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14
MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
JULY | AUGUST 2017
the
Burger
issue
B
aton Rouge has always been a burger town, but the city and its
environs are in the midst of an extended burger moment. You
can find everything from that old diner classic, the flattop, to
a newfangled gastropub blend, to a not-your-dad’s
Peanut Butter
& Jelly Bacon Burger
courtesy of Your Mom’s. For big spenders, Fat
Cow Burgers & Salads offers a foie gras topped
Hundred Dollar
Burger
that ironically only costs $15.
Our Burger Bucket List
wasn’t easy to make, so we polled
people from Baton Rouge, Hammond, Gonzales, Plaquemine,
Plattenville, Donaldsonville and Zachary. Everyone had an opinion,
and a favorite. Clearly, the trend is to blend.
Mason’s Grill
’s Cajun Shrimp burger has been named “Louisiana’s
Best Burger” by
Food Network
magazine and Zagat. It’s an 8-oz.
burger stuffed with diced jalapeños and sautéed shrimp, then
smothered with Monterey Jack cheese. The kitchen crew is always
thinking up creative burgers and then pitching them head to head
in a weekly “Burger Battle.” So far, the Crabby Patty burger (topped
with crabmeat, grilled onions and Jack cheese) has dominated the
contests, beating out contenders like the French Connection burger
with grilled ham and Brie cheese, topped with an egg and fried onion
strings; the Pineapple Express burger with a beef patty, pulled pork,
diced pineapple, red onions and Swiss cheese; and the HindenBurger
with sausage, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese.
This family-owned and -operated restaurant opened in 1998, originally
as a coffee shop (in a different location), until chef-owner Mike
Alfandre started adding lunch service, then dinner, then breakfast.
Mason’s is as well-known for brunch as for burgers, so don’t pass up
the unbeatable combination of the Breakfast burger and their out-of-
this-world Bloody Mary.
(13556 Jefferson Hwy., Baton Rouge)
The
Dixie Maid Drive-In
opened in 1946, and Baton Rouge
natives have fond childhood memories of the burgers, root beer
floats, ice cream cones and friendly service that’s been offered here
for more than 70 years. Dixie Maid hasn’t changed too much over
the years — it’s still the place to go for simple, old-fashioned burgers
done right. The fresh patties are flattop grilled and served dressed
with cheese and/or BBQ sauce, with optional add-ons like jalapeños
and bacon available.
Dixie Maid is cash only (though there is an ATM on-site) and regulars
advise calling in your order ahead of time, because this local
institution’s popularity might have you standing in line for a while.
(4769 McClelland Dr., Baton Rouge)
One of the best handmade burgers (and cracklins) I’ve eaten is at
this St. Amant spot that also serves as a gas station. Fill ’er up at
Duckroost Seafood & Deli
with the 8-oz. Certified Angus
beef bacon cheeseburger.
(13277 Hwy. 431, St. Amant)
The decor at
Curbside
honors the burger joint’s food truck
beginnings; a food truck facade is the centerpiece of the restaurant’s
seating area. The brick and mortar “artisan grubbery” (as it’s billed
on the website) restaurant just opened in late 2016 but is firing on
all cylinders by keeping its most popular and beloved burgers on
the menu — like the K.G.B. burger, topped with salty-sweet praline
bacon, a runny-yolk fried egg and sharp cheddar cheese, or the
Brian 3.0, which is topped with pork belly preserves, gorgonzola
cheese and fried onion strings — and adding new items as well
as ever-changing burger specials. Other regular standouts on the
menu made with Curbside’s proprietary blend of freshly ground
beef cooked to juicy perfection on a flattop grill include the GC2
with green chili relish, bacon, Pepper Jack fondue, Fritos and a
Cholula® aioli, and the Naq Attaque, topped with Swiss cheese,
caramelized onions, a Parmesan crisp and garlic mayo, and served
with a French onion soup dipper. Wash them down with the boozy
adult milkshake!
(4158 Government St., Baton Rouge)
Baton Rouge’s
Burger Bucket List
by
Nora D. McGunnigle
photo by
Collin Richie