Burger Tex - Bulgoki

Burger Tex is one of the restaurants I had been to before this whole "list" came out, but I figured I'd try to re-do as many as possible so that each one of my entries would not be able to be refuted come bet collection time. I told you I was slightly competitive. So today, a few co-workers and I traveled down good old Airport Blvd. to visit the old favorite and sample their Bulgoki Burger, ranked No. 14. I'll tell you it took all I had not to run upstairs to Bar Fly's...aaahhh, college memories.

The Bulgoki burger was just what I remembered. For those who love Vietnamese food like I do, this Korean beef deliciousness is quite similar. Strips of beef, marinated in some kind of heaven (actually sesame oil, soy sauce, onions and garlic) and grilled to succulent perfection. Not spicy at all, but well seasoned. Burger Tex also boasts about it's buns - "baked fresh, twice daily" - and they do taste fresh. Soft, yet lightly toasted - mmmmm. Burger Tex is also one of those places that has a do-it-yourself condiment bar - any place that lets my get a plate full of pickles is a place I want to go -but I must say that the Bulgoki was much better with nothing but the beef. I did add a little mayo (which my hips might not appreciate, but my mouth sure does), and some pickled jalapenos towards the end, but the lettuce, tomato and onion only distracted from the real flavor. They were removed after one bite. Why it's so hard to refrain from a free bin of bland, chemically-ripened tomatoes, I don't know, but it just is.

As far as the sides are concerned, the french fries were regular looking, but a nice blend of soft and crispy (kind of an oxymoron I know, but they had this slight batter on them or something). The sweet potato fries I sampled that my co-worker ordered, however, did make me quite jealous. Upon returning, those would be a definite go.

As far as this being No. 14 in the State, I remain skeptical, but we'll see how I think they stack up when this is over.

Orlando's - Cheeseburger In Paradise

A business trip to Lubbock generally isn't anything to get too excited about (no offense, Lubbockians), but I was thrilled that some official State business was not only going to allow me to get out of the office (a.k.a. my undecorated cubicle), but also give me an opportunity to get one-up on my burger opponent.

The only burger Lubbock hosted was the Cheeseburger in Paradise at Orlando's Italian Restaurant (No. 10). Who woulda thunk? And apparently Italian in Lubbock means every traditional Italian dish you're imagining (lasagna, manicotti, fettuccine, pizza, etc.) with the addition of green chilies. Europe meets the Southwest, if you will. And in a surprisingly tasty way.

And, not to be disappointed, the burger was fantastic. I did order some green chilies on the side - since they seemed to be their specialty - but I wanted the option to add them myself since I needed to try the burger first as it was listed in the mag to count it. The burger consisted of two quarter-pound patties (each on one half of the burger - not double stacked) on a toasted baguette style roll. It had the usual condiments (a cheeseburger as God intended) mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion - and a good amount of each if I do say. The element that surprised me the most was the cheese. It wasn't anything fancy, just your run of the mill, unwrap each slice out of its individual plastic packaging American cheese, but boy was it tasty. It might have had to do with the cheese-to-meat ratio, or the freshness of the cheese (can processed products even be fresh?), but it made the burger salty and delicious.

Time out - something you should know about me is that I heart sodium. I don't necessarily add it to everything I eat, but I seriously don't think I have ever been served anything that has been too salty for me.

I will say that I enjoyed the addition of the green chilies on the second half. They went perfect with the schooner of beer I was enjoying. (Who doesn't love a beverage that requires two hands?)

Cover 3 - The Chophouse

My first hamburger to sample was The Chophouse Burger from a restaurant in Austin, which if ordered with the longhorn cheddar and bacon, is listed as the No. 12 pick in Texas Monthly.

This was my first time to visit Cover 3, but after having seen the sign upon entering advertising the 2-for-1 burger special every Sunday in August, was not the only visit I made this month.

The vibe in Cover 3 is that of a swanky sports bar: leather and large TVs. I assumed the name came from the combination of restaurant, cocktail lounge and sports bar, but was quickly corrected by a friend who informed me that the Cover 3 was actually a type of defense strategy in football. His may be the accurate meaning, but we decided mine was the female version.

The waiter was quite pleasant, and upon us ordering three burgers among five people, knew exactly why we were there. When a knife the size of my forearm was delivered to my place setting, I got excited. Although the knife turned out to be a little oversized, I was not disappointed. The burger was excellent.

The patty was a half-pound and I'd say about a inch and a half thick. It was super juicy, but not greasy enough to soak through the bun, which I appreciated. But it was the texture of the meat that made it exceptional. It melted in your mouth, but had just enough texture to know what you were biting into. The bread was soft with a little crunch on top, which was the perfect balance. I will say the cheese and bacon were a little lost among the other flavors, so upon my second visit I omitted and did not miss them. The fries that accompany the burger are thin cut and are generously seasoned with salt and parmesan cheese (thank you!) and a little parsley for color. Delicious.

Although it has absolutely nothing to do with the hamburger, this wouldn't truly be a real dining experience of mine if it didn't include a cocktail. I ordered the mojito, which was sufficiently refreshing, but was insanely jealous of the Strawberry Basil Lemonades my dining companions ordered. OMG. Bring me another.

The Bet Is On...

In it's August 2009 issue, Texas Monthly ran an article listing out the Top 50 Hamburgers across the state. Me, an avid fan of all things food-related and a lover of challenges, entered into a bet with a co-worker to see who could eat more of the burgers listed by the end of the year.

As I was sitting down to one of the few hamburgers available in Austin, some friends and I came up with the idea that I should start a blog detailing my beef-oriented journey. This way I would be able to insert my opinions (of which I have plenty) related to the burgers I was sampling, how I think they compare to one another, and give credit to those I feel were mistakenly left off.

And so we begin...