By Bob Steiner

As one who grew up loving the hamburger with fries and a milkshake “era of the fifties and sixties,  I regard myself as somewhat of  a burger gourmet. I might also point out thanks to Uncle Sam I have traveled extensively throughout the fifty states. Based upon this I do not believe that my background in savoring delectable grilled burgers should be regarded solely as “regional”.  I maintain that due to my continuous consumption  of  this American basic source of sustenance, as well as the  resulting girth I have attained, I have sufficient expertise to qualify as being a national authority on this subject. Having presented my “credentials” to our readers, I will now get down to facts.

Connie's Special Green Chile Cheeseburger Meal

All of us have been exposed to the burger for the common man (or woman). This product meets a basic need if you are indeed famished and can be procured at the closest McDonald’s or Burger King. If your taste buds are more demanding, Wendy’s is a  step up and if you want the best “national chain” product, a stop at the closest Carl’s Junior may be the solution.

If you are really discriminating, the best “chain” burger in the nation is served up by “Inn-n-Out”.   Although their restaurants are only  available on the West coast, the burgers have won endorsements by such national celebrities, as Sean Hannity. Their burgers are unique and no matter which restaurant you drive up to, the quality is the same.  As is the case with many other restaurants, the beef has not been frozen, the buns are fresh, the restaurants are clean.  They offer grilled onions and  prices are reasonable. It is impossible to define but there must be some secret ingredient that makes their burgers almost addictive.  You may find this humorous but when my gracious and understanding spouse alerts me to the fact that she wants to drive over to California to visit family, the first thing I start considering is how I can route our trip so we can stop at the closest “Inn-N-Out”.  Incidentally, the closest present locations are in Las Vegas,  NV, Kingman,AZ,  and Barstow,CA.

Now to discuss the burger situation in New Mexico.  The Independence Grill on Menaul NE in Albuquerque features  an “American Kobe Beef” burger for about ten dollars. While some folks may like it, I found it to be quite dry and lacking the “juiciness” that a true burger aficionado would demand.  We must give them “A” for effort, though.  In my search for a truly palatable  product in New Mexico, I had almost given up hope. Then some two or three weeks ago, Steve, a co-worker, mentioned that he had discovered a burger at a restaurant in Moriarty that might be worthy of being “evaluated”. Skeptical, at first, I listened to him describing the burger and stating it was somewhat similar to an Inn-N-Out “creation” he had once enjoyed while in “Shaky City” (“Los Angeles” for those of you who have never experienced an earthquake).  Since Steve is a friend,  I listened politely and told him I would visit the restaurant sometime in the future.  Having accepted the recommendations of well-meaning friends in the past, I could not bring myself to get enthused,  facing the possibility that I would be disappointed once again. In any event, after much prodding by my friend over the next two weeks I  finally made the trip to Moriarty.  Was I Surprised! Continue reading →