Burgs and Haute Dogs

I have some deep love for Atlanta, y’all. I could go on and on about why. I’ve been to a lot of places in the U.S. (and have now officially lived in 4), but nowhere makes my heart sing quite like the big A. One of the reasons I continue to fall in love with this city is the crazy amount of new restaurants and chefs that are flocking here. It’s incredible! This city is incredible. The food here is incredible. I dare you to say otherwise.

Recently we’ve been on somewhat of a tour of new Atlanta restaurants. This is mostly because 1) we’re a family of extreme foodies 2) we’re addicted to eating out, and 3) since I went away to college in Massachusetts and now law school in Virginia, in the six years I’ve been gone I’ve missed the arrival of approximately 1 trillion awesome restaurants that I now need to catch up on. What I’ve been most overjoyed to find is how many amazing BURGERS there are now in this city! It’s ridiculous! When did this happen?! Apparently it happened when I decided I wanted to move away and “see new places”. That was dumb.

ANYWAYS…to the point. There’s a couple awesome places that I want to show you today that fall into this category of restaurants that I’m catching up on.

HD1

This is a self-proclaimed “haute doggery” opened by Top-Chef-famous Chef Richard Blais. My mom has been saying we should go here for a long time, and since it’s on Scoutmob we decided to take her advice!

I was excited in advance because they serve Fieldroast veggie dogs, which I have been trying to get my hands on for months! And it was well worth the wait. Best veggie dog, or veggie anything, I’ve had in a long time…maybe ever. I got the Cubanita with the Fieldroast frank, which was topped with Cuban ketchup and cilantro garlic fries (Emily, you would LOVE this hot dog flavor combo for realz).

Other dogs ordered at the table:

“Red Haute- brisket chili, pimento jack, sweet onion”

“South of Chi-Town- chow-chow, fried green tomato, sweet pickle, BBQ, farm peppers”

“Kenturkey- turkey sausage, tomato-pimento marmalade, mornay, bacon, parmesan”

The menu is so diverse and creative even though it’s not huge, and everyone loved their meal. I will definitely return for another haute dog.

Yeah! Burger

This place doesn’t get a glowing review from my Atlanta food guru John Kessler, but I have NO idea why. I went here by recommendation of a friend and I’m so glad I did. The burgers are slammin’. I also LOVE how they have healthy menu options and substitutions so I didn’t have to feel like it’s some kind of deathly cheat meal when we visited. They offer beef, bison, turkey, chicken, and veggie burgers along with a great variety of toppings and sides. The kale salad is on my list to try.

I ordered the California Love, which is a turkey burger with arugula, sliced avocado, thousand island dressing, and organic pepper jack cheese. On a whole wheat bun!

It. Was. Divine. Everything about it was perfect. The turkey was juicy and flavorful and the toppings went SO well together. I was on cloud nine the whole time I was eating that thing. I also got a side of “simple greens”, which was a really lovely salad with a great housemade lemon vinaigrette on the side.

My mom proclaimed that this is the best burger she’s had in Atlanta (and she’s tried the good stuff!) and she desires to look no further.

I also sampled some of my sister’s fries, which were fresh and wonderful.

Here’s a review from my brother, who’s quite the writer himself (and graduating high school this coming year!). He’s also quite the food critic and I’m trying to convince him to do full guest posts for me!

Hey, folks! In any Atlanta native’s quest for the superior burger, stopping by the acclaimed “Yeah! Burger” seems like an imperative move. Here are some thoughts.

Atmosphere and Decor- They really outdid themselves in these departments. Contrary to cynical opinions stepping in, it isn’t Attack of the Organic Farmers. Yes, the place is very pro-green/health, but it makes you want to be a part of it. Very modern and quirky design, interesting and unique art scheme that works well and makes for a comfortable environment. 

Service- Much better than expected. We went in anticipating cold and direct service but instead it was friendly and helpful. They asked us how we would like their signature grass-fed cow cooked and our food came out within 7 minutes. The prices are fairly high for a burger joint but you end up feeling like you got your money’s worth- just don’t go in expecting anything cheap. Arguably Five Guys level cost for premium quality. (Five Guys is great but C’mon).

Food- Excellent stuff Yeah! Burger is doing. I played it safe and ordered the classic Yeah! Burger combo and was more than satisfied. Great presentation and even greater payoff. Their sauce was well-tested and the patty tasted different and better. It all came together and meshed wonderfully with some crispy fries and a nice drink. The hype is well deserved. 

Final Verdict- 4.5/5- “One of the best in town!”

 

Isn’t he great? 😉

 

Other burgs that I love in the A: Flip (another Richard Blais joint), Village Burger, Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Anne’s Snack Bar

Burgs I still gotta try: Bocado, JCT Kitchen, Vortex (no excuse on that one, it’s been here forever), Holeman & Finch, Farm Burger

Looks like I’ve still got some work to do! Tough life.

 

Thanks for reading!

-Lauren