Aug
8, 2002 — Perhaps
I shouldn't have asked.
When I decided to do a roundup of area burger joints, I
thought it would be helpful to poll friends to find out which
restaurants were universally loved for a good old-fashioned
hamburger. Instead, I encountered a stream of strong opinions,
many of them conflicting.
"I love Bob's — you can't beat it."
"Oh, I hate Bob's. Whatever you do, don't go
there."
"Burger Me serves the yummiest burgers in
Bellingham!"
"The only place for a burger done right is Win's."
"Boomer's is the best!"
My task only grew more daunting, so I did the easiest thing
and randomly picked three eateries. Your favorite may not have
made my final cut, but I'm sure there's another burger column
(or two!) in my future, as the list of options was lengthy
indeed.
One thing became clear as I sampled area hamburger producers:
Fast food doesn't hold a candle to a burger made to order at a
locally owned eatery.
The quality was infinitely better at each restaurant I
patronized. And although you won't snag a sandwich for 99 cents
like at one of the chains, you'll more than make up for the
difference in service, atmosphere and taste.
Bob's Burgers & Brew
Bob's Burgers & Brew in Fairhaven has been a
semi-regular stop for my husband and I since we moved to the
area. Whenever our families visit from the Midwest, we take them
to Bob's, knowing they'll feel comfortable, find plenty they
like on the menu and leave with a nice memory of the quaint
neighborhood. Bob's has additional locations in Lynden,
Ferndale, Sudden Valley and Sumas.
Making a choice is no easy feat at Bob's. Out of nearly a
dozen specialty charbroiled burgers to choose from, I went with
their fresh mushroom burger. A layer of locally grown mushrooms
and a slice of melted Swiss cheese joined all the regular
trimmings atop a sizeable grilled patty, sandwiched between a
huge, soft, sesame-seed bun.
The menu touted this burger as having "a gargantuan
amount" of sautéed mushrooms. This is a bit of an
exaggeration, but the overall size of the meal is too huge to
bother arguing. The addition of the mushrooms added another
level of flavor to an already delicious burger.
As a whole, Bob's version was a bit on the greasy side, but
isn't that what so many people love about this American classic?
Grilled onions can be added to any selection (including an array
of gourmet chicken burgers) at no additional charge. You're also
given a choice of french fries, jo jos, potato salad or soup.
I'm a fan of their mustardy potato salad, but have also heard
many people rave about their jo jos.
My one complaint? The servings are so big and juicy, and the
plates so small, that inevitably a mess is made. Then again,
maybe that's part of the fun at Bob's; there's no need to worry
about eating daintily when faced with one of their lip-smacking
burgers.
The Malt Shop
The Malt Shop on the corner of Railroad Avenue and Chestnut
Street harkens back to a time when life was simpler. A huge ice
cream freezer welcomes you, offering 48 flavors of homemade ice
cream, yogurts, sherbets and sorbet.
I ordered at the counter, then grabbed a booth and perused
the walls, which are covered in magazine advertisements and
pin-ups from the 1950s. Scant minutes later, my burger was
delivered to my table wrapped handsomely in paper and resting in
a basket with a heap of thin, crunchy french fries.
The patty itself was much smaller in comparison to Bob's, but
then the price was a lot less, too, at $2.50 for a burger and
fries. Just 50 cents more gets you a slice of cheese — and one satisfying meal for a mere
handful of quarters.
The bun was as large and laden with sesame seeds as Bob's,
and the condiments — mayo, ketchup, mustard, shredded
lettuce, thick onion slices and pickle chips — were crisply cold, in nice contrast to
the hot burger.
I'm a regular at the Bella Mi Spa and Salon next door to The
Malt Shop, so I asked their opinion of the ice cream and
sandwich shop. Everyone agreed the food was "made with
love." I wasn't sure what to make of the remark until my
lunch stop at the nostalgic restaurant a couple days later.
Their burger may not be the hands-down best in town, but it's
darned tasty, made with careful attention to details, and served
with a friendly flourish.
My friends at Bella Mi also claimed The Malt Shop had the
best fries in town. If you like your french fries on the skinny
side, you'll agree. They were served piping hot with just the
right amount of salt and not a smidge of excess grease.
Boomer's Drive-In
You can't miss Boomer's Drive-In, resting on the curve of
Samish Way near Diego's. I've been hearing good things about the
place for years, but had never been by.
The food was more than satisfying, but perhaps not worth the
25 minutes spent standing in line and then waiting for our
takeaway bags to be brought out. Service was harried, but I fear
they may have been short-staffed that night; the place was
packed with not a single empty table available. To solve the
problem in the future, we'll take the advice printed clearly on
Boomer's to-go menu: "Call it in, pick it up!"
You know what, I take it all back: The waffle fries were so
tantalizing, they actually were worth the 25-minute wait!
Large pieces of potato were sliced into waffle shapes — many with large portions of potato
skin left on — and fried to a crunchy crisp. My
husband ordered a side of tartar sauce, which made a great
partner to the salty sensations.
I ordered the Combo #2 of a Boomer burger, those fabulous
waffle fries and a medium soft drink, while my husband went with
the bacon Swiss burger. Both made for hearty, filling meals.
Like The Malt Shop, Boomer's burgers taste as though prepared on
a griddle, rather than Bob's charbroiled variety. But that
doesn't mean they're lesser quality; it's simply a matter of
personal taste. All three were satisfying in their own way.
Boomer's patties were quite large, though much thinner than
Bob's, and again, the condiments helped take the sandwich to a
higher level.
Next time I duck into Boomer's, I'll take advantage of its
old-fashioned drive-in, where you pull up and turn on your car
lights for service. The inside of the cheery eatery was also
welcoming and would make a fitting foray for a casual lunch or
dinner.
None of the three restaurants I sampled asked how I liked my
burger done, so if you're picky, you may want to speak up. I'm a
middle-of-the-road meat eater and medium to medium-well is just
fine by me.
Bob's burger was the biggest, juiciest and most expensive;
The Malt Shop served the best deal in charming surroundings; and
Boomer's offered a sizeable sandwich for only a bit more money
than The Malt Shop. Any one of these amiable eateries will leave
you glad you drove right past the chain restaurant drive-thru
window.
