Burger Joint (SFO Airport)

Seeing as my flight got delayed, it seems appropriate that I type this up now.

Being hungry at the airport can be scary, for both your wallet and your internal organs. My flight today is out of the brand new terminal 2 here that they were espousing as some sort of wonderland. Turns out that is the wonderland of waiting. Power sources abound, but that is it for the excitement. We were supposed to be meeting up with family in Seattle for dinner, but with the delayed flight I decided to go with a burger from Burger Joint.

The name sounds familiar, but I don’t quite know why, besides for it being super generic. Have I ever been to one? Is that their rational; that you can’t remember if you’ve had it or not? Are they only in airports? Will I instantly regret this?

At this point, I wasn’t even going to bother to look up more information on them, as I am already irritated at the airport. Gave it a shot anyway, and all their website shows is their logo and “new website coming soon”. I guess it is still 1999.

That means we as a group will not be getting any answers. Now to the actual food. With tax, a cheeseburger came out to just under $11 and comes with fries. Though mind you this is at the airport, where everything we’ve learned about numbers-money and time, don’t exist in the same way as the outside world. I wonder if calculators have issues here too…

First thoughts. One giant piece of lettuce. Ultra thick steak fries. Suspiciously familiar looking patty. I went for a fry first, as I reached for the ketchup. Mistake, as for my entire meal was spent trying to figure out what the aftertaste of the fries reminded me of (and yes I am ending this sentence with “of”). At this very moment, it still befuddles me. The leafy part of a strawberry that you shouldn’t eat? That multicolored insulation that looks like lint? Those edible photos they put on top of cakes? I really haven’t a clue, but there was some bizarre aftertaste making an appearance on those fries.

Now onto the actual burger. I said it seemed familiar, and I think I’ve at least got that figured out. Those large stacks of frozen patties you get at Costco that always get cooked by someone you don’t know no matter how small the party you are at is… Yeah, it was just like that. Oh it looks big, but the whole time you are eating, it seems like very little is happening. I read some mumbo jumbo about where the meat was from, but stopped caring. The consistency of the patty just was not there, it had some weird crunchier parts that no one likes to think or talk about. The cheese was fine, but this was a grade A blandburger. Nothing terribly wrong with it, just tasted like some frozen company picnic burger.

If you are at the airport, maybe you pony up the big bucks for a burger at the Lark Creek Grill here and still risk it, or do what I wish I did and get a bucket sized froyo at pink berry. Other than that I have no real takeaways here, except an oddly sore throat and a stomach that I hope doesn’t turn on me.

Rating:

Burger Meister – Cole Valley

After going to a few bike shops with a friend, we looked up places nearby to eat, and realized we were two blocks away from Burger Meister in Cole Valley. I didn’t even know they had a location there, but I have been to their other two in the city a few times. The Cole Valley location is the most tucked away of the group, and they have a handful of tables inside and outside.

From my previous few trips, I had the notion that they lean on the expensive side for a typical burger joint. After my last visit I think their prices are fairly standard, though the sides and add-ons are where the cost will creep up on you. They use all Niman Ranch beef, so the quality is definitely there. I ordered the Western Burger, which for a 1/3 pound burger is $10.25 including a side of fries. I believe the 1/3 pound option is relatively new, and does help make the price more reasonable. A standard 1/3lb cheeseburger and fries is $7.75. Sides of sweet potato fries, onion rings and the like are from 4-5.25 dollars.

Somehow on this visit I managed to escape the wrath of my BBQ sauce, but my friend was subsequently drenched from his Meisterburger. I am a staunch believer in that once you pick your burger up, you never set it down again, and I am usually not so lucky. These are all messy burgers, usually at least a 3 napkiner.

The western burger is a solid burger. The bbq sauce is nice and sweet, the onion rings are massive and perfectly crisp, and the bacon and cheese tied it all together. No soggy bacon here. The burger is thin and wide, giving enough surface area for their variety of toppings, which is one of the main reasons Burger Meister is so good.

There are no complaints here, the 1/3 lb burger and curly fries filled me up just fine. Everything tastes real good consistently, making it a great go-to restaurant. Nothing too memorable, but you’d have a very hard time being let down here, as they have something for everyone.

Rating:

http://www.burgermeistersf.com/

(zoom out for all locations)

Zazie – Cole Valley, San Francisco

Zazie is a romantic little French restaurant that gets very little ink for just how good it is. Every dish has been delicious (I’ve heard, as I only order one thing, save for the surprise Prix Fixe menu on Valentine’s Day). Zazie is perfect for a special occasion; the atmosphere is really great inside, which you will almost never hear me talk about, but for a nice place it lacks the snobbishness of many others. Every meal starts with an incredibly fresh and hot roll, which is far too small for how delicious it is. This roll was definitely a precursor of what was to come. And to end the meal they have some insanely decadent desserts. My favorite is the chocolate-coma inducing Baked Chocolat Chaud, which tastes almost like brownie batter topped with tons of melted marshmallows. Absolutely delicious.

But none of that matters here. What is important is that Zazie is hands down the best place to take your significant other for a special occasion/romantic dinner, and still have one of the best burgers you can get your hands on. They offer one burger, the Zazie burger, with white cheddar, tomatoes provençals, and a side of grilled potatoes. I don’t know what tomatoes provençals are, so they are swept off to the girlfriends plate. The bacon for a $2 additional charge is well worth it, and brings the total for this bad boy to $14.

The whole time you wait for your burger, all you can do is think about that tiny roll they served you early on. I think the service is reasonably quick, but after eating that little roll the only thing running through my head is how I could probably eat about 20 more, or if the people at the table next to me won’t be looking when the waitress drops off their rolls. Time seems to just crawl, which is just about all I can do after eating the burger and then the dessert. Finally the burger arrives, and it delivers. The bun is just as good as that little roll, buttery and crisp on the outside. White cheddar has been popping up more often lately, and it is a trend I like (hopefully it becomes the next pomegranate or avocado or sweet potato fries). The white cheddar and bacon, again a crucial addition, are a stellar combination. It’s obvious Zazie takes pride in what they serve, and both the cheese and bacon are rich and flavorful. The bacon is crispy enough where you won’t have to worry about pulling the rest of it out when you first bite into it, which as we all know can throw off the whole balance of a burger. Surprisingly, the fancy leafy greens on top also compliment the burger very well.

This has to be one of the most well-balanced and refined burgers out there, while still being a true burger. I didn’t know this burger existed when I went to Zazie for the first time, and was expecting to have to eat something way too “fancy” where I’d just end up pushing about half the plate to the side. Instead I was absolutely blown away by this burger. Wouldn’t matter if this was from a burger shack, a trailer, or the fanciest restaurant, this is a top 5 burger all the way. Add in the killer dessert, and the fact that you can impress your date there, who will be more than happy with their menu whatever their taste may be, and you’ve got one of best experiences for any burger lover.

If this burger were any cheaper, I’d be there twice a month for sure.

Rating:

http://www.zaziesf.com

941 Cole Street, SF
415-564-5332