The Great Burger-Off, Part II
Even MORE good burgers to talk about!
If you read last Friday’s post, you know that we went into a food coma about half way through our rundown of some of the best burgers in Mendocino and Fort Bragg. But after a little break of a day or two, we were ready to tackle the remaining four burgers that would round out the full list of 10 we promised last week. So read on, and keep a napkin handy to wipe the drool off your chin…
DAY 4
Mendocino Market Burger versus Patterson’s Pub Angus Beef Cheeseburger
Where: Downtown Mendocino
Sprouts on a burger! Heaven for some and not so much so for others…
Mendocino Market – Market Burger
Most Customizable Burger
The Mendocino Market is a classic small town deli that has long been a favorite amongst locals and visitors alike for grabbing a great custom-made sandwich or something else tasty for lunch. Sort of tucked back across from the post office, it’s not in the most highly visible spot in the village, yet there still seems to be a steady stream of hungry folk making their way to the counter day in and day out.
What we ordered:
The Market Burger, which the menu describes as “Local, grass-fed beef and your choice of toppings.” We went with some cheddar cheese and the classic “Everything” option for the toppings, which included mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle, and sprouts.
What we thought:
Guy - Why is grass-fed beef always a bit on the dry side? The bun is really good though, and I think this would be a good burger overall if only Laura hadn’t tainted it by ordering it with sprouts. Why would you ever order anything with sprouts?!
Laura - Sorry, Guy! I got so excited when I saw sprouts was an option that I ordered them without thinking about asking you. …I love this so much with the sprouts! The mustard is really good deli mustard too, and I think the leanness of the meat is balanced out by the juiciness of the surrounding toppings. In fact, I wouldn’t mind coming back and playing around with some of the other additional topping options. I feel like this is the endlessly customizable burger!
Ella - (who, as an almost-8 year old, ordered just the meat & bun with cheddar and ketchup) Wow, this is probably the best burger I’ve ever had!
Guy went with just classic ketchup, mustard, and onion on this one.
Patterson’s Pub – Angus Beef Cheeseburger
Most Homey Burger
What is there not to love about Patterson’s Pub? This old-school Irish pub consistently serves up great pub-style food with all the comfortable, everyone-knows-the-bartender kind of atmosphere you expect and enjoy in such an establishment. When we did our informal poll of local friends at the beginning of this whole adventure, Patterson’s was also mentioned several times as having the best burger in the area, so we added them to our list.
What we ordered:
Although you usually have a wide variety of meat options for your burger here, we went classic this time with the Angus Beef Cheeseburger. The burger came just as meat and cheese on the bun, with the lettuce, pickle, tomato, onion, ketchup, and mustard all on the side.
What we thought:
Guy - This more than makes up for being forced to eat sprouts today on the other burger by Laura. It’s juicy and flavorful, has just the right amount of meat, and although it hasn’t got any special “secret sauce” like I usually prefer, it’s still just plain ol’ good.
Laura - Mmm. This burger has got great juiciness. It’s so stripped down, but that doesn’t keep it from being good. It actually kind of reminds me of what we always imagine the perfect backyard BBQ burger from our childhood to be like – it feels like home.
DAY 5
Overtime Brewing Company Overtime Burger versus Vinny’s Half Pound Covelo Burger
Where: Fort Bragg
Look at those sauteed onions mounded up just under the bun and that thick-cut bacon poking out the sides… mmmmm.
Overtime Brewing Co. – Overtime Burger
The Goldilocks Burger…. just right
Overtime Brewing Company is kind of like the underdog brewery in town, steadily trucking forward to success since they opened a couple of years ago under the shadow of the much more well-known North Coast Brewing Company just down the street. We love their creative brews that are crafted seasonally with the flavors and feel of the coast, and their food has been consistently good whenever we’ve stopped by to eat. (Guy is in love with their Bacon Skewers!)
What we ordered:
The Overtime Burger, which the menu describes as “6 oz of John Ford Ranch grass-fed beef with lettuce, tomato, sweet onion, & pickle on a Fort Bragg Bakery Bun.” We of course had to add some fun extras: Gruyere cheese, thick-cut bacon, and sautéed onions. And it came with aioli on the side.
What we thought:
Guy - This may be my new favorite. It’s got a very good bun, the meat is surprisingly juicy, and it feels like just the right size… not too big, not too small. And oh man was it a good idea to add in those sautéed onions and thick cut bacon – the full flavor profile is just fantastic. The fries are really good too; not crispy like I usually like them, but still really tasty.
Laura - Wow. This burger is so deliciously balanced. I think I have to put it right up there at the top of my own personal list!
Toasted bun, gloriously medium rare patty; this was fantastic.
Vinny’s – Half Pound Covelo Burger
Most Satisfying Burger All Around
When someone first told Guy a couple years ago that the best burger in the Mendocino area was at Vinny’s Pizza up in Fort Bragg, he scoffed at the idea. But his curiosity piqued, he of course had to go see if they were right. He was blown away by how good it was. Fast forward to now, and he wanted to see if it was still as good as he remembered, especially since the place had changed hands since his last visit.
What we ordered:
Half Pound Covelo Burger, which the menu describes as coming with “tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onion, mayo, mustard, and your choice of salad, seasoned spuds, or macaroni salad.”
What we thought:
Guy - Ok! This is still my favorite! I’m so glad it’s still as good as it was under the previous owners – they have definitely maintained consistency despite a transfer of ownership. Gotta love that toasted brioche bun, plus the fact that this was one of the few places that cooked the patty to order. So good.
Laura - (gazing down in rapt delight at the last bite of burger in her hand) So juicy and satisfying… I’m sorry, did you ask me something?
Ella - This is the best burger of my whole life. (when reminded that she had said that the day before about her burger from Mendocino Market) Seriously! This one is my ETERNAL favorite! We should call this one a bur-gone because it was gone so fast!
Needless to say, there are many more than ten burgers to be had in the Mendocino area. In fact, during our informal poll we had votes for about 16 different burgers from different places. Some other burgers that got good reviews but that we just didn’t have time or stomach space for included:
The Green Chile Burger from Laurel Street Deli
Any of the burgers from Jenny’s Giant Burger
The burger at the MacCallum House
The burger inside Café Beaujolais’ dining room (as opposed to the Smash Burger that you order at the take out window)
Other people said that these were the best vegetarian and non-beef burgers:
The Salmon Burger from Princess Seafood Market and Deli
The Portobello Burger from Overtime Brewing Co
The Beyond Burger Smash Burger from Café Beaujolais
The Veggie Burger from Patterson’s Pub
And that’s the end of our Great Burger-Off for now! We hope you had fun following along and dreaming of lovely (and delicious) Mendocino. Maybe we’ll do fish tacos next time…
Fish tacos - so good they’re liable to be stolen!
Words and pictures by Laura Hockett.