It comes as a shock to plenty of South Louisiana residents when I, a Baton Rouge native, tell them my favorite food isn’t a Cajun dish. Crawfish étouffée and fried oysters are great, but my real passion lies in burgers.
In the past couple of years, the burger market has expanded in Baton Rouge, as it has nationally. High-quality burger joints are quickly becoming a restaurant trend and forcing fast food giants like McDonald’s to step up their game.
With the influx of burger places and the high number of Baton Rouge classics, I set out to find the capital city’s best burger, tasting a bacon and cheddar cheeseburger at each of the most-hyped burger restaurants in the city.
1. Curbside
Who would have guessed that the best burger in Baton Rouge comes from a truck? Curbside is one of the many food trucks operating in Baton Rouge and, for my money, it’s the best one.
Their K.G.B. burger is about as close to perfection as a bacon cheeseburger can come. On top of the tasty cheddar and one-of-a-kind praline bacon, a fried egg is thrown on for good measure. This leads to a delicious conglomeration of flavors, with sweet and salty balancing perfectly.
I don’t know how it’s done, but Curbside somehow keeps the burgers from being greasy. After I finished my meal, I didn’t feel as weighed down as I did after eating at Five Guys or Burgersmith.
Some may argue that Curbside’s prices are too high, but you get what you pay for. My only quibble is that the truck is only open during certain times of the day and almost none of its regular spots are close to campus.
Grade: A
2. Burgersmith
One of the most recent additions to the Baton Rouge burger scene, Burgersmith set up shop last year in Baton Rouge after being open for a number of years in Lafayette. It’s quickly become one of my favorite restaurants in town. I love restaurants that refuse to compromise on quality, and Burgersmith is one of those. The patties are hand-pressed, a small difference in preparation that hugely affects the outcome.
The signature sauce, the Smith Sauce, is a great blend of condiments and spices that complements any burger well, while the restaurant boasts a large number of extra options to throw on the patty. However, I find it best to leave the bacon off, as its somewhat chewy texture can distract from a well-cooked patty.
My biggest gripe is that the burger can be a bit greasy and heavy. Be prepared to use plenty of napkins while eating, and allot time for a huge nap after your meal.
Grade: B+
3. Roul’s Deli
Always a campus favorite, Roul’s was the first place I ever had a burger that was somewhat out of the ordinary. In retrospect, it’s not a radical burger, but it’s still delicious. However, the restaurant owners may want to think about changing their slogan from “Juicy, Juicy” to “Greasy, Greasy.”
A well-blended, well-seasoned burger is unfortunately weighed down by the greases that are nearly unavoidable when using a flat grill. The burger bun doesn’t add anything special, and the super-processed American cheese is an unwelcome addition.
Still, the seasonings come together perfectly and give the burger a taste unlike any other in town. And you can’t beat the Monday special, $5.75 for a burger, fries and a drink.
Grade: B-
4. Fat Cow
As one of the more popular, new burger joints, Fat Cow always seems to be packed with people. It’s no surprise — there is a wide variety of options and agreeable prices. But as with Five Guys, I just don’t understand the craze.
On my bacon cheeseburger, the patty was badly overcooked. Some bites had little flavor at all, tasting only like charred meat. As best I can tell, Fat Cow seems to machine-press the burgers, robbing them of plenty of great taste.
However, the buns at Fat Cow have always stood out to me. The bread is sweet without being sugary, which blends well with bacon. The bacon was the best part of the burger — crispy without being overcooked.
Because the restaurant uses an open-flame grill, the burgers have a minimal amount of grease, which is a good thing. The downside of the grill is that a burger can easily be overcooked, as mine was.
Grade: C+
5. Five Guys
I’ve never understood the hype surrounding Five Guys. Everyone across the nation seems to be willing to sacrifice his or her firstborn for a Five Guys burger, but my impression has been that they’re just OK. Nothing separates the Five Guys burger I had from typical diner fare. The meat is high-quality, but in the end, the burger is a mound of grease, meat and cheese. Not a bad thing, but nothing special.
The worst part, surprisingly, is the bacon. On my burger, it was egregiously overcooked, leaving it tasting like burnt rubber, which ruined any semblance of goodness. The cheese wasn’t a good addition either; it only added to the gooeyness.
I guess the price tag is what attracts people, as well as the fact that the burger is ultra-customizable. But when I want a burger, Five Guys is one of the last places on my list.
Grade: C-
The thoughts expressed in this review belong to the writer and do not reflect those of The Daily Reveille.
