Every so often, especially before we start our post-holiday season diets, one just needs a burger. This month we tried burgers joints that we have not previously reviewed. (That rules out a number of places such as Lil Woodies, Red Barn, Taurus Ox, Quinn’s Pub, etc.) We found a few good options, both here and on the road, for you to consider when next you want a burger.
A Burger Chain You May Have Missed
We have driven by Habit Burger Grill, 907 NW Ballard Way, 206.659.0773, https://www.habitburger.com/locations/ballard-wa/, many times without really paying much attention. But, when we found ourselves near Ballard with extra time and also hungry, we decided to try it out. We walked in having done no homework and with no expectations and we were immediately hooked upon seeing the side order of tempura green beans.
We ordered their “award winning” Charburger to accompany our green beans. We
found it very juicy and flavorful, with caramelized onions, tomato, pickles mayo and cheese with a toasted bun. As it turns out, Habit chargrills all of their burgers. The tempura green beans come with their ranch dressing that tastes a bit exotic, as if it has a touch of horseradish or something. There are a variety of other custom sauces available, but that will be for a future trip. Habit has a number of vegetarian options, but it is not particularly friendly to those who are gluten-free.
We have already gone back more than once (sometimes just for an order of the green beans). There are several local locations for Habit Burger and Grill, including inside University of Washington Hospital. Habit Burger started in 1969 in Santa Barbara, California and grew into a family-owned chain of 17 restaurants in Southern California. Then private equity stepped in, and the chain grew rapidly, even expanding to the UK. During that growth consumer reports named their Charburger the best burger in America in 2014. In March 2020 (the very start of Covid), they were acquired by YUM! Brands as the founding brothers retired. But, this restaurant does not feel like a Pizza Hut or a Taco Bell; it retains more of a regional chain feeling, very West Coast. We do not eat burgers all that often, but we are definitely adding Habit to our “go to” list when we want a burger.
A Converted Gas Station on Mercer Island
We are always looking for a place to meet East-siders “halfway” for lunch, i.e., Mercer
Island. Bennet’s closed before Covid, so we checked out Hap’s Burgers & Taps, 2411 76th Ave SE, Mercer Island, 206.774.3636, https://www.hapsburgers.com/, located in a converted gas station just West of downtown Mercer Island.
We sampled both the featured Hap’s Burger and their slightly less expensive Cheeseburger. The difference is the Hap’s Burger comes with crispy onions, pickles and HAP sauce as well as cheddar cheese (on both burgers). We ordered each on a potato bun (you get a choice). The burgers were nicely cooked medium rare, juicy and full of burger flavor. The cheeseburger was good enough that you may not need to splurge on the extra expense for the HAP’s Burger unless you want the onions and sauce (for $2.50 more). We also had a side of fires with garlic aioli. The fries were cut small but cooked perfectly and the aioli made an excellent dip for them. Seattle Met Magazine placed Hap’s on its list of best burgers in Seattle in 2022, and the burgers tasted good enough for that status.
The drinks at Hap’s are from Tractor Beverage Company, apparently replacing Jones Soda (listed on the web site). Tractor Beverage feature organic sustainable beverages and they even have an “impact tracker” on their website. This fits in with the sustainable theme for both Haps and its new owners.
Hap’s Burgers started in 2019 and survived Covid. Ownership changed this past September, and it is now part of Conscious Hospitality Group, a Seattle based equity investor for “purpose driven concepts.” Hap’s was reasonably priced and we plan to go back to try more items on the menu. It is a good “halfway” option for meeting people from the other side of the lake.
While Visiting the Big Easy
Food is always top of mind when we travel to New Orleans. We typically think of the
complex, delicious, and flavorful spices of blackened fish, Creole, and Cajun cuisine paired with amazing wines and seafood appetizers (raw oysters are a favorite). Or maybe a Muffaletta sandwich if we are on the go. However, sometimes we just need a burger. So, on the recommendation of King County Bar ex pat, Jamila Johnson, we stopped at Port of Call, 838 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, 504.523.0120, https://porofcallnola.com. Tucked away on beautiful Esplanade Avenue in the northeastern edge of the French quarter, the easiest way to locate Port of Call is get within a few blocks and then follow the delicious beach-barbecue burger smell. The long lines waiting to get in are also a giveaway.
Once inside, there is a small split-level eating area to the left and an enormous bar to the right. We were led on a narrow twisty path around the bar into an open back area filled with large tables and celebrating customers. There were a few tourists, but this is mostly a locals’ joint. The burgers are thick and delicious, and hand-grilled over a fire. Each burger includes lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, and your choice of cheese. You want fries with that? Not here, but you can get a baked potato loaded with sour cream, butter, chives, and/or salsa. A side order of sautéed mushrooms is highly recommended-they are perfectly cooked and thoroughly seasoned yet retain a hint of firmness. If burgers are not your thing, you can also get steaks (filet mignon, New York strip, or ribeye), but everyone we saw there was all about the burgers.
To quench your thirst, you can choose from a variety of tropical punches that include rums, tequilas, and gin and rye splashes. The drinks were very delicious and dangerously smooth. We highly recommend Port of Call when next you are in New Orleans.
And Beyond (The Big Easy)
Tucked in the shadows below the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, just off the Malecon, is a delightful burger and ice cream shop called Buenissimo, Corner of Avenue 23 and the Malecon, Havana, Cuba, https://www.facebook.com/people/Buen%C3%ADssimo-Helader%C3%ADa/100084512263733/. The name translates to “extremely good,” and it makes a makes a wonderful and inexpensive rest stop for weary walkers exploring the city. The ambiance is open air with a retro (for US tourists) feel: 1950’s water glasses, napkin dispensers (filled with rose-colored napkins), and salt/pepper shakers. Adding to the ‘50’s vibe was the constant parade of 1950’s cherry-condition convertibles driving up and down the Malecon: Chevys, Cadillacs, Buicks, Pontiacs, and the occasional Ford. The Fonz could have walked in at any moment.
We ordered hamburgers. Each came in a freshly baked sesame seed bun that was firm and slightly sweet tasting. There was a single 4-ounce patty at the bottom, cooked on a metal grill. The patty had minimal flavor and texture. However, what made the burger delicious were the add-ons; a slice of pimento ham, a large slice of soft cheese that tasted like Havarti, three small slices of chorizo, and homemade pickle slices. The flavors complemented each other to make a mouthwatering sandwich. Thin potato chips were served alongside. Our beverage of choice, as with other places we dined at, was bottled water.
The ice cream came highly recommended and we ordered vanilla. It was soft-serve ice cream in an old-school 4-petal fluted glass. The ice cream was smooth, delicious, and tasted uncharacteristically rich with a slight saltiness. The perfect meal.
As with most restaurants in Havana, US currency is preferred, and we received change in US dollars as well which was nice. The total meal for the two of us was around $8. This is extremely reasonable by Seattle standards. Buenissimo, which started as an ice cream cart before moving to its current location, has been written up as the most expensive ice cream shop in Havana. We are obviously too accustomed to Seattle prices. It is certainly worth a visit next time your travels take you through Havana.
For Your Next Trip to Maui
Those who read this column regularly know that we get to Maui occasionally. This trip we tried Maui Burgers, 225 Piikea Avenue, Kihei, 808.419.6380, www.maui-burgers.com, in the Piilani Village Shopping Center (where the Kihei Safeway is located). Maui Burgers’ website touts that all ingredients are sourced and grown in Maui, using fresh organic local meat and using Wagyu beef for their burgers. We had
heard good things about them, so we stopped by. They have a small storefront but there are tables outside (you can share with the chickens) if you want to eat there.
We sampled the basic Wagyu cheeseburger with no upgrades. (They have a lot of “build your own options on the menu.) The burger was not very flavorful compared to the other burgers we sampled for this edition. It is hard to judge Maui Burger on just this sample as they have so many upgrades and additions available. But, for just a basic burger it was “ok” and rather expensive, even by Maui standards.
We accompanied the burger with their standard fries (described as crispy sidewinder fried) These were like potato wedges with a slight spiral, and they were pretty good. They came with a “smokey dipping sauce.” We would order these again, but they also were pricy (for fries at a takeout spot).
Despite our slight disappointment with the basic cheeseburger, there are still a lot of interesting things we want to try on the menu, such as the rainbow grilled cheese, the fried chicken loco moco, and the hurricane fries (spicy) so we probably will return to check those out. But for just burgers in Kihei, we preferred the second option we tried.
Still in Maui, a Burger Joint Relocates from Lahaina to Kihei
After we tried the first burger joint, a local steered us to Cool Cat Café, 1819 S. Kihei Rd, Building A, (Maui), 808.667.0908, https://www.coolcatcafe.com/kihei/, and we were glad they did. Although nondescript on the outside, once inside you are greeted with classic 50’s burger/soda shop décor. They have a wide variety on their menu, and many of the items have names set to invoke the 50’s. The menu includes a respectable number of vegetarian suggestions. Cool Cat has a full bar, distinguishing them from a 50’s soda shop.
We tried the burger of the month (BOM, as they refer to it) and a grilled cheese for our vegetarian participant. We accompanied that with an order of sweet potato fries. The BOM was a blue cheese (gorgonzola) concoction mushrooms, bacon, garlic aioli on top of a patty that is ground fresh ribeye. This was one of our favorite burgers from all burgers tested for this edition and we would order it again (if only it were a regular item on the menu). The BOM comes with an envelope containing a gift card ranging from $5 to $25 toward your next visit.
The grilled cheese (on the menu as a Patsy Klein) was grilled sourdough with jack cheese, mild Ortega chili peppers, lettuce, tomato, pickles and sweet Maui Onion. Our vegetarian loved it and would order it again. The order of sweat potato fries was very generous, even for two people. We were a little disappointed in the sweat potato fires as they were cut too small to get the full sweet potato flavor and some overcooked. We were also a little disappointed with the Lava Flow we ordered to accompany the burger. (We were in Maui after all.) They used a small amount of strawberry syrup in a coconut cream, coconut rum and pineapple juice mixture resulting in a less flavorful drink than we expected.
Despite the disappointment on the sides and drink, the burgers and grilled cheese would bring us back to Cool Cat. Cool Cat is a small chain with locations in San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, and Kihei. Based upon their webpage they plan to reopen in Lahaina (someday).
We had fun getting back to burgers in various locations, so you can look forward to another burgers edition sometime in about a year. Happy New Year. 
Dining Out is coordinated by Christopher Howard with the help of friends and family. Special thanks to Steve Blair this edition for acting as our foreign correspondent. Comments and suggestions are welcome at chh@f2t.com or 206.669.5956.
