The hamburger is as American as – well – Germany. Hamburg, Germany to be exact. That’s where the first ground meats are said to have originated.
But wait.
While the term “hamburger” may have found its origins in Germany, it was America that put the famous dish on the map.
At the 1940 World’s Fair in St. Louis, the term “hamburger” gained worldwide recognition when the New York Tribune referred to the hamburger as “the innovation of a food vendor on the pike”.
Most of us could care less about the origin of hamburgers, we just know that we like them, and we eat a lot of them in America – 50 billion a year. Really, 50 billion. Sometimes there is just nothing like a good burger.
So, who has the best hamburger in Charlottesville? That’s a matter of opinion, of course. And for the next few issues, I will render my humble opinion on the best burgers in town.
For starters, Bonefish Grill has a killer burger. Primarily known for Bang-Bang Shrimp and other seafood dishes, Bonefish was one of the first major restaurants to use Wagyu Beef as the meat of choice in their hamburgers. Wagyu Beef is the American version of Kobe Beef from Japan, considered the finest beef in the world: Packed with flavor, rich, tender, and delicious.
I had my first burger at Bonefish a few years back when Nancy and I made a last-minute decision to “eat out.”
That night, I wanted a burger, so I ordered the Bonefish Grill Burger, expecting an ordinary bar food burger, but it was out-of-sight good. The half-pound pound burger was thick and juicy, and they served it medium, slightly pink, as I ordered. They also built the burger to my specifications with cheese, mustard, onions, lettuce, and tomato. The puffy, freshly baked bun held all the goodness from first bite to last.
The burger with fries is about $15, but I would pay more. They are that good. Since then, any time I am at Bonefish, I have to consider their Wagyu Beef Burger. Try one and I think you’ll agree that Bonefish Grill is at or near the top of the list for great burgers in C’ville.