We Heart More Burgers

I don't understand the need to declare one burger joint the best. There are plenty of styles and variations of burgers to go around. And go around we do. The fact that Eddie now requests "buggahs" and "fies" has only encouraged our habit. Here are a few additions to last year's list.

Iceberg Drive Inn
Locations: Riverton, Salt Lake, Bountiful, Etc.

We used to frequent the very first Iceberg over on 3900 South for shakes when we lived in Sugar House. Then, not long after we moved to the south end of the valley, a Riverton location opened and we discovered their burgers and fries are not to be overlooked. But the "thick thick thick" shakes are still the primary draw.

In-N-Out Burger
Locations: West Jordan, Draper, American Fork, Orem

Kristen and I have observed with bewilderment the ridiculous hype that has accompanied In-N-Out Burger's arrival to the Wasatch Front. 20 cars in line at the drive-thru at nine in the morning? Really? The West Jordan location is only about two minutes from my office, so I have eaten there a few times now. The burgers themselves are good. They have a memorable, distinctive flavor. The fries are another matter. They are inexcusably bad. I have heard them defended as "healthier than other fries" and "an acquired taste." Well, I suppose I could acquire the taste of styrofoam if I ate enough of it.

I have a few theories about In-N-Out's insane popularity. First, the prices are low enough that you can feed a large Mormon family for like $10. Second, the brand has been shrewdly marketed to have a certain amount of mystique. For those of us not blessed to live in California (sarcasm alert), In-N-Out represents something out of the ordinary. Something you could only get when you went somewhere. Perhaps it conjures that elusive good feeling of being on vacation. I can only speculate that the next generation of Utahns won't feel quite the same way about In-N-Out now that they are all over the place.

SmashBurger
Locations: Draper, Sugar House, West Valley, Orem

After trying SmashBurger in Sugar House last summer, we had been waiting for the new Draper location to open with In-N-Out-esque anticipation. These burgers are a little more high end, and the price does reflect that. Their name is derived from the unique way they cook their meat. According to their website, they place a ball of angus beef on the grill, then smash it into a patty to "sear in the juices and flavor." I'll admit I was a bit skeptical of this gimmick at first, but it was hard to argue with the results. On our first visit Kristen declared it to be one of the best burgers she had ever eaten. The soft egg bun and tender patty seem to melt in your mouth as you sink your teeth in. A tasty companion to the burgers are the "smashfries," which are lightly seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, garlic, and rosemary.




Knock-Off Corner

Chadder's
Locations: American Fork, West Valley, Provo

The similarities between Chadder's and In-N-Out are transparent enough that legal action was being pursued at one point, and supposedly prompted In-N-Out to mount their Wasatch Front invasion. I did eat at Chadder's once, but it was over a year before In-N-Out's arrival so I can't compare them very accurately. It can't be a straight copycat though because I seem to remember actually liking their fries.

JCW's Burger Boys
Locations: Lehi, American Fork

I'm not sure if JCW's is a deliberate knock-off or not, but the menu and overall vibe of the restaurant reminded me quite a bit of the Training Table, sans phones.

Jumbo Burgers
Locations: Riverton, Ogden

Just what we needed... another Crown Burger clone.