Kenny & Zuke's Pastrami Burger
I think it started innocently enough. I thought with some of the fantastic new burgers in town that it was time I updated my carnal knowledge. I figured I could put together a top 10 with a week of dedicated burger devouring. I was so naive back then.
Soon people people were telling me about their favorite burger, pointing out the kobe burger over here or the house-made bun over there. The list kept growing. I remember when I told my wife I had exceeded 30 burgers on my list. She thought I was crazy. She tried to talk me out of the whole project. By the time the list reached 50, I think she started to imagine a life after my death from stroke or heart attack.
When the list reached 70 distinct bistro burgers, it felt like I was climbing Everest. I was doing it because it was there and because I had already started up the mountain. Now that it’s over, I’m glad that I did it, I’m glad that it’s over, and I’m glad to never do it again. The following is the list of places I ate. At some, I ate more than one burger. At some, I ate the same burger multiple times. There are also a dozen or more places not on this list where I had burgers, generally fast food joints like Burgerville or drive-ins like Cruiser’s, that while fine for what they are, can’t compete with upscale restaurants making burgers. There’s even a bar in town, that I’ll leave unnamed, where I tried four burgers in one night. I also have photos of nearly all the burgers I ate on this quest for proof or perusing, whichever you prefer.
Over the next two weeks, I’ll be ranking the top 25. Willamette Week will be publishing the top 10. But for now, here’s the full list:
23 Hoyt
Allium Bistro
Bamboo Sushi
Belly
Belly Timber
Besaws
Biwa
Bluehour
Branch Whiskey Bar
Broder
Café Castagna
Café Nell
Carafe
Clyde Common
Country Cat
Davis Street Tavern
Eastburn
Eastmoreland Market
Echo
El Gaucho
Fenouil
Foster Burger
Garden State
Gilt
Gracie’s
Gruner
H50
Hall Street Grill
Heathman
Higgins
Laurelhurst Market
Lauro Kitchen
Le Pigeon
Maiden
Matchbox Lounge
Metrovino
Mingo West
Mother’s Bistro
Nel Centro
Noble Rot
Paley’s Place
Pause
Porto Terra
Produce Row
Red Star
Ringside
Roots
Saucebox
Savoy Tavern
Screen Door
Serratto
Slow Bar
Tasty n Sons
Ten-01
The Original
Toast
Toro Bravo
Urban Farmer
Veritible Quandry
Victory Bar
Violetta
Wildwood
Wine Down
Yakuza
That flickr link that I posted is all your photos that have been tagged with the word burger. I think it’s more impressive (and does more justice) than just a link to the sets.
Good job man. I’ll see you in the ER for your MI. Er, I mean around town for some food related event.
Cheers,
M.
I thought Belly Timber closed? But they did have a good freaking burger.
I think the URL that I listed is a much better way to represent your burger triumph.
@Michael: I wasn’t always consistent in tagging burger photos, though. But yeah, it would be best that way.
@mydogischelsea: Yep, Belly Timber is closed, but I did go there on the quest.
You should check out the Canyon Burger at the Canyon Grill in Beaverton on Canyon Road across from the Lexus Dealer, basically, 87th and Canyon.