I swore I wasn’t going to go there.
It just seemed too cliché and dated.
But we are talking about burgers here.
Ah, what the heck …
“Where’s the Beef?”
To answer the question made famous by the legendary Clara Peller – may she rest in peace – I have chosen my Top 5 burgers in Fort Wayne.
And, just as the old Wendy’s ad pointed out, all of these burgers aren’t lacking in the signature ingredient.
1. Henry’s Burger
Henry’s Restaurant,
536 W. Main
St.
Cost: $8.99 ($9.99 with bacon)
Beef: 8 ounces; 81/19 lean-to-fat ratio
Bun: Aunt Millie’s onion Kaiser roll
Cooking method: Char-grilled
The juicy part: The smell that hits our office when someone brings one of these beauties in from across the street is intoxicating. And when I walk to my car and the aroma hits when several are being grilled, it is like one of those cartoons where a smoke hand forms and drags Wimpy to the sandwich.
The patty is always juicy and full of flavor, the bun is always fresh and, for me, the best part about them is that I can get them rare. Not many places will do a burger that way anymore, but Henry’s does it to perfection. Topped with Swiss, American or jack cheese, it comes with spicy brown mustard and lettuce, tomato and onion on the side for you to add to your liking.
2. Stadium Burger
Stadium Bar & Grill,
2607 Goshen Road
Cost: $8.95
Beef: Two 6-ounce, 80/20 patties from Dave Hill’s Meat Market, 3031 W. Washington Center Road
Bun: Aunt Millie’s sesame
Cooking method: Flat-top griddle
The juicy part: If there were a way you could look up “big, fat, greasy, messy cheeseburger,” this burger’s picture would be next to the description. These patties are done on a griddle but are never pressed by spatula, so they hold all the juice. Add on a load of bacon, Swiss and American cheese and toppings – sautéed onions and mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and mayo – and you have one hot delicious mess.
3. Powers
1402 S. Harrison
St.
Cost: $1.08 ($1.19 with cheese)
Beef: 85/15 from Tim Didier Meats, 3205 N. Wells St.
Bun: Aunt Millie’s dinner rolls
Cooking method: Flat-top
The juicy part: The smallest and most historic on my list and the most uniquely prepared, the Powers burger has been a late-night favorite for 71 years. Patties formed into balls are placed on the griddle, which owner Mike Hall said has been in use since the place opened. The cover for this tiny cooking surface is seasoned, to say the least; Hall said it hasn’t been replaced since “sometime in the ’80s.”
Shoestring Vidalia onions are heaped on top of the burger balls and are smashed into the meat during cooking to caramelize (the place goes through about 150 pounds of Vidalias each week). Buns are placed over cooking burgers and onions to steam. These sliders are the perfect end to a night out and, really, are perfect at any hour. Who needs a White Castle?
4. Hoosier Burger
Tower Bar & Grill,
2403 W. State Blvd.
Cost: $7
Beef: Half-pound (quarter also available); 80/20
Bun: Soft buttery buns from Gonnella Baking Co., Chicago
Cooking method: Char-grilled
The juicy part: This burger no longer appears on Tower’s menu, but it can always be requested. The thick burger has plenty of flavor on its own but it’s really accentuated by the egg on top – if that egg is ordered over-easy so the runny yolk creates a rich sauce for the sandwich, which is also topped with gooey melted American cheese and the usual lettuce, onion and tomato.
5. Gardner’s-style double
Lunch Box Café, 8814 Coldwater Road
Cost: $5.50
Beef: Two 4.5-ounce patties; 95 percent to 97 percent lean
Bun: Aunt Millie’s yellow Kaiser roll
Cooking method: Flat-top
The juicy part: Original Lunch Box owner Gerhard Heinecke insisted on making his burgers the way he learned to make them while working at the famous downtown drive-in. The patties are pressed thin on a flat top to get a nice sear and a little crispness on edges. I go with a double because, well, why not, but singles are available. Another secret to its deliciousness is the Gardner Sauce, a sweet mayo or tartar sauce of some kind. You have to ask for it Gardner’s-style to get the sauce, however.
