Burgers & Brew: A Sacramento Gem

Not far from R15 bar in Sacramento sits a burger restaurant that should have been built in my backyard. Burgers & Brew is perfect for those who have an affinity for... well... burgers and brew!

As soon as I walked in, I knew this place was something special. The rustic decor was fitting for Sacramento's Midtown and it was populated with the young adults of the city which made for a vibrant atmosphere.

Now the food. Every burger is a half pound! The bacon cheeseburger (with guacamole) was my prime choice and I heard the onion rings are second to none. They did not disappoint. My food arrived at blazing speeds and I couldn't wait to dig in. My burger came decorated with a toothpick sheathed down its center as most burgers do. I removed the toothpick, picked up the burger and took a bite. The next thing I knew, guacamole oozed out of the top of the burger like a volcano! That gave me quite a laugh! The burger was cooked perfectly, the bacon was crispy, and the bun wasn't soggy. I was in Heaven.Burgers & Brew also boasts an impressive list of (you guessed it) beer. I heard about Banana Bread Beer and I had to give it a try. Wow! The amber colored beer was delicious as it housed a hint of banana!

What an amazing experience! Burgers & Brew will have my business for the rest of my life!

I Remember Why I Love Burgers

The burger is probably the most versatile food in human history. All meats and combinations of toppings can be mixed and matched to create the perfect meal for any taste. You don't have to be neat when you eat it but you can. It doesn't necessarily need a bun either. A burger can be whatever you want it to be.

My affinity for burgers stems from Carl's Jr's "If it doesn't get all over the place, it doesn't belong in your face" campagin. The first commercial featured the Super Star. A very beautiful was eating the burger very sensually. Ketchup was dripping everywhere. She removed a pickle slice and tossed it in her mouth.

After I saw this commercial, my life changed.

The Squeeze Inn!

After much anticipation built up by my co-workers Chris Burrous and Scott Zetner, I finally had to make a visit to The Squeeze Inn. Critically accliamed by Food Network's own Guy Feiri (there are pictures of him and 'Sac's best' magazine covers all over the restaurant).

I've already been there twice and I must say, this place is wonderful. It's a little ol' orange building on Fruitridge Avenue and Power Inn Road. Inside, is one row of bar/diner type seating. Outback, there are tables for anyone who cannot fit inside or take their food to-go. A weekend customer should definitely count on wating in a line that stretches in front of the building.

The most popular item on the menu is the Squeeze Burger with cheese. It's almost a normal burger except for the cheese. It is prepared with shredded cheese. The cheese is added on the burger as it cooks on the grill so it melts and surrounds the whole burger as if the burger wore a cheese dress. A customer could even add other toppings such as (but not limited to) bacon, mushrooms, or jalepenos. The Squeeze Inn also offers tacos (delicious) and assorted sandwiches.

After visiting the Squeeze Inn the second time I met Mark. He puts the burgers on the grill. I had to confess my love for him after eating my Squeeze with Cheese (yes, you will fall in love with him after a taste).

Not only does the Squeeze Inn get a "MMM, this IS a tasty burger!", but it also gets a "oh... this is what CRACK must feel like!!!" A rating that is not easy to recive in my book.

Burger Generosity

One day, I came into work at Best Buy. A little hungry, I downed a lot of water hoping it would fill me until I took my lunch break. As I walked to the Home Theater Department, my friend and co-worker David says to me, "hey Julian, I brought some burgers from The Habit for you guys." I stopped what I was doing and stared at David.

"Really..?"

"Yeah, bro. Is there a problem?"

There was a problem, because I almost shedded a tear. I ran to him and gave him a big man hug (nothin wrong with guy love).

Now The Habit has a really good burger. The char-grill all of their patties and they have 4 different burgers: The Char-burger, The Double Char-Burger, The Teriyaki Char-Burger, and the BBQ Bacon Char-Burger. They all have the option of adding cheese, bacon, or avocado. I've tried all except the BBQ bacon. Oh, the milk shakes?!? Incredible! They also offer sandwiches and salads. The Habit has made things worse for me. Now I'll really have to practice self-control!

So if you know a friend who is feeling down, give them a burger. It'll be sure to brighten their day!

"MMM! This IS a tasty burger!"

Homemade Burgers ;)

On Easter Sunday my family and I got together like we do on most holidays. My uncle, Arnold (Pop to us) always barbeques ribs, chicken, franks, AND... BURGERS! Yes my uncle is our go-to-guy for some tasty barbeque. He makes his own sauce that is mouthwateringly delicious. I love to take my burger patty and dunk it in the pot of BBQ sauce and just adding some cheese. The combonation of the burgers, potato salad, greens, and mac & cheese makes this a beasty meal. It's simple yet elegant!

I even fooled around and made my own BBQ sauce. I was told it came out wonderfully, but I can't find the dang recipe... :( I'll figure it out.

Home cookin is the best! You could really let your imagination run wild with adding sauces and toppings (fried egg, guacamole, peanut butter). I bust out the Foreman's Grill sometimes and grill up some turkey burgers and my Daddy gets crazy with veggie burgers. The "patty" is a big ol' mushroom!

"MMM! This IS a tasty burger!"

Honorary Burger!

Next Monday is Doug Mayes' birthday. We work together at CW31 and to celebrate, his wife invited a bunch of his friends to a suprise outing: River Cats baseball!

First of all I felt really special that she invited me. Secondly there is a peculiar concession available at Raley Field: The Dinger Dog! This thing is quite beasty. The dog is like ten inches or something and when I added the fixins (oh boy!!). When I bit into it the meat snapped like the really good hot dogs do. I was quite pleased.

I know a hot dog is not a burger, but I felt it necessary to make the Dinger Dog an honorary burger because of its level of beastiness! Don't worry people, there will be more burger fanaticism soon. I promise ;)

MMM! This IS a tasty... hot dog!

Carl's Jr Is On Fire!

Man, I gotta hand it to Carl's Jr. They're menu is unique and has classic selections as well as new crazes. The Six Dollar line of burgers has become more interesting by allowing any burger to be downsized to a single or double.

I finally got a taste of the Kentucky Bourbon Burger (the single). The bourbon sauce and the crispy onion straws transform what could have been a normal burger to what my uncle Pop would cook up on the barbeque grill. As I crunched into the onion straws the combonation of the bourbon sauce and bacon made for a savory beginning. I really like this one.

Now that there are eight burgers of the Six Dollar variety, Carl's Jr has a tempting selection of excitement and uniqueness. It seems I have a another reason to pull the 'Lac into the drive thru.

"MMM! This IS a tasty burger!!"