Wilmington, DE: The Charcoal Pit's Charbroiled 8 oz. Burger

The Charcoal Pit

2600 Concord Pike
Wilmington, DE 19803

Get Directions(302) 478-2165

Though at times it seems like New York City is the burger world’s epicenter, living down here in Philadelphia really has its advantages.  Along with easy access to top level spots like Good Dog and Charlies Hamburgers, a quick drive in any direction (even north to Gotham) offers up some great burger opportunities.  This night a few buddies and I headed 30 minutes south of the border to purchase our holiday stock of wine and beer in the fine state of Delaware and decided to top off the night with a stop at the quintessential burger joint- The Charcoal Pit.

I’ve been going to this place since I was a kid and have tons of fond memories of trips with my dad to grab a burger and a shake.  My buddies had never been before but within seconds I think were convinced of its authenticity.  Ripped straight from your most idyllic memories of Al’s on the TV show Happy Days, this 1950’s quick service spot features tight booths with individual juke boxes, great roadside architecture and one of the best neon signs around.

As the restaurant name implies the burgers are broiled over charcoal, providing a truly rare treat for the taste buds.  What you end up getting is a flavorful burger that due to the high heat is more or less seared on the outside thus ensuring the insides remain juicy (and deliciously greasy).  The burger is densely packed and no doubt retains a lot of its original 8 oz. size.  The authentic grill marks appear to remind you that yes you have a grill in your backyard which hypothetically should allow you to cook a burger this good…but sadly you won’t be able to match it.

The Charcoal Pit is a mini-chain with four locations.  The original North Wilmington location where we went is on the highly trafficked Concord Pike and was pretty close to the town where I went to high school making it a great hang-out spot (if only for the thrill of driving across state lines).

The Charcoal Pit is Delaware’s only entry in George Motz’s book Hamburger America and you’d be hard pressed to name another spot worthy of inclusion.  This one epitomizes the term  “real-retro,” with a half-century already under its belt and no reason to believe it won’t be around for our grandkids to enjoy.  If you find yourself in Philadelphia, it is well worth the short drive to discover what the menu touts as the “…secret that has kept Delawareans craving…for over 50 years.”

Merion Station, PA: Shalom Catering's House Special Burger

Shalom Catering

http://www.shalomcateringinc.com

368 Montgomery Ave.

Merion Station, PA 19066

610-668-2120

Are you in a burger rut?   Need a new taste to knock you out of your comfort zone?  Stopping by the brand new Shalom Catering in the Philly ‘burbs will do the trick (just don’t stop by on Friday night!).

The burger is akin to a middle eastern kafta kebab in taste and texture, but make no mistake, this is a real burger lovers burger, served on a perfectly squishy seeded bun with lettuce and tomato (and wrapped in that essential burger blanket – wax paper).

The burgers are cooked fresh and to order (mine was medium, would probably order medium-rare next time) and comes with a side of coleslaw that I kept thinking would taste really good on a pulled pork BBQ sandwich (just not here!!).

Shalom Catering’s sister restaurant Shalom Pizza has been serving amazing falafel and pizza for years and a meat restaurant is the perfect compliment.  (Meat and milk don’t mix, so don’t even ask about a cheeseburger)  Even if you are not Kosher (I’m not) or Jewish both restaurants are welcoming and deliver quality products that defy the typical kosher=bland stereotypes (and that could just be myhang-up from a particularly scarring vacation one summer in the Catskills).

At some point I need to institute a rating system for this site, as this place is deserved of at least a 3 1/2 out of 4 stars.

Chadds Ford, PA: Jake's Hamburgers

Jake’s Hamburgers

www.jakeshamburgers.com

16 Wilmington W Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
(610) 358-5810

Was doing some data purging and found this one in the archives…can’t believe I didn’t blog about it because it was a great burger.

This eastern seaboard mini-chain delivers “Hand-pattied, never frozen burgers” in true fast food stlye (grilled and served on squishy buns with basic toppings).   I went truly basic, just lettuce, tomato, fried onions, ketchup and mustard and am happy to report the quality beef flavor shone right through.  Add decent fries and a location half-way between our house and the beer mecca that is Wilmongton, DE’s Total Wine And More and this has the chance to become a frequent habit.

Jake’s has locations in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Florida and the location we hit in Chadds Ford, PA on the state line between Delaware (tax free and beer by the six-pack) and Pennsylvania (taxes and beer by the case).

Burger Geek: Your New Favorite iPhone App Has Arrived

PapiPole is an eccentric action game

So says the description in the iPhone App Store. I really have no idea what is going on in this game, but lookee – its got burgers!

The object is to move you red lollipop(?) thinger left and right using your fingers on the iPhone’s screen…avoiding the bombs and hitting the burgers. Each burger you get earns you 50 bonus points. Hit a bomb or lose your balance and it’s curtains for you (only one life in this game).

I guess until they release a non-flash version of Burgertime this will be as close as anyone can get to burger related game play on Apple’s wonderful creation.

More info on PapiPole is available here.

Oh, by the way…PapiPole is free.

Monroeville, PA: Primanti Brothers The Pitts-Burger Cheese Steak

Primanti Brothers

www.primantibros.com

3847 Northern Pike
Monroeville, PA 15146
(412) 856-8380

The “Second Best Selling” item on the Primanti Brothers menu is Pittsburgh’s signature sandwich, the Pitts-Burger Cheese Steak. This colossus is an ode to excess, concoted in a manner only a steel town could justify.

The original Almost Famous sirloin beef patty sandwich that feeds the spirited fans of Pittsburgh

…features said beef patty, “sweet and sour” cole slaw (unlike any you have ever had before…think grandma’s recipe but without mayo, really), tomato slices, provolone cheese and yes, french fries, all nestled together under two big hunks off a loaf of bread and served in a wax paper draped plastic basket

The only thing that could make this sandwich better would be to remove the burger. Seriously.

Primanti Brothers was the first stop on our summer burger/BBQ vacation and it was supposed to be the burger that set the course for the remainder of the week, but it fell flat. This sandwich was better than the sum of its parts, the slaw was so unique a tasty that I won’t think of cole slaw the same again, the bread was perfect, the fries stellar…the whole combination was mesmerizing…except for the patty which tasted manufactured. Look left…it just looks sad, pinned down below all of that topping goodness.

The good news is my wife ordered the Black Angus Sirloin Steak Sandwich, which featured all of the same toppings but with delicious hunks of steak. Needless to say, she wasn’t going to share after she saw the look on my face after the bite of my burger, but I did get one good bite and man, that sandwich was terrific.

I am not going to pan Primanti’s because they are legendary. And, despite the notation that the burger is the #2 seller, it is widely reported that it is in fact the #1 seller (Serious Eats called their bluff earlier in the summer after noticing that there is no #1 seller listed on the menu). Somebody must be eating these. Here’s hoping they test out a Black Angus sandwich just once…I guarantee they’d switch allegiances.

Additional notes:

1. We did not eat in the original Primanti Brothers location in the “Strip District.” Things might have been different, we were out in the burbs. There are currently 13 locations throughout the metro.
2. Pittsburgh has to be one of the nicest cities to visit in the US. Seriously.  Leave your preconceptions at the city limits, the ‘Burgh features clean streets, a vibrant downtown, the best baseball stadium in the majors, Kennywood Amusement Park, the Warhol Museum, The Strip District and on and on and on.

Staunton, VA: Wright's Dairy-Rite's Superburger

Wright’s Dairy Rite Inc
346 Greenville Ave
Staunton, VA 24401
(540) 886-0435

We are just back from this summer’s burger vacation (more BBQ this year than burgers, but I don’t have a BBQ blog…yet!) and one of the highlights for the whole family was Wright’s Dairy-Rite in Staunton, VA. What a treat!

As they proudly claim on the sign out front, this gem has been serving Staunton (and hungry travelers) since 1952 and little has changed since then (and thank G-d for that!).

The signature burger at Wright’s Dairy-Rite is the Superburger:

SUPERBURGER
Staunton’s original since 1952. Two patties of pure ground beef (total quarter pound), real american cheese, shredded lettuce, and our own special sauce. Served on a triple-decker bun.

Jane and Michael Stern point out in their foodie bible Roadfood that the Superburger preceeded the Big Mac by “more than a decade” and the taste today continues to outpace the McDonald’s version. The special sauce isn’t syrupy sweet like its fast-food knock-off and the bun is fresh and delicious. Plus, no pickles!!

Served on wax paper with a side order of onion rings and perfectly complemented by a chocolate malt this burger made me nostalgic for an era I never lived through.

Carhop service is available but we chose to exit the car for a bit (we clicked off 1500 miles in 5 days – cushy seats and a formica table top looked great to us) and we were extra thankful for the great jukebox that kept our daughter entertained (and entertaining nearby diners) for at least 15 minutes. Each booth has a telephone to call in your order which was neat (although a bit awkward when it comes to phone manners – do you say “bye” when you are done ordering?)

Visiting a place like Wright’s will no doubt make walking into any one of those faux-retro joints a tough task. It is so rare to be able to catch a glimpse of that so-called “simpler time” and I know our family is better for it.

Staunton is a beautiful little town, too. Train buffs (and parents of little ones) will want to check out the “Gypsy Express” train located in the Gypsy Hill park. For a buck a person you get a great ride on a cool train that is about as old as Wright’s. Stop by on July 4th or Labor Day and your ride is free (more $$$ to spend on burgers!!).

I Ate It (So You Don't Have To): 7-11's 1/4 lb. Cheeseburger Big Bite

They’ve done it again! The crazy food scientists (probably in Eric Schlosser’s New Jersey) have created a foodstuff that tastes the way we “expect” a burger to taste, even though everything about this thing is 100% WRONG!

This “natural” extension of the 7-11 Big Bite Hot Dog line-up is roller cooked until perfection (or until they pluck yours off) and delivered on a squishy hot dog bun. Step over to the condiment island and load it up as you please, I put on sweet peppers, ketchup and mustard, and there you have it – a concoction you would have had to dare your grade school friends to eat…but you are older now, on a tight budget and hungry, so let’s call this – lunch.

The rolled meat is infused with cheese and onion-y bits and has the texture of a kafta kebab, which it might have been called if (and I am only imagining this) focus groups would have signed off on eating anything labeled as mildly Arabic. In fact, if you ever find yourself in an Afghani or Lebanese restaurant and are craving a good burger, you’d do well to choose a Kafta Kebab. They are usually one of the mildest food choices on the menu and are a great gateway meal into further explorations.

But again, this isn’t a Kafta Kebab! It is an All-American Cheeseburger, rolled up to allow for even cooking on the already installed 7-11 hot dog roller system you know and love. It is $1.99 and even though I have it listed in the I Ate It (So You Don’t Have To) section, you could do worse.

File it under “If I have to have a burger and there aren’t any (and I mean any) other options…

Ballpark Burgers: Reading Phillies (The Churger)

Behold, the CHURGER!

What?

Yes, the CHURGER!

The most pleasant intersection of summertime BBQ staples, the Churger is half hamburger, half grilled chicken and all right by me.

I’ve been going to Reading Phillies games for close to 30 years now (wow, that feels weird to write – am I that old?) and one thing you can always count on is great food. For years it was hot dogs and french fries and most recently it has been the burgers.

The Churger hybrid no doubt comes from the R-Phils cooks flair for experimentation which a few years ago birthed “The Grand Slammer” which is a deadly combination of two 1/2 half pound burgers, cheese, sauce, pickles and oh, yeah…a half-ton of french fries, all wrapped up in a bun. At $10/per it might give you sticker shock, but have no fear it can easily feed a family of 4.

A sign above the Grand Slam Grill located down the right field line, defines the Churger:

It’s a sandwich that combines a burger and chicken breast separated by a slice of American cheese on a fresh roll and made with a whole lot of love.”

Signed by “Scoly,” noted as the Inventor of the Churger

Scoly is Jamie “Scoly” Scolastico who runs the outpost and is deserved of his name in lights (or at least on paint) for this invention.

The $7 sandwich itself is a 1/4 lb. hamburger and a similar sized chicken breast, char-grilled and kept from co-mingling by a slice of cheese applied during burger construction. No need for condiments of any kind because both the burger and the chicken were perfectly cooked and juicy. Besides maybe BBQ sauce, I’m not even sure what condiments you would put on it if you so decided they were necessary.

I can’t wait to catch another game (and burger) in Reading. This place is a perennial winner for a great family night out and the food just puts it over the top.

Collingswood, NJ: The Pop Shop's Biloxi Blue Crab Burger

Biloxi Blue Crab Burger

856-869-0111‎

729 Haddon Ave

Collingswood, NJ

thepopshopusa.com

Biloxi Blue Crab Burger: Cajun blackened burger with seasoned crabmeat, blue and parmesan cheeses served with Louisiana fries and rémoulade sauce

Yup, you read that correctly. Crabmeat + Burger + Blue Cheese = !!!

The Pop Shop is a great example of faux retro done right and the main reason is their menu. Creativity is key and one could pretty much take a blind stab at any dish on the menu and walk away thinking they just had one terrific meal.

The burger is a one-half pound 100% Angus beef patty, served as you read above with a heaping dollop of crabmeat, blue and parmesan cheese. As you can see from the picture, this combination mixes nicely atop the burger and spreads evenly when squished down by the bun. Each bite is two treats in one, as the sweetness of the crab meets the deep beefiness of the burger.

Never in a million years would I consider combining crab meat and burgers on my own at home, but whoever came up with this one was really on to something.

Moment of weakness: Checkers Toasted Double Melt

Toasted Double Melt

No real review but to say that this burger is so ridiculously good (and bad for you) that you should have to show ID to buy one. Again, as with your typical Checkers burger…forget about quality of ingredients and just concentrate on how they can continue to invent new ways to promote arteriosclerosis.

Our signature Toasted American Melt is always a favorite. This hot, toasty, double burger is piled high with American cheese, creamy cheddar cheese sauce, seasoned grilled onions and mayonnaise, all served on golden toasted sourdough bread.

Oh yeah, bacon, too.

Deadly and delicious. Nothing more to say, I’m hanging my head in shame.