East Lansing Burger Club

Outposted

Posted by Erik | | Posted On Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 7:43 AM

In your Headlights:

Staring into the eyes of taste at Leo's

Despite the extended hiatus that occurred on this blog, due to school situations, economic issues, and a whole host of other Michigan-related maladies and problems, the burger club has not stopped. We still strive to try out new burgers around the area, and our base is ever-expanding. We've gone from the Eastern-most part of East Lansing to the Wild Wild West of Potterville, learning as we go.

Our trip to Leo's Outpost was right in there, nestled perfectly amongst the other burgers of Lansing, and with a lot of its own unique surprises. This was our smallest meeting EVER, with only three members- Dave, Michelle and myself. Luckily, it was a trip that was packed with flavor and unique experience.

The outpost is going for a lodge feel, with a cabin-style building filled with taxidermy. The log cabin that is Leo's fits strangely and nicely in the depressing Lansing neighborhood that envelops it, a counterpoint to the city. This theme holds true for all of Leo's amenities. The railroad tracks running right next to the restaurant also provide a reason to take shots, named after locomotive lingo. Nature scene

placemats set the mood as you find your table and prepare to order. Deer heads, a fox and even a black bear occupy the outpost and keep its patrons company. Although this is a nice touch, there was one issue- sitting in the third booth from the back of the restaurant puts you in direct line of sight with a deer- staring directly at you. Although the modernity of the BWL Chili cook-off posters that adorn the walls offsets the dead animals, this deer was a little unsettling.

While the crowd that occupies the restaurant may not be who I want to hang out with on a Friday night, the quiet family atmosphere helps the flow of good food. Teddy Roosevelt look-alikes come with their families for an after-church meal or drink, middle-aged Lansing regulars are

everywhere and probably do the majority of the business for the restaurant (but only because others don't know about it).
Much like Reno's, Leo's has two locations in Lansing: Leo's Outpost on Pennsylvania, and Leo's Lodge on Jolly. The menus are the same, the atmosphere is the same, but the cabin on Jolly fits in with the surrounding area a bit better. In my opinion, this makes the outpost more of a diamond in the rough.

We had the pleasure of visiting on a Sunday, which features the Make Your Own Bloody Mary special ($3.50). This is the most unique bar offering I have encountered, and would travel back for these Marys specifically. You are given some vodka, some tomato juice, some pilsner, a glass to mix them in, and a whole slew of fixins (dill sauce, tabasco, lemon pepper, celery salt, worcestershire sauce, etc.). This presents infinite opportunities for making bloody marys. The only downside of this is that if you are unfamiliar with the proper proportions (or have

already made two or three of these), you are likely to be left with an overly spiced glass of alcoholic tomato juice. This is not really a drawback- despite whatever slop you may be drinking the result is hilarious for your friends.

This fantastic special is in addition to their regular taps, which include Michigan favorites as well as domestic classics. I was excited to find Crooked Tree IPA on tap - one of my favorite Michigan Microbrews from Dark Horse Brewing in Marshall. This was a great follow-up to my bloody mary (and went well with my burger!)

Leo's offers five options to get a burger: their "create your own" option ($6.99 + $0.75 per item), which through experience tends to add up quickly and be costly, and four others: a patty melt($7.99), a venison burger($8.99), an olive burger($7.99), and the "houghton hancock" burger($7.99), which features smoked ham and cheddar cheese. All burgers are 1/2 pound. Leo's website offers this info about their burgers: "We use Montreal Steak Seasoning on all of our burgers, then they are chargrilled medium and served with French fries."

Dave and I were both glad to see the venison burger on the menu- something we haven't seen on other ELBC excursions- and promptly ordered them up. Michelle opted for the patty melt (served on marble rye bread). Unfortunately for me, eating a venison burger whilst being stared at by a dead deer's head make the whole experience infinitely more awkward (but equally as tasty). My venison burger blew my mind. My first bite included the exclamation "holy shit", followed by far fewer words as I scarfed it down. They were served on ciabatta buns, toasted without our request (always an ELBC plus) with grilled onions.

The seasoning and chargrilling of this burger really made it as delicious as it was- the meat was good quality and the seasoning brought it where it should have been. I was skeptical about the venison burger mixture- I had never tasted a venison patty with as much juiciness, without any gaminess. Further inquiry to the waiters at Leo's revealed that it is in fact a 100% ground venison burger. Although the seasoning was a little too salty (as montreal steak seasoning tends to be) it really brought out the characteristics of the venison. Michelle was a little less happy with her patty melt- she found the medium that she ordered was a little bit overdone, and the onions lacked flavor. However, she enjoyed the seasoning as well as Dave and I both did. The fries were not especially notable - but Michelle liked to see that they brought out malt vinegar to serve with the fries, rather than requesting it.

These meals were filling - but eating the leaner venison was probably a bit better than the half pound beef patties. Our service was good, with no complaints, and our waitress friendly. Any special requests we had were taken care of without question- a good way to keep patrons coming back, and to create regulars.

All of us agreed that we will ret

urn to Leo's- for the burgers, the bloody marys, and the overall coziness of the restaurant. It should become a staple for most Lansing residents- good drink specials, good food, good service, cool decor. It really is balanced in its excellence.

Since the time of this ELBC visit, Michelle has sadly ceased to eat red meat. We have already mourned the loss of a fellow carnivore, and welcome her back to rejoin the ranks of burger-lovers any time. Despite this loss, Michelle has been an asset to ELBC meetings, and she is encouraged to come sit in on future meetings. Thanks also go out to her for the excellent photos and excellent company.

We've got a few more experiences under our belt that we have yet to write about - Art's Bar, Joe's Gizzard City in Potterville, Paul Revere's, Fleetwood Diner, Peanut Barrel. Anything in particular you'd like to see first? East Lansing staples like Peanut Barrel, or more unique adventures like Gizzard City? We are always on the move- whenever you eat burgers, keep your eyes out for us! We continuously lurk behind mounds of meat to taste and conquer- and are always looking for your feedback.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
ELBC Burger Love:

Doneness/Cooked to Order: 4 - Michelle: "Meat was properly seasoned,

but overcooked"

Freshness/Topping Quality: 3.67

Bun: 4 - Ciabatta toasted without asking. Great meat/topping support.

Food Price: 4.33

Drink Price: 4.5

Patty Seasoning/flavor: 4.17 - Amazing seasoning, a tad too salty.

Speed: 4.33

Likability of Waiter/Waitress: 3.67

Accommodation of Special Requests: 4.5 - Michelle: "No questions asked when David asked for extra toppings on his burger."

Appearance: 4 - Taxidermy, log cabin, wood chairs and tables. Rustic.

Ambiance: 4

Crowd: 3.67

Cleanliness: 4.17

My Overall Rating: 5 - I found a lot of things here that I hadn't expected- Delicious burgers with good seasoning, a deer that wouldn't leave me alone, and some great drink specials. I am very satisfied.

Dave's Overall Rating: 3.5 - "I recall that the food was awesome, as was the drink. Venison was very well prepared, wasn't dry, perfectly cooked."

Michelle's Overall Rating: 4 - "Erik's Venison burger was fucking amazing- I'm definitely getting that next time. And yes, I will be back. Appearance of the plate was kind of disappointing, but the burger overall was great. Erik will be back, but probably not sit in the same seat. Rad placemats. Very comfortable restaurant- a little cold though."

Burger: 4.11
Service: 4.17
Restaurant: 3.96
Likelihood of Returning: 5
Group Overall Value: 4.5
Group Overall Rating: 4.17

ELBC Official Rating for Leo's Outpost: 4.17/5

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The Flood Burger: Is this what Crunchy's is going for?

Posted by Dr. James McSaddle | Labels: burgers, cooking, experimental, olympics, syndicated | Posted On Friday, February 12, 2010 at 3:33 PM

The Burger Lab Presents:

THE FLOOD BURGER

Posted by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, February 12, 2010 at 9:00 AM

It's time for another round of The Burger Lab. Got a suggestion for an upcoming topic? Email Kenji here, and he'll do his best to answer your queries in a future post. Become a fan of The Food Lab on Facebook for play-by-plays on future kitchen tests and recipe experiments.

Clockwise from top left: A ready-to-sear Flood Burger, the best use for my citrus juicer, autopsy of the beast, excellent crust on a smashed burger [Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Flood Burgers

Ready for a burger explosion?
Here's the recipe for Flood Burgers! »

I have just cooked and consumed what may have been the single greatest burger to come out of my kitchen. And my kitchen averages about a dozen burgers a week. Want proof? Just smell my wife's hair. Eau de bouef. (sorry dear).

We'll get to that burger, but first, a little background:

A couple of weeks ago, I asked Vogue food writer Jeffrey Steingarten about his thoughts on the Shake Shack's burger. His reply? "it's 4 ounces. That's too small to ever be a great burger."

Then, a couple nights ago, I asked The Hamburger: A History author Josh Ozersky"White Diamond, Bill's, maybe Rub's. Not sure, but It would definitely have to be something 4 ounces or less." what his last burger on earth would be. His response?

These two equally valid opinions represent what I consider to be one of the great dichotomies of the burger world. Those who prefer the small, thin, 4-ounce or less, smashed-style of burger (à la Shake Shack or Bill's), and those who prefer thick, medium-rare, 6 to 8 ounce pub-style behemoths (à la Corner Bistro or Minetta Tavern).

The crux of the matter is this:

Crust vs. Juice

A smashed burger, like the one here, places emphasis on the all-important sear. As long as you get a flavorful, well-browned, salty crust on the meat, who cares if you give up a bit of juiciness—that's what oozy fatty American cheese is for, right?

Besides, flavor is what bacon is for, right?

In the other camp, however, are those people that prefer the mouthfeel and satisfying heft of a burger that's thick enough to retain a medium rare center. The problem is, there's a reason why steak tartare comes served with chopped pickles, shallots and capers: Rare ground beef doesn't have all that much flavor. For the people who fall in this camp, it's not worth it to try and up the ratio of flavorful crust if it means losing some of the juicy, medium rare center. Besides, flavor is what bacon is for, right?

Being a die-hard member of the thin, crusty, but-maybe-not-too-juicy camp, my goal this week was to analyze the technique of burger smashing, and come up with a method that optimizes juice retention without losing any of the flavorful crust. To that end, I made a couple dozen smashed burgers, changing the strength and timing of the smashing each time.

Time to Squeeze Some Burgers

In order to gauge the amount of juices being lost I placed each patty in a citrus juicer and squeezed every last drop of juice (a combination of rendered fat and intramuscular liquid) out of them.**

**Full disclosure: you need to get in there with your hands a bit to get the last few drop of juice out.

Alton Brown is adamant about throwing out any tool that does not have more than one use, so I'm glad I get to keep my juicer.

The problem? My results were pretty boring. Turns out that as long as your temperature and cooking time are the same (2 minutes at 600 degrees for mine), and you don't touch the burger after the initial smash (which can take place at any time up to 45 seconds after you've placed your burger on the hot surface), the amount of juice it retains is pretty much the same no matter what you do—about a tablespoon for every two ounces of 85/15 ground beef.

On the other hand, I now had in my hands a pretty exciting new product: seared burger juice. Composed of about 25% fat and 75% liquid, the juice had all of the flavor of a perfectly seared, crusty brown burger. Close your eyes and hold it under your nose, and you wouldn't know the difference.

The only question that remained was, what could I do with it?

How to Make Juice-Filled Burgers

Since all the flavor of a great seared burger was trapped in this bowl of liquid, what if I were somehow able to incorporate that flavor into a thicker, juicier, pub-style burger to get the best of both worlds?

Are you pondering what I'm pondering, Pinky?

Remember that scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when Gene Wilder, in reference to his Wonkavision says, "if they can do it with a photograph, why can't I do it with a bar of chocolate?" Replace "a photograph" with "liquid-center bubble gum" and "bar of chocolate" with "hamburger," and you have a pretty good idea of what was going through my head.

The execution was simple. I froze two tablespoon of seared burger juice in a small bowls while I measured out two 3-ounce balls of ground beef which I formed into thin patties. One of them, I gave cupped edges. Then, Jucy Lucy-style, I placed the frozen disk of burger juice inside the cup of one patty, placed the other patty on top, crimped the edges, and carefully sealed, and re-formed the burger into one large patty.

Things are looking good.

To cook the patty, I heated up oil in a high-carbon-steel crepe pan (my favorite pan for cooking small batches of burgers—they hold even heat like cast iron, but heat up much faster than the thick skillets) until it was smoking hot, then added the patty. Everything was going well until I flipped it, whereupon the patty split open, juice gushed out, hot fat spattered, the skillet caught fire, and I dumped the whole thing into the sink.

I fired up one more burger, this time remembering to prick is with a toothpick as soon as I flipped it over in order to provide a channel for some of the steam to escape and prevent premature eruption. For good measure, I added a slice of cheddar. The bun was a toasted Arnold's (which, as you can tell by its relative lack of freshness, had been in my fridge for a week).

It literally had the juice of two burgers inside it, which sprung on me like a soup dumpling on an unsuspecting dim-sum newbie.

Despite knowing what was inside, I was totally unprepared for the torrent of flavorful juice that gushed into my mouth as I bit into it. It literally had the juice of two burgers inside it, which sprung on me like a soup dumpling on an unsuspecting dim-sum newbie.

Though I was expecting it to have a hollow center filled with juice, the results were actually far better: the juices melted and soaked into the meat as the patty cooked, resulting in a burger that doesn't really seem different from a normal burger, other than the fact that burger is just as flavorful in its medium rare center as it is on its crusty exterior, and that it is ridiculously juicy.

If Snooki were a bun, she'd be all over this juicehead of a burger.

Now to come up with a name. I asked the Burger Lab's Facebook community for input and got quite a few good responses. Lava burger, Slurpy Joe, Truffle Shuffle, Goo-Burger, etc. For now, I'm going with "Flood Burger," but if you've got better ideas, I'd love to hear them!

I figure naming this burger will be good practice for when Adri and I eventually have to name our kids, who will only be slightly less important than ground beef.

From: A Hamburger Today: Burger Lab

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Ted's Restaurant - A Steamed Gooey Phenomenon

Posted by Anonymous | Labels: big burgers, out-of-state, steamed-burgers, syndicated | Posted On Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 3:33 PM

Ted's Restaurant - A Steamed Gooey Phenomenon

Ted's Restaurant http://www.steamedcheeseburger.com/

1046 Broad St

Meriden, CT 06450-3446

THE STORY
No one seems to have the exact date but sometime around the 1950's, Jack's Lunch in Middleton, CT made it's mark on burger history. Jack's lunch was the first to start steaming their burgers. The phenomenon caught on quickly, well that is if you consider the popularity of something in the Wallingford-Meriden, CT a

phenomenon. Popularity contests be damned, central CT is still serving up their ground beef sandwiches steamed and the place to get them is Ted's Restaurant. Since 1959, Ted's has served these little numbers to the adorning public topped with their famous "secret" steamed cheese.

When it came up that I would be travelling to Hartford, CT for the Rockstar Mayhem Festival, I immediately wanted to re-try visting Louis Lunch. When Burger Guru George Motz from Hamburger America reminded me that they are closed for August (WHY!?!?!) I immediately swtiched up our destination to Ted's. The burger meat and the companion cheese are both steamed in a patented device known as the "Burg'R Tend'R" by Dale Greenbacker while the home fries and onions are cooked on a flat top griddle. So it's not that they don't have the technology, it's that they refuse to make burgers on it.

THE BURGER
Ted's is right off the highway and be careful, it's easy to miss. It's a small hut attached to a house with 3 green picnic tables outside. Do not be tempted to visit Quality Time, the much larger and easier to find competitor right off the highway, Ted's is the way to go. With only a few counter stools and tables, there isn't much room for, well anything. The server will take your order at the door and then you can choose to sit, where your food will brought. It only took a few minutes before our steamed burgers and home fries arrived. Served on large kaiser roll, I got mine with bacon, lettuce, fried onions, mustard and of course the cheese, which once steamed has the consistency of hot lava.

The burger has a very unique texture and taste. The meat is thick and although it's moist, it isn't juicy. It's almost a gamey flavor but not really. The cheese is fantastic and as you can see by the photo below, very, very, very gooey. In fact, I suggest flipping the sandwich over (cheese on bottom) so you get a better taste of the melty goodness. The bacon they use is top notch and actually what made me really appreciate burger.

I wish the home fries were a little crispier but I love that the non-standard burger place has a non-standard potato side. The steamed cheese burger is almost hard to describe and it is not intended to be loved by your standard fast food burger fan. True burger fans, this is one for the books.

From: Burger Conquest

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Rousting for Reno's

Posted by Erik | | Posted On Monday, January 18, 2010 at 11:52 AM

Burgers of the Sun:

ELBC heads to the East Side

Our adventures have taken us all around East Lansing and Lansing seeking whatever catches our eye and tempts our appetite. The countless unique restaurants that this area provides gives us a wonderful selection for comparison of the American staple that is beef, bun and beauty.

Despite the individuality the restaurants show, there also seems to be a lot of "sports bars". These can vary quite a bit, and their overall atmosphere seems to depend on the crowds that frequent them. Reno's East Side fits right in with the sports bar population. Reno's East Side is mirrored by Reno's West Side in Lansing, which has the same menu and look but in a bigger building. We may visit there later for comparison, but I suspect that food and service are relatively similar between the two restaurants... If you want to try out Reno's, you're probably safe going to either one.

The restaurant looks like a typical sports bar, with TVs wherever you turn and tuned to various

sporting events. It is much more spacious than most sports bars, however. All the extra floor space allows Reno's to have pool tables, air hockey, and video games for patrons to use.

The large areas were a drawback for Molly, who thought that the dark and mostly empty side room we ate in was lonely. She described it as "sitting in your living room alone watching football."I echo the sentiment. Restaurants with wide open spaces make me feel like I am on display for others to watch (and vice-versa), and removes any kind of intimacy between people coming together. Except for potentially humorous people-watching opportunities, this is a bad thing. This problem really only affects one side of the restaurant, which is positive, because the other space is very nicely separated and filled with tables and games.

The Reno's crowd is mostly

older than college age- they target middle-class males and their families over college students from East Lansing (despite proximity to Chandler's Crossings and other low-price housing). This turns out to be ok, as most are old MSU fans and don't mind sharing a restaurant with current Spartans. The atmosphere is pretty friendly and inviting, and a lot quieter than other sports bars in the area, even when it is packed during a basketball or football game.

Reno's has an impressive drink menu. Their 24 taps include micro-brews from Michigan as well as Strongbow cider and Uncle John's pear cider(Perry). Dave was especially happy to see the pear cider, which is a pretty rare drink to find in the States. In addition to a great beer selection, they have a huge list of mixed drinks and shots- Reno's clearly encourages eccentric ways to get drunk, which gets their support from me. Unfortunately, the beverage prices weren't particularly good, and you end up paying a bit more than other bars for the same things.

Besides the alcoholic drinks, Reno's also has the audacity to carry both Coke and Pepsi products! Harmony reigns in Reno's bar... Try asking for a Coke/Pepsi mixture and feel the world hug itself. Vernor's, the Michigan original, is also listed prominently among the other beverages, evoking respect from me, Carl, and other ginger ale aficionados.

Reno's provides free popcorn to eat as you wait for your food, which is... popcorn. It's what you expect it to be. You will eat too much of it. That being said, free food is always welcome, even in kernel form. The only other appetizer we saw was Molly's order of mac and cheese bites- pieces of mac and cheese breaded and deep-fried. Yes, they're as good as they sound- I actually think they're better. Molly thought they were "Tasty and fresh", and found that there was plenty to share. If you've never had these before, they're worth trying.

Now we come to the main event: the burgers. Dave and I ordered "Dave's olive burger", Molly had miniburgers, Carl ordered a cheeseburger with gouda, and Amber had the Westsider (BBQ sauce, smoked bacon, onion rings, jalapeno jack cheese). These are among the eight choices of burgers provided by Reno's menu. They are all around $8.00 and include french fries ($1.00 extra for onion rings or waffle fries, $1.50 to load the fries with bacon, cheese and green onions) as well as lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and mayo. Something they also include on their menu is the ability to substitute a Boca burger or chicken breast for a beef patty on any burger for free.

The patties are black angus, and although their method of cooking isn't described (I would

assume they're grilled) the half pound burger patties were not overly greasy or juicy, and they were seasoned mildly. The seasoning wasn't exquisite, but it wasn't bad at all.

The burgers are served on a kaiser bun, which is generally a good choice. These buns had a hint of sweetness to them. They were definitely substantial to hold the burger without crumbling into oblivion, but some of us weren't happy with our level of toasting. Further toasting would have improved the burger and maybe evened out the strange gum-like texture of the kaiser bun. Mediocre ratings prevailed for the bun, but I personally congratulate Reno's for even trying something different.

Topping quality alone cannot make a hamburger. However, Reno's received unusually good ratings for their topping freshness, which is a sign that they are using good produce. Further investigation of the site includes this disclaimer: "We pride ourselves in buying locally grown and produced products. Many of our breads, produce,dressings, dairy, meats and paper goods are purchased from Michigan based businesses." This is a bit unexpected, and much appreciated. A little bit of support for Michigan and local businesses can go a long way in gaining customer loyalty.

Dave also found that his namesake olive burger was a good choice for another reason: "Olive placement was superior- under the cheese, with relish on the bun" The two-olive punch provided by Reno's Olive burger was surprising to me at first, and the mixture of texture between the olive relish and the actual olives melded with a good dynamic of flavor. Accompanied by the other fresh toppings of the burger, the flavors stood out as unique.

The service that we got at the restaurant was good. This may be attributed to the lack of patronage on a Sunday at 2:30 pm, but nevertheless we got fast and friendly service. Whatever problems that I had with the restaurant came from the kitchen, not the server. My burger was definitely overcooked, and Amber was the victim of a cheese switcheroo: "I don't think I got pepper Jack- I think they gave me mozzarella, but it was still fantastic."

Molly was disappointed as well with her food: "Too well done, no pink whatsoever, and fries that were much too crisp" she vigorously exclaimed. The loaded waffle fries that she had opted to pay extra for were not quite what she wanted. Luckily, the rest of us avoided the waffle crisps and chose the regular fries, albeit loaded. There were no complaints from the rest of us about the fries.

We all finished our meals feeling satisfied and full (albeit dizzy from being surrounded by televisions) , but there are quite a few things that Reno's could do to step up its game. Lowering the prices would be one step- another would be to hire cooks who actually try to cook to order. Overall, I would go back for good drinks, games and games, but at this point it is not a contender for any regular visits.

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ELBC Burger Happiness Analysis:

Doneness/Cooked to Order: 3.5 - I feel like the cooks ignored how I ordered my burger. Other members were happier.

Freshness/Topping Quality: 4.5

Bun: 3.5 - Supposed to be toasted- but were they really?

Price: 3 - David: "You get what you pay for."

Patty Seasoning/flavor: 3.5

Speed: 4 - Molly: "Appetizer and burger timing were spaced properly."

Likability of Waiter/Waitress: 4.5

Accommodation of Special Requests: 3.75

Appearance: 4 - Carl: "Lots of TVs, though all were tuned to NFL (ew.)"

Ambiance: 4

Crowd: 3.5

Cleanliness: 4.5

My Overall Rating: 3.5 - Pretty cool place, and the food was mostly solid, but the cooks failed to deliver what I really wanted, despite the intention of our server. The prices are a bit much, but I'd come here again for a good meal, some pool, and a mug of cider.

Dave's Overall Rating: 3.39 - "Popcorn is cool, Uncle John's Perry is delish- Big variety of food and drink, I will come back for other foods."

Carl's Overall Rating: 4 - "Gouda cheese on a burger? Never heard of it, but they have it and it was good. Toppings were real fresh and the bun was good, yet could have been toasted more. Good beer selection on tap. Overall, the burger was so good, I didn't want to put it down at first."

Molly's Overall Rating: 3.5 - "I appreciated the choice of Miniburgers when that was exactly the dish I was craving; however, I feel like I missed out on a lot of the appeal without being able to drink the beers and numerous fruity drinks- that would have pushed ratings from good to great. Ask me again in a year."

Amber's Overall Rating: 5 - "My burger and loaded fries accompanied by Strongbow were excellent. The ranch dressing was homemade and AWESOME on my fries. I like it, and I feel confident enough to express that."

Burger: 3.75
Service: 4
Restaurant: 4
Group Overall Value: 4
Group Overall Rating: 3.75

ELBC Official Rating for Reno's East Side: 3.75/5

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Burger King Franchises Sue Over $1.00 Double Cheeseburger

Posted by Dr. James McSaddle | Labels: big burgers, burgers, franchises, legal action, news | Posted On Monday, December 14, 2009 at 3:33 AM

Burger King Franchises Sue Over $1.00 Double Cheeseburger
A Home Of The Whopper Divided Cannot Stand

For the second time this year, Burger King is being sued by their own franchisees. In the most recent lawsuit, the franchisees are suing over the $1 double cheeseburger.

On behalf of the Burger King franchisees, the National Franchisee Association has filed another lawsuit against Burger King. The Association represents more than 80 percent of the Burger King franchisees in the US.

This lawsuit is the franchisees attempt to stop Burger King from setting the maximum price for the $1 double cheeseburger that Burger King has added to their value menu. According to the franchisees, it costs them ten cents more to make the sandwich than what Burger King is allowing them to sell it for.

Burger King added the $1 double cheeseburger to its value menu to attract price-conscious customers and compete with other fast food restaurants' value menus. Burger King has had its value menu since 2002.

Twice this year, the franchisees have voted against adding the $1 double cheeseburger to the value menu. In June, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled on Burger King's side.

The Appeals Court said that Burger King was able to contractually require their franchisees to participate in its BK Value Menu program. Burger King required all franchisees to add the $1 double cheeseburger to the value menu on October 19th.

Burger King is the world's second largest hamburger chain. Their franchise owners operate 90 percent of Burger King's restaurants.

The Association filed another lawsuit against Burger King back in May over rebate revenues from soda companies. In that lawsuit, the franchisees claim Burger King was diverting rebate revenues that belonged to them to the corporate advertising budget.

Burger King is known as the place to have it your way. The franchisees are suing Burger King over not being able to have it their way with the pricing of the $1 double cheeseburger.

Source: huliq.com

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Classiness at Clara's

Posted by Erik | | Posted On Friday, November 27, 2009 at 10:25 AM

Taking the "B" Train
Our one-track minds merge into Clara's Lansing Station

The tides have taken the E.L.B.C. back into Lansing to sample one of the area's most timeless restaurants. Clara's Lansing Station was established in 1978, 6 years after the closing of the Union station upon which it is built. The owners strive to recreate a piece of Lansing's past by filling their restaurant with historical items to satisfy patrons aesthetically. This includes using an actual dining car as part of the restaurant, pieces of furniture from R.E. Olds' former mansion, and beautiful antique chandeliers hanging from the wood beams of the ceiling.

We strode in on a Sunday afternoon with new members Robert, Norah, and Moses(read his music blog for some funky tunes) in tow, looking for some delectable treats to tame our wild tastebuds. Passing the impressive brunch buffet, we climbed the stairs to the balcony seating where the sailfish and moose on the walls shared our vantage point above the brass railings and wooden floors. Overlooking the restaurant is quite a spectacle, and there are countless interesting things scattered throughout worth seeing.

We sat in the restaurant mostly alone, except for a few gangster-looking types in fedoras eating in the dining car. The created an aura of pleasantness, but the restaurant would be much different were it filled.

Right away, Norah was disturbed by Clara's chosen temperature: "It's too cold with a t-shirt, but too hot with a sweater on." However, she was pleased with the musical selection, enjoying the Beatles and Mamas and the Papas played throughout the restaurant.

Peeling open the menu gives you a wide choice of food items and historical photos from the Lansing area, enhancing the old-timey feel harbored by Clara's. We ordered our drinks from a slightly enthused waiter who was willing to help, but not more than he had to. I got a chocolate malt to start. It was tasty and quite chocolaty, but there wasn't enough malt- I would be hesitant to serve something like I received and call it a malt.

Moses, Norah and I ordered pints of Eliot Ness, an amber lager from Great Lakes Brewing Company with our entrees. Although the beer was tasty and accompanied the burgers spectacularly, each pint cost us five dollars! None of us were impressed with the price tag- Clara's would do well to lower their pint prices to push more regional brews and gain credibility with beer drinkers. We were all awed by the inclusion of Vernors, our favorite ginger ale (except for Dave, who for some sick reason prefers Canada Dry). Robert was ecstatic to find Mountain Dew, and tries to avoid restaurants with Coke products where he can't find the neon-yellow nectar. He fit right at home at Clara's.

The restaurant represents a bit of a higher price range than we have experienced yet- burgers varied around $8.99, including a choice of fries, fruit, black beans and rice, Clara's chips (which will be discussed later), or coleslaw. There were nine burgers to choose from, covering a good

array of flavors including the Cowcatcher (smoked ham, bacon, cheddar) and the Philly (mushrooms, swiss cheese, onions, green peppers). Their largest burger, which Molly was brave enough to order for $11.99, is the King Burger. She claimed it was "HUGE!!!", noting the number of exclamation points. Weighing in at a pound of ground beef, it also holds American and Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing.

All burgers are half pound, charbroiled, and made from fresh patties. They cook their burgers medium well (a good level for most people) and include lettuce, tomatoes and pickles on all burgs.
They serve them on egg kaiser buns they ship in from Franklin Street Bakery in Minneapolis. The buns were definitely impressive, being more dense and more substantial to hold burgers than previous E.L.B.C. buns. They received high marks from everyone but Moses.

"Great top, sweet, toasted, weak bottom" He noted, pointing out the juices of his cheeseburger puddling to the bottom bun and possibly citing his last sexual experience. Molly disagreed, claiming the bun was "Sweet, crisp, with good contrast between inside softness and outside golden crispiness."

The burgers themselves were good, getting a 3.75 mark overall by the members. The seasoning used in the patties was not distinct, but flavorful. The meat really stood out as the predominant flavor in the burgers, which seemed to be unanimous. the toppings on my Philly burger were fresh, but didn't provide enough contrasting flavor to the powerful patty.

At one point, someone requested some condiments, extra mayo and malt vinegar. Then, something catastrophic happened. A bit of a derailing, if you will.

GFS condiments- In packets. We were all puzzled, and questions bloomed. Why would a restaurant striving for upscale quality be giving away packets of condiments to their patrons? If they do, why GFS? Is this just a lunch thing? Would we be served packaged condiments with a dinner? The packets are ridiculous- especially given the atmosphere and old-style feel that Clara's strives for. If I received a packet of mayo/mustard/ketchup with a dinner I ordered at Clara's, I would be immediately demerit the restaurant. Quality just can't be found in a GFS packet of mayonnaise, despite how cool the Blorange logo looks.

Back to Clara's chips - something the server tried to sell us on. Mostly everyone ordered them (I resisted the temptation and picked out some boring french fries) and nobody really enjoyed them.

"The 'Chips' were a disappointment," said David. "I Prefer a thin cut, wished for fries."

The "chips" consisted of a baked potato, cut about half an inch thick, and fried/baked. The skins were left on. I found it was like eating a crunchy baked potato- if I wanted a baked potato, I would have asked for one. I felt misled by the claim that they were "chips". If Clara's wanted to serve a thinly cut potato chip homemade, I would be all for it- but thick slices of potato don't quite do it.

We finished up our meal by sampling some of Molly's Blondie Sundae, which was wonderfully made. We all hoped for more room in our already-brimming stomachs to pack in this tasty concoction. Molly described it as "Ridiculously good", adding it was "Warm, fresh, and dusted with cinnamon sugar."

Overall, we had a great experience and a fun time at Clara's. The food layouts were appealing and colorful, the selection was great, and the burgers were well made in several respects. The ambiance stood out the most- I think we all will return for the experience that the restaurant provides. Save the condiments in packets, misleading chips and expensive beer, Clara's shines as a worthy restaurant in the Lansing area- a must-visit for any resident of Lansing or East Lansing, if not for the food than for the decor and history contained within. Satisfied and enlightened, the E.L.B.C. will keep on truckin'.

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Burger Math:

Doneness/Cooked to Order: 4.5

Freshness/Topping Quality: 3.5

Bun: 4.5 - I feel they would be even better were they toasted.

Price: 2.5 - Low marks due to high prices. Burgers with included sides were reasonable, but extras and drinks drove the price up far too much.

Patty Seasoning/flavor: 4

Speed: 3.5

Likability of Waiter/Waitress: 3.75

Accommodation of Special Requests: 4.5

Appearance: 5 - Moses:"Excellent decor, settled nicely between elegance and warm antiquity."

Ambiance: 4.75

Crowd: 3.75 - Moses: "Hardly anyone here, except for the gangsters."

Cleanliness: 4.5 - about 20 minutes after we arrived, Dave found a used toothpick on the table. Was it there the whole time? Did some ghostly apparition haunting the station leave it? We may never know.

My Overall Rating:4.5 - Great food, good presentation. I loved the things on the walls to look at and the historical feel of the restaurant. I hated the beer prices and the packets of condiments. I will be back.

Dave's Overall Rating: 4 - "Very good meat, bun, ambiance"

Robert's Overall Rating: 4 - "They have Vernors and Mountain Dew!"

Norah's Overall Rating: 5 - "The burger was good. I ate it."

Molly's Overall Rating: 4 - "Wish my stomach could handle this... until next week!"

Moses's Overall Rating: 4 - "I really enjoyed the decor and ambiance, with the exception of the packaged condiments. The burger was all-around good, cooked to order with a tasty though weak-bottomed bun. I thought the basic burgers were well-priced given the nice appearance, but I was put off by the price of extras and drinks."

Burger: 3.75
Service: 4
Restaurant: 4.5
Group Overall Value: 4
Group Overall Rating: 4.25

ELBC Official Rating for Clara's Lansing Station: 4.0/5

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Burgering at Bonnie's Place

Posted by Dr. James McSaddle | Labels: big burgers, lansing | Posted On Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 10:30 PM

Bloody Mary's, Brownies, & Burgering at Bonnie's Place

West Of East Lansing's Best Known Burger

Official Rating: 3.75/5

Bonnie's Place, like many other establishments in the Capitol Area, claims to have the best burger in Lansing. But they won't tell you which one they think it is. The Western, the Southwestern,the Jerk, the Bacon and Bleu Cheese, the Aloha, and the Bonnie's are among the twenty-three burger choices available at this bar and restaurant west of East Lansing.

Located near a Burger King, a Rally's and an A&W, Bonnie's offers an atmosphere that includes a bar and accommodates those who want to enjoy their burgers with company and maybe a beer; perhaps while catching the Spartans, Lions, Tigers,Pistons or Red Wings on one of Bonnie's several screens.

They might even show Wimbledon if it's the right time of year. I wouldn't count on World Cup Soccer.

But, unlike Crunchy's and a lot of other places near campus, Bonnie's Place caters to a clientele that consists largely of the permanent and long time residents of the Lansing area, which is evident in its Sunday crowd. Many of them make their living at GM, others downtown near the state capitol, and some are are bootleggers for light recreational drugs.

Although it isn't much to look at from the outside at its location near the corner of Cedar and

Saginaw, those who go to Bonnie's regularly are attracted to the warmth that is obvious when they first walk inside. A more uppity crowd might not jive with its wood paneled interior, the cushioned brown vinyl bar stools, the matching booths, and the walls lined with bar mirrors.

Bonnie's met our expectations on its interior experience by offering an unpretentious and comfortable dining experience.

Although I usually object to restaurants that serve Pepsi products over Coke, I will admit that their diner style "Pepsi-Cola" glasses were the best vessel for my Mountain Dew. I would have ordered the $3.00 Bloody Mary, which Erik and Amber rated highly, but I forgot my I.D.

"It could have been stronger, but for three bucks, I can't complain". said Amber.

"They put olives and a pickle in it, they aren't messing around," said Erik, Adding, " I was really

satisfied with the three dollar Bloody Mary".

I tried a sip of Amber's cocktail for myself, and I'll say it's exactly how I like to make a Bloody Mary, which is no simple feat. Usually they are too thin, but sometimes they are too thick or just flat in flavor. Sometimes I get one that doesn't have enough ice, or one that's made with generic tomato juice and bottom shelf vodka. But Bonnie's Place got the Bloody Mary right, and next time I come I'll have my I.D.

Our server, perhaps because she sympathized with

the situation regarding my misplaced driver's licence, was quick to offer refills on my Mountain Dew; which is good for you because it lowers your Sperm Count. It is, in fact, the number one contraceptive in Mexico.

Where expectations were met on the atmosphere and the quality of the drinks, there were different views on the burgers.

The server double checked every order as she wrote it down and made sure we knew that half pound burgers with toasted buns are the norm at Bonnie's.

The toasted buns are especially important, because they are very similar to the buns that Crunchy's uses, but they held the burger together better. Bonnie's

also claims that they serve "steak burgers". I dislike the use of ironic quotations, but my guess is that "steak burger" isn't a term backed up by any FDA standard or criterion.

"It was at least seasoned well, and there was a generous portion of fries," said Nate, who ordered the Southwestern Burger.

He added, "The patty itself tasted artificial and processed, the texture wasn't natural, so only a '2' overall".

Erik was more satisfied with his Bacon and Bleu Cheese burger. "It had a great flavor. It was cooked right (medium) but it wasn't too greasy," he said.

He added, "Toasting the bun is key. The large portion of fries helps to improve the value of the order".

Molly also had good things to say about her Aloha Burger, which consists of green pepper, tomato, and mozzarella. She added bacon at an additional charge.

"It was an interesting enough flavor combination," she said. "The bacon was an

expensive addition, about $2.00"

"They give you lots of fries, I like that," added Molly.

Amber didn't think her Baby Bonnie's Burger was exceptional. It is a quarter pound version of the half-pound Bonnie Burger, which includes American and Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and a quarter pound of shaved ham.

"It seemed to be a pre-formed patty, probably from GFS, the toppings made this unremarkable burger better," she said.

Adding, "I think I'd rather have a sandwich with just this ham".

I had a lot of mixed feelings about Bonnie's. Our server, whose name I failed to write down, was excellent. She helped us with our order, showed an enthusiasm for the food, and she made sure that we got everything we needed. She offered me refills on my

Mountain Dew faster than I could drink them. I hate when I have to flag down a server for basic things, and this one did a great job. Bonnie's does well above average on service based on E.L.B.C.'s experience.

They could have given me half as many fries, but I ate them all. They were pretty damn good.

I ordered the Jamaican Jerk burger. When the server brought it to my table, Erik said, "A jerk for a jerk," which was kind of a dick thing to say.

I presumed that because I was eating jerk and that I am a jerk that he must eat dick, because he is a dick. But that wasn't on the menu. Not at Bonnie's.

The Jerk Burger was cooked in Jamaican jerk seasoning and an onion ring. It would have been better with a Red Stripe, but the I.D. issue prevented this flavor pairing.

Everyone liked the fries and the solid portions that are served; although the onion ring on my burger was tasty. It made me want to

order a basket. I wanted to try more.

Bonnie's also serves stuffed olives and other goodies. This establishment would be wise to publish a menu online, perhaps on CampusFood.com.

I don't have an orthodox aversion to pre-formed patties, they can do the trick. But, Bonnie's Place claims to have the best burger in Lansing, and you just can't do that with a meat disc from Gordon's Food Service or Sysco. It makes me wonder if they serve the dreaded House Recipe Ketchup. When you're given evidence that the restaurant is skimping on something this crucial, you wonder where else they skimp and ultimately you wonder what you're paying for.

Bonnie's has a lot going for it, but they should consider a re-evaluation of its choice of meat.
That's probably good advice for us all.

On the plus side, Bonnie's serves dessert. We had a choice between Coconut Cream Pie and a Brownie Sundae. Amber, Molly, and Nate each ordered the latter. Everyone tried it and had several bites. But, most of us agreed that it was like the burger meat, pre-formed and unimpressive. This is the down side.

Nate said it tasted like it was a GFS Sundae. I felt like it tasted of the Little Debbie Fudge Brownies that I used to get for 25¢ at the gas station. Anyone with brownie mix, and a moderately priced carton of ice cream could have done better.

Bonnie's should consider baking some of its own desserts.

Bonnie's meets and exceeds expectations in so many ways. This good place to eat could be a great place to eat if they improved some of the food. Not until then will Bonnie's have the best burger in Lansing.

The best is out there, but our search continues.

Update: I tried contacting Bonnie's for more information about their burger patties, but they never got back to me. I will assume the worst. - Erik

ELBC Score Board: Overall Experience

Nate: 2
Erik: 4.5
Molly: 4
Amber: 3
David: 3

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ELBC Tabulated Numerical Burger Enjoyment Scale

Doneness: 4.25

These "steakburgers" are cooked medium well unless you ask otherwise.

Freshness/Topping Quality: 4

Bonnie's offers a lot of choices of toppings. Many of us agreed we would try a new one each time, but not all of us would go back.

Bun: 3.75

The same as Crunchy's, but toasted.

Price: 2.75

1/2 lb burgers ranged from 7.25 to 8.50, and 1/4 lb burgers ranged from $5.50 to $7.50. Making a burger "deluxe" costs 50¢, and includes mayo, lettuce and tomato. The Burger Special, which no one ordered includes a quarter pound burger with french fries and a domestic draft for $6.50.

Patty Seasoning/Flavor: 3

The seasoning and flavor was good, but the pre-formed patty was a turnoff for a lot of us, especially for a place that claims to have Lansing's best burger.

Speed: 4.25

Likability: 4.5

The service was exceptional.

Accommodation of Special Requests: 5

Appearance: 3.25

Ambiance: 3
Crowd: 3.25
Cleanliness: 3.75
Burger: 3.5
Service: 4.5
Restaurant: 3.5
Overall value: 3.5
Overall Rating: 3.25

Official Rating: 3.75/5

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Outposted

Posted by Erik | | Posted On Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 7:43 AM