Where’s the Beef?
Uncovering Boston’s best hidden burgers
by Karen Hofreiter

Back in the fall of 2007, I assembled a crew of burger aficionados with a sharp palette for all things beef and set out to find some of the best burgers in Boston. A year and a half later, it is time for an update. This time, however, the focus is on discovering the best “hidden” burgers. I enlisted the same enthusiastic mean-lovin’ crew to be the judges:

Famished Engineer: Engineer and aspiring chef extraordinaire, with a reputation for his own homemade, mouth-watering patties.
Cheeseboy: Archivist and cheese-crazed foodie from Wisconsin, with a well-honed palette.
Blonde Librarian: Stereotype-defying information architect, with a methodical and analytical mind capable of dissecting and classifying burger attributes with astute clarity.
Me: Slightly burger-shy author, willing to face her ground beef fears for the sake of meat lovers everywhere.

As last time, we rated each burger, bun and fries on a scale of 1 (gross) to 5 (pure beef ecstasy). And so, carnivorous readers, here are our findings.

EAGLE’S DELI
1918 Beacon St., Cleveland Circle, 61-731-3232, www.eaglesdeli.com

This cafeteria-style nosh spot was our first stop. Clean and well-lit with about ten tables, they have a dizzying menu displayed above the open kitchen which spans its entire length. Any flavor profile you desire, from Greek to Italian to Irish to good ol’ American, is available, usually packed inside a bun. We wisely decided to pass on the 5lb “challenge” burger (a whopping $50) and go with the ¼ lb Kiddie burger with a ¼ lb of beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato ($3.50) and small fries ($2.25). Call us wimps, but we had to save room for the meals ahead of us.

Burger: Pretty good, was our consensus. Because it was a mere ¼ lb, it was rather flat, almost resembling a frozen patty, but the fresh flavor pointed to homemade. “Smells steaky with a smoky grilled flavor,” said Cheeseboy. Famished Engineer thought it was tender, although the cheese was a little skimpy. I appreciated the smaller size and skinniness, but the patty “just wasn’t working” for Blond Librarian. We all agreed the crispy lettuce and tomato were very fresh. Score: 3.3

Bun: The bun was soft and untoasted, with the strong and pleasant smell of fresh bread. It was a great match for the burger size, which made the whole ensemble easy to eat, with no “slippage.” Score: 3.75

Fries: For being a “small,” there was an impressive heap of hot-from-the-fryer, uber crispy fries. They did not seem to be hand cut, but they were perfectly done, which made up for it. Score: 3.75

WASHINGTON SQUARE TAVERN
714 Washington St., Brookline, 617-232-8989, www.washingtonsquaretavern.com

Just down the street was our next stop, where we had the “Famous Choice Sirloin ½ lb. Burger” with cheddar cheese and crispy fries for what seemed like a hefty price of $14. Turns out, it was worth every penny. Hands down, our favorite patty of the evening.

It is definitely a charming, neighborhood establishment, with a motley group of patrons ranging from families with kids to parties of jolly, post-50 diners to a lively college set. The dining room is cozy, with warm, Tuscan orange walls, dark Mission-style furniture, arched windows and even an enormous bookshelf holding what look like antique books. The beer selection is impressive, with beers on draft that run the color spectrum from Allagash White to Guinness (with one of my rarely seen favorites, Radeberger). There is, however, no television at the bar.

Burger: For just a burger, there was a lot of thought put into the beautiful presentation. It was so incredibly juicy, we all immediately had to grab napkins at first bite. “Super beef flavor and perfectly cooked to medium,” said Famished Engineer. Cheeseboy loved the incredible thickness, the generous slice of cheese that stood its own and the buttery Boston lettuce and deep red tomato slice. The star testimonial, however, came from Blonde Librarian, whose eyes rolled back into her head as she exclaimed, “F#%&, this is good.” (In fact, after the burger was gone, she was picking every last scrap off the plate). Score: 4.9

Bun: We didn’t even notice the bun, so enthralled we were with the burger. But the understated bread really let the meat shine. Score: 3.3

Fries: Again, not much attention got paid to the fries--they seemed a superfluous compliment to the burger. They were skinny and crispy, but didn’t appear to be hand cut. Score: 3

MISSION BAR
724 Huntington Ave, Brigham Circle, 617-566-1244, www.themissionbar.com

At the Mission, we tried the burger and the veggie burger (didn’t want to leave out the vegetarians). The Mission was packed with a primarily young professional crowd, and the vibe was lively (if a little loud). Dim drop lights and heavy, dark furniture give the place a sturdy, almost intellectual aura. There’s an extensive beer list, which includes Leinenkugel on draft (I may lose a few points there, but I blame it on my Midwestern roots)!

We ordered the “Mission Burger” with 10oz of fresh hand patty ground chuck, lettuce, tomato, red onion and boursin cheese ($10), as well as the “Portobello Mushroom Burger” with grilled Portobello, roasted red peppers, brie, roasted shallots, tomato and fresh greens ($9).

Burger (the real deal): This was the solid #2 of the night. Cheeseboy thought it was a “little gritty and cooked past medium,” but both he and Famished Engineer agreed it had “great flavor, if rather mild.” The boursin cheese, however, completely took the burger to another level. Score: 4

Bun: The bun--a brioche roll--was a little disappointing and stuck to the burger. Score: 3

Fries (potato): These were the best fries of the night, hand cut, well prepared, very crispy. “Real potato flavor,” said Famished Engineer. Score: 4.25

“Burger” (Portobello): This “burger” was flavorful and well-balanced, thanks to a bevy of ingredients providing complimentary, yet contrasting, flavors. Even Cheeseboy, who is not a big fan of Portobello mushrooms, had high praise for the sandwich. Blonde Librarian thought it was delicious, adding that “there is almost an Asian flavor with the ‘sweet and sour’ red peppers.” Score: 4

Bun: Same brioche bun as above. Score: 3

Fries (sweet potato): Long and robust with lots of sweet potato flavor, they were unfortunately not crispy enough. “Very floppy and don’t taste fully cooked,” said Famished Engineer. But crisp them up, and they have great potential. Score: 2.25