Foie Gras & Flannel

Edit: I really do love Denver, but Diablo Burger is in Flagstaff. D’oh!

I had to reflect on this for a week, but the more I think about Diablo’s Wrigley Field burger, the more I know it’s one of the best I’ve had. Ever.

I’m in love: with the burger, with the emphasis on local–with the entire concept of the restaurant. A focused, mouth-watering menu. Cash only. Two beers on tap (two good beers, that is). Small, intimate environment. Locally-sourced beef and ingredients.

The four paragraphs at the top of the menu that introduce the burger list urge customers to trust the cooks:

Because this beef is about 95% lean, we recommend that your DB burger be cooked medium-rare…In addition, please understand that we cook all of our burgers to order, literally taking the temperature of every single burger we make.

That attention to detail shows throughout the restaurant. But enough talk.

Ready. Set. Drool.

That’s six-ounces of mouth-watering beef topped with homemade sauerkraut, bacon, Swiss cheese and a spicy honey mustard–all on an English muffin. On top of Belgian frites.

Jason ordered The Cheech, generously topped with guacamole, pepper jack and jalapenos. And we both sipped on a delicious IPA.

Once again, Flagstaff, you’ve been good to me. I may soon plan a trip to the Grand Canyon just to have another reason to pass through.

Stop #5 on the food tour during our weekend in Pasadena came as a recommendation from a local. We walked up to front door of The Counter around 12:45 p.m. on Saturday; like everywhere else we visited, the place was packed.

I thought it might be a southern California thing, but The Counter an international franchise. It’s rare for me to find a burger at a restaurant (especially a chain!) that rivals something I can make at home, but I really enjoyed our meal. I also enjoyed the “build a burger” experience, though another patron told us it’s even better at the Santa Monica location, where you can watch the construction (thus the “counter”).

Pictured above is what Kim ordered: The Counter Burger. The onion crisps were overkill, but the burger was tasty.

I ordered a bison burger (bison was the market special – it’s not normally on the menu) with smoked gouda, fresh greens, red onion and steak sauce. The burger was cooked a perfect medium, at the recommendation of our server, and had excellent flavor. Actually, I was quite impressed with how little seasoning was used, even with the steak sauce; it speaks highly of the meat quality.

Sweet potato fries. Hard to screw these up.

Each menu comes with a pencil to mark meat, topping and bread selections.

Action shot.

Crisp, clean. We sat out on the patio to soak in the weather.

Random story: I couldn’t help but watch this woman with her labradoodle – she was struggling to keep him from jumping on everyone that walked by.

Sometimes, you just need a hamburger. And if it comes with mushrooms and caramelized onions, that’s okay.

(Side note: Get outside—it’s gorgeous! Perfect day for a ride or walk down the Fulton Mall.)