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Help A Recovering Vegetarian....


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Hi all.

As you may have seen in previous postings, I am a recovering vegetarian. Yes, it has been a tough 4 years, but I have managed to try and fit meat back into my diet. In the past year I have begun integrating sashimi grade fish into the menu. Last month I began eating Salumi proscuitto(simply because it is from Salumi and it is SO DAMN GOOD). But until this evening I have yet to take the leap from my high horse of vegetarianism: beef. I asked for advice on where to get the best hamburger to fully confrim my ominivore status, and the answer I recieved was Dick's. I went there tonight and had a "Dick's Special", very good but a bit lacking. I am now in search for the perfect hamburger, especially since tonight was the first time my pallate had tasted beef in 4 years. Again, and I'm sorry for being so self-absorbed, here are my Seattle burger nominations(and feel free to write in any candidates that do not appear here).

Red Mill

Daly's

Burgermaster

Kidd Valley

Deluxe Bar and Grill

Take a minute out of your day to help a recovering vegetarian find his way back into the beautiful world of omnivores.

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Try the Scoop Burger at Scoop du Jour in Madison Park. The only downside is they don't have fries (just a bag of chips), and its not a comfy room...but the burger is yummy, made with lots of pepper and with enough shredded lettuce to consitute a salad. The shakes are pretty good, too.

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I totally third Palace Kitchen's burger. Great suggestion.

"Save Donald Duck and Fuck Wolfgang Puck."

-- State Senator John Burton, joking about

how the bill to ban production of foie gras in

California was summarized for signing by

Gov. Schwarzenegger.

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Palace Kitchen or Circa in West Seattle are my go-to's for burgerage.

The key (in my also recovering veg. opinion) is to go someplace that not only cares what kind of beef they use, but also will accept your order of medium rare (or whatever) without breaking a sweat.

from overheard in new york:

Kid #1: Paper beats rock. BAM! Your rock is blowed up!

Kid #2: "Bam" doesn't blow up, "bam" makes it spicy. Now I got a SPICY ROCK! You can't defeat that!

--6 Train

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My vote is for Jak's Grill, I haven't had a burger at Palace Kitchen in ages but anytime I'm jonesing for a good burger I end up at Jak's. Alternatively, get on a plane fly down to California and get a Double Double at In n' Out. :biggrin: (Sorry, had to be said.)

Rocky

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a thought: why not cook your beef? i had always been a vegetarian and i was never comfortable with the idea of eating meat until i actually took a raw slab of red meat and got involved in the process of preparing a meal from raw ingredients. since you are a recovering vegetarian unlike a fresh recruit to meat eating, it ought to be easier for you than it was for me? just my 2c.

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Two Bells.

Not sure about Palace Kitchen, last one I had was overcooked, and the tomato slices shouldn't even have been used they were so unripe.

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

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Not sure about Palace Kitchen, last one I had was overcooked, and the tomato slices shouldn't even have been used they were so unripe.

Did you taste them? They serve it with really tasty pickled green tomatoes in the summertime. I miss them in the winter. (Still, your server shoulda mentioned that it was intentional!)

Me, I'd send it right the heck back if it were overcooked. They know better there.

~Anita

Anita Crotty travel writer & mexican-food addictwww.marriedwithdinner.com

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Hey everyone,

Thank you so much for all of the suggestions. Sounds like I am going to be heading to the Two Bells and Palace Kitchen in the next few days. I still want to hit Red Mill as well. Perhaps this week should be the "Tour of the Seattle Hamburger". I've been into Daly's once and had their fish and chips, not impressed. Can anyone give feedback as to the quality of their burgers?

Also, I will be moving to Portland in a few weeks and imagine I will have a full on taste for burgers by then. Any suggestions for good burgers in P-town?

Thanks again for helping a recovering vegetarian,

Kyle

PS I'm planning on cooking my own burger at the end of the week.

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Like Joey said on Friends, "If you’re going to do something wrong do it right!" If you are going to fall completely off the vegetarian wagon, why settle for a burger when you could have steak or Prime Rib?

"Homer, he's out of control. He gave me a bad review. So my friend put a horse head on the bed. He ate the head and gave it a bad review! True Story." Luigi, The Simpsons

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Most of Portland's better places have good burgers made from local beef that they grind themselves (or get from one of the better purveyors that grind Painted Hills or Oregon Country Beef daily). My all time fav is in the bar at Higgins (not even called a burger on the menu, but something like ground chuck sandwich), and they'll cook it bloody if you want, altho' I'm a medium rare burger eater myself.

For more pedestrian burgers that you want cooked to 180F because you don't know how many cows sacrifieced various body parts to make them, Skyline Drive In is the place.

Jim

olive oil + salt

Real Good Food

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Well, I threw off my burger regime last night for a good choice, sausage lasagne made by a couple good friends of mine. It was well worth throwing off the "Tour of Seattle Burger", but don't worry, I'm climbing back on the wagon tonight. Destination Red Mill. I'm saving the Palace for Thursday. And this weekend I'm checking out the spots in Portland. :raz: Being an omnivore never felt so right

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Not sure about Palace Kitchen, last one I had was overcooked, and the tomato slices shouldn't even have been used they were so unripe.

Did you taste them? They serve it with really tasty pickled green tomatoes in the summertime. I miss them in the winter. (Still, your server shoulda mentioned that it was intentional!)

Me, I'd send it right the heck back if it were overcooked. They know better there.

~Anita

I did taste them - it was spring, and they were just underripe. Too bad. I'd probably have enjoyed a good pickled tomato!

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

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Like Joey said on Friends, "If you’re going to do something wrong do it right!"  If you are going to fall completely off the vegetarian wagon, why settle for a burger when you could have steak or Prime Rib?

The hell with beef altogether, a true fall from vegetarianism requires bacon. Lots of bacon.

=Mark

Give a man a fish, he eats for a Day.

Teach a man to fish, he eats for Life.

Teach a man to sell fish, he eats Steak

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The hell with beef altogether, a true fall from vegetarianism requires bacon.  Lots of bacon.

Or, the worst of all worlds, a thick, juicy bacon cheeseburger. Mmmmm! :wub:

Sacred cows make the best hamburger.

- Mark Twain, 1835 - 1910

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Good evening,

Well, I did it, I ate a Palace burger. Oh my God, was it good. Cooked med-rare with some nice thin fries on the side. I didn't want to mess up the BEEF experience with condiments, so I enjoyed the pickled tomatoes with my fork. My dining partner in crime and I also enjoyed a few oysters to start off the meal, not the best I've had, but a nice lead in.

I'm recovered.

Stay tuned next week when I cook a steak :cool:

Hope everyone here at eGullet is having a happy holiday season.

Kyle

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