Coming soon: Ironside and Sam's Diner

Buzz, buzz and more buzz about burgers these days as the great and not so great line up to catch a part of the spotlight now focusing on burgers here on the American food landscape. Hubert Keller launched his Burger Bar just below The Cheesecake Factory in Macy's Union Square, maybe the most prominent and lucrative location in San Francisco if the ingredients are all there.

I've loved and devoured burgers since World War II and that's a lot of burgers, good and not so good, but they're still my favorite food to order anywhere I am in the world. I remember roadside burger barbecues as a kid, the first 19 cent burgers in the late 1940's and 1950's, Drive-In joint burgers, creamery and coffee shop burgers, fancy restaurant and hotel burgers and the dream stuff made by friends and family, and burgers are like meatloaf but more complicated because more is involved and every one reflects so much about the person and place preparing it.

My joy comes from the variety of treatments this simple, basic food item receives from so many different people and places, the almost infinite preparations and presentations out there these days. I never dreamed I'd see a glazed doughnut bacon cheeseburger, yet I made burgers using pancakes and waffles among other enclosures, I used lamb, pork, venison, buffalo and poultry long before I saw these things in restaurants and diners. Hell, I even use Spam and love it for the salty crispness when cooked the way I like it. And therein lies the operative word, the way I like it. Each of us has a preference and most are different than the person sitting next to you.

So please rate, review and rant about my reviews and make suggestions as you see fit. My email address is stusmith97@aol.com and I'd love to hear from you.

Oola

Oola is urban hip and slick while also being a producer of a great burger and some sensational fries in a bar or nightclub setting on Folsom Street near Moscone Center. It also serves this great burger until 1:00 AM on weekend nights and 11:00 the rest of the time. You enter off the busy street through a massive, gorgeous door that looks too heavy to move, but gracefully slides and in you go. There's a long bar on the ocean side of the long, narrow interior with modern tables filling out the front room. It's dim and understated with lots of grays and attractive wait staff wearing black, but with sunny attitudes of all my visits. Once seated and situated a beige paper menu is offered and they're aware they do a good burger for it leads off or stars on the simple, short menu of mostly small plates in two portion sizes.

I'm all about burgers so that is what I look for on any and all menu's and if not printed, I'll ask the server, host or even the owner if they make them to order. The Oola burger heads up the simple, short menu and well deserves the spotlight because it's a STAR. I was drawn to the description that talked about great meat cooked to order and served on a BRIOCHE bun, and that's a masterful achievement in a burger because of the demand on whatever bread is used to sop up the juices and condiments produced by a good burger, but this worked perfectly on several visits. There's a nice selection of cheeses, premium produce (onion, tomato and lettuce), and a fine aoili. The meat has been perfectly cooked to order every time I've been here and service has always been affable and pleasant.

Along with the burger, the plate is shared with fries, and these aren't just any old fries, these are also STARS. A generous portion of piping hot slender, not thin, crispy, crunchy high quality potato's already lightly salted are addictively and abundantly displayed on a white rectangular plate and it's almost impossible to start on the great burger while these gems are still hot on your plate, but push on I must. These fries also come with Parmesan and truffle seasoning and these are an adventure in heavenly taste and flat out impossible not to devour. They have some great house made desserts and all together there are few places that frame my burger experience than Oola, so take my advice and head here for one of the great ones.

Cops endure hazardous conditions...

This is a great story -- I'll pass it along to Stu Smith, who is
compiling the latest edition of "The Burger Bible."

They didn't bother to cook the pot? Now, that is stupid.

Thanks, dahlink.

B.

On Oct 9, 2006, at 1:26 PM, Michelle McRuiz wrote:

Restaurant workers spice officers' burgers with pot...

Three fast-food restaurant workers were taken into custody Sunday evening after two police officers discovered that the hamburgers they had ordered had been sprinkled with marijuana. The Isleta Police Department officers were had eaten about half of their burgers from a Burger King restaurant in Los Lunas before realizing that something was wrong. Opening the burgers, they discovered marijuana sprinkled on top of the meat.

"One of the officers, when he was eating his hamburger, he said, 'This thing
tastes like it has marijuana in it,'" said Lieutenant Joseph Sanchez of the Los Lunas Police Department. "And that's when he opened it up to see what was inside.
The officers used a field test kit, which confirmed that the green, leafy substance was pot. Officials say that the officers began acting odd after ingesting the marijuana and their sergeant sent them to a hospital for a medical evaluation.

The three Burger King employees were arrested and charged with possession of
marijuana and aggravated battery on an officer, which is a felony. They've been identified as 19-year-old Justin Armijo, 21-year-old Robert Nuckols and their manager, 33-year-old Joseph Ledefma

Scala's Bistro

Scala’s Bistro
432 Powell Street at Sutter
The Sir Francis Drake Hotel
415-395-8555
A+
When someone told the reigning Mr. San Francisco that there was a guy trying to write a balanced review of every joint in San Francisco offering a burger, I got an email from Harry Denton suggesting I’d neglected his favorite which is made by the talented kitchen at Scala’s Bistro, home to his world renowned Starlight Room perched atop this landmark hotel in the heart of Union Square. Harry graciously offered to be our host with an unconditional guarantee that he would accept whatever we wrote, so a friend of both of ours, Jacob Logsdon, joined us and we experienced the Scala burger he rightfully takes such pride in. This is a beautiful restaurant and bar, brought to life by the Kimpton folks and a San Francisco dining destination since it opened.

The bar and dining room is part of the southern side of the entrance and lobby and is warm and welcoming with rich woods, a multitude of period lighting, comfortable seating and tables, most separated like booths at shoulder level with etched glass and polished mahogany. We were given one of these booths and it was the first thing Harry noticed when he joined Jacob and me, because they’re a little tight for the full bodied man and Harry and I share that dubious distinction but it worked. Service is great with handsome men and great looking gals dressed like the staff at Harry’s in Venice but friendlier and better at their job. A selection of house made breads, extra virgin olive oil and ice water with lemon were set on the table with an invitation to ask for more if we wanted, always a welcoming touch. Harry insisted we try more than just the burger so we split a small plate of wild boar meatballs and another of ‘Earth and Surf’ with crisp calamari, rock shrimp, onion, fennel, green beans, spicy aioli and both were superb.

A full bar and an expansive wine list only add to the large number of choices visitors to this great destination are faced with, but now to the burger. On the main menu under Panini they list the ‘Bistro Burger’ with traditional accompaniments on a house made egg bun with pommes frietes and a choice of either cheddar or mountain gorgonzola, and the waiter smiled with assurance as we each ordered our burger with a different cheese and a different degree of done. The burgers arrived and we were unanimous that we each were enjoying one of the great burgers to be had anywhere. The meat was cooked perfectly as ordered for each one of us, the cheese was melted to perfection and the bun was toasted just right. The fries are addictive and worthy of a glowing review on their own and it didn’t end there. Fine pickled squash replaced the more traditional pickles and are also habit forming and also each platter held fine sliced tomato, lettuce and aioli.

The beauty, rich ambience and discreet service along with outstanding ingredients and a dedicated kitchen come together to make this a stellar burger, but more than that I’m glad Harry insisted we try some additional items this Michelin candidate offers with such skill and excellence because this is now part of my inventory of must visit fine dining restaurants in San Francisco as well as a candidate for the Burger Bible Hall of Fame for their brilliant burger.

The Bell Tower

The Bell Tower
1900 Polk Street at Jackson
415-567-9596
A
Once upon a time when Polk Street was the gay center of San Francisco, this unique little building was home to one of the Noble Frankfurters that stayed open until the wee hours for those craving greasy sustenance after a long night imbibing beyond reason. An interesting and sharp young gal named Barb had bartended down in the financial district and bought the place and went through the beaureacratic morass of becoming a tax paying employer in this graft ridden city. It’s a cozy, small space with knee high windows that climb to arched moldings separating the ceiling and adorned with murals. All the windows look out on the busy corner of Jackson and Polk and there are mature trees that lend civility and ambience. Well worn in a way the reflects the casual, well lived in nature of the place rather than neglect, the décor consists of various old and new floors, deco paintings and murals, art glass hanging lamps, an old mahogany bar with red leather upholstered bar stools and chairs throughout. This is a neighborhood classic much like people like to think of ‘Cheers’ but its earned and justified here. Simplicity, friendliness and constant chatter compete with canned tunes and several large flat screened televisions showing sports events with the sound muted most of the time. The staff is as much at home as the regulars and banter between everyone is a constant, and welcoming. It’s small with about 14 tables up and down and maybe 18 bar stools at the bar and sidebar so it can get crowded, but has always been warm and friendly. The burger is excellent and pride shows in every aspect of the preparation and presentation. Good ground chuck is hand formed into half pound patties and char grilled to order, places on a toasted artisan bun that has actually been hollowed out to fit the meat and melting cheese like a glove. The large white steakhouse platter arrives with the burger open faced and several leaves of chilled romaine, a couple thick slices of fresh juicy tomato and red onion as well as a pile of good sliced pickles. Filling out the plate are a mound of almost perfect shoestring fries that are hot and crisp.

Sometimes the wait staff can be aloof which can be distracting and uncomfortable, but usually this really is Cheers with smiling staff and patrons sharing all sorts of good vibes all the time. They have a full bar, a bunch of artisan beers, a small wine list that is smart and fairly priced and bartenders that make great drinks with generous pouring and fine ingredients. The kitchen is exposed and looks down on the lower dining room and bar which is kinda cool, and the upper dining room is more intimate and quiet. In addition to the excellent burger, they offer a variety of sandwiches, salads and some mighty fine blue plate specials and everything is priced favorably for the young folks starting to climb the ladder of success. This is a fun, neighborhood saloon and pub that serves very good food, drink and atmosphere so get there early and don’t miss their burger.

The Big Four in The Huntington Hotel

The Big Four – Huntington Hotel
1075 California Street
415-474-5400
A+
Situated at the top of Nob Hill across the street from Grace Cathedral, Huntington Square Park and The Union Pacific Club and within yards of The Masonic Auditorium, The Mark Hopkins Hotel and The Fairmont is this grand and deluxe restaurant and bar that rivals the great restaurants and bars of the world. Located off the lobby of the Huntington Hotel, the Big 4 Restaurant is known locally as "the place" for the power lunch — a reputation aptly deserved as both social and business titans alike relish the privacy this exclusive San Francisco restaurant affords them. Guests enjoy the heady ambience while savoring perennial favorites, including one of the best burgers one can find in San Francisco. This uniquely historic San Francisco restaurant is named after the nation's four most famous railroad tycoons of the nineteenth century – C.P. Huntington, Charles Crocker, Leland Stanford, and Mark Hopkins. Appointed with lead-glass mirrors and forest-green banquettes, the Big 4 Restaurant instantly transports guests to another era of San Francisco dining and décor, with an impressive collection of original artifacts, historical photographs, and memorabilia from California's unique history. The burger is made from a huge hand formed chuck of choice ground chuck which is char broiled to order and served on a toasted and heavily seeded bun that easily absorbs the fine juices the meat lets off. Good white cheddar cheese is melting over the meat when served and the white steak platter is filled with generous portions of really fine tomato, lettuces and onion along with a good whole pickle.

Rounding out this glorious burger experience, the plate is brimming over with crisp, hot and addictive shoestring fries, lightly salted and delicious. A small plate with individual ramekins of good catsup, mustard and mayo are also offered and appreciate. The bar area is home to about a dozen nice tables where a limited but excellent menu is offered at really great prices. The dining room is a more formal affair but is equally warm and inviting. Green leather club chairs, thick etched glass table, white napery and solid silver plate flatware and discreet whispered service make this a premier destination for all great food and drink, along with a terrific pianist playing a concert grand and truly professional bar and wait staff come together to make this one of the great burger experiences anywhere. A must visit for any burger and history lover.

It's Tops

It’s Tops
1801 Market Street at Octavia
415-431-6395
B-
“Where Good Friends Meet” since 1952 reads their logo on the menu. This place has been around a long time and is in great condition for a restaurant in a geriatric state. This is American Diner personified and really tiny to boot. There is an anal retentive aura about this diner, and it’s comforting and alarming at the same time, kind of like arriving at The Bates Motel exhausted, and the relief Janet Leigh expressed when she got into that steaming hot shower. That is of course, the rest of the story as Paul Harvey has proclaimed about the same amount of time It’s Tops has been open. The walls and ceiling are vintage knotty pine with a recent coat of varnish. The floor is drab linoleum that may just be so old the pattern or colors are worn away. There are 12 burnt orange stools at the counter and 8 booths that can squeeze four, five or more depending on size and lots of small people crowd into this place late at night. Oldie’s but Goodie’s play at all hours of the day or night and they have old fashion Seeburg ‘Wall-O-Matic’ juke box selectors along the counter and at each booth lending an authenticity money can’t buy. The walls are adorned randomly with bric a brac aimed at presenting a rustic, quaint atmosphere that works. The waitress wears black and pink in a period uniform that might be from the era they were first worn in diners. The waiters wear black slacks and pink t-shirts with the joint’s logo and messages printed on them. They have a sign outside that proudly proclaims that they have the best burger in the city according to someone’s poll and if it’s true, I’m reducing the price on the Brooklyn Bridge just for you! The burger I order arrived as ordered, but had that unmistakable taste of previously frozen meat although the bun was toasted and very good. The bun looked just like the buns Costco sells in bulk that are dusted with cornmeal and are a good match for a juicy burger. The cheese was melted, the lettuce chopped and the whole thing came with a slathering of mayo, a couple slices of tomato and three thin slices of pickle.

Joining the cheeseburger on the small white plate with a blue ring on the outer rim were some heavily salted, house cut fries that were fresh and limp, as well as too salty. I note that it is also more expensive than most other burgers reviewed by the Burger Bible and lacking in vision and character that most much better display in abundance. It’s Tops offers a broad menu including sandwiches, salads, desserts and a variety of blue plate specials and quirky, almost petulant service that is polite but suspicious in an eerie way, like Norman Bates. It also boasts some of the weirdest hours I’ve ever seen because they close from 3:00 to 8:00 PM weekdays which I guess is siesta time for the strange staff. It’s worth a visit because it’s strange but good. They offer lots of fountain shakes and malts.