SAY WHAAAA?

V I O L E T T A

Director Park

877 SW Taylor at Park

I know I'm only a few burgers into this blog thing but I just gotta say:

DAMN I love a game changer.

Check check check it out. This is how we did it and this is how you've gotta do it because they DO IT UP at Violetta. What I'm saying is that Yakuza has a super-happy-well-balanced burger competitor. In fact, I think Yakuza has some stepping up to do. Did you read that? I just wrote that, and it's a true statement.

the Violetta Burger, as eaten by me:

cushy but happy top bun, with sesame seeds

secret fancy tomatoey/slightly creamy (spicy) sauce

PICKLES

thinly sliced red ONION (I know, just wait)

'ten hour' tomatoes--super soft cooked tomato angels

big big lettuce

applewood smoked bacon

sharp white cheddar

angel burger (1/3 lb,

bottom bun

OK, so I have some justifying to do. As I keep writing entries, as I keep thinking about burgers, some truths about what I love have come out of the brain woodwork. Like any life decision, knowing what you truly love and knowing what you truly want can make decisions a hell of a easier than say, not knowing anything. Obviously, being flexible is important too. I gotta say though, when you know, you know. And I know that Violetta knows, so that makes this all very easy.

We've got a bready bun, non-juicy but moist add-ons, and a well-seasoned burger. On the surface, you'd look at the burger and think it looked pretty good. The attention to detail here is really what helped this burger win my heart:

The slow-cooked tomatoes. No juicy grossness from fresh tomatoes that makes a burger annoying to eat. Durability is a huge success factor, and the mother's-tomato-saucey flavor is so nice and not as overpowering as you might imagine.

Slightly spicy angel sauce. First off, I have to say that my darling burger companion didn't think there was a lick of spice in the sauce. Being the sensitive infant I am, I did notice something lovely and spicy and a sensation that ADDED to the taste without being DISTRACTING. Apparently, this is what you spicy-loving folks occasionally experience with spicy dishes while I'm sitting there suffering, scarfing down rice/bread/milk just to keep functioning. So, I had a nice time with the magic sauce. Kinda creamy, spicy (not very), slightly tomatoey but not really. My companion has an aversion to mayo, and this burger also made him happy.

Pickle/Onion crunch blessing. Again, just another indicator that this burger is helping me conquer many annoyances by having subtlety and artistry be their goal. The whole painting is gorgeous, not just that little highlight on that Dutch water pitcher. You know what I mean?

Whole painting burger love at $7 a pop.

I would also like to take the opportunity to say that I have been frequenting Violetta for months now for their hand-dipped corn dogs. If there were more corn dog outlets, this would be a corn dog blog. You know I love burgers, but damn I love corn dogs. They're not cheap ($4 for one) but always and forever add the additional corn dog for $2.50. It makes it much more reasonable and you will never ever ever regret it. Eating two, I mean. Unless you share. That's sweet, but when it comes to these corn dogs, you should probably just eat two. And the sweet potato fries. Burgerville's are seasonal. Big mistake Burgerville. Violetta just does it up. 100% of the time. Damn.

And one more thing. If your eco-green angel heart is thinking AWW damn tasty food but so much trash... You should know that all the packaging, napkins, cups--everything except the plastic lids for coffee--is compostable, and they have all the sorting bins labeled clearly and you don't have all that guilt. If you really need that extra napkin, go ahead. It will be worm food within a couple days. Again, I gotta say Violetta does it UP.

Please consider the Violetta burger the reigning champ of this blog. Hasta Luego Yakuza.

Nice hunka BOIGAH

Dudes.

Firstly, I'm so happy that a few of your read this. It really compels me to write more and eat more burgers and write about my experiences more. So thanks.

I wanted to write about a burger I had a couple days ago. It wasn't at some fancy, white tablecloth kinda joint (though there was a white tablecloth, now that I think about it), and it wasn't at some dive bar that you all have told me to visit (I'm definitely going to go, promise), but it was at the lovely home I get to call my place of employment!

That's right. I'm taking a minute to write about a homegrown burger from the house I'm lucky to spend my waking hours in. Alex and I were invited to have burgers with the whole family, and it was just so lovely. I love these people and I love their babies and I love meat, so... Do you understand?

People I love + MEAT = could die from happiness

Homemade burgers.
You want to know why "home is where the heart is"? Home is where the meat is, at least in my fantasy world.

So here's the BOIGAH:

TJ's Kalamata olive roll (yes, they went there)
avocado
lettuce

ketchup
Tillamook cheese
burger
Roll part two

Now I feel like I've sidetracked from my larger goal of feasting on restaurant burgers, but lemme tell you that few FEW FEW FEW FEW burgers come close to burgers cooked on a grill or cast-iron at HOME. This one was particularly lovely. Great size, and the nice roll stayed intact (not your momma's wonderbread kinda bun), well-seasoned meat, added happy fats (dairy and avocado)... you can't really go wrong.

It's my mission this week to eat at least TWO THIS WEEK. So expect some high art.

And if you didn't take note of the Make-a-Plate from which I was eating this burger, look again. Made by Rosa, 1985. Stars, Rainbows anchored by clouds. Could this experience have won anymore? Doubt it.