Author: Grant Wentzel

You gotta hand it to Bread & Circus for this one! They take Beef Wellington — that traditional English dish of roast beef wrapped in pastry — and rework it as a perfect burger.

Not only was this the tastiest patty that we tried, the mushroon duxelles sauce the mingled with the morbier cheese added an umami richness that put it over the top. And the locally-baked Look’s Croissant as a bun? Wow! That’s a perfect pairing right there!

Bread and Circus continues to impress us. Not only is the food great, they’ve usually got the best selection of tap-beers in town, heavy on the hops, the kind that go great with a burger, or any of the their normal bun-based offerings. And the pours are big too. Nothing more annoying that getting a “pint” that’s more like 14oz!

This was a winner for us. We’ll see if you all agree!

When you want a burger, but want to feel kinda classy too, there’s really only one spot to go: The Treasury!

This years Blue Wagyu burger hit all the right notes – great foundational flavor from the dry-aged wagyu patty, heightened by just the right amount of wild-fire blue cheese and bacon. But the smoky ketchup really set it apart.

If you’re like us, a burger just isn’t right without a little ketchup. The Treasury found a way to impart that classic taste with a twist. Kinda like their cocktails, which are, absolutely wonderful. Find a date and get this one before it’s gone!

… and we couldn’t disagree more! (Ha!)

Alright, we weren’t there. And we haven’t tried them all. But before we get into that, here’s the rankings:

1. Abelardo’s
2. Chipotle
3. Taco John’s

Also up for consideration were Nikki’s, Giliberto’s, Jacky’s, Panchero’s, Qdoba, Tortilleria Hernandez, and Taco Bell. (Yes, Taco Bell!)

Do click over to the article and watch the video. And then ask yourself, “what the heck????”

While it’s pleasant to see Panchero’s and Qdoba do so poorly, the high marks for Taco John’s is evidence that this test was poorly run, at best. When it comes to burritos, especially burritos that come off of a long list of specialty meats like you’re find at Giliberto’s or Nikki’s, everyone’s going to have a different tastes. You really can’t just order one and hope it hits your palette right on the first bite. Secondly, the little guys aren’t known for their consistency. Know that going in. You’re best served by trying a few things and getting a feel for the place. Research must be done. (It’s a yummy job, that, but someone’s got to do it!)

Ok. Enough grumbling. We did learn two things: 1) We need to try Abelardo’s. They seemed to have a rough start – the location’s been the death of few restaurants over the years, and they replace the management team a few months back. But from what we’re hearing, it’s pretty bomb these days. 2) We need to get back to Tortilleria Hernandez. It’s been too long, and the times we’ve gone have been delicious.

So thanks, Argus, for taking a crack at a burrito shoot-out. Truly. But next time, ask for some recommendations and broaden your orders a little bit. We think you missed out on some good stuff.