Great Burger Quest

Last winter Sara Croft asked her Facebook friends an open question: Which one should I go to? Punch Burger or Bru Burger? It had been a while since Mike Magan and I had been “burgering” and the previous time we did Bru Burger (review to be posted soon). I had walk past it on our way downtown to the Circle during the Christmas season and wondered if it was a worthy place.  He had heard or suggested Punch Burger. I invited Sara and her guy to join us too. Unfortunately, they couldn’t make it so Burger Buddy Magan and I did it anyway.

On your left when you walk in is the menu board as seen here. If you are into toppings, I challenge you to find a more comprehensive offering of them. If you want smoked caribou ears or Andean pickled pears on you burger you’ve come to right place. Obviously I’m kidding about those, but there are few condiments they’ve left off the list. Honestly, I don’t recall what I ordered but I do recall Mike’s choice, the Burnt Cheese Punch burger.

You order your burger at the counter and they bring it out fresh and hot. They claim the burgers are 1/3 pound local beef, but they’re prepared a la Steak ‘n Shake, flattened. I enjoy flattened burgers but they aren’t really connoisseur (I almost got it right without spell check) grade. When I say that, I mean juicy and messy. You are more likely to find law office and banker people there, which only makes sense given its location, but you aren’t likely to find truck drivers or factory workers. To be sure, this is a good burger and I would never discourage anyone who wants to there a second or third time. It’s a good lunch with lots of variety, locally sourced items, along with beer and wine including many local brews.

Punch Burger fills a need downtown for a good quick burger with a lot of variety and given what I’ve already said, I have found that there are really two categories of burgers: White Collar burgers and Blue Collar burgers. Clearly Punch Burger deserves a much higher placement on the White Collar even though my favorites are usually on the Blue Collar side.

137 E Ohio St, Indianapolis ·

(317) 426-3646

www.punchburger.com

Open every day at 11am. Close Mon – Thursday at 9pm, Friday & Saturday at 10pm and Sunday at 8pm.

In order to make an errand to the Castleton area worthwhile, I decided to go a bit further up SR 37 to Noblesville and visit Best Bet Breakfast and Lunch. It had come up in a Facebook conversation the day before and was highly recommended. This was the day to DO IT.

My expectations were raised by a number of people so a great burger and a great experience were only a formality. One of the greatest disappointments in the Great Burger Quest is unmet expectations.  You will see as the review unfolds.

This place is well-decorated in a gambling theme that went along with the “best bet” concept. Everything about it exuded local and friendly. Even their phrase, “See you tomorrow” conveyed a confidence that you really liked it and would be back the next day.

When I see food service ketchup and mustard on the table instead of Indiana’s own Red Gold or even that famous brand out of Pittsburgh,  I think that they aren’t really into serving the best quality, perceived or not. The server was pleasant and very much family “dinerish” which is a good thing. While there were a couple of tempting burger choices, those of you who know me well, I naturally selected the Route 66 with Swiss cheese and Cajun seasoning.  It was hard figuring out how Cajun and Route 66 had any connection since it’s nearly seven hours from Joplin, MO to Shreveport, LA, which really isn’t Cajun country, but the burger sounded good. It was described as “huge” and was $7.00. I thought that was a bit high considering it was a la carte and the “hand-cut” fries were $1.75. So I’m getting a burger and fries, in a diner settting, for $8.75 but given the neighborhood, it was expected. When I asked for my burger medium, the waitress replied, “she only does them one way.” I was astounded! What a breach of customer service etiquette. Even if the cook is incapable of doing one medium, which I found out in one instance, they should be willing to try. This was truly offensive. Since they serve breakfast the obligatory “raw or uncooked” etc and “food-borne diseases” disclaimer was already on the menu and if I had asked for it raw, they could have complied with my wishes.

All that aside, when the burger arrived it appeared to totally redeem itself. There was a freshly hand-pattied burger that was truly huge with nicely melted Swiss and a healthy dose of Cajun spice. The “hand-cut” fries were very thinly sliced potatoes with the skins on, almost bordering on chips. They were fresh but a bit bland. I use very little added salt, but these fries needed them and the ketchup. A nice surprise was a little cup of very tangy baked beans, truly worthy of a side order.  The burger was large enough that it required cutting and even after the photos, initial comments, and cutting it was still sufficiently warm.  However, as expected, it was NOT medium it was clearly medium well and lacked the requisite juiciness expected of a Top Bun burger. The Cajun spice was a bit overdone as well and detracted a bit from the general burger experience. The spice overpowered the meat and the cheese. In this instance, American might have made a better choice for this one.

A final #FAIL was the waitress took my glass for a refill of iced tea (remember the hot Cajun spice?) and then proceeded to go to another table and talk with the customers there while taking their orders which allowed my mouth to burn. She finally returned with my tea, apologized and I gave her a kindly and brief lesson on delivering good customer service.

This burger has all the makings of a great, even Top Bun, burger but the unwillingness to prepare it my way tells me that Louie’s at Pinheads is really the “best bet” for a great burger in this neighborhood. I’ll be back sometime, but it will be for one of their highly rated breakfasts, not the burger.

http://www.bestbetbreakfast.com

14300 Mundy Drive

Noblesville, IN 46060

317.776.1136

Hours

In the early days of Great Burger Quest I had become aware of The Barking Dog Café on East 49^th Street and had even tried to locate it, but I missed it since it was on the south side of 49^th and not on the north side where I expected it was. A year or so had passed and I had honestly forgotten about it. While channel surfing one night I stopped at Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and saw the place that did crab rolls, clam rolls and some really good looking burgers. I was pleased to see that it was The Barking Dog Café right here in Indy, the one I’d forgotten about.  Erik Deckers and I hadn’t met for nearly three months and I thought given his love of a great burger we’d try out The Barking Dog together.

The restaurant was in half of a storefront center and it sort of hidden, but once found, you’ll not have trouble the next time. The menu proclaimed that Jeff’s double cheeseburger with  everything was  ”thin & crispy on the edges.” It was $8.95, a little on the high end but not outrageous and the single was $6.25. The burger comes with MB’s cole slaw, chips or organic greens. Pomme frites with your choice of kalamata olive-rosemary aioli or chipotle ketchup was $3.75. Two things about the drinks kind of annoyed me, the soft drinks are canned, not fountain and fresh brewed ice tea proclaimed “one refill.” It’s not easy to nurse a 12 oz Diet Coke through the whole meal, but I did. The last picky note was that the cole slaw was served in a little cup that you would expect to have mayo on the side. The slaw was very good and not too runny or finely chopped, but c’mon, for a $9.00 burger you’d think that they might be a bit more generous.

Enough about the set-up now let’s get on with the review.  This burger is huge!! It has lots of good lookin’ meat and the patties were AT LEAST six inches across. A two-hander for sure.  There were no other cheese options offered but this one seems to work well with the American, a slice for each patty. This has all the flavor of the great double at Workingman’s Friend but about 50% larger. The balance between meat and cheese was just right with neither overpowering the other. It was fresh and hot even after the photos and the crispy edges are just what you want for a burger of this type. I liked the shredded lettuce which is appropriate for a twin burger but I wish there were a touch more of their special sauce which was similar to 1000 Island dressing.

This burger is hefty, tasty and satisfying and well worth your trip even if the drinks and cole slaw seem a tad less than “customer-friendly.”

http://www.barkingdogindy.com/

MAP

317.924.2233

115 East 49^th St.

Indianapolis, IN 46205

I found two different sets of times for opening/closing so you might want to call and check first.

Spending a long weekend in May with my son and his expecting wife in Dallas is one of the highlights of my year. In the past we have visited a few places of foodie interest: Wild About Harry’s hot dogs and frozen yogurt, the original Sonny Bryan’s Barbecue, Angelo’s Barbecue in Fort Worth, and Angelo’s Italian Grill in Lakewood. On a trip to the grocery on Friday afternoon he mentioned that there was a locally famous burger place just across the street. After checking the reviews I finally chose Keller’s Hamburgers that he pointed out over the Dairy-ette which was also highly recommended. We went there for lunch on Monday.

My first impression was that this place was a dump. It was in need of cosmetic repairs at the least and I don’t believe the canopies has seen any servicing since they were erected in the late ‘50s or early ‘60s. Keller’s  is what old drive-ins used to be like with curb service only. The Mug ‘n Bun in Speedway (IN) is one of the few places that come to mind in Indy although the Mug is much nicer.

The menu was written on a board on the wall and had only been updated to change the pricing, which as you will see was possibly a decade old. They proudly proclaimed that grilled onions were a free option.  The #5 seemed to make the most sense; a double with cheese, lettuce, tomato and special sauce for less than a Big Mac at $2.69. Onion rings were an additional $1.79. Besides fries, tater tots were a tempting possibility as well.  Another welcome surprise was hand-dipped milk shakes for $1.79. No hold backs on this order because of economics, we all went full boat on this one.

The meal was delivered promptly and met all expectations of a vintage drive in. We had to roll up the window a little for the tray and everything (except the shakes) were wrapped in white waxed paper. The obligatory grease spots showed that this was no “light” burger, that’s not why you go to Keller’s anyway.

You’ll see that this burger was ample for the largest appetite and was sufficiently sloppy and greasy to rank with one of the best I’ve ever had. The poppy seed bun was a nice touch too. There was but one exception to my euphoria, the grilled onions. One review I read mentioned that they were stringy, something I would have noticed without having read it first. The onion flavor was overpowering and really detracted from the overall experience. If you go to Keller’s, skip the grilled onions, free or not. You really need to take some wet naps to use after this meal because you’ll feel greasy until you can wash your hands. The hand sanitizer we carry in the car was not enough.

The onion rings were terrific and not at all greasy and the milk shakes were classic hand-dipped great. Another interesting item: they have bottled beer available for curb service, either with your meal or to go. I’ve heard it said that you can tell a great restaurant by the diversity of its clientele. Keller’s had Lexuses, Mercedes and old pickup trucks of indeterminate vintage. Our Impala fit right in the middle. The whole bill including three #5s, two orders of fries, one onion rings, a Diet Coke, and two milk shakes was only $19.05, which is about the same price as you’d pay for a similar order at McDonald’s. Sure it takes a bit longer and you’ve got to tip the waitress, but you’ll never honestly be called “hon” at the golden arches.

I call myself a crap magnet since food invariably finds a way to land on my shirt or in my lap, a consideration if you’re going to be eating in your car. Miraculously, I got not one spot on my shirt. If you’re in northeast Dallas, stop by Keller’s but avoid the grilled onions. Afterward you can visit what is perhaps the world’s largest Half Price Books. This is truly a Top Bun worthy burger. Even Jimmy Buffett knows about Keller’s, our visit was only two days after his concert in Frisco.

As you might expect, Keller’s has no website, but they pop right up when Googled. I’ve given you the location we visited, but they apparently have a couple of others.

Keller’s Hamburgers

6537 East Northwest Highway,

Dallas, TX 75231

(214) 368-1209

‎

(This is the very first Great Burger Quest review, the one that started it all. I’ve been back to Barringer’s several times since and can assure you that the burger remains one of my favorites. DD 7/1/11)

Now for the review: I told the waitress I wanted to hear about their cheeseburger. She started out by saying it’s 10 oz of fresh ground beef, not frozen. Good start. So I ordered it with lettuce, tomato [extra charge], bacon [extra charge] with mayo on the side. Next did I want pepper jack, Swiss or American? Pepper jack, of course. I asked for sauteed onions, she said sure. Then she cautioned me that they take about 15 minutes and asked me how I’d like it cooked- medium and juicy of course.. The friendly folks from the group made the time fly. The burger arrived presented as Nicki’s photo shows. It was terrific. Juicy, sloppy, tasty-just what I’d want in a burger. The cheese was melted just enough that, along with the onions, gave the burger a nice flavor mix. The bun was not noticeable, and that’s a good thing. The bun should either be benign or really attract your attention in a positive way. [Which has only happened once as I can recall]

 
If you are really needing a burger fix, Barringer’s would make an excellent choice.

2535 S Meridian St
Indianapolis, IN 46225

When you walk into a nice, shiny, well-decorated restaurant, do you ever consider how much of the price of your food pays for the décor? If you ask yourself that question at Mann’s your answer will be, Not Much.  This little family restaurant has been a fixture on the Westside for decades and I expect the only cost of the building is taxes and overhead. There are few frills and once you see the portions you’ll understand that the goal of Mann’s Grill is to satisfy a blue-collar hunger, several times over and at a very reasonable price. The back wall is plastered with a menu of all kinds of down-home comfort food meals for just $5.96 each.

I used to work just around the corner from Mann’s for several years but that was back in the day of smoking in restaurants, so I avoided it after a couple of times. Those times have changed and eating there this time was a pleasant experience.

The sandwich prices are ridiculously low, and when you see the portions it only increases the wonderment making you ask, How can they do that? Debbie, my server was RIGHT THERE to take my drink order. My choice was not a difficult one, I ordered the bacon double cheeseburger for the incredibly low price of only $4.55. Most sides are only $1.40 but I opted for the onion rings for only $1.89. It was prepared on a flat-top just off the dining room, in sight, and even though it arrived quickly, it seemed that it was cooked at a lower temperature than many places.

When Debbie brought my burger and o’rings she said, “Here ya’ go, hon. Looks good, don’t it?” The incorrect grammar and the familiarity added  to the charm of the place. My response was “It does” but ‘Sho’ nuff’ would have been appropriate here.

Nothing ticks me off more than when I get a burger that does not meet my expectations, size-wise. That was NOT the case at Mann’s. Each patty must have been AT LEAST 1/3 pound each and probably was closer to a half pound. There were four pieces of American cheese and more bacon than you can imagine, probably close to a half pound. I could barely get my hands and mouth around this behemoth. In one bite, the flavor hits you smack in the face. THIS is what burgers used to taste like. Even after the photos, this baby was still hot. The bun and the toppings are mere accompaniments for this carnivore’s delight and really unnecessary. Their bacon double cheeseburger is certainly understated and deserves a name of its own.

The onion rings appeared frozen while the patties did not. Another thing that ticks me off is when it appears a restaurant counts the number of items you get. This can be especially true of onion rings. It’s obvious that the cook could be math-challenged because you get a serving that’s so large it’s easy to split.

This could almost be a food challenge burger and is light years better than the famous Big Ugly that Adam Richman featured last year.  I didn’t think I could finish it, but I did.

This burger will give you your burger fix, several times over. If you like Five Guys, you’ll be in heaven with this one, you realize that chain burgers really aren’t that great, and you’ll save nearly five bucks in the process. The bill was only $7.02, INCREDIBLE!

I revisited Mann’s a couple of weeks later to try the single cheeseburger on for size; it was only $2.55 and was much more manageable than the monster double I had previously. I confirmed that the burger was fresh not frozen. This one will give you your fix as well and you won’t leave quite as uncomfortably stuffed as with the double. They do serve my favorite ketchup too-Indiana-made Red Gold.

Each of these burgers gets the Top Bun award and will be featured in the new Top Bun video segment.

1214 South Tibbs Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46241-4128
(317) 241-5801

My wife and I visited the Muddy Boots Café in Nashville, IN a few months ago and left with the feeling that we had “found” our new favorite place to eat in Nashville. The last time I did not have the burger but my meal was very good in all respects and I felt that if the first meal was great the burger should be too.

The menu stated that their burger was Angus, although it is not listed on their website. The size wasn’t stated. The price of this Angus burger of undetermined size was $7.95, exactly what the 10 oz. fresh burger is priced at the Tie Dye Grill, so my expectations were set at a high level. Cheese, however, was an additional $1.00 and didn’t state what kind they offered. The waitress said provolone or cheddar/jack both better than the usual American, I ordered the cheddar/jack. It comes with kettle chips and a cornmeal-dusted Kaiser roll. As usual I ordered it medium.

While the presentation was nice, that is where the euphoria ended. This burger was probably no more than a quarter pound and looked very skimpy for $8.95. The edges weren’t as defined as I would expect from a pre-formed or frozen burger but they did not suggest fresh, hand-pattied either. Upon inspection, the tomato was thicker than the burger. My wife had originally wanted to have a bite or two since she was ordering a salad but wanted a little meat. She deferred to me when she saw the diminutive size of this sandwich. It was not cooked medium as there wasn’t even the slightest tinge of pink and it really wasn’t very moist either. The size of the chip serving also was very small. The taste was just OK and certainly not worth the price tag of nearly $9.00. After having a burger at another “nice” Nashville restaurant with similar results and seeing the high prices at the others, I’m thinking that the best place to get a burger in Nashville is at the McDonald’s. The 1/3 Angus burger is a better burger than the over-priced one I had at Muddy Boots.

On a side note: My wife ordered a salad with walnuts but, in violation of the cardinal rule of customer service,  without telling her first, they brought out one with almonds. That wouldn’t be a problem for me, but she has a sensitivity to almonds and couldn’t eat them. She said that she would just pick them out, but the waitress, to her credit, immediately offered to remake it, which my wife agreed to. She said that her remade salad was “alright” but a $7.95 salad should be better than alright.

A name like Muddy Boots evokes hearty, rough and tumble but the burger was anything but that. The rest of the menu leans more towards delicate than tough so don’t expect a farmhands’ meal when you go there. This was an expensive meal (for a burger and a salad) with very unsatisfying results and this experience at the Muddy Boots Café was as disappointing at the first one was positive.

Muddy Boots Café

136 North Van Buren St.

Nashville, Indiana 47448

(812) 988-6911

Hours

Sunday  9am ~ 8pm

Mon ~ Thurs  7am ~ 9pm

Fri ~ Sat  7am ~ 10pm

www.muddybootscafe.com

Most of the places I choose for my reviews are places I’ve stumbled across or have been recommended but the Twist & Pup in Speedway is a bit different. One of my Facebook friends posted the Twist & Pup sign on his page and the comments began. Having never met this friend face-to-face, I suggested meeting there to try the burger. He said which day? I picked Tuesday and the meeting was set.

The message on the sign was inaccurate at the least and deceptive at the most, but since I figured it was a good-natured effort to attract attention, I deemed it to be OK. Last line did, however, need to be investigated. The inside of T&P was reminiscent of Dairy Queen with nicer seating. A nice menu board with photos, similar to what you see at a Chinese restaurant, shows the wide variety of fare available.

Of course, I chose the double cheeseburger meal which included fries and a soft drink for $7.15, for a small upcharge, I went for the onion rings. When asking the girl taking my order about getting it done medium, she remarked that they were on the steam table and didn’t think that they came that way. She did, however, offer to ask the owner/cook(?)  to do it my way. I deferred to their way because that’s how I should review it, just like they usually serve it. I was impressed by her willingness, but not that it was pre-cooked. Lettuce and tomato were ordered, as usual. I ordered a chocolate shake making the whole bill to be just over $11.00, not exactly a bargain.

The meal was served in a timely fashion since I expect John’s chicken sandwich had to be cooked and wasn’t on the steam table. They had the appearance of being fresh, not frozen, but I think that they probably were frozen. The rings were quite tasty and better than expected. There was no sign of what kind of ketchup they served.

The burger was the normal double cheeseburger with two patties that I estimated to be somewhat less than a quarter-pound each. The edges of the patties were uneven with indicates that they were freshly-made and not frozen. The tomato was not a slice but diced for a different touch.  Usual by the time I take photos and write notes on my first impression the burger isn’t hot, but warm. That was true this time as well. Unlike another steam burger I reviewed, the cheese was nicely melted. One of the Facebook comments on the burger was that it was OK. It was better than OK, but not a destination burger. The bun was fresh and the burger was tasty with a pleasant moistness about the meat.

If you go to Twist & Pup, the burger would not be a bad choice and I’d order it again. It won’t cure your need for a burger “fix”, but it will be a nice tasty meal. Regarding the sign, I wouldn’t say their burger rocks, but I will return to check some other items, notably the Italian beef.

They apparently do not have a website.

Twist & Pup

(317) 248-0182
5240 W 16th St
Indianapolis, IN 46224

Great news Questers, the Urban Element has reopened. The new owner, Mike Higbee, was a UE regular and also a restaurant industry veteran. He’s stepped up and bought the place. It’s open again with pretty much the same menu intact. Even my favorite server in the whole world, Heather, is back too. You might notice some of the decor changes but it’s not too far removed from the UE we all came to know and love. One change to note is that the Urban Burger is STILL only $6.50 but is now a 1/3 pound burger. It’s a very good burger and high quality just not as large. I made a comment to Roger Moody who I met there that it was under-priced by at least $.50 maybe even more. When I asked Mike he said that the former size was a money loser and he had to change it. I understand, but the monster burger was what helped to make it so good. The clientele will probably appreciate having the smaller version but we talked about an “upgrade” to the larger size for an upcharge. I wholeheartedly endorse that move and would gladly pay the extra.

Right now the hours are limited, but keep and eye out here at GBQ and Facebook to find out the latest info.

As an outside salesman for several years, West Lafayette was in my territory and Purdue was a great and loyal customer of my products. Nearly every trip to campus required me to go “up the hill” and right by the Triple XXX. It looked like an old fashioned drive-in, which at that time really didn’t matter to me. Almost once a week for nine years, I passed the Triple XXX and more often than not ate at the neighboring McDonald’s. I lament that poor decision of my youth. As I’ve become more immersed in the burgers of our area, I have come to appreciate the old fashioned drive-in style restaurant. They declare that they are the first and oldest drive-in in Indiana.

In terms of appearance there are few places I can think of that retain the old drive-in style architecture and curb service. The Triple XXX appears to be able to offer curb service and may in the summer, but was not on the day I visited. When you walk in the place you notice two things a counter that wraps all the way around the interior of the building and tons of Purdue memorabilia, it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a picture of Leon Burtnett. The place literally bustles with the large crowd in the confined space, but we were fortunate to be able to sit right down. We had beaten the evening rush by moments.

The menu clearly and proudly states that their “burgers are called ‘chop steaks’ because we grind 100% sirloin here in our kitchen without fillers or additives.” The burgers are all named after former Purdue sports heroes, many of which I didn’t recognize. I suppose to call a burger The Greise might not evoke the kind of response from your customers you might like, similarly so if there was The Wooden. Not being a Boilermaker, perish the thought that I might have ever been one, I didn’t recognize many of the names. One I did recognize was The Boilermaker Pete which I made my dinner date for that visit.

The Boilermaker Pete was described as “Guaranteed to end all hunger pains.1/3 lb. of our 100% ground sirloin served on a toasted sesame bun with melted cheese, grilled onions and French fries.” At $6.90 this was a heck of a bargain so I decided to splurge on the fried mushrooms for an upcharge of $1.25. They had me with the “grilled onions”. As many of your regulars know, it’s one of my burger staples for which I’ll usually pay an additional price.

Doing these reviews always require me to take the photo before I bite into the burger, sometimes this will allow the burger to cool down some; not so this time. After taking the photos of this ugly burger, the first bite was still hot. I only call the burger ugly from the standpoint that if a burger is too uniform and “pretty” it smacks of being “manufactured” instead of “hand-crafted.” I call it ugly as a very, very good thing. The downside to using American cheese is that the cheese taste can overpower the meat, which is what it did here. I prefer a meatier taste over the cheesy taste, that’s why I’ll usually order a cheese with less tang than this. The burger was served flattened like Steak ‘n Shake, again not my preference. However, this is an excellent burger and its freshness will beat out any chain, any day. The grilled onions were cooked to the edge of caramelized and as well done as I’ve ever had on my burgers. The bun met my expectations that a bun should be there to hold the sandwich together, but it really didn’t stand out. The mushrooms were somewhat better than average, but I really couldn’t see that they were much different from the frozen ones you usually get, maybe they were.

You may think my analysis is a bit harsh because I didn’t rave about the burger. It was good for sure and I’d likely try one of the others the next time. A place will generate more points for exceeding expectations than only meeting them, which was the case here. Guy Fieri from the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives has visited the Triple XXX and I’d like to see what he said. Guy raves about nearly every stop he makes so I can figure on what he’s going to say. As an alum of IU, I am jealous of Purdue’s gem on the hill. The only thing that might have come close to the Triple XXX in Bloomington was The Gables, too bad it’s a wing place now. You can count on it that the next time I’m in Lafayette/West Lafayette I’ll be stopping at the Triple XXX because so many other things on the menu looked so good, but I wouldn’t make it a road trip destination.