50 Burger Challenge

brownie/Bingo Burger/Pueblo,CO/burger #48

nutsandboltons - Hoxton Grill - London - SH41

They call this place an "American Style Grill," which apparently means ponytails and sneakers are ok to wear with cocktail dresses as your waitstaff uniform. I don't get it. I also don't really get the burger here - it looked fantastic, with a thick, juicy patty, bleu cheese, and jalapenos. It just didn't deliver. A weird choice of herbs in the grind and crappy British bacon made this a disappointing experience. The fries were good, though.

5/10

Slow Ride - Southmoor Kebab Stand - Southmoor, Oxfordshire - kebab #37

6/10, good but he was late opening and I had to wait around in some rain (this stand is out in the middle of nowhere) so I scored down for spite..Full review here: http://1pumplane.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/southmoor-kebab-stand-southmoor-ish-oxfordshire-kpw-for-week-33/

Biliruben - Gordoughs - ATX - #34

9 / 10

Name: The Ron Burgendy
Toppings:
- donut bun
- beef patty
- fried egg
- cilantro
- tomato
- mayo
- whole grain mustard
Patty: w. done marinated 1/3 lb
Taste: awesome

brownie/Wines of Colorado/Cascade, CO/burger #47

JP - Greenhouse Bar - Nashville - #37

Cheeseburger w/ Benton's bacon

Lagunitas IPA

JP - 1808 Grille - Nashville - #36

Burger with White Cheddar

Markers Mark.

Timko - Goodtimes - Silverthorne, CO - Burger #61

3/10 - figured I had diarrhea already, why not.

nutsandboltons - Five Guys - London - SH40

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The first time I had a burger from Five Guys it was in their Austin location. I don't know if they were having an off day or what, but I didn't see the point. I certainly wasn't as excited as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcJFdCmN98s">this guy</a>. They seem to have realized they need to bring their A game to the UK, though, because the cheese up in there was most definitely going HAM. Double patty, double cheese, grilled mushrooms, bacon, and (weak) jalapenos. It was much, much better than I was expecting. Even the cajun fries were better than I remembered. At £8.75 for just the burger (over $12!) it's a little too pricey for what you get. If you're near this place and want a better burger for a better price, go to Meat Market in Covent Garden. Still, 7/10.

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Animoul / Coyote Cafe / San Diego, CA / #25

Cheeseburger Torta: 10 / 10

Timko - Bar Louie - Westminster, CO - Burger #60

5/10 - blah. Overdone and too compacted meat.

Slow Ride - LB Lebanese Cuisine - Oxford - kebab #36

9/10 and only losing most of that point for the general experience, which was my fault for picking this up while in the middle of a 6 mile run...but the meal suffered for it. This is probably the only healthy kebab I've had this year (including the one I made at home). Review at:http://1pumplane.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/lb-lebanese-cuisine-summertown-oxford-kpw-for-week-32/

brownie/Piper Inn/Denver/burger #46

JP - Old Louisville Inn - Louisville CO - #35

Pork Green Chili Burger, served with a spoon. So STUPID good!

Gravity IPA

Animoul / Tommy's / Kearny Mesa, CA / #24

Double chili cheeseburger: 10 / 10

Animoul / Tidewater Tavern / Solana Beach, CA / #23

Tidal Wave burger: 10 / 10

Wimpy / Tidewater Tavern / Solana Beach, CA / #11

Tavern burger: 7 / 10

Timko - Tommyknocker - Idaho Springs, CO - Burger #59

5/10

Biliruben - five guys - ATX - #32

8 / 10

Name: cheese burger
Toppings: LTOPC(a)Mu
Patty: 2x 1/4 MedWell
Taste: you may not want to accept a chain making a quality burger. Well suck it up; Five Guys aren't messing around

Biliruben - Home Team Sports - Charlotte, NC - #33

5 / 10

Name: Mushroom Swiss
Toppings: LTOMMuC(s)
Patty: 1/4 well
Taste: the patty was marinated which helped. But it's otherwise your standard airport food

Slow Ride - Poseidon - Oxford - kebab #35

6/10 Not too bad but the staff are like cartoon character Turkish guys...well worth suffering the so-so food (details at http://1pumplane.wordpress.com/2013/08/01/poseidon-oxford-kpw-for-week-31/ )

Rayzor - Fuddruckers s. lamar - austin, tx - burger #24

1/2 lb. Inferno. They have a toppings bar, which is cool, but the burger was meh. I guess I should have tried the bison patty. This location is closed now, I think. 5/10.

JP - Tennessee Tavern - Nashville - #34

Airport burger but they did have Sweetwater IPA on tap.

brownie/Black Sheep Lodge/Austin,TX/burger #45

Timko - Raceway Park - Englishtown, NJ - Burger #58

1/10. Burger was so bad I almost shit my pants before the last bite. No picture but I took a photo of a guy who looks like a fat Brownie!!! Same hat and shirt! It's uncanny!!!!

Timko - Tilted Kilt - East Brunswick, NJ - Burger #57

4/10 - and the girl serving me in her skirt and bra looked like she's eaten as many burgers as me this year.

Animoul / Simon's Burger Co. / La Jolla, CA / #22

Hamburger: 10 / 10

Animoul / Burger Lounge / Del Mar, CA / #21

Hamburger: 10 / 10

brownie/Crown & Anchor/ Austin, TX/ burger #44

Timko - Stage Left - New Bruns., NJ - Burger #56

11/10 - best burger in life. Food network rates it as best burger in
NJ. My friends own the restaurant, which is fine dining but they
server the burger in the bar area. There are only 3 things I miss a
out NJ. Pizza, bagels, and the Stage Left burger. Pricey, but worth
it.

nutsandboltons - Merulana Cafe - Rome - SH39

I know what you're thinking - "A burger? In an Italian Restaurant? In ITALY?" Here's the thing, though: We tried this place out the first day were were in Rome, and the food was so good we had to go back our last night. What I discovered is that the burger was every bit as good as the pasta and baked scamorza, even if it didn't come with a bun. The patty was large and well-formed, grilled (probably over charcoal - at least it tasted that way) and flavorful.

7/10. They lose a point or two for having no bun and average fries. If you ever visit, try the scamorza and prosciutto instead.

JP - Husk - Nashville - #33

This burger is on most of the best burgers in the US lists for a reason!!

Slow Ride - Pewsey Pizza and Kebab - Pewsey, Wiltshire - kebab #34

7/10
The day started well enough with a pub at noon, then 3 more along a 7.5 mile trail run, then a 5 mile road race. The food could have been better but in the light of all this it was more than good enough. Review and links to some of the day's other stops here:

http://1pumplane.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/pewsey-pizza-and-kebab-pewsey-wiltshire-kpw-for-week-30/

Animoul / Burgers & Brew / Sacramento, CA / #20

Guacamole Burger: 10 / 10

Rayzor - Barlata - austin, tx - burger #23

Choriburguer: patty is a mix of (spanish) chorizo and beef. Taste was more sausage than burger, but grilled onion on top, plus pickled vegetables and fries were excellent, so adding a point. 7/10

JP - West End Tavern - Boulder - #32

Burger: West End Cheeseburger
Beer: Crooked Stave Hop Savant

GZ burger #17 Chop Vancouver CA

Decent meat and fries way too much bun and these folk have no idea what an IPAD is. 7/10

Peter Pepper, Motoburger, Windsor, ON Burger # 27 9/10

Rayzor - Freddie's Place - austin, tx - burger #22

Banana Fire w/mushrooms, med. rare. Pretty good burger all around: 7/10.

Animoul / TGIFriday's / Carlsbad, CA / #19

Avocado bacon burger: 10 / 10

Slow Ride - in my garden - Swindon - kebab #33

Pretty good, but recusing myself from a rating (as they say in Spinal Tap, "this one goes to ELEVEN.")

Recipe at:

http://1pumplane.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/kebabs-in-the-garden-our-house-swindon-kpw-bonus-kebab/

brownie/Interstate Diner/Denver/burger #23

Elways DIA concourse B burger 16

Excellent burger, mediocre fries, pretty over priced because of the name.

Animoul / Aunt Emma's Pancake House / National City, CA / #18

Avocado Burger: 10 / 10

Timko - Pastime - Leadville, CO - Burger #55

7/10 - basic bar burger. Nothing special nothing bad.

Biliruben - Rathskeller - Fredericksburg, TX - #31

8 / 10

Name: Bistro Burger
Toppings: LTOPC(c)Mu
Patty: 1/2 MWell
Taste: this is a very tasty burger. The sweet toasted bun and fresh veggies really make it. Fair warning though, if the Prime Rib is on the menu, opt for that instead and come back some other time for the burger.