you the skinny on some of the burgers we tried and give you our recommendations as to which are the best. Then we’ll tell you which is the best of the best. So, if you know of a really great burger, let us know where to find it at gourmet@unionleader.com and we’ll try to check it out.
SPURS
157 Amory St., Manchester
935-9557
OG: We tried out this quirky little eatery on Manchester’s West Side recently and, if you haven’t been there, you might want to give it a try. Small and cozy, the restaurant has a sort of ersatz Western theme complete with a saddle on one wall. The menu consists of burgers, chicken, sandwiches and hot dogs at reasonable prices.
The burger we tried – the Snake Bite – consisted of a thick, meaty burger topped with pineapple, bacon, cheddar cheese and ham and served with fries ($7.25). The burger was fresh, cooked as ordered and satisfying. On a scale of 1-10: 6.5
The Dining Companion: The Snake Bite wins my “most eclectic burger” award as I have never tried a burger with pineapple. It was a nice plump burger with a lot of flavor and the hand-cut fries were a nice addition to the meal. 6.5
Total: 13/20
STRANGE BREW TAVERN
88 Market St., Manchester NH 03101
666.4292; strangebrewtavern.net
OG: The Strange Brew is a great place to go for reasonably priced food, good portions and good music. Crowded and lively, it’s not the place to go for a quiet dinner, but it’s a lot of fun and they have a crazy huge array of brews.
A big plus: For the budget-conscious (and who isn’t these days?) on Wednesdays you can get $4 burgers.
TDC: The Strange Bleu Burger ($8.95) is a meaty burger with blue cheese, bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and onions. It was nicely charred, nice red tomato, and was served on a large bulky roll. I ordered the onion rings and OG had the hand-cut fries that were salty and crispy, and served with a sour pickle. One nice thing about the Strange Brew is that if you have a favorite malt beverage, they probably have it. At the Strange Brew we were able to get one of our favorites – the Black and Blue, which is half Guiness and half Seadog blueberry ale. A tasty treat. Score: 8
OG: The burgers are huge. I ate half and brought the other half home for TDC to eat the next day. The tomato was fresh, the burger charred but not overly so and the bleu cheese plentiful. 7.5
Total 15.5/20
BILLY'S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL
34 Tarrytown Road, Manchester
622-3644; billyssportsbar.com
OG: OK, we didn’t say this would be a journey of New Hampshire’s haute cuisine scene. Billy’s is a rough-edged sports bar with basic food and lots and lots of televisions. But the readers who suggested we try Billy’s were right: they make a mean burger there. Thick, juicy and fresh, these are the real deal. A cheeseburger at just $5.75 comes with chips and a pickle, but for $1.75 you can get a big order of Freedom Fries. The best of the bunch this week. 8.5
TDC: Billy’s is known for being a great place to catch one of the Boston teams on one of the many TVs all over the walls. We stopped in for a burger at lunch one day and were seated next to the bar. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger (see a theme on my burgers?) ($6.75) with an order of Freedom Fries on the side. When the order came up, a gruff Billy tossed the plates on our table with barely a glance at us, making me question our choice of eatery, but boy, I was wrong. The burger was big and juicy with some interesting seasoning in the beef, and the fries were the best I’ve had so far in this quest we have begun. 8.5.
Total: 17/20
THIS WEEK'S WINNER: Billy’s Sports Bar and Grill.
