The humble burger: where simple meets delicious

Bundle up and break out the 4-wheeler! It’s wintertime, and that can mean only one thing: hamburgers! Careful analysis of the Cape Region’s menus and specials has uncovered a remarkable fact: People like burgers.

My vast network of spies, moles and operatives here at The Business of Eating industries fanned out over the countryside (at great personal risk) to contrast and compare what the Land of Burgerdom has to offer. The returns are trickling in, and trends are beginning to surface.

One of the longest-running local burger specials is Monday night at Summer House. In spite of the rather recent change in ownership, freshly ground chuck still perches proudly on a yeasty bun with a generous choice of toppings. The roll (an integral part of burger construction) is soft and eggy with a shiny top; it snuggles the patty not unlike a Sealy Posturepedic, but I add bacon, cheese, mustard and perhaps a margarita.

Then there’s that eternal question: Five Guys (in downtown Rehoboth) or Wayback Burgers (in Milford and Millsboro)? Wayback’s slightly lower grill temperature produces a plump, juicy burger with minimal shrinkage. The Guys (all five of them) have a hotter grill that sears patties to a smashburger-style finish. Both are never frozen and are cooked to order.

How are the buns, you ask? (Wow, it’s been a long time since anybody asked me that.) Five Guys burgers are wrapped in foil, so the bread and toppings essentially steam, melding the flavors within. Wayback starts with a slightly softer roll, then swaddles the sizzling sandwich in wax paper. Both end up making you happy. So which one wins? Wayback for a juicier burger, or Five Guys for a darkly caramelized patty? Take your choice. Equal opportunity is all the rage nowadays, so why not alternate? By the way, speaking of made-to-order burgers, treat yourself to the towering creations that come out of Nichole Parsons’ Smashmouth Burgers truck. Be sure to add Taylor Pork Roll and a fried egg. Track her itinerary on Facebook.

We can’t ignore Kindle’s Wednesday half-price burger in Lewes. A plush and buttery brioche cradles its flame-grilled, half-pound contents decorated with bacon and Gruyere. Across the street is Lewes Oyster House, and the unlikely star of the show is their Damn Good Burger. Two patties huddle with bacon and sharp American on – you guessed it – a brioche onion roll. Another contender in this bluster over brioche is Bethany Blues. Though it’s a departure from their smoked meats, the prime rib burger from Diamond State Meats has been a hit since the day they opened.

So is it the proud brioche, standing tall in the face of savory juices and tangy toppings, or is it the supple and forgiving bun, yielding to the shape of its contents to eliminate that pesky knife and fork dilemma? The envelope, please ... (Now, do you really think I’m going to take sides? I have to live here too, y’know.) Go. Enjoy. Decide for yourself.

But before you decide, don’t forget the tucked-away Hammy’s Burgers & Shakes on Route 1 near the Rehoboth Safeway. Almost as attractive as the flame-broiled taste are the menu descriptions: Consider the Onion-tended Consequences Burger. Or the Sweet Emotion, the Bleu Bayou and the Wedgie, just to name a few. Wash ‘em down with an adult milkshake and Hammy’s sublime wings.

Just a few steps south is Woody’s Dewey Beach Bar & Grill. Yes, I know they’re known for their crab cakes, but there’s more to life than crab cakes – like a half-pound ground Angus build-your-own extravaganza with your choice of around 25 toppings and accoutrements. And there’s that brioche roll again.

If you’re all about buns, the award for the biggest ones in town certainly goes to Purple Parrot. Weighing in at a full pound, the Mumbo-Jumbo burger will set you back $12.75 on Mondays after 5 p.m. Bring a designated driver! By the way, several versions of their half-pound burger are available for the less adventurous. Staying downtown, just around the corner is the longtime fave spot with a Mediterranean accent: Café Azafran. Chef Ryan and his dad add a bit of savory chorizo into the mix. This one’s not to be missed.

So many burgers, so little space! JAM Bistro tops Kobe beef with bacon, onion jam and cheddar. (The Japanese word “Kobe” loosely translates to “scrumptious, not cheap, but well worth it.”) It’s part of burger & beer night on Wednesdays. Shorebreak Lodge is under the new and very capable ownership of barkeep-turned-restaurateur Ben Winiarczyk and his wife Diane. They have wisely kept the Pat Lafrieda Angus Burger on the menu. That tasty morsel starts with eight ounces of a curated blend of ground beef and pork belly, plus sautéed mushrooms, cheddar cheese, onion and a pickle on a grilled ciabatta bun.

New kid in town Starboard Claw lives that Dewey Way of Life with their half-pound Claw Burger decorated with smoked bacon, caramelized onions and gorgonzola. One of the first fine-dining chefs in our Cape Region is Kevin Reading. After creating Espuma, Nage and Abbott’s Grill in Milford (all three gone, but fondly remembered), he is now in cahoots with master brewer Ryan Maloney at Brick Works Brewing & Eats in Long Neck and Smyrna. It’s a beautiful burger and well worth the short drive. As you might expect, Reading takes a left turn with a short rib burger cuddled up with tomato jam and smoked gouda melted onto buttery grilled sourdough. The Abbott’s Grill legacy continues, by the way, with a classic cheeseburger at Abbott’s on Broad Creek in nearby Laurel.

Did I include everybody? No. Did I try? No, not really. But you get the idea. Nothing sticks to your ribs like a succulent burger on a cold winter night. Find your favorite. If it’s on special, great. If not, order it anyway. Nothing lasts forever, and in a few months, you’ll be standing in line for this stuff.