Consider the hamburger. It's simple in concept, yet seemingly endless in variety. Quality and freshness of meat, bun and condiments are essential to its success, as are the cooking process and the style in which it is handled. Few things served on a plate or in a paper sack are as disappointing as a bungled burger.
There's this, too: Along with barbecue and pizza, the burger is one of the most subjective food items ever put on a menu. Burger enthusiasts have their personal lists of favorites, which will differ from the lists maintained by other enthusiasts. Disagreement is common.
As for this column's opinion, it's simple in concept, too: The best burger is the one you enjoy the most.
On our list, in no particular order, are those served at The Waterboy (916-498-9891), Formoli's (916-448-5699), Ettore's (916-482-0708), Roxy (916-489-2000), Scott's Burger Shack (916-451-4415), Gatsby's (916-977-0102), Ruth's Chris (916-286-2702), Ford's (916-452-6979), Bandera (916-922-3524), Burgers & Brew (916-442-0900), Fanny Ann's Saloon (916-441-0505) …
That's the partial list just for Sacramento. You may disagree with it, but that's the point: You prefer your own list, which is just as valid as this list.
Two lunch pals and I were touching on this topic last week as we scanned the wall-mounted menus posted next to the order/pick-up windows at Jolly Burger in the Sylvan Corners Plaza (not to be confused with Whitey's Jolly Kone in West Sacramento).
Choose from a bunch o' burgers, all-beef hot dogs, grilled cheese and ham, pastrami, fries, onion rings, deep-fried mushrooms, and multiflavored slushees and milkshakes in a rainbow of fun flavors ($1.85 to $6.85).
Like the building itself (adorned with kitschy sculptures), the menu has a '50s feel to it. The fare is wildly popular with the students at the Sylvan Middle School across the street.
But wait a minute … What's this on a hand- lettered whiteboard? Hmmm, a daily special of three kinds of sliders, using surprisingly thick patties of Niman Ranch beef (two for $6, three for $8).
Check the Diablo slider: "pepper jack, tortilla strips, Serrano and jalapeño peppers, cilantro-lime aioli."
And the Cap: "sautéed mushrooms, Swiss, bacon, thyme-lemon zest aioli."
And the Son of a Bomber: "smoked cheddar, bacon, barbecue sauce, fried shallots."
Later, we learned the excellent buns and French rolls are baked (off-site) from a proprietary recipe. The skin-on fries are hand-cut and cooked in-house. The silken ranch dressing is made from scratch. And the kitchen understands the concept of thick, crisp bacon.
What's going on here?
"We're trying to change the way people eat, taking it from fast food to casual, homemade food," said co-owner (with Tom Slobodnik) and chef Christian Cabico. "It's been a struggle, but the clientele is changing and people are noticing what we're serving."
Cabico's parents owned and operated restaurants and bars in Santa Cruz, Watsonville and the Bay Area, he said, "so I grew up in the business. It's in my blood." It helps that he attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Sacramento. The business partners bought Jolly Burger a year ago from the husband-wife owners.
Cabico is looking to broaden the scope of his whiteboard specials. "I've done homemade fish 'n' chips, pulled pork and ribeye steak sandwiches, and eggplant with goat cheese and grilled red onion," he said. "On Tuesday nights I'll make either chicken, fish, steak, pork or short-rib tacos. It's been a struggle, but people seem to love the food."
We enjoyed the fare at Jolly Burger, with a few reservations. For instance, the battered fried mushrooms are way too retro, and too much ballpark mustard will ruin a pastrami sandwich every time.
Fiesta of flavor
We dropped by La Fiesta Mexicana for a plate of juicy, homemade carnitas (roasted pork) and a bowl of from-scratch chicken tortilla soup. Consistently good.
Husband-wife owners Alberto and Martha Mendoza also turn out veggie tamales and quesadillas (zucchini, yellow squash, carrot, onion, bell pepper), which we like with a side of deeply flavored black beans. Another winner is the machaca con huevo (seasoned, shredded beef and eggs) on the breakfast menu. And the frozen margaritas from the blending machine are quite tasty. It's at 6438 Elvas Ave., Sacramento, (916) 456-5962.
JOLLY BURGER
WHERE: 7150 Auburn Blvd., Citrus Heights
HOURS: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays
FOOD: 2 1/2 stars
AMBIENCE: 1 1/2 stars
HOW MUCH: $
INFORMATION: (916) 725-2864
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