Nothing Like a Cheesburger

I love food. I spend most of my time fiddling with fussy french sauces, pan searing delicate fish, making vinaigrettes, stuff like that. I love eating, but cooking is at least half the fun for me. But, sometimes, I don't feel like it. Sometimes, when I don't feel like it I also want something simple, delicious, and unhealthy. At times like these, nothing fits the bill for me better than that quintessential icon of American culinary excellence: the cheeseburger.

Now, everyone has their favorite burger place. Some are as humble as Burger King or (shudder) McDonald's. My dad loves Griff's. I don't know why. For me, this is a tough call. Keeping it local, I find myself able to narrow things down to three choices. Beyond that, my indecision gets the better of me. For my money, it's: Ferrier's Rollin in the Dough, Papa and Company, and Cheeburger Cheeburger.

Yes, I know, Cheeburger is a chain and on some snobbish level it offends my Foody sensibilities to put that one on the list. But, I like it. So, there. The culinary options available to the discerning burger connoisseur are simply mind-boggling. I mean you can get a burger with horseradish sauce and peanut butter on it. I have no idea why you would want to, but you can. Options. I like that.

Papa and Company is kind of a weird one as it's only open for lunch. But, what a lunch. I was introduced to this little place on E Washington by my ex-wife. Okay, so maybe she was right about a few things. Maybe. The burgers in this place are so big you can order a whole or half burger. But, it's not some kind of monstrosity you can barely fit your mouth around. Thin and delicious. Love it.

Then there's Rollin in the Dough. Employees there wear shirts that say, "It's all about the bun", or something like that. They're so right. Fresh baked, the hamburger bun here has to be tried to be believed. Light, tender, delicious. It's fantastic. And the burger itself inside the bun is no slouch either. Nor are the cajun waffle fries that come along with it. And if you need something sweet to finish things off, they have a Casino Cake there that I'm pretty sure is illegal in some countries. Its a small chocolate cake with a lump of white icing on top with all of it covered in chocolate frosting. Rich, delicate, decadent. It's fantastic.

I feel like I gained five pounds just writing this. I need to go for a run...