Burgers With Buck: Reel Seafood

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Grindhouse Killer Burgers

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Reel Seafood (August 7)

World's collide in Woodstock, GA, and it's a good thing.  #BurgersWithBuck, meet Reel Seafood.  Huh, you say?  I did too.  The segment is not called #BlackenedTilapiaWithBuck, although I'm now considering pitching that idea to the Good Day Atlanta producers. 

So anyway, after hearing how good the Reel Seafood Ground Shortrib Brisket Burger is, the #BurgersWithBuck staff decided a trek to Woodstock was in order.  After all, it is my civic duty.

Bottom line, when Reel Seafood Executive Chef and owner David Silverman decided to add a burger to the menu, he knew it had to be good.  It is.  One bite and you'll be (bad pun alert) hooked.

The Ground Shortrib Brisket Burger begins with really good meat.  From there add grilled onions, pecan smoked bacon, and aged white cheddar cheese (and a fried egg on the Sunday Brunch Menu), and you get a burger that is not only memorable, but so good you'll forget you're in a seafood restaurant.  Click the link and check it out for yourself.

Also, if you haven't been to downtown Woodstock in a while, it's probably worth the road trip. 

For more information about Reel Seafood go to their website http://reel-seafood.com/#home

Moxie Burger (July 31) 

Making tough decisions is a part of life.  And deciding which of the more than 10 Moxie Burger, burger options to enjoy is a tough one.  For me, it came down to two.  The signature Moxie Burger or the Cadillac Burger.

The $7.50 Moxie Burger is made up of 6oz. certified Angus beef, bacon, fried green tomato, pimento cheese, and Moxie sauce.  As the name implies, the Cadillac Burger costs a little more, $10.50, namely because instead of beef, it is made of 6oz. White Oak Pastures lamb.  Add to that caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, goat

cheese, and creole chili sauce and you start to understand how tough this decision was going to be.

In the end, I went with the Cadillac, and really enjoyed it.  But at #BurgersWithBuck, we try to tell the whole story...Fair and Balanced.  So #BWB staff member Charles Holmes (no stranger to burgers) took it upon himself to sample (and by sample I mean eat every last bite) the Moxie.  And based on his review (with his mouth full), you can't go wrong either way.

For more information on Moxie Burger, go to their website http://www.moxieburger.net/.

Steinbeck's Ale House (July 17) 

Quality food and quality drinks are the staple of Steinbeck's Ale House in Oakhurst, so it was only a matter of time before it was feature on #BurgersWithBuck. The establishment has the feel of a small, independent Italian trattoria, but their signature Double-Double Burger is all American.

The description on the menu is simple: 'Animal Style, Million Island' (Million Island is 1,000 times better than Thousand Island if you're scoring at home). The ingredients are basic, but are all fresh and prepared in house. Starting with two 4 ounce Angus chuck and brisket patties, add shaved lettuce, shaved onions, and fresh cut tomatoes, and Million Island dressing tossed into a salad like creation. Don't forget the Applewood smoked bacon and American cheese. Is your mouth watering yet?

The Double-Double is an homage to Chef/GM Andy Gonzales' favorite burgers as a child which includes among others the Big Mac, the Wendy's Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, and the In-N-Out Double-Double. 

It's very good, but it is it good enough to get the coveted #BurgersWithBuck, #ThumbsUp?  You'll have to click on the link to find out for sure.

Heads up though, they are only open for lunch Thursday through Sunday.  For more information on Steinbeck's Ale House, go to their website steinbecksbar.com.

The Albert (July 10) 

Atlanta Magazine called it the 6th best burger in Atlanta, so of course #BurgersWithBuck had to check it out.  The burger known as The Albert is served daily at the Inman Park establishment which bears the same name. 

The two patties are thin.  The pimento cheese is house made.  The bacon is thickly cut.  The bun from La Baguette Bakery is toasted and the red onions are pickled.  When you put it all together you get a memorable burger experience.

On Sunday, The Albert will celebrate its 8th anniversary as what Creative Loafing called "a comfortable neighborhood watering hole that serves consistently good bar food and drinks". 

One more thing, in the world of gourmet burgers, The Albert Burger is very affordable by comparison.  $10 will get you any one of the five varieties of burgers on the menu as well as any one of the nine side item options.  For more information on The Albert including a look at the menu, co to their website at http://www.thealbertatlanta.com/. 

Zinburger (June 26) 

Energetic, modern, upbeat, sleek, and contemporary...these are just some of the adjectives that have been used to describe Zinburger Wine and Burger Bar at Lenox Square. While all of these are accurate, the segment is not called Atmosphere With Buck.

Here at #BurgersWithBuck, we enjoy atmosphere and ambiance as much as anyone else, but our number one priority is, of course, the burger. At Zinburger, there are more than 15 different burger varieties on the menu, not to mention the 'build your own' option. After consulting with Executive Chef David Maini, we opted for the Kobe Burger which includes cheddar cheese, wild mushrooms, lettuce and mayo, but the star of the show is the fresh ground, American Style Kobe Beef that is cooked to order.

So does the Zinburger Kobe Burger earn the coveted Burgers With Buck Thumbs Up? What do you think? But you'll have to click the link to find out for sure, and make sure to watch the segment all the way to the end.

For more information on Zinburger Wine and Burger bar click here.

Meat 'N Greet (June 19) 

There is plenty of variety on the menu at Meat 'N Greet located just off the historic square in Newnan, but make no mistake, it is a burger restaurant. The 10 different burgers on the menu have names like Textbook, Not So PC, High West, and One Eyed Willie and range in price from $8.50 - $12.00.

According to the menu, the patties are a proprietary blend of chuck, brisket, and hanger, served on a handmade Artisan Brioche bun with your choice of a side. The side items include whole cut fried okra, hand cut fries, and Mojo slaw just to name a few.

I had the One Eyed Willie with hand cut fries. Did it get the coveted Burgers With Buck, thumbs up? Click on the link to find out. And next time you're in Newnan, or perhaps headed down I-85 South toward Columbus, Alabama, or the Florida Gulf Coast, co-owners Amy and Margaret would love for you to stop in and find out for yourself.

For more information on Meat 'N Greet go their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/meatngreetnewnan.

Grindhouse Killer Burgers (June 12) 

I've always considered Burgers With Buck to be a killer segment on Good Day Atlanta, so it just seems natural to feature a killer burger.

What began as basically a burger stand at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market in 2009, is now a multi location Atlanta burger phenomenon. Owner Alex Brounstein says the key to their "old school burgers, is quality meat, a good bun, and fresh ingredients".

Their signature burger is known as Grindhouse Style. It comes with American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, pickles, and Grindhouse Sauce. However, there are seven other burger "styles" on the menu as well as a choose your own style. And the price point is definitely on the lower end of the upscale burger restaurants with a plain quarter pound burger only $4.50, and the single version of their signature 'Grindhouse Style" burger is only $5.50.

There are currently four location including the original at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market and their flagship store on Piedmont Avenue. They also have stores on Concourse 'D' at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and on Lumpkin Street in Athens. But wait there's more, they are soon to open two additional locations including a second one at the airport and one in downtown Decatur.

So what makes their burgers 'killer'? Watch the segment and find out. And for more information on Grindhouse Killer Burgers go to their website http://www.grindhouseburgers.com/.

Rhea's (June 5)

In a world of fancy, gourmet burgers, it's refreshing to see that Rhea's in Roswell does it the old fashioned way, albeit with a twist.

The ingredients are fresh and made to order, and the price is unbeatable. The twist, Rhea's serves their signature burger on French bread rather than a bun. If you prefer a bun, they are happy to accommodate, but according to owner Jimmy Hussain, "95% of my customers choose the French bread over the bun."

Hussain came to America from Bangladesh in the early 1980's, and eventually settled in Atlanta while pursuing a political science degree. In 1983, he noticed an old diner on Canton Street in Roswell for sale and decided he could make more money owning a restaurant. In hindsight, it was a very good decision.

Jimmy's slogan is "If you don't like my food, there's the door". It's a good bet that you won't be looking for the door until you've downed every last bite of the $3.29 Rhea's Special Hamburger on French bread ($5.04 if you opt for double meat like yours truly).

Jimmy has expanded to three locations including Rhea's II and Rhea's III also located in Roswell, but if you want the full experience, I recommend the original location at 1210 Canton Street near downtown Roswell. It is a no frills, old school, hole-in-the-wall kind of place, but inside you'll find a memorable burger at an affordable price served by a gregarious owner who is living the American dream.

The Brickery (May 29) 

The origin of its name dates back to before 44 BC, but the origin of the Caesar Burger at The Brickery Grill and Bar in Sandy Springs dates back to 1968, when Bruce and Sally Alterman were in college at the University of Oklahoma. And when they decided to open their restaurant in 1992, they knew they had to create their own version of the burger they enjoyed so many times in their college days in Norman, OK.

It was a great idea, you might even say a Boomer for these two Sooners. Despite a wide and varied menu that includes seafood, steak, and ribs, The Caesar Burger is considered one of the specialties of the house. And when it caught the attention of the wide and varied staff of Burgers With Buck, we headed to Sandy Springs to check it out for ourselves.

It was so good that not even an uninvited member of the Good Day Atlanta staff (who will remain nameless, Paul Milliken) who just showed up to crash the #BWB party, could ruin the experience.

For more information on the Caesar Burger at The Brickery in Sandy Springs, click here

The Vortex (May 21)

At The Vortex, they didn't invent the burger, but they were among the first in Atlanta to deliver a high quality, dare I say "gourmet" burger. They've been doing it, and doing it well, since 1992.

Let me start by saying that I am a regular Vortex customer. Their burgers are very good. The menu is loaded with creative, signature burgers like the Fat Elvis, the Black & Blue, and the Yokohama Mama, but their world famous Triple Coronary Bypass Burger literally takes things to a different level. In fact, three different levels.

Originally created as a novelty burger, it includes three burger patties, three fried eggs, fourteen slices of American cheese, and ten slices of bacon, all packed between two grilled cheese sandwiches.

If you know anything about Burgers With Buck, you know that backing down from a challenge is not what we're about. We came, we saw, we consumed, and we documented it on Good Day Atlanta.

For more information on the Vortex, click here

Darwin's Burgers and Blues (May 15)

Darwin's in Marietta is a well known Blues bar, regularly drawing some of the biggest acts in the country. But as you might expect with a name like Darwin's, the place has evolved. When Jonathan Akin and Lindsay Wine took over the long time Cobb County blues bar, they decided to add a kitchen, and it was a good decision. And that kitchen is the origin of the Evolution Burger. You might even say it is where it was created. HMMM?

The Evolution Burger is a nice blend including homemade chili, cheese, and Funyuns. If you want something a little more traditional, you might like the Big Bang Burger, but of course that's just a theory.

The sign out front says it all, as the burgers now receive top billing over the blues, and the staff at 'Burgers With Buck' took notice.

For more information about Darwin's Burgers and Blues, click here

Illegal Food (May 7)

From humble beginnings in a pop up location in the Old Fourth Ward, to their brick and mortar location in Virginia Highland, Illegal Food is making burger lovers stop and take notice. 

Their signature burger, "The Hank", was recognized by Business Insider as the Best in Georgia in 2014. "The Hank" is an homage to owner Steven Lingenfleter's childhood memories of the wonderful cheeseburgers Miss Betty used to make at Red's Roller Drum in LaGrange, Ga. Lingenfelter remembers them as, "the best, ever." He describes "The Hank" as a fancier or more gourmet take on her burger.

If you are looking for some great reason why they call it "The Hank," you won't find one. But if you're looking for a great burger with high quality, fresh ingredients, you will find one. In fact, if you're really feeling adventurous, try the "Double Hank."

For more information on Illegal Food, click here.