Beef Patties

well, after 3 months and some change, i finally did it . . . i ate at Burger King. i've been threatening to do it ever since i got here. but some co-worker inevitably talks me out of it. or, its just not convenient. the reality of it is, why would i eat there when there are so many tasty Doener's, Schwarma's and Curry Worst's around?

well my friend, curiosity is the answer. and tonight, as i walked into the grocery store at the Freidrichstrasse station, i saw the big BK sign and suddenly wanted a cheezeburger, but i though: "no, no, why would i do that? i'm going to the grocery store to get some real food. and as i walked out of the grocery store, with a back pack full of fuits, lunch meats, cheezes and health tasty bread. . . curiosity won, and i gave in to the need for some flame broiled goodness. and i have to tell you . . . it was . . . THE SAME! and by the same, i mean, the same as in America. yeah, you probably already knew that. i mean, thats the point, isnt it . . . but still, dont you just have to KNOW some times? of course you do. admit it. stop fooling yourself.

no, i haven't eaten at McDonald's yet. i've only stopped there for cold tasty bevereges on occasion. but, lets be honest, it's only a matter of time . . . and i've still got two months. after all, i have been to Dunkin Donuts several times. (mmmm . . . donuts . . . )

however, tonights burger experience brings me to another point i've been trying to get to: the Best Burgers in Berlin.

and the Best Burgers in Berlin can be found at . . . . BURGER KING!

HAHAHAHAHA! just kidding, Morgan (i know you choked on your own spit just then. i hope you didnt have to call the nurse.)

in reality, the best burgers in Berlin can be found at: The Bird.
started a year ago by two American guys that, for some reason, found themselves in Berlin and in need of a good burger, the Bird has, possibly, one of the best beef patties i have ever had anywhere. i know you Americans at home can't possibly believe that this could be true, but it is. these burgers are better than 5 Guys, and even better than Brians Grill . . . (i miss you, Brians Grill). and the fries are fantabulous, and they even have malt vinegar, and roll's of paper towels on the tables.

no, Morgan, i have never been to Fathers office. my one attempt was thwarted by its penchant for only being open after 5pm. but i dare say that these burgers may be better than The Counter. . . . i'm not sure, i'm just saying . . . .

as a side note, after work, a bunch of the peeps and i frequented the Bird for a low key fourth, with some quality American fare and some pool on one of the crappiest tables ever. its part of the ambiance.



so, for Morgan: in my limited experience, having only had burgers from 5 places in Berlin, they rank like this. included is a scale of 1 - 10, for relative comprehension. 1=barf, 10=beefy heaven

The Bird (10)- see above. a little pricey for Berlin, but you get what you pay for.

The White Trash (5.5) - dont be confused by it's catchy name, this punk rock location done up in Chinese decor offers quite a menu of "American" food. the burgers and fries are pretty good, for "not America" , except they put some kind of sauce on the buns, resembling mayo (that travesty of a spread), and the couple time's i've been there, they seem to refuse to take it off. . .

Burgermeister (4) - located under the U-band in Kreuzberg, this place was recommended by a local friend. though the burgers are cheap, again, you get what you pay for.

Burger King (3.5) - flame broiled goodness. as a "fast food chain" it can't really be in the running, but it sets up the worst burger ever . . .

The Oscar Wilde (0) - yeah, the place is named for an English guy (or was he Irish), so could i expect a good burger? probably not. but it was by far one of the worst burgers i've ever eaten in my life, only to be surpassed by the absolute worst burger experience of my entire life, and maybe the only time i could not bring myself to finish my food when i was starving - the fast food burgers in the airport in Manaus. not even the suplemental bacon and cheeze could save this poor excuse for a burger. i guess i should have gotten the fish and chips. and the soccer game that Steve and i went there to watch was boring too. oh well . . .