Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Sorry to sound harsh. I'm just raw after hearing one too many "Lake Wobegone" jokes when I was on the east coast in August. There's more to Minnesotans then our BEAUTIFUL accent (which I have managed not to lose in my 6 years out of state).

That being said, D.Z., and even with you having lived in MN for four years, I am still annoyed that the conclusion of this article was that Jucy Lucys just aren't that good. This website has a national audience and I think you do a disservice to the Twin Cities' local food specialty to compare jucys with regular cheeseburgers. They're different animals. I wouldn't go to Philadelphia and write an article about how cheesesteaks are good, but a BBQ beef brisket sandwich is better.

People who define a burger by its toppings have spent too much time looking at clipart of burgers and not enough time eating them. Toppings are supposed to enhance the inherent flavor in the beef; a good burger should be delicious enough on its own that it would be still be tasty without them. A burger needs only beef and a bun, everything else is auxiliary.

Perhaps Sharpe has never had a good burger? She admits to thinking of a burger as a "concept." Personally I think of it as a meal. A delicious meal.

I prefer Mother's brand buns. I cook a lot of sliders and I find them to be the lightest white bun without being too fluffy. You can find them at most grocery stores. I live in Bucktown and buy them at both Danny's Fresh Market on Western and also at Strack and Van Til, but I remember that I've seen them at Dominick's too.

Man, this burger blog is not about health, it is about taste. And this thing looks like a RUDE burger that I would eat in a heartbeat and would rather risk taking home in a doggy bag than split with someone.

If health is what you're concerned with, try finding a blog devoted to bulgar salad or something.

As for the price, I think $16, while on the steeper side, is not out of the question for the product that is offered. I do, however, live in a more expensive market (Chicago).

@roboppy Maybe I should learn how to read a page header or a URL and then I wouldn't embarrass myself like this. Thanks, though, for indulging my whim to discuss this matter.

I find it obnoxious that Mr. Levine would make an admittedly controversial claim such as "In the last ten years New York has become the burger capital of America" and then subsequently suggest that we "argue this point elsewhere."

Mr. Levine- If you want to make such a statement, and exclude all subjectivity, then you should be prepared to discuss. This seems like the PERFECT forum to debate the burger-merits of various American cities. I think that New York city is far too quick to pat its own back for all its self-proclaimed accomplishments in just about every realm. I would like to avoid having burgers be one of them.

I wish there was an option for "Pickle relish." I prefer it to sliced pickles.

I went to Joe's this august and received a burger that was just fine, but not anything special. Here in Chicago, I can eat a better, fresher burger for a cheaper price at Top Notch. AND as a kicker, Top Notch doesn't spend half of the menu preaching at you. I found the menus at Joe's to be sanctimonious, not to mention ridiculous. I don't think that Jack Lalanne would advise eating fresh ground beef as part of a balanced meal plan. I still eat it because I think it's DELICIOUS, but I have no illusions that it is good for me.

I have never had any trouble requesting my Top Notch burger medium rare. They always do it perfect.