Formoli's Bistro

I've come to harbor high expectations for restaurants with the word "bistro" in their name. Formoli's Bistro is no exception. The dining room is a very nice open area but I wasn't there for ambience. I was told the Whiskey Burger is among the best in Sacramento. Obviously, I had to find out for myself.

Formoli's Whiskey Burger is pepper encrusted with a whiskey demi-glace (rich brown sauce), cheddar cheese, habanero aioli, and mixed greens on a ciabatta bun. Sounds fancy, huh? My first impression of the burger was "where's the whiskey?" A hit of whiskey flavor or a whiskey aftertaste was what I was looking for but apparently a whiskey demi-glace doesn't lend itself to have a strong whiskey flavor.

Unfortunately, my mind set as I was eating the Whiskey Burger was "is this better than Tuli's Atom Burger?" It isn't. It is delicious but plain. The quality of the meat is amazing like the Atom Burger but the Whiskey Burger has just a different fusion of flavors.

Restaurant Thir13en

Another lovely Sacramento Downtown restaurant, Restaurant Thir13en is housed within The Sterling Hotel. This restaurant is under ownership of those who also manage the outstanding Tuli Bistro so naturally I would have to stifle my excitement. Needless to say, expectations were high.

It was a beautiful day so my family and I ate outside. The ambiance was wonderful. We were served water with cucumber. It is extremely refreshing!

Obviously, their Capitol Burger was in my crosshairs. I was curious about the taste of Misami Ranch beef (chuck) which was the meat used in the burger. The time it took for our orders to arrive was a bit extensive, but in their defense we showed up during the lunch rush. When the food arrived I ravenously took my first bite. The burger was okay. It was a little too juicy. By the time I was finished there was a grease/juice puddle on my plate (ew) and the tomato was cold so it skewed the temperature of the beef. Not as good as Tuli's Atom Burger. I only use this comparison because Tuli and Thir13en are under the same ownership.

Restaurants are not perfect because they are ran by we, imperfect people. That's why I do not get upset if my meal does not come with a ribbon tied to it. I will give Restaurant Thir13en more chances because ownership is outstanding.

BLT Burger Las Vegas

In my leisure time, I made my way to Las Vegas. There was no way I was leaving the city without trying a new burger! Housed in the Mirage Hotel, BLT Burger has two other locations in New York and Hong Kong so I was very excited to eat at such an exclusive restaurant. The menu has some delicious (and unorthodox) options. I almost want to take a trip back to Vegas solely to dine at BLT. They were once featured on Martha Stewart making a burger with ground salmon. The Salmon Burger has been on my radar for a long time. Obviously too much red meat is bad. Although I love beef burgers, I am also curious about beef alternatives.

Before tasting the burger, I had the pre-concieved notion that it would be fishy. I was glad that I was wrong. I think it's the fact that the salmon was grounded it could pass so well as a beef alternative. This burger is extremely impressive and delicious.

"MMM! This is a tasty burger!!"

Dad's Kitchen

One of the first things you see when you walk into Dad's Kitchen is "Welcome Home." Although I understand the premise behind a restaurant using this phrase, it doesn't really feel like home. But it's definitely a place I'd visit... A LOT!

"Dad's" is a small, down-home kind of place. Very casual. I had my meal outside in their patio, which is beautiful on a sunny spring or summer day! The service is great. Non-chain restaurants seem to care more. It is extremely refreshing.

Take a look at what "Dad's" has to offer. Of course I came for a burger but they also have soups, sandwiches, etc. The Dad's Burger had a little Food Network stamp next to it so it caught my attention from the get-go. The Five Dot Ranch beef is crusted with bacon and bleu cheese! WOW! How innovative and impressive! The cheese and bacon enhance the already high quality of the meat. Admittantly I underestimated the burger. But that begat such a positive reaction. I was thoroughly pleased.

"MMM! This IS a tasty burger!"

Web game: Cheeseburger Supreme

Here's a fun burger flipping game in an e-mail I got from Ian. Enjoy :)

CheeseBurger Supreme from Munchie Games

De Vere's Firestone Burger

The second week of #SacBurgerMonth (5/8-5/14) at De Vere's Irish Pub featured one of the most unique burgers I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. This burger houses many different flavors and they all come together very nicely.

The double ground beef is kicked up a notch by adding smoked pork and is cooked in a red wine, shallots, balsamic vinegar based sauce. Then we add smoked cheddar goat cheese and fried onions. The Grateful Bread local bakery supplies the bun.


There are two items here I've never had on a burger: goat cheese and shallots. Not only do these ingredients help make the burger what it is (awesome) but they add a dimension of flavor I have never experienced until now. The shallots give the burger its sweetness, off-set by the (delicious and funky) goat cheese. The bun is perfectly soft. It doesn't get soggy from the juices of the burger and shallots. I would have never thought to use shallots and goat cheese on a burger. The amazing combination of flavors further proves to me that the hamburger is the most versatile entree in the history of the WORLD!!

National Burger Month

The month of May is National Burger Month (Who knew?). Thanks to some friends on Twitter (@deverespub and @burgerjunkies) the word is really getting out in Sacramento. How will you celebrate? Some will host burger parties. Others will challenge themselves to eat a different burger everyday. Here are some cool ways to take part in the festivities (click the links for more details):

de Vere's Irish Pub will serve up a different burger each week. Take a picture of the featured burger and upload it to Twitter with the hashtag #sacburgermonth to enter a drawing to win a Canon DSLR camera from BurgerJunkies.com.

The city of West Sacramento will be adding a culnary spectacle in the form of The Squeeze Inn. Celebrate National Burger Month with a Squeeze with Cheese on Tuesday, May 10th starting at 10 am. 1350 Harbor Boulevard.

Become Red Robin's first Chief Burger Officer! Submit your application by May 15th and tell them why you are the sultan of sandwiches! You could win a trip to Red Robin's corporate office in Denver, FREE Red Robin for a year, and more!!

Try a new burger! Go to a burger joint you've never been to and experience the satisfaction of opening your taste buds to a new burger sensation!