Burgers With Chuck: Building Dreams at Burgersmith

by Chuck P

My love for crazy burger combinations isn’t a secret. Even though nothing beats a good ol’ fashioned classic burger, sometimes throwing on insane ingredients to create the ultimate Frankenstein of burger creations is just a fun and delicious thing to do.

On a recent trip to the OG Burgersmith in Lafayette, Jay and I were tasked with the challenge of each creating our own special burger for a social media video they were doing on Facebook. Jay and I are not known for turning down a food challenge, so we gladly accepted. But we’re not here to discuss Jay’s burger baby. I’m here to bring a completely absurd spectacle of gluttony, deliciousness and eventually, complete misery to life! *Thunder claps*

Ladies and gents, I give you the Chuck P Ballpark Burger:

Look at that beast of a sandwich. It’s beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. What would lead someone to even begin to imagine such a culinary artery clogger? Basically, I’m a glutton for punishment. I wonder what the kitchen staffs’ faces look like when my order comes in...

My burger is pretty easy to figure out. It’s everything you’d find at a baseball game piled on to one big monster of a burger. I started with the classic Smith patty and a slice of American cheese. From there, I added their signature hot dog cut right down the middle and placed on top. To top it off, I smothered it all with chili cheese fries and stuck it all in the middle of two pretzel buns. If only I could have added nachos somewhere on there...

Logistically, trying to eat this thing as a burger is a sloppy nightmare. It quickly turned into a fork and knife meal. As tasty as everything was, this eventually turned into one of my not so classic Chuck P creations. Even I have to admit defeat sometimes.

If you’re feeling adventurous then head over to Burgersmith and order this beast for yourself. Just remember to have a knife and fork at the ready...and napkins, lots of napkins.

Check out the mastermind behind the burgers in the podcast recorded at Burgersmith in Lafayette:

Burgers with Chuck: The Burger Pizza at Rotolo's Craft & Crust

by Chuck P

Ok everyone settle down. I know what you’re saying after reading that title. A hamburger pizza doesn’t qualify as a “burger” Chuck. You’re probably thinking I’ve lost my damn mind. Well folks, let me tell you about the Burger Pizza at the new Rotolo’s Craft & Crust.

First off let’s make it very clear. This is not your standard hamburger pizza by any means. This incredible concoction created by Mitch Rotolo Jr. is a pie straight out of my dreams. A perfect vision of combining two of my favorite foods into one gloriously delicious meal. Like, seriously. Looking at that picture has me craving one right now!

Let’s talk toppings. It’s pretty much everything you’d throw onto a standard burger. It’s got a mustard base, ground beef, grilled onions, mozzarella and is topped off with pickles and french fries-- French fries, people! I mean come on man! If that’s not a straight up burger pizza then I don’t know what is.

Taste-wise, it is completely spot on. Imagine it as if you’d taken the top bun off of your burger and ate it that way. Granted, no one really does that, I’m just trying to make a comparison. If I had one recommendation I would do like a Thousand Island dressing drizzle on it which would give it almost a Big Mac kinda feel or maybe even a garlic aioli or any type of sauce you’d normally add to your burger. And also bacon... LOTS OF BACON.

This was a trial run that our Bite & Booze team got to try , so it’s not available to the masses just yet. We were told that it would either be added to the menu full time soon or served as a special once they were completely satisfied with their final recipe.

Make sure you’re following Rotolo’s Craft & Crust on Facebook and Instagram to find out when the Burger Pizza will be available as well all future specialty pies to come.

Burgers with Chuck: Building Dreams at Burgersmith

by Chuck P

Here’s a question I’d like to pose to you that I’ve been asked numerous times:

If you were building your dream burger, what would be on it?

Sounds like an easy question right? But really it takes some thought. The amount of toppings you can put on a burger is almost infinite. You have to carefully consider the consistency of the bun, the variables of wet and dry ingredients and how the flavor profile of your selected toppings will mix with the choices you’ve made. There are a number things that could turn building your dream burger into your worst nightmare.

With that being said, I was recently put to task with creating a “dream burger” of sorts that would be all around blog worthy by the boss man himself Jay Ducote at one of our recent Between The Buns recordings at Burgersmith on Perkins. In between segments, we were trying to decide which burger to order when Jay thought it would be a good idea for me to create my own burger and make it as crazy as possible. Far be it for me to back down from a burger challenge! I happily agreed and began going over their list of toppings on the menu.

My brain was in overdrive looking over all the choices that were offered. But before I could get too excited I had to take a step back and think of what flavors would work perfectly on this burger.

My first choice was the patty itself. The brisket patty seemed to be calling out to me. If you’ve never had a burger with that patty I highly suggest you do. Next were the toppings. I decided to go with some of my favorites-- cheddar cheese, bacon and a fried egg. I then added the creole mayo, but still felt something was missing. Looking over the offerings again I spotted the one choice I knew would be a perfect addition: the house-made chili.

Sitting back and looking over the choices my mouth was watering. Now I just needed to finish it off and choose a bun. I looked over at Angie, Burgersmith’s Marketing Director and asked one simple question, “Could I get grilled cheese sandwiches as buns?”

She replied, “Yes but you should probably use the child’s size so the bread won’t be as thick and you can bite into it better.” She knew what I was getting at.

With that answer, my dream burger was on its way to becoming a reality.

As we continued to record radio segments with Angie I couldn’t keep my mind off of this potential beauty. I felt pretty solid in my choices, but sometimes just because you think you’re right doesn’t mean it always works out. I’ve burned myself a few times trying to go crazy with burger toppings that seemed like they’d work but didn’t.

And then...it arrived! My dream burger aptly named The Chuck P Over The Top Burger had come to fruition.

The Chuck P Over The Top Burger at Burgersmith

It completely exceeded my expectations. This burger looked EXACTLY like I pictured it in my head. The ends of the bacon glistening, the chili pouring over the toppings like a waterfall of deliciousness and the beautiful buttery grilled cheese buns almost moved me to tears. It was almost too perfect to eat. Almost...

Biting into my dream burger was euphoric. The flavor combinations couldn’t have been more perfect with the chili battling everything else to be the star of the show. Every topping I picked came through in each bite. It was a glorious achievement that met every delicious expectation that I had and then some.

After taking a few pics and posting to my Facebook and Instagram pages, my feeds were flooded with a sea of comments from those who were in complete awe of my burger baby!

There were even a few folks who went to Burgersmith and actually ordered my creation!

After the smoke had settled, I sat back and reflected on what I had just brought to life from the top of my grease soaked brain. What a delicious accomplishment, but could such a thing be tried a second or third time? Could I match or even top what was just laid before me?

Stay tuned true believers...

Burgers with Chuck: The Return of Dearman's

by Chuck P

Since opening its doors in the late 1950’s at the Bocage Village Shopping Center as a pharmacy and soda shop, Dearman’s has been a Baton Rouge landmark. Throughout the years their classic cheeseburger became known as one the best in town with people crowding the tables and counter for lunch and dinner to get their hands on one.

Unfortunately, on March 1st of 2016, a fire roared through the back of the restaurant causing over $500,ooo in damages. To add insult to injury, their lease was terminated a week later. With no plans of opening at a different location it seemed like Dearman’s legacy had come to an end.

Eventually with a rallying cry from its loyal customers and Save Dearman’s Facebook Pages being created, the future of this beloved establishment was shining bright once again. With a new 5 year lease in hand construction started to bring Dearman’s back to life and at 11pm on December 18th the doors opened again to greet hungry and loyal fans who were craving one thing: that delicious classic cheeseburger.

Dearman's Classic Double Cheese Burger with Bacon and Grilled Onions

There’s really not much you can say about the Dearman’s burger that hasn’t already been said before. It’s a simple burger that needs no gimmicks. My only additions when I order are bacon (because...well, bacon) and grilled onions. The juiciness of the perfectly seasoned patties (don’t be a fool, get a double) covered in melted cheese is absolute perfection and the buns are always soft and fresh. Every bite leaves you wanting more. Add to that some tasty house cut fries and one of their signature malts or milkshakes (vanilla milkshake every time), and you’ve got yourself one hell of a meal.

After many years spent eating Dearman’s I was worried that after the fire I’d never get a chance to enjoy one of their delicious burgers again. I’m sure glad I was wrong. It’s good to have such a beloved local staple back in business. Welcome back Dearman’s! A true Baton Rouge classic!

Burgers with Chuck: Curbside's Anniversary Collaboration

by Chuck P

One year ago today my dream of once again having a Curbside burger became reality when owner Nick Hufft finally opened the doors to the Curbside brick and mortar on Government Street. Sitting next door to Calandro’s Supermarket, Hufft took what was once the most popular food truck in Baton Rouge and created the perfect setting for burgers, frites and boozy milk shakes anyone can enjoy either inside or on their awesome patio area.

Last week, to celebrate their anniversary, Nick reached out to a few of his culinary friends and with their help created five collaboration burgers that were available for a limited time. I of course took on the task of visiting Curbside during those five days to try each of the specialty burgers. Let’s take a look at the gloriousness of it all:

Monday: The Tiger D with Tiger Deaux-nuts

This was the perfect way to start off my week! Crispy chicken topped with sharp cheddar, honey sage sausage gravy nestled between two glazed donut buns in a happy dance of salty and sweet harmony. Hopefully, this one will show up from time to time on their brunch menu.

Tuesday: The Gov’t Burger with Gov’t Taco

I was really looking forward to trying our collaboration burger and it did not disappoint. A juicy patty rubbed with Chef Aimee Tortorich’s coffee/chile rub, melty chihuahua cheese, poblano pico with roasted garlic mayo and Hola Nola tortilla strips.

Every bite was a flavor party in my mouth. The poblano pico was exceptionally good.

Wednesday: The Pho Real Burger with The Overpass Merchant

The cool and overcast weather on this day made for an ideal situation for this burger. A pork patty topped with hoisin, pickled onions, sriracha mayo, bean sprouts and herb salad. The clincher was the cup of pho that came on the side to dunk the burger in. I was almost tempted to come back for dinner and get another one!

Thursday: The Get LIT Burger with LIT Pizza

Hands down my favorite of all the burgers! This was everything and more: a delicious hot Italian sausage patty with swiss and gremolata between two pepperoni pizza buns. I could literally eat this burger every day.

Friday: The Barbie Burger with Barbosa’s BBQ

Curbside ended the week strong with this offering from pitmaster Alex Barbosa. The fact that it starts off with being described double Texas hot gut beef patties should have you ready to dive in. Finished off with American cheese, smoked onion jam and a roasted poblano aioli, this was a fantastic burger.

A huge congrats to Nick and everyone at Curbside Burgers! Here’s to many more years of great business and great burgers!

Burgers With Chuck: DIG Magazine’s Burger & Beer Week

by Chuck P

For most people, Christmas is the one day of the year they look forward to the most. For others it might be Halloween, Thanksgiving or their birthday, but for me it’s not just one day, it’s an entire week that eclipses any other holiday or event on the calendar. This glorious celebration is Burger & Beer Week taken directly from my dreams and brought to reality by the awesome people at DIG Magazine.

For the second year, the magazine has partnered with participating restaurants in Baton Rouge to create new and exciting burgers along with suggested beer pairings compliments of Crescent Crown Distribution. With a price point of $6 for the burgers and a variety of beer specials including The Boot from Abita Brewing and Samuel Adams Octoberfest it’s a win/win for burger and beer lovers.

DIG also donated $2 of every burger & beer photo posted to Instagram with the hashtag #eatBR to the Companion Animal Alliance.

As usual, our schedule here at Bite & Booze headquarters was just as hectic as any other week, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from getting my hands on some delicious burgers. After all, this is basically an event created for me right? Luckily, my choices this year were extremely better than last year so here’s a rundown of what made it into my belly:

City Pork Deli & Charcuterie: The Warehouse Burger

A really simple, no-frills burger that was absolutely delicious. A perfectly seasoned ground chuck patty, sweet caramelized onions, cheddar and their house-made bacon with mayo and ketchup with this burger, every bite was better than the last.

Mason’s Grill: The Fatty Melt

I texted Jay immediately when I saw the picture for this burger. A half pound patty with grilled onions between two buttery grilled cheese sandwiches. What’s not to love? If I were to add anything to this it would probably be a fried egg to add a bit of wetness to the burger. A cup of tomato soup would also be a sufficient sidekick.

Thai Kitchen: The Thai Herbal Burger

A burger from a Thai restaurant? That doesn’t serve burgers? Madness!

This was the burger I heard the most about during last year’s Burger & Beer Week. A lot of folks thought this was their favorite last year so I couldn’t live with myself if I missed it again. The herb/lemongrass seasoning used for the patty gave it a different flavor from a normal burger that I really liked. The Thai sauce was a nice touch but it could’ve used more on the burger. Overall a solid burger from one of my favorite Thai spots in town.

Your Mom’s Restaurant & Bar: Mac & Cheese Burger

How could I not try a burger with one of my favorite things in the world covering it? A juicy 8oz. patty topped with bacon and overflowing with the cheesiest of mac n’ cheeses and house-made ranch dressing is the burger I’d dream of in my youth. I can only hope they add this to their already impressive burger menu.

Burgersmith: The Hamburg

A mouth watering burger with a German twist, the already awesome Smith beef patty topped with sweet pickled cabbage, creole mustard, swiss and a fried egg between to soft pretzel buns put a twinkle in my eye. The cabbage and creole mustard combined for a unique, zingy taste with the already well seasoned patty and those pretzel buns were complete buttery goodness.

Once again, these restaurants crushed the burger game with some truly tasty and creative offerings. 

A big thanks to DIG Magazine for bringing back Burger & Beer Week to the masses. I’m already marking the days off on the calendar until the next one.

The Road to Life, Liberty and Tacos: Gov't Taco does D.C.

by Paige Johannessen

"Welcome to Bite and Booze", they said. After exactly two weeks in my new position with Bite and Booze I was in a minivan heading to our nation’s capital for a Gov’t Taco pop up. 1,200 miles, 5 people, and 18 hours each way in the car. Ok, so I guess this is orientation.

We left late Saturday afternoon to head to our first destination, Auburn, AL. The home of the other Tigers. Tucked away in this college town is a restaurant the group has been gushing about relentlessly since they found out we were taking this trip. Apparently on the way back from cooking at the James Beard House in New York the team stopped at Acre for what turned out to be one of their favorite meals of the trip (you can read more about that here).

So, my expectations were set very high for our first night on the road... It did not disappoint.
Chef David Bancroft spoiled us with an "off the menu" experience that was truly once in a lifetime. The dinner started with a bottle of Rosé and Murder Point oysters to clean the palate. Fresh, light, and the perfect warmup for the dishes to come.

We have made our first stop on the way to our nation's capital. Thank you to our friends at @acrerestaurant for starting our trip off right with some @murderpointoysterco #butterlove!

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 17, 2017 at 7:01pm PDT

And boy, did those plates come: aged beef tartare, crab claw toast, Brussells sprouts off the stalk, foie gras basted ribs, aged prime rib with fried okra and peanut butter icebox pie.

Still dreaming about the dry-aged prime beef tartare with fermented oyster aïoli topped with fresh chanterelle mushrooms that we devoured at @acrerestaurant last night. Thanks again @davidbancroft!

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 18, 2017 at 6:38am PDT

Most, if not all, of the produce displayed and prepared for the dishes were grown on Acre’s property or in Bancroft's own yard. Acre exemplifies “farm-to-table” and chef displayed his vision and creativity proudly to us throughout the night. I left that Saturday night full and happy. The bar was officially set for the rest of the trip.

Sunday, we were back on the road to head to our next destination, Shady Valley, Tennessee. En route we decided to take a break in ATL to check out Ponce City Market. With the opening of Gov’t Taco in White Star Market we have been anxious to check out any and all markets/food halls when given the chance. While walking through the market we decided to continue our Gov’t Taco research and stopped for lunch at Minero, a casual Mexican eatery created by renowned southern chef, Sean Brock. 

Torta of the Day at Minero: jamon, chihuahua cheese, queso fresco, hot sauce, salsa verde and a fried egg

We tried their trio of salsas, ordered every single one of their tacos and one glorious torta. It was the perfect opportunity to stretch our legs, eat our fill and check out a really cool spot in the Atlanta area.

After a beautiful and relaxing night in Shady Valley, including spaghetti courtesy of Chef Aimee Tortorich and Therese Schneider, we were hitting the road again. But first, Jay insisted that we stop at the local Raceway Restaurant for a home style breakfast.

Breakfast of champions. #BatonRougeBound #ShadyValleyTN #roadtrip #biteandbooze #breakfast

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 25, 2017 at 6:27am PDT

Is there really anything better than biscuits, pancakes, eggs and bacon in the morning? I think not. Our bellies were full and ready for the last leg of the trip and our final destination!

After settling in at the Airbnb in Washington D.C., our new home for the next week, a few of the team members headed out to a local watering hole to meet Chef Alex McCoy (Jay’s co-contestant on Food Network Star and owner of Alfie’s) for local beers and a spot to watch the LSU baseball game (side note: great season Tigers!).

Once the game was over and our hearty breakfast had worn off, Alex recommended some late night Korean fare. We ended up at Tosokchon in Virginia for a truly authentic experience. Korean beer mixed with shots of soju, a rice wine liquor served in bowls, pork, kimchi, soup, dumplings, and these are just a few of the dishes that were shared at the table.

View of our table at Tosokchon

We drank, we ate, we drank some more. It was one hell of an introduction to D.C.!

Tuesday was spent working and wandering the city but our evening started with rooftop drinks in China town followed by a first for me, Ethiopian cuisine at Ethiopic. Ethiopian wine, a vegetable sampler and meat sampler were presented to us on a bed of injera, a large spongy sourdough flat bread.

#tbt to this mesmerizing vegetarian sampler at Ethiopic in D.C. #ethiopian #dc #eater #eaterdc

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 22, 2017 at 11:11am PDT

We ate with our hands, using pieces of injera to pick up our bites! It was simple, delicious and something I will miss not having access to in Baton Rouge. Maybe one day...

After Ethiopic we ended the night with a round of oysters, lobster rolls and oyster shooters (my favorite!) at The Salt Line. Located right outside the Washington National’s baseball stadium this restaurant has a true oyster bar feel with a killer food and cocktail menu that I hope to check out more next time I am in the city.

Lobstah roll! @thesaltline

A post shared by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Jun 20, 2017 at 7:51pm PDT

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were dedicated to the Gov’t Taco pop up. The team took over Alfie’s to debut the full menu for the first time, and let me tell you, Louisiana came to town! We had a line around the block both nights and had a blast visiting with D.C. Tigers, Baton Rouge transplants and lovers of Alfie’s, Jay, Alex and all things tacos!

We had a line to the street corner last night at the @govttaco @alfiesdc #popup. Thanks to everyone who came out! We're doing it all over again today 5-10pm! #dc #dcfood @hungrylobbyist @eater_dc @washingtonpost 📸 by @isti_gram

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 23, 2017 at 6:50am PDT

THANK YOU to everyone in the capital city who came out to try Gov’t Taco and for all of the wonderful feedback. We hope you all had as much fun as we did.

The final goodbye before hitting the road was one last stop at Alfie’s Saturday early afternoon to enjoy Alex’s pop up “Crabs and Crushes.”

Saved by @chefalexmccoy. After a long night of slinging tacos with the @govttaco crew we're waking up to fried chicken and his mom's potato salad at @alfiesdc . #dcfood #foodpics #foodporn #friedchicken #popup

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 24, 2017 at 10:24am PDT

The perfect cure after two long days of of working hard, and celebrating harder, came in the form of fried chicken, his mom’s potato salad, green chile burgers with fries and boiled crabs.

Just when I thought I couldn’t fit one more bite...there was sticky toffee pudding. STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING! Only my favorite dessert on the face of this Earth.

The Bite and Booze/Gov't Taco Team at Acre enjoying a fresh Brussels sprout stalk, torch roasted at the table by Chef David Bancroft.  

With orientation behind me and my jeans fitting slightly tighter, I am glad to be a part of the crazy adventure that is Bite and Booze.

Burgers With Chuck: The Friday $5 Slamburger at Brickyard South

by Chuck Pierce

Located literally “under the bridge downtown” is The Brickyard South Bar (174 South Boulevard), one of my favorite local watering holes. Most of my friends and my band members in The Anteeks practically live there. It’s a great dive bar with character and a damn good bottle selection of craft beers that keeps me happy. 

Fun fact: Brickyard also serves food on select nights. Every other Monday you can enjoy their Dinner On The Patio series and Taco Tuesdays which features free tacos while they last along with $5 double Jamison’s to wash them down. But what I’m here to talk about today is the $5 Slamburger.

Every Friday evening around 6pm bartender Danny Moore fires up the grill and prepares one of the best burgers in Baton Rouge. There’s nothing fancy about his recipe. No deluxe toppings or crazy sauces. No artisan buns. Just a deliciously cooked patty (or patties if you’re feeling wild) that’s well seasoned, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and whatever condiments you like on a good ole fashioned hamburger bun. That’s it.

The first bite is full of juicy flavor. Seasoned perfectly with a nice seared crust to give it a bit of crunch. I’m normally not a “salad on a burger” guy, but this was so good I didn’t care about the lettuce, though I did remove the tomato. I had them add some mayo and mustard, but honestly, It would’ve been perfectly fine without it. And the buttery toasting of the bun just added to the already great flavor.

Danny does a no frills burger because honestly, he doesn’t need to. To me, the star of any burger is the meat. Hands down. I’ll even take a mediocre bun as long that patty shines through with the right flavor. Salt and pepper, cooked medium and there you go. Some places like to throw every topping in the book on a burger and most of the time that’s a sign, and normally not a good one. Sure, there’s times where one or two additions truly do compliment the burger. But not at Brickyard South. The Slamburger truly speaks for itself.

Next time you’re craving a burger on a Friday afternoon, head on over to Brickyard South, grab a cold beer and try out the $5 Slamburger for yourself. There’s a good chance I’ll be there enjoying one as well.

Burgers with Chuck: Kickin' it at Curbside Burgers

by Chuck P

In the glory days of the popular food truck scene here in Baton Rouge there were great choices that ranged from wood fired brick oven pizza to tasty tacos. There were enough trucks around to please everyone, but out of the many only one consistently drew bigger crowds, longer lines and created a social media frenzy when trying to track down where they would be next: Curbside.

As the food truck craze started to die, the Curbside truck disappeared as well. Marred by constant repairs, the truck had to retire until it could be fully restored, which unfortunately never happened. During this time, Curbside creator Nick Hufft found a way to put his insanely delicious burgers onto a menu in a new concept in New Orleans: Barcadia.

Flash forward a few years later and after helping bring the Barcadia concept to Baton Rouge, Huft decided the time was right to not just bring back those burgers, but to finally open his own place complete with a killer patio area, not one but TWO bocce ball courts, a very nice bar and of course those amazing burgers. Curbside Burgers are back!

When you walk into the newly built restaurant located on Government Street next to Calandro’s the first thing to greet you will be a large section of the food truck that was specially cut to fit the booth area. It’s like greeting an old friend you haven’t seen in years. Walking up to the counter to order may have been one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make in a while at a restaurant.

With only a partial menu and the full one (including brunch burgers!!!) coming soon, the six choices I had were still tough ones. There was my all time favorite, the KGB with its killer praline bacon and fried egg, The Brian 3.0 with bleu cheese crumbles, onion strings and Nick’s homemade pork belly preserves and the GC2 with Green Chili Relish, bacon, pepperjack fondue, Fritos and Cholula Mayo. Ugh.

The GC2 at Curbside on Government Street in Baton Rouge, LA

I stepped up to the counter after going back and forth on everything and ordered the Naq Attaque. Topped with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, garlic mayo, parmesan crisp and a side of french onion soup to dip it in, this burger hit all of the feels. The patty itself was hot and juicy, the onions were sweet and tender and the parmesan crisp was a nice added touch. Definitely one I’ll revisit on numerous occasions. Add to that an order of crunchy tater tots and it makes for the perfect meal combo.

The Naq Attaque

If after that you still find yourself with room in your belly I highly suggest checking out one of their signature Boozy Milkshakes. There’s the Chilly Vanilli featuring Vanilla Vodka, Andes Mints and Oreo Mint Cookies, the CT Crunch with Rumchata and Cinnamon Toast Crunch and my personal favorite the Jr. Special with Loopy Vodka, Fruit Loops and Captain Crunch crumbles.

The Jr. Special and CT Crunch Boozy Milkshakes. Yum.

With all of your favorite classics along with a new items and a larger menu coming soon, I have to say it’s nice to have Curbside Burgers back on the street, especially sitting in one permanent spot. Congrats Nick Hufft and welcome home!

Burgers with Chuck: DIG Magazine's Burgers & Beer Week

by Chuck P

Everyone knows of my undying love of hamburgers. To me, it’s the perfect marriage of meat and bread followed by an accompaniment of any toppings and condiments your heart desires. With so many restaurants in town serving up different types of hamburgers it can definitely put a strain on the ol’ pocketbook to try them all. Thankfully, the great folks at DIG Magazine rolled out their Burgers & Beers Week!

I swear it’s almost like DIG is monitoring my dreams and decided to make them all come true. Over 40 different restaurants participated in the event serving up specialty burgers for only $5 each! And they were featuring specials from Tin Roof, Sweetwater and St. Arnold breweries so you could pair a cold brew with your burger. I seriously had to pinch myself.

Due to a busy week here at Bite & Booze HQ, I wasn’t able to hit every spot on my list so here are the 4 burgers I was able to try and my thoughts on them:

Fat Cow: Praline Bacon Burger

Fat Cow's Praline Bacon Burger

I kicked off the week with the Praline Bacon Burger. I was hoping for a bit more flavor from this one. The house ground patty was a bit overcooked and I barely tasted the garlic aioli. The brie was nice and melted perfectly but I could have used way less arugula. Overall, it was okay, but it had me hoping my next stop would be better.

Stadium Sports Bar & Grill: The Stuffed Burger

The Pimento Cheese Stuffed Slider at L'Auberge's Stadium Sports Bar & Grill

Unknown to me and apparently a few others who came here, this one was actually a slider and not a full burger. While the patty itself was tasty, the pimento cheese stuffed inside of mine was a bit cold, as if they’d stuffed it after cooking the patty. The bacon bourbon jam was spot on and fries were included at no extra charge. Once again it was okay, but I still found myself hoping the next one was going to be “the one”.

The Overpass Merchant: The El Guapo Burger

The El Guapo Burger at The Overpass Merchant

Chorizo spiced pork patty, green chili queso, Fritos, Tapatio mayo, pickled red onions and cilantro. That’s pretty much all that needs to be said right? I mean...wow. This was hands down my favorite and most creative burger of the week. Every component of this burger just popped. Hell, you had me at queso and Fritos! I’m hoping this ends up on the menu there because it certainly needs to. With my burger hopes renewed, it was on to my final stop of the week.

Bin 77: The Bin Burger

The Bin Burger at Bin 77

So this burger is pretty much their regular burger that’s featured on their menu, which is fine because my thinking was that maybe they didn’t need to impress with all the bells and whistles. They were confident enough in their house burger to win everyone over.

Not so much.

My burger was well done after ordering it medium, no caramelized onions, 2 very small pieces of fire roasted garlic and barely enough ketchup and roasted bell pepper aioli to make the bread wet. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I had heard good things on this burger and maybe they were just super busy in the kitchen, but it was not the way I was hoping to end burger week.

The Ones That Got Away...

There were places I had on my list that I didn’t have time to try. If anyone had a chance to try any of these comment below or on the Bite and Booze Facebook Page with your thoughts:

Burgersmith, Churchill’s, City Pork, Gouter, Mason’s, Olive or Twist, Thai Kitchen, The Grind, The Londoner and Willie’s

I asked my good friends Brenton Day (thealerunner.com), Franz Borghardt (Baton Rouge Burgers) and the man himself, Jay Ducote to pick their favorite burgers from last week in hopes of living vicariously through them. This is what they had to say:

Brenton Day:

Burgersmith's Breakfast DIG Burger. Photo courtesy of Brenton Day.

Burgersmith’s Breakfast Dig Burger was coffee crusted, topped with hash browns and a fried egg served on toasted Vienna bread. This one really did it for me. I added sauteed onions and Smith sauce, because I could (and mostly because my server recommended it). I'm a sucker for an egg on a burger, and this one didn't disappoint. The toast was thick enough to stand up to the burger and all the toppings and the patty was cooked to a perfect medium.

Your Mom's BBQ Burger. Photo courtesy of Brenton Day.

Your Mom's BBQ Burger was by far the biggest burger I had all week. The patty was advertised to be 8 oz. and it was huge! Cooked to the requested medium, it was topped with cheddar, a heaping mound of fried onion strings and drizzled with BBQ sauce. The sourdough bun was soft and sweet. This burger was definitely the best bang for my buck.

Franz Borghardt:

Canefield Tavern's Cajun Burger. Photo courtesy of Franz Borghardt

The Canefield Tavern Cajun Burger was spicy but not overwhelming. The portion size was impressive and the jalapeños and Sriracha mayo gave it a giddyup! 

Canefield also offered five different $5 specialty burgers to choose from!

Goûter's Venison Burger. Photo courtesy of Goûter.

Goûter’s Venison Burger patty was a mixture of venison and beef topped with smoked cheddar is a combo that can’t be beat. Nestled between an awesome onion Kaiser roll and at only $5 this burger was a steal. Call me the Hamburglar!

Jay Ducote: 

The Two Run Farms Burger at Table Kitchen & Bar.

Table’s Two Run Farm Burger was a solid, classic burger. The salty, beefy patty certainly lived up to the hype and the addition of a fried egg is always a solid choice.

City Pork Deli & Charcuterie's Bayou Bengal Burger.

City Pork Deli & Charcuterie’s Bayou Bengal Burger was another solid burger. The bun was top notch, the patty was juicy and they added this fiery mustard that really added an unexpected zing-- definitely a great burger for $5.

All in all it looks like the people of Baton Rouge were blessed by the burger gods that week. I look forward to the next time this event comes back to Baton Rouge, but I think it has a little room for improvement.

Some restaurants were only doing the special for lunch, some for only dinner and some doing both. It was kind of hard to follow who was doing what and when. I know a few people who missed out on trying these burgers based on their availability to only go for lunch or make plans for dinner by getting sitters and such. Maybe some clarification for next time will give everyone a chance to enjoy these delicious deals!

Burgers with Chuck: The OG Burger at Alfie's in Washington, D.C.

by Chuck P

Anyone who knows me understands that I have a very unhealthy relationship with an iconic American classic: the hamburger. My love affair with the mother of all sandwiches knows no bounds. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect burger locally and whenever we travel. 

On our recent trip to New York we made a pit stop in Washington, DC to visit Jay’s fellow Food Network Star cast mate Alex McCoy at his pop-up restaurant, Alfie’s. I was told Alex would be cooking us up one of his signature burgers called The OG.

After meeting Alex and his staff we made our way to the bar for an adult beverage. I noticed one of my favorites on the craft beer menu, the Bell’s Brewery Two Hearted Ale, and immediately ordered a pint. I’m very happy that Bell’s is now distributed in Louisiana because their IPA is one of my all time favorites. It’s got nice pine and grapefruit notes in the aroma with a little hop bomb and solid malt backbone. I was almost halfway through my pint when Alex walked up to our table with one of the most beautiful burgers I’ve ever laid eyes on.

The OG Burger with house-made pickles, grilled red onion and arugula.

I mean, look at that thing! It’s a work of art! It was almost too pretty to eat...almost.

This is easily one of the best burgers I’ve had in my lifetime, seriously. Normally I don’t like any “salad” on my burger. I want to get to the nitty gritty of the burger without the healthy obstacles getting my way, but this time I made an exception. The house made pickles, red onion and arugula completely added to the awesomeness of the burger. The meat was incredibly juicy and seasoned to perfection. The toasted bun was a soft, buttery and a little sweet which I totally loved.

There is nothing I could find wrong with this burger. Usually, imperfections stick out on a burger like a sore thumb. Whether it’s the patty, bread or toppings, you’ll notice them either visually right away or with that first bite. But this one, THIS burger right here, had nary a flaw to be found. From the first bite to the last, it was perfection.

Sitting Fat and Happy: A Trip to Fat Cow

by Drew Broussard

After a crazy weekend including preview dinners for the James Beard House and viewing parties for Deep Fried America, team Bite and Booze decided that it was high time to for a "treat yo self" lunch filled with one of our favorite foods: burgers!

Following a little bit of deliberation, we decided that we would take our hungry stomachs over to Fat Cow on Highland Road in order to indulge on our beefy cravings. When I walked into Fat Cow, I couldn’t help but be impressed by their huge selection of burgers and burger styles. First off, you can choose a beef, chicken, mushroom, or salmon patty to be the base of your burger. Secondly, the sheer amount of specialty toppings and combinations you can top off your burger with is deliciously staggering. All in all, there are hundreds of flavor combinations that you could come up with.

Fat Cow on Highland Road.

While a good sandwich is the fundamental pillar for a burger joint, it always helps to be supported by some tasty side items. So, for the sake of food research, we got an order of parmesan duck fat fries, onion straws, and a “Banana Stand,” shake (Arrested Development, anyone?) to go with our meals.

Onion Straws go great on or with your burger!

When we got our food, we wasted little time enjoying our burgers’ juicy goodness. My Baja Burger was topped with pepper jack, salsa, avocado, banana peppers, lettuce and a smoked poblano pepper sour cream. The toppings were light and fresh enough to be perfect compliments to the patty. The acidity from the peppers really stood out, and my mouth was never scorched thanks to the sour cream spread. It's a great summertime burger.

Baja Burger is the perfect summertime grub.

Jay’s Wentworth burger took on a completely different flavor profile. His patty was topped with ham, brie, apples and a red onion marmalade. Those are some bold flavors to put on a burger, but the risk seemed to pay off. The melted brie and the sweetness of the apple made this burger so unique that you’d be hard pressed to find something similar to it in the area.

The Wentworth Burger will take you from the Mississippi to the Seine.

Chuck P., our Product Czar and Saucer of Sales, enjoyed the 120 Burger. This sandwich was strong with flavors, as it had gruyere, bacon, caramelized onions and a horseradish mayonnaise. Chuck seemed to really dig the mayo because it packed a punch! Combining that flavor with the gruyere helped transport this burger to the specialty category.

The 120 Burger brings it with Horseradish Mayo.

While all of these sandwiches have been pretty adventurous in the toppings department, Fat Cow still delivered with a classic burger staple. Chef Aimee Tortorich got a Smoke Stack Burger that she said nailed all of the key components. It had a good barbecue sauce, succulent bacon and crispy fried onions that did a great job of adding texture.

And while we all chowed down on the greasy goodness that was in front of us, Blair, our Chief Confusion Coordinator, took the lighter route as she enjoyed the Catahoula Cobb salad with grilled salmon on top. This is a bleu cheese-lovers dream, having both crumbles and a vinaigrette with bleu mixed in. Blair made note of how well the salmon was cooked, and that all of the flavors really complimented each other.

The Catahoula Cobb with Grilled Salmon is a bleu cheese lover's dream.

And of course we didn't forget about those sides! Fat Cow’s renowned duck fat and Parmesan fries did not disappoint. They were cheesy, savory, and just crispy enough. These guys were truly some top-notch fries. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about them. The onion straws were a great side as well. I found them incredibly addicting, as they were so thinly cut that you could keep on eating away at them. They were also a great little additional topping to my burger. The Banana Stand shake was another hit. While I didn't have much room left to sample a milkshake, Jay took the sacrifice and said that it was a solid summer dessert. It's hard to go wrong with a chocolate, cream and banana trifecta.

Parmesan Duck Fat Fries, need we say more?

It didn't take long for the fries became sparse, the sips turned slurps and we were reaching the end of our lunchtime burger-fest. After a few moments of silent digestion reflection, we all came away incredibly satisfied.

Regardless of toppings, we all commended the beef patty we had on our burgers. It was very juicy and had a steak like flavor that isn't present in your average burger. We also gave a nod to the bun, which we found to be slightly sweet and buttery enough to keep the sandwich from ever drying out. It might take about a week before I feel the rumbling pangs of hunger in my stomach, but I know that it won’t be long before I return to Fat Cow.

One more for good measure!