Because burgers are the anchor of three-day weekends, on Friday CNN (via Eataocracy) posted the Top 10 Burgers Around the Country, courtesy of food writer and eater of-many-burgers Josh Ozersky.
See also: Burger Smackdown: Dairy-ette vs. Kellers
The list includes several from his hometown, New York City, including the "best hamburger in America" at the Brindle Room in the East Village. Ozersky is an unapologetic "homerist," as he admits on this rant, and his preferred style seems to sway heavily toward old-school burgers, which probably explains why the venerable Keller's Drive-In is on the list.
"The quintessential old-school drive-in restaurant, Keller's serves a thin, flat, wonderfully flavorful patty on a poppy seed white bun. I'm not sure why it's so good, if the truth be told, maybe there is some MSG in there somewhere? Don't say it's the atmosphere, though. This burger would be a great in a Trailways bus bathroom."
"I'm not sure why it's so good" + MSG + Trailways bus bathroom = Who's hungry?
Maybe not the most complimentary paragraph penned about Keller's, but we get the point.
And just to clarify Ozersky's flippant suggestion that Keller's uses MSG, no they don't. I called and talked to them this morning.
According to Ozersky, the four pillars of a good burger are that it's cooked on a griddle, salted, consists of 4 ounces of meat and is served on a "squishy bun." In addition to that, the burger must be able to stand up to its hype.
With battles regularly playing out in the mean burger streets of Dallas, the old-school spot might be overshadowed at times. But their $2.55 cheeseburger has a steadfast following of loyal, laid-back fans who appreciate the fact that sometimes less is more. That's why not much has changed there in more than six decades.
