Patch Picks: A Scrumptious New Burger Comes to Town

Imagine that those moments you crave a great burger–one made with high quality beef, cooked just right, dressed with the right sauce and seasonings, with fresh buns, lettuce and tomatoes.

Burger lovers can imagine having that burger, in all its perfection, especially today, as National Hamburger Day is upon us.

To celebrate this opportunistic occasion, head out to grab one of those fantastic burgers and around Mountain View there are plenty of great options.

A restaurant with the word burger in the name is a good place to start. Founded in 1945, at 615 W. El Camino Real has been voted many times as the best burger in Mountain View. Their customizable burgers–patrons an mix-n-match buns–makes for very satisfied appetites.

may not standout immediately for its burgers, but they have an excellent selection. Check out their Top Sirloin burger, Wild Game burger–buffalo, venison, elk or ostrich–Roasted Garlic, Redwood Coast or Southwest burgers.

On Castro Street, both and offer a variety of other dishes besides burgers, but if you find yourself craving one these will hit the spot. At Kapp's you can choose between a 1/2 pound or 1/3 pound prime beef; at Stephen's Green there's a standard beef and also for a few dollars more a Kobe beef burger too.

But further down Castro Street a new one restaurant opened its doors recently and has something out-of-the-ordinary for devoted fans of this all-American favorite for 120 years.

It would be worth checking out a new restaurant downtown that offers a burger that “you will not find anywhere else,” says Mike Finley, Steak Out’s managing partner located at 383 Castro St.

What makes their burgers so different? There is a strong focus on using local, fresh and natural ingredients. According to Finley, they use a healthier grade of beef which comes from 100 percent grass-fed beef, “Jackpot” tomatoes, fresh leafy lettuce, a special recipe sauce made in-house, and a uniquely developed recipe “starter” bun.

Review:

Warmly greeted by friendly staff who were happy to speak about the new restaurant in Old Mountain View. The ambiance was casual, bright, comfortable and non-pretentious.

Starting with the beef patty it was cooked to a medium, which is how the burgers come unless you request otherwise. The flavor is definitely beefy, buttery, tender and juicy. I normally have my burgers more cooked because I do not tend to like the taste of too much “pink” in burgers, but taking a chance, the flavor from the grade of beef came through as quite pleasant.

Food Operations Manager, Edward Reyes-Ortiz demonstrated the proper method of grilling the patties so they retain their juices and develop a nicely seared outer layer.

The farm grown, Jackpot tomato, was a vibrant red, inviting to eat, juicy, and just another high quality ingredient that matched well with the patty. The lettuce was also fresh, perky and a balancing accompaniment with the rest of the sandwich.

The bun is Finley’s own recipe he concocted at home and it is lightly toasted on the grill with a bit of butter. The french fries were crisp outside, soft inside, nice flavor and not greasy. The sauce is a "secret recipe" and compliments the dish well being non-overpowering.

This burger is definitely like no other burger–all the quality ingredients come together to produce a quality product.

Finley stated that they were in an evolving state. They’ll make adjustments to their current menu to reflect the tastes of the dining community and maintain their core values.

Currently in the process of creating vegetarian options, they also have plans to expand on their steak offerings, where at this time, they offer a steak and eggs dish at breakfast time.

If you have a hankering for a great burger or are just curious what a grass-fed beef with special-secret-sauce, local-grown tomato and a home-recipe bun tastes like–this is the place! But there are many other great options around town to satisfy your burger craving!

As we wrap-up our celebration of National Culinary Arts month during July, we have promoted appreciation and awareness of the cuisines from: Morocco–as we welcomed a restaurant with their savory dishes;  Japan–as we enjoyed the dishes traditionally prepared during Obon festivals; France–as we celebrated with two local restaurants’ delicious confections prepared in the French fashion; and America–as we celebrate National Hamburger Day with a welcome to a new-high-quality burger eatery in town.