burger wars!!!!

Burger wars abound... turns out Bobby Flay has been to New Mexico recently for some green chile cheeseburger cookoff here. But as a self-proclaimed connoisseur of the beef patty, I have three picks that, if ever in Albuquerque-Santa Fe area, one should definitely get to try.

In no particular order, the three are:

Green chile cheeseburger at Bobcat Bite

Bourbon butter Burger at Standard Diner

Angus burger with Foie-gras mayonaise at Nob Hill Bar & Grill

Last night Leah and I ate at Nob Hill Bar & Grill, and I was blown away at the utter juicyness of the burger, the subtlety of the Foie-gras mayo, and the lucky pairing with the bottle of Samuel Smiths Organic lager, which had great fruit notes that contrasted very well with the fat of the burger. Now that I've had a chance to look again at their bottled beer offerings, I'm quite impressed.

Now the burger at Standard Diner was equally juicy, and if you can imagine, that lovely feel and taste of sweet bourbon flavored butter trickling down your fingers and smothering your lips as you bite into this huge morsel of gobbledeegoodness. I've been here 3 times, and 2 out of the 3 the service has left something lacking.... but if yer going during off-hours, a late-lunch or early dinner, definitely fill up on this fat boy; you won't be dissapointed.

Much has been said about Bobcat bites burgers, and when I finally got to try this roadside joint's prize-winning beef, I was impressed. The patties are thick..... like an inch-and-a-half thick after cooking. And the beef is fresh, different, and well cooked. Expect to wait, and sit by the back window at the bar to watch the birds battle eachother over the feeder. I was very happy with the experience, but there's something lacking - its a great, great burger, don't get me wrong, but maybe i was expecting something different, more exotic. Definitely worth the stop and I will be definitely making it a stop in any future travels to Santa Fe in the future.

By the way, bottle my Mr. Beer Irish Stout on Monday. Had to use corn syrup for my bottle conditioning due to a drastic oversight on my part - I really hope it works ok. Also, ordered some ingredients for a Holiday beer recipe from Midwest; Leah and I will be doing a pre-test to see if this beer will be suitable for the 20 or so people we'll be giving these beers to.