mmm, bacon.

Everyone knows that the rules of BURGER CLUB clearly state: the more bacon the better.

Burger Club: The Novella.

Ye Old Corner Bistro and the Little Burger that could….

and Did.

Once upon a time there was a burger. A moist-juicy-pretty-basic-burger. It lived in a wonderful little restaurant in the village, packed to the brim with hungry and thirsty villagers and travelers alike. Everyone was in the highest spirits, laughing and talking and sharing the news of the day. The warm room was the perfect place for the villagers to grab a pint of ale... (Light or dark) for a mere $2.50, and to hope for a serenade from the surly but kind bartender. He was quite fond of doling out a rousing chorus of new moon for the lucky patron or patroness who happened to tickle his fancy.

One cold October night the heavy wooden doors of the establishment swung open and in entered seven lovely ladies each lovelier than the next. They had traveled far and wide and on various questionable public transportation devices to meet the famed “Corner Bistro Burger.” But before their quest could be completed they were required to pass two tests to show their dedication and worthiness for the burgers council. The first test was the perilous long line challenge! Yes indeed, the line stretched throughout the entire restaurant and nearly to the street! What a challenge, and on an empty stomach at that! Caitlin and Adriene were the first to assemble and found that a nice cold mug of ale helped weather the wait, and kept them in good spirits. Soon after, the rest of the group arrived, just as Caitlin and Adriene reached the top of the queue. What luck! The task was completed in a mere fifteen minutes, and the group was one step closer to their meeting with the elusive burger.

“That was easy enough!” they all exclaimed as they approached their table. Quickly, they were silenced when they saw what the second challenge held in store…. The tiny booth cramming task! Gasp! Seven people to fit into a booth only meant to hold four! How ever would they succeed!? With the successful utilization of table corners, condiment consolidation and chair commandeering, the seven lovely (and trim) ladies wedged themselves in the booth and were delighted! The burger summit was nearly in order! They ordered quite quickly and easily as burgers and fries were the only real option for these girls. Within moments the burger (times seven) rounded the corner. In a fury of rearranging plates, ketchup doling and burger assembly the girls prepared to feast. The first bites were taken one by one to document and appreciate each girl’s reaction carefully.

Bites of hamburgers, cheeseburgers and the majority (bacon burgers) were executed with ease. The remarkable bacon cheese burger was a lovely creation. As stated before, the simple burger, lightly seasoned by its patroness with salt and pepper and topped fully with ketchup lettuce, tomato and American cheese was the perfect marriage of flavors. The simple seasoning of the burger brought out the wonderful beefy flavor and supreme juiciness. The cheese added that creamy layer of goodness to complement the savory burger and the lettuce and tomato kept the sandwich light and fresh. I thought at first that the burger lacked a bit of the seasoning and inventiveness that the Stand brought to the table, but the burger refused to be insulted. It stepped up to the plate with its crowning achievement. DEEP. FRIED. BACON. All other bacon burgers the world over stepped aside and bowed down to greatness. The bacon was salty and crisp--uniformly cooked until both the meat and fat portions of the cut were a satisfying, crispy golden-brown. The burger’s companions did not fail to impress as well. Satisfying fast food style fries delivered all the guilty pleasures necessary without the unsatisfying and overly cheap and greasy feeling. Again, Stand had mastered the variety and originality category with several different side options to please all, but Corner Bistro was indeed the master of the classics. Classic, well done, fries and burgers. In a matter of minutes the assembly of the burgers was complete and the seven women headed back into the cold night, satisfied, comforted, inspired and ready to face the new experiences that awaited them…..at MARK!

-contribution by Caitlin