My Brother's Bar

Into the above $5 category we quest. The first stop, My Brother's Bar. Now, if you live in Denver, and you like burgers and fine imported beers, you've been to My Brother's bar. There are many options for burgers - The Ralphie (bison), the JCB (jalapeno cream cheese burger), the Johnny (gr. onions and three cheeses). And because of this, the Burger Quest really fell apart. Some questers felt there was no way they could merely eat a cheese burger when they could devour a specialty burger. Well, dissenters, you failed the quest this time. I myself held true to the Quest rules and stuck with a cheeseburger.
As you can see, it was incredibly satisfying. IN fact, this is the only picture of our Quest to My Brother's because I was too busy sucking face with my burger. It's cooked medium, super juicy on a soft, slightly grilled bun. Served with a caddy of condiments (jalapeno peppers, pickles, onions), it's truly a divine burger experience. Just an all-beef patty, perfectly grilled on a bun. Sometimes, that's all it takes. Don't put sauce or pickles or ketchup on the burger. Let me be the judge of what condiments are right.

So, as the first stop in the over $5 burger category, Mr Brother's Bar ranks quite high.

Oh, Heather the Vegetarian took this quest off and went for a vegetarian reuben. Figures.

Judges:

Burger - 10 (Johnny Burger)
Fries - 9
Orings - 8
Fountain Coke - 1

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Burger: 7
Good meat and not overcooked with some pink left.Bun is higher grade bread adding to the experience.

Fries: 6

The use of Canola oil robbed it of some that good ol fried taste.

Thicker cut and cooked well.

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JCB - the only burger I know at My Brothers. It's never given me a reason to cheat and even look at another burger. My taste buds are tap dancing like Gregory Hines in White Nights.

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JCB is simply the best.

Next Week: The Cherry Cricket

Crown Burger

Into the 3rd week of questing we went, hungry as ever. Crown Burgers on South Colorado Blvd was the destination. Just driving into the parking lot my stomach got excited. Large printed yellow letters on the window screaming at me not to disregard the $3.29 breakfast burrito special or the Kebab Plate. Yes, this certainly would be a treat. One might get scared that a place that calls itself "Crown Burger" doesn't advertise their burger specials on the window. Well friends, that's because they don't have to. Their burgers are so damned tasty that they sell themselves. At full price. No specials necessary. Though there were mushroom & swiss, bacon and even pastrami options at Crown Burger, all questers went with the Quarter Burger with cheeee - a mere $3.15.



Need I say more? This burger was a beaut, a beaut I tell ya. Perfect, though thin, amount of meat, shredded lettuce, tomato, special sauce (presumably ketchup mayo mix) on a sesame seed bun. Not too big. Not too small. All bites were met with yumms and head nods from all questers. Who knew Greeks could make burgers?


But....there was a fatal flaw. No pickles. Now, I don't know about you, but for me, nothing makes a burger a burger than crunchy pickle slices on my bun. Needless to say, Crown Burger doesn't agree with that sentiment. They chose not to add the pickles. So, what could have been the perfect under $5 burger fell short due to a lack of pickles.

On a side note, best fries we've had yet. And, very interesting o-rings - they were tossed in corn meal.

Heather the Vegetarian pronounced this the best grilled cheese she's had so far. Must have been the special Greek touch.

JUDGES:

rate the burger a 7.5.
I rate the fries an 8.
I rate how I smell now a 1.

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Burger -- 9. I didn't realize it needed pickles until Jessica mentioned it. I agree with her, but I didn't lower my score for it. Good move with the special sauce. All around, a satisfying burger.

Fries -- 8.5. Crispy = Yum

Bonus points for Cherry Coke.

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Ya, ya. Real good.

Tami's Burger Haven

Though it was an overcast day in May, it didn't stop the quest from embarking on the second challenge in the Summer Burger Quest 2008. Strategically positioned behind Lakeside Amusement Park, Tami's Burger Haven lives up to its name.
Burger. With or without cheese. That's all. Sure, fries and orange Fanta on the side, but here, it's all about burgers.It's the home of the 6 inch hamburger. So what do you think I got? Yep, a sixer with chee. At first site, it was large, and presumably full of cheesy, burgery goodness, yet it failed to live up to the hype after the first bite. Burger: bun is off.

With a 6 inch, paper-thin pattie on top of shredded lettuce, tomato and onion, between two large buns, there's little room for the complete taste of a burger. Some perspective:

I should've followed the lemmings and gone with a 4-inch double with cheese, increasing the chance of tasting the burger. Behold the 4 inch double with cheese:In any case, a lovely time had by all discovering a new burger joint in this western town. We all left smelling like a grilled vat of oil and isn't that the sign of a successful burger lunch?

Oh, and always, Heather The Vegetarian had the grilled cheese (with pickles this time) and pronounced it "not as good as Griffs." Must have been the lack of oil.

JUDGES COMMENTS:

I would go back.

Burger = 6

Really thin patty but taste was fine.

Fries = 3

Undercooked (not always bad) and not much taste.

Shake = 4

A little thin and taste was so-so.

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7. i liked the buff burger. a healthy alternative with the same (almost) burger taste.

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8 on the 4-inch double. Good meat to bread ratio. 3 on the fries.

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10 but I am bias. Not many diners have buffalo.

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7 and yes.

Griff's Hamburgers

Some may say it was the perfect day for launching Summer Burger Quest 2008. And, it was. 72º Sunny, not a cloud in the sky. With smiles on our faces and hunger in our bellies we set off for South Broadway and Griffs Burgers.

For the most part, it was a maiden voyage for each of the questers. You could sense the excitement as we stood in line ogling the menu which consisted of Options 1, 2, 3, 4, or grilled cheese, chicken burger, fish burger, shakes, fries, o-rings. A menacing counter attendant, presumably Griff himself, took my order. I went straight for #2 Giant Cheeseburger with everything (pickles, no onions, tomato, shredded lettuce, ketchup, mustard), fries, drink. Note to future questers, always specify your drink selection. Griff silently stared a hole through my soul trying to determine my drink selection rather than just ask me.
I was pleased. No desire to curl up between the buns and hug the burger forever, but still pleased. It was a flat burger, big, but flat. Not quite a mouthful, but more hefty than McDonald's. Definitely tasted like a cheeseburger fried on a grill. The fries were definitely fried in animal fat, making them deeeelish, of course.
The monster burger:














And, Heather The Vegetarian gets the grilled cheese, which was so good that this is all that's left:




















AND THE JUDGES HAVE SPOKEN:

Burger = 3
Tasteless grade C meat.

Fries = 6
Like the thin cut fries. Taste was good.

Shake = 3
Shake tasted like playdough.

Wouldn't go back unless it was the last place open at 3am and Chubby's was closed.
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5. I would go again, order specifically and probably give it a 6.

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5 minutes after Griff's
*rating: 8*

30 minutes after Griff's
*rating: 8*

1 hour after Griff's
*rating: 5*

2 hours after Griff's
*rating: 2 (literally)*
Would I go back? I'd still give it one more shot.
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So, all in all, not too bad, not too good.
Next stop: Tami's Burger Haven

What the F is a burger quest?

It's a citywide journey to find the greatest burger in Denver conducted by creative soldiers dedicated to the deliciousness and beauty of grilled patties of red meat. Diners, dives, drive-ins - anything goes. We level the playing field by always ordering the same burger at each burger joint. If you order it with jalapeños and bacon the first time, you've gotta love jalapeños and bacon because it's always going to be on your burger.

Two categories:
Under $5 Burger
Above $5 Burger

Two rules:
No chains
Heather the Vegetarian always gets a grilled cheese