Having never been to the Burger Stand before, I was originally going to try their Tuesday special, the Chicken and Waffles. However, after taking a glance at the menu, I quickly decided that a burger sounded much better. Simply put, every burger on the menu is described beautifully, to the point you have to order one.

I had a hard time choosing between the Smoke Burger and the Fire Burger, partly because I was busy chuckling about the old adage “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” The Fire Burger features fresh avocado and a habanero-cactus jam, while the Smoke Burger features Applewood-smoked bacon, smoked gouda cheese and chipotle-cocoa ketchup. Though both sounded enticing, I decided to go with the Smoke Burger for the simple fact that it had bacon.

After taking one bite of the burger, I knew I had made the right choice. It was one of the better burgers I’ve tasted in all my 24 years, and it was perfectly cooked with just a slight hint of apple flavoring. The bacon was heavenly, and the gouda cheese seemingly melted in my mouth with each bite. The chipotle-cocoa ketchup, which I thought sounded kind of strange, actually turned out to be the best-tasting ketchup I’d ever had, and complemented the bacon’s flavoring.

With my burger, I also ordered some Cajun Fries, which were expertly seasoned and tasted great with the wide array of dipping sauces available (especially the Rojo Ranch).

Aside from the delicious meal itself, the unique style of the restaurant, the ping pong/pinball room and the fact that they sell beer, liquor, and Coca Cola in the classic glass bottles have all made me a believer in the Burger Stand as a great local business for a burger, drinks or just hanging out.

[ Story by Josh Rouse | Photography by Linnzi Fusco | July 2012 ]