While planning a visit from my best friend Sarah, I anticipated that we would consume a few burgers. I know this because her and my bf have had many a discussion on how a burger could possibly be the world's most perfect combination of food. I, myself, am not so much a burger lover - but I can't honestly tell you the last time I passed up a cheeseburger. (can I haz a all the burgers? yikes....)
So, when she arrived we headed out to do many fun, touristy things. We had planned to go to Whistler, Seattle and stalk many of the Twilight filming locations around the Vancouver area. When we arrived in Whistler, we were there to sightsee first, but mainly to go and eat dinner at Araxi - the restaurant from Hell's Kitchen.
They had a burger.
And what a burger, at that.
And so began "The Epic Burger Adventure of 2012"
Here I will give you the breakdown of our favourite burgers between Whistler, BC right down to Seattle, WA. From mountains and snow to Kurt Cobain's old house, we actually spent time discussing over our final burger meal of her trip, about how the burgers rated. There was some disagreements, but ultimately being the polite hosts we are, we let our guest have the final say.
We would like to add that even though we listed them in order of preference, we would gladly (and maybe already have) visit these establishments again (and again....and again...)
Coming in at #6 (which coincidentally coincides with the number of burger places we ate at in 7 days)
# 6: McDonald's.
Twitter Handle: @mcdonalds
You had to have see this one coming. We stuck with the classic Big Mac, and a new addition of extra mac sauce. It never changes - even if you leave it on the counter for 6 months - but literally, it always tastes the same. And for that reason alone, it came in last place and didn't even warrant a photo. But I will leave you with this:
#5: Splitz Grill.
Twitter Handle: @splitzgrill
Nestled in Whistler Village, we went in search for lunch and knew of Splitz from past experience. As usual, they did not disappoint. Since bf was paying for us, the cashier wrote his name as "Suga Daddy" so when the burgers were ready to be dressed, that's what we heard called out. The juicy burger and the ever popular Splitz sauce carried us through the day. Sidenote: There is also a location in Vancouver on Main St - speaking from experience, it is also damn good.
#4: Carl's Jr.
Twitter Handle: @carlsjr
"But it's fast food" you say. I know. Hear me out. Well, actually not me personally because I had to take a break from the heart attacks to have a chicken burger. But evidentially Carl's Jr burgers are pretty amazing for a fast food joint. I should hope so, because here I thought fast food in the US was cheap. $35 bucks for 3 people to have some burgers and fries that were whipped together in 2 minutes. Unreal. Regardless of the price, it was still a good burger and that is why it comes in at #4 on the list.
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| actual photo. actual heart attack. |
#3: Red Mill Burgers
When you go to Seattle, you need to take time out of whatever it is you're there to do (even if it's a heart transplant) and EAT AT RED MILL. Even from someone who isn't the biggest burger enthusiast, this burger was amazing. We all had the Red Onion burger, and even though I couldn't hold mine to save my life, every bite was better then the next. When you walk into a burger joint and there is a line up, you know you are in for a treat. I'd gladly pay $35 for 3 people to eat burgers here again, or just eat 3 for yourself (don't do that). It is listed by Oprah (so you KNOW it's good) as "One of the 20 Hamburgers you must Eat Before You Die!" (because you literally might afterwards). Thumbs up Red Mill.
#2: Vera's Burgers.
You can't go wrong with Vera's Stinger burger. What other place puts jalapeño caps on a burger, smothers it in ketchup and serves it to you with french fries that look like they just came off the back of a fry truck in Northern Ontario (I got nostalgic for a moment there..). Vera's quickly stole the spot for being slightly-chared, juicy inside and not to mention bottomless fountain pop. BOTTOMLESS!! Vera's also has a location in Vancouver and Ottawa - GO GET ONE NOW.
And finally, as if we even had to question it, we've chewed our way to the number one burger of the week...
#1. Araxi.
I didn't get to partake in the burger, but from the amount we talked about it afterwards I could tell I missed out. Gordon Ramsey's restaurant in Whistler, does up one of the juiciest burgers we came across. It was accompanied by truffle fries with parmesan shredded on top, and was served with homemade ketchup. I looked down at my spicy tuna roll, and back at the burger, and had to admit there was a murderous tiny amount of jealousy. For $20, let Araxi fill your belly with this delicious and perfect looking burger, that definitely would have won someone a season of Hell's Kitchen. I think Sarah put it best, when she said that it's not about the fancy, it's about the quantity. At a fine dining restaurant, it was nice to have that comfort plate and the fact it won best burger of the week makes it nothing short of a miracle.
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| Well done, Ramsay. No need to burn your chef's coat. |
Honourable Mention (because 6 burgers wasn't enough) :
Twitter Handle: @raysboathouse
Truth be told, we did have 7 burgers. We decided not to include the last one in the list because it was
technically not made of meat. This year's honourable mention goes to Ray's Cafe in Seattle, WA. Located right on the Puget Sound, this cozy restaurant accommodated us for their Happy Hour. We decided to order an array of goodies to fill our bellies before our only night in Seattle. We ordered the black bean burgers, and they did not disappoint. In fact, if I didn't know it was beans - I could have sworn it was meat. These bite sized burgers were a perfect dish to share, and the cheese was a great accent. We also tried the hummus, chicken wings and seared ahi tuna - and it was all delish. If you want to have a dinner with a view, Rays Boathouse is the place to go in Seattle. We even got to meet the new chef, and he informed us to come back again as he is planning to vamp up the menu in the upcoming months. Go see for yourself why these "burgers" had to get an honourable mention.
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| Sarah and the bean burg! |
So there you have it. From Whistler to Seattle, here are some of the best burgers we could get our fat hands on. We did the research, so take our words for it - if you are looking for a good burger, any of these will satisfy your hunger pains.
Now if they are sharp stabbing pains? You might want to call a doctor...
Can't wait till next year's journey - and now to work out until then!
