A strange confluence of events this evening as I was getting ready to do some maintenance on the blog.  I took a look down at the website hit counter and noticed that it had crossed the 9,000 mark en route to 10,000 (and maybe more).  I had kind of told myself that when we hit 10,000 I’d feel this experiment was a success.  It got me thinking about how this blog started and then a ping came from the mail program and my Google Alerts set for “burgers” showed a story (1,2) about Beef Burger in Greensboro, NC…which in actuality is how this whole blog started.

While late night websurfing a few years ago I came across a  website dedicated to a burger chain called “Biff Burger.”  This site stunned me in its simplicity and the depth of information it held on this burger chain from the history books and started me thinking how many other stories were out there.  Fast forward a bit and sites like A Hamburger Today and the site/book Hamburger America pretty much fill the niche for this type of info, but I thought there were probably a few stories that could be told and so I set up shop @ burgatory.com to tell them, toss out recipes, report burger news and generally learn how blogging works from the back-end.

Each summer we load up the family truckster and hit the open road searching for hole-in-the-wall burger joints and salt-air beaten clam shacks.  Last summer we pointed the car towards Greensboro, NC to visit “Beef Burger,” one of two remaining locations of the original “Biff Burger” chain.  I’ve been sitting on this post for ages due to lack of inspiration, but the fact that the pictured burger can be yours today and tomorrow for a mere $0.59 is reason to pull it out of the draft folder and send it live to offer my opinion.

Beef Burger

1040 W Lee St
Greensboro, NC 27403
(336) 272-7505

A while back I stumbled upon a website dedicated to a burger chain called “Biff Burger.” After years of driving past one of the last outposts of this chain on the way to college I searched for info in hopes of planning a trip and sadly found out that the restaurant had by then closed. And, with its closure, the Biff Burger chain was down to only two locations (one in St. Petersburg, FL still using the Biff Burger moniker and one in Greensboro, NC now called “Beef Burger.”) Having blown the opportunity to enjoy a burger at a location within reasonable driving distance from home I vowed to get to one of the two remaining restaurants when the opportunity presented itself…and thus the itinerary for this year’s burger vacation was set…we’d make our way to North Carolina.

Located in an industrial section of town, across the railroad tracks from UNC-Greensboro’s campus (and home of the ridiculously great hot dog and ice cream joint Yum Yum), Beef Burger still draws in the crowds.  Polite and orderly, folks line up inside the tiny lobby which no doubt was outdoors at some point (and thus much less claustrophobic) and feast on traditional American roadfood fare.

I ordered the SuperBurger combo with a Cheerwine (yet another reason why the South rocks -from a culinary standpoint) and settled into a formica booth to enjoy the fruits of the laborious drive (Philly to NC via Pittsburgh/West Virginia).  By sheer will alone that burger had to taste good, and it did.

As C. Catherman notes on his tribute site, Beef (ne Biff) Burger’s signature feature, the Roto-Broiler:

…was an ingenious specially designed broiler which gave Biff-Burger the leading edge over many other Drive-Ins during the day in which fast-food hamburgers were common. But the burgers at Biff-Burgers weren’t just your “ordinary” hamburger. The burgers at Biffs had a unique char-broiled taste which were unlike any other. Every original Biff-Burger sign, regardless of design used, indicated “Roto Broiled”. The “roto-broiled” process was indeed Biff-Burgers signature to fame and the reason why so many people enjoyed their burgers!

With the gift of hindsight I must honestly admit that the burger was nothing earth shattering.  It didn’t rise to the top of my own personal list of best tasting burgers, though the thrill of the chase more than made up for that.  The broiler certainly helped provide a unique flavor to the burgers and I can see why Mr. Catherman and hundreds of others are still partial to this cooking method.

The carousel of meat effect was pretty amusing and my daughter and I stared at it for a while before she made her way outside to the coin-op human version on the sidewalk (that is her in the corner of the pic).  The lower level of tis ingenious machine toasted the buns and that was a plus, too!  Brought together in a styrofoam container with a decent side of fries and the aforementioned sugar-shock inducing soda, this was burger escapism at its best.  A real retro experience worth searching out, even hundreds of miles away.

If you want to learn more about Biff Burger/Beef Burger, I implore you to check out C. Catherman’s site.  He truly has a love for the history of the chain, a keen eye for detail and a photographic memory about his experiences at the restaurant.

As we get closer to 10,000 hits (I know – not much for a real website, but heck…my mom would be proud if I took the time to explain to her what a blog was) I will dig out and repost some of the old stuff that I am particularly proud of and finally (I hope) finish a story I have been working on for a few months about the greatest hamburger icon of the 20th Century (seriously)!  Thanks.

(UPDATE: Commercial via YOUTUBE)

Interesting missive from MediaWeek today about an ad buy for this Sunday’s Academy Awards. The Midwest (and slightly beyond) chain Culver’s has bought national TV time during the February 22nd ABC broadcast.

So here’s the big question – is the nation ready for ButterBurgers (or at least ButterBurger envy since most of us don’t live anywhere near a Culver’s – East Coast Cardiologists rejoice!)?

What is a ButterBurger?

Urban Dictionary Definition: the best food in the world. … a hamburger smothered in butter… then covered with a thick slice of cheese.

Our signature ButterBurger^® is made from fresh, never frozen, 100% U.S. raised beef and seared on a hot grill to seal in that juicy flavor.

ButterBurger stats (amazingly below 500 calories and “healthier” than a McD’s Quarter Pounder w/Cheese)

Oh my.

In a hopeful sign for the economy:

Chris Contino, vp, marketing for the chain, said in a statement: “Culver’s roots are in the Midwest, but we’re spreading across the country. We’re proof that good companies grow even in challenging times.”

And I hope they do grow.  George Motz featured the infamous ButterBurger at Solly’s in his film Hamburger America and I’ve been too scared to even try and recreate this at home.  Here’s a recipe courtesy of roadfood.com.  Proceed with caution.

I’ll be tuning in to see the spot on Sunday night.

Culver’s “I Am A Pickle” TV spot (Note: this is not the spot that will run during the Oscars)

Culver’s vs. In-N-Out Burger?

The Charcoal Pit

2600 Concord Pike
Wilmington, DE 19803

Get Directions(302) 478-2165

Though at times it seems like New York City is the burger world’s epicenter, living down here in Philadelphia really has its advantages.  Along with easy access to top level spots like Good Dog and Charlies Hamburgers, a quick drive in any direction (even north to Gotham) offers up some great burger opportunities.  This night a few buddies and I headed 30 minutes south of the border to purchase our holiday stock of wine and beer in the fine state of Delaware and decided to top off the night with a stop at the quintessential burger joint- The Charcoal Pit.

I’ve been going to this place since I was a kid and have tons of fond memories of trips with my dad to grab a burger and a shake.  My buddies had never been before but within seconds I think were convinced of its authenticity.  Ripped straight from your most idyllic memories of Al’s on the TV show Happy Days, this 1950’s quick service spot features tight booths with individual juke boxes, great roadside architecture and one of the best neon signs around.

As the restaurant name implies the burgers are broiled over charcoal, providing a truly rare treat for the taste buds.  What you end up getting is a flavorful burger that due to the high heat is more or less seared on the outside thus ensuring the insides remain juicy (and deliciously greasy).  The burger is densely packed and no doubt retains a lot of its original 8 oz. size.  The authentic grill marks appear to remind you that yes you have a grill in your backyard which hypothetically should allow you to cook a burger this good…but sadly you won’t be able to match it.

The Charcoal Pit is a mini-chain with four locations.  The original North Wilmington location where we went is on the highly trafficked Concord Pike and was pretty close to the town where I went to high school making it a great hang-out spot (if only for the thrill of driving across state lines).

The Charcoal Pit is Delaware’s only entry in George Motz’s book Hamburger America and you’d be hard pressed to name another spot worthy of inclusion.  This one epitomizes the term  “real-retro,” with a half-century already under its belt and no reason to believe it won’t be around for our grandkids to enjoy.  If you find yourself in Philadelphia, it is well worth the short drive to discover what the menu touts as the “…secret that has kept Delawareans craving…for over 50 years.”

336 Kedron Ave
Folsom, PA 19033

Get Directions(610) 461-4228

Like most burger lovers, I eagerly awaited the arrival of George Motz’s burger guide “Hamburger America” earlier this spring. When my copy arrived from amazon I did what many others probably did, I looked for the places I have visited to see how they held up to George’s lofty standards.

Of the burgers I was happy to cross off the list, I was most surprised to see his choice of Charlie’s Hamburgers in Folsom, PA. Not because it isn’t good (it is GREAT!), but rather because it seems to get very little love from the burger community. His inclusion will no doubt bring that to an end, and the folks at Charlie’s deserve the attention and the extra business (just not on Tuesdays!!).

I am sure there were some tough decisions made when putting the book together and a few entries don’t include pictures (either of the restaurant or the burgers). Truth be told, Charlie’s isn’t much to look at from the outside, but your mother told you not to judge a book by its cover. I’ve included the above “missing” picture for the curious to show what the cheeseburgers look like. Ok, apologies for the bigfoot-esque photo courtesy of the iPhone (btw, how could they not improve upon the 2MP digital camera in the new 3G iPhone…makes me feel better about the price drop and the “faster” downloading). As you can see, it is just a simple burger wrapped in wax paper, cooked with care and packed with flavor.

Thanks to George for writing such an amazing book (and blog). Our family vacations are now set for the next 20 years! And thanks to Charlie’s and the other 99 burger joints included in the book, your pride in producing the finest burgers has made a lot of people very happy.