My Life in Burgers
How many hamburgers have I eaten in my life? I don’t think I would want to know the exact number, even if it were possible. Not all of them were memorable, and those that are stand out for a variety of different reasons.
Los Angeles is a great burger town. It used to have hamburger stands everywhere – walk-up joints that looked like they might blow away in a strong Santa Ana wind. Those are gone, but it still boasts the best chain anywhere, In-N-Out Burger.
For me, what makes a burger stand out is how all the elements come together, and In-N-Out is perfection. Another favorite is the chili cheeseburger at Pink’s. I know, everyone goes to Pink’s for the hot dogs, but trust me, the chili cheeseburgers are to die for. Good and greasy, in the best way possible.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
In New York City, I still mourn the late, great Prime Burger. The built-in individual plastic molded seats – you sat down, then pulled the tray across to hold you in, as if for liftoff – were arranged in a U shape that was perfect at lunchtime but a melancholy tableau of aloneness at dinner. The burgers, though, would banish any sadness: high-quality patties made with excellent beef and served with a tasty, slightly sweet red relish. Mm-mm good.
In 2001, db Bistro Moderne in New York introduced what was then the most expensive burger in the world, a $27 mixture of ground sirloin and braised short rib, with a hunk of foie gras embedded inside. I seized the opportunity to try one at a business lunch around that time, and while it was certainly very tasty, I think it would have been just as good (or maybe more so) sans foie gras. In retrospect, that might have been the moment when I realized that I am a burger purist.
All of which is to say, I’m super excited about Ann Christenson’s comprehensive assessment of our city’s burger scene. Ann consumed untold pounds of ground beef over the last several weeks. She’d debrief us on her most recent findings every Monday morning, setting us (namely me and Chris Drosner, our executive editor) off on our own to try her latest finds.
In some ways, I’m glad this story is finally finished – the burger consumption must come to an end! But while I might take a short break, I know I will be back on the burger trail again soon. Why? Because they are so dang delicious! Turn to page 68 at your own risk – I dare you (unless you’re a staunch vegetarian) to read this feature without heading out to try a few of these recommendations on your own.
Until next month,
— Carole Nicksin, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
carole@milwaukeemag.com, @CaroleNicksin
In This Issue:
Features:
- Best Burgers: Have you noticed that a great burger can cause an extreme state of heightened emotion? We’ve experienced it, and so will you. Thick two-fisters, skinny smash patties, 5-buck specials, fancy restaurant creations – see the best of Milwaukee’s burgers here, then go out and try them!
- Abracadabra: Magic and its many secrets were always calling Bill Blagg. Failure, determination and a gift for “patter” have helped the Wisconsinite build a successful career from it.
- The Death of a Forest: One week, an Upper Peninsula forest is a delicate sanctuary for the nature world. The next, it’s gone – a lesson in our proximity to the buzzsaw of commerce.
- The Big Story: Little apartments adjacent or attached to homes – call them Polish flats, carriage houses or accessory dwelling units – could mitigate Milwaukee’s housing crisis. But it’ll take a change in policy and culture.
Your 414
- Art: This wooden troll in Tosa is one friendly giant.
- People Places Things: Inside the stylistically diverse Dance Fest, plus romance bookstores on the rise, a quirky Center Street cart race and more
- Preview: Take an up-close look at Sculpture Milwaukee’s latest works.
- Close Up: An accomplished audio engineer returns to the North Side.
- Arts Funding: Is there any hope for more state money for the arts in Wisconsin?
- My Style: Confidence is key to a stellar outfit for performing artist Evan Szymkowski.
The Dish
- Cheese: You need to order a board at this Walker’s Point cheese shop and bar.
- Tidbits: Three hot Downtown restaurant concepts – what they are and when they may open
- Coffee: La Finca serves its own farm-to-cup coffee, using beans grown on the owners’ family farm in Mexico.
- Review: Short for “International Variety Restaurant,” IVR Bar serves uncommonly good fusion Indian-Mexican fare.
- Wine: Through tastings, classes and certification courses, Milwaukee Wine Academy aims to make the pleasures of vino accessible to everyone.
Insider
- Elections: Exploring Van Orden’s “can’t beat ’em, move ’em” spring election idea
- Highways: A spin through Wisconsin’s “diverging diamond” interchange
- Doing Good: STRONG Milwaukee is “in the prevention business of mental health” for children.
- Environment: Checking in on the threat of invasive carp to the Great Lakes
Explore
- Vista: We’re not bluffing – Witches Gulch in the Dells has an incredible view.
- R&R: You can take an equestrian-themed trip right here in Wisconsin.
- I Tried It: A novice and an expert search for treasures at the Elkhorn Flea Market.
