"Burgers
by Numbers" and "Kickin' it Olde
School"
Bud’s
Broiler #4 is located at Elysian Fields & Ye Olde
College Inn is located at Carrollton Ave.
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Bud's
Broiler #4
Come on, admit it: even if you’re a gourmand, you’ve been to Bud’s
Broiler. The place is as New Orleans as K&B and McKenzie’s, only it’s
managed to fend off attacks from national chains. With a dozen locations sprinkled
throughout the metro area, each Bud’s adapts to the neighborhood it’s
in, developing a unique personality despite the similar setup. The premise is
simple: throw a couple of heavily lacquered picnic tables, a jukebox and a charcoal
grill, and you’ve got the foundation. However, in order to pull off the
mystique, there’s got to be a special something, a certain “I don’t
know what”… maybe it’s the sauce.
As far as
the burgers go, well, Bud’s is Bud’s. The place has been consistent
for eons with its “count-by-numbers” menu of a select few options.
Hell, the whole thing fits right on the side of one of their go-cups. Ask any
loyal Bud’s fan their meal and quicker than you can blink, they’ll
start spouting numbers with slight modifications.
“Number
3 with lettuce”… “Number 1, add cheese”… “Number
4, chili”…and so on.
Seriously,
it’s automatic with some people (I bet some of ‘em know their Bud’s
number better than their kid’s birthday). What’s my number you ask?
Well that’s easy… “Number 6, add sauce, extra patty.”
Now some of y’all who haven’t been in a while may not remember,
so let’s take a look at what’s behind those numbers.
To get to
the “Number 6”, you gotta first start off at 5. Meat, lettuce, tomato,
pickles and mustard are the building blocks. This sets the table with a thin,
but well-flavored burger patty, along with the standard fixins. To get to 6,
you throw in some grated cheddar cheese. This here is the key to any delicious
Bud’s burger. The mounds of cheddar add a pop to what would be a relatively
ordinary sandwich, giving it needed bulk. But where this burger really sets
itself apart is the addition of the hickory sauce.
The sweet,
smoky sauce is far from delicate, but its hammer is softened as it blends with
the cheese, meat and bun. The overall effect is a distinct, char-grilled taste
that is Bud’s claim to fame. As far as sides go, the fries at Bud’s
have always been disappointing to me, always limp and undercooked. But about
a year ago, I started asking them to drop ‘em in the fryer a bit longer
and it seems to have improved the quality. Dessert is where they really shine,
with fried pies and milkshakes that will top off any double burger in a righteous
way.
Now I’m
not gonna blow smoke up y’all’s pants…Bud’s is Bud’s.
What they offer is a much better alternative to the troika of fast food giants,
and a local one at that. Oh yeah, and as far as the prices go, let’s just
say you can scratch together a couple of bones and the spare change in your
sofa and still walk out with a Bud’s burger.
Ye
Olde College Inn
The third burger joint on the list has been in the mix for quite a while, but
it isn’t the first place you’d normally consider heading to when
you gotta have ground beef. In fact, it had been over a decade since I’d
last paid a visit to the ‘Inn’ on Carrollton.
Over the
last couple of years the place came under new ownership, and I must say they’ve
really polished the joint up nice. The menu was more impressive than I’d
remembered and overall it just felt a lot livelier. Before I get into the burgers,
let me highlight a few differences in this place than the first two we’ve
visited. First of all, neither Bud’s nor Port of Call has ever had, or
ever will have white table cloths. I think they would melt if you put them on
the tables at either of ‘em. Not that College Inn is all “fancy
schmancy,” but it is definitely not a greasy spoon. And secondly, the
side options on the menu are far more varied, leading to interesting dilemmas
in the pairing of tastes. Baked oysters and burgers anyone?
But let’s
get down to business.
When I rolled
into Ye Olde College Inn I was more than hungry; I was staaawwwvin’. So
instead of the normal burger, I opted for one of the most underestimated sandwiches
on the planet, the cheeseburger po-boy. I know, I know, it was a breach of protocol,
but I promise y’all, I was really, really hungry and one burger just wasn’t
gonna cut it. Now the cheeseburger po-boy has always been one of my favorites,
so for College Inn to compete, they were gonna have to step up…big time.
How did they fair?
There was
an initial strike because I noticed before that bad boy even hit the table that
the bread was not toasted. How many times do I have to tell ‘em, toast
is the way to go. Not only does it add so much to the flavor of the bread, it
provides a satisfying crunch, plus much needed stability when battling juicy
burger patties. But where the bread was lacking, the rest of the burger filled
in nicely. With thicker than normal patties, this burger po-boy brought some
heft, and the seasoned beef had a respectable grilled flavoring. The real star
of this meal however was the onion rings. I have absolutely no reservations
about dubbing these glistening hoops of flaky delight the most outstanding rings
that have ever crossed these lips. I can promise you the light, yet crisp batter
on these freshly fried rings will bring you back even if the burger is not a
superstar.
While not
as cheap as Bud’s, the prices at Ye Olde College Inn aren’t far
behind. At right around $5, the po-boy is well worth it and I would pay $10
for the magnificent tower of rings they serve up.
Next
Up: A burger that will make you reconsider all you know about eating, and a
late night treat.
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