Once inside, the workers welcomed me with warmth, as if I was a regular. Seriously: Are these not the nicest people in the world? They’re all smiles, suggestions, and pleasantries.

The menu’s predictable, with gyros, falafel, shawarma, and kabobs available solo or plated with hummus or baba, rice, Greek salad, and pita. I went for the namesake dish, as I like to watch the shaving of the meat (in this case, lamb) off the vertical spit. There was a good balance of meat with the other ingredients (tomato, onion, lettuce, tzatziki sauce) in the pita. And it’s definitely a garlicky experience. It was the same for the falafel sandwich, which my partner enjoyed when she arrived. We shared an order of fries (nothing special) and helped ourselves to some of the free tea for a quick and inexpensive meal.

We plan to enjoy a similar meal toward the end of our time in Europe, specifically at L’As du Fallafel in Paris. Before that will be many richer meals throughout Belgium as well as the City of Light. I can only hope everyone will be as friendly as the guys at Mr. Gyros. I’m flying out today, and while I’ll try to post a virtual “postcard” or two while abroad, I’ll certainly file a fuller report sometime after my return.

I like Eric Banh and his crew’s creations at Monsoon and Monsoon East (though I’m not quite sure why people rave about the dim sum that’s simply brought over from a mediocre restaurant in the I.D.), but Baguette Box makes me crave banh mi…in Little Saigon. Baguette Box doesn’t even call their sandwiches banh mi (okay, they’re going for the upscale thing), and based on value, I’d rather go to Saigon Deli. Most recently, I tried the roasted pork loin sandwich, served with apricot aioli and caramelized onions. I’m sure the meat’s much better quality than what Saigon Vietnam Deli (or one of the many nearby places) serves up, but for $6.90, it was a scant portion, and the overall sandwich was actually less satisfying that what I’m accustomed to enjoying just a short drive away. (No spicy bursts from jalapeno peppers, few textural changes, etc.) And in Little Saigon, I can get three good sandwiches for the same price, plus change in my pocket.

(No photo. The worker touted the sandwich so highly that I decided to eat in rather than take it home, where I’d left my camera.)

The place is unpretentious enough. (How can a restaurant with children’s crayon drawings on the wall take itself too seriously?) And the burgers are big: 1/3-pound each, with lots of fixings, coming in cheaper than at Hilltop – and that includes fries. We went for one with Monterey Jack cheese and jalapenos, ready to feel the heat.

But it wasn’t to be. Not a bad burger, by any means, but nothing noteworthy. And the jalapenos seemed to have been stripped of their sizzle. That was disappointing.

Lesson learned from the burger quest: We’ll make them at home. As with Seattlest Paul’s roast chicken recipe, we think a cast-iron pan is key. Following Cook’s Illustrated’s advice, we buy chuck shoulder and grind the meat in a food processor, gently form patties, and then cook for 4-5 minutes per side in the pan. And we also make real fries, hand-cut from Russets, using a double-fried method. Best of all, we can always have it “my way,” as special orders don’t upset us.

Cross-posted at Seattlest, where “we” = me.

Chef Angie Roberts was out there doing the grilling, and the burgers were simple and good. Add some chips and a Thomas Kemper root beer, seats on the sidewalk, and smell of the smoke, and it all combined to make a nice lunch. An urban barbecue, of sorts.

I returned to BOKA later in the year to eat breakfast, something I rarely do, and enjoyed that as well. Two of shared not-so-classic eggs Benedict and potato rosti with smoked salmon, and we were sufficiently stuffed until dinner that night. We basically had the place to ourselves (ah, the joys of a late breakfast), so it was quite comfortable to linger without worrying about the world outside.

So, BOKA is two-for-two in terms of my experiences there. I’m looking forward to actually having dinner there sometime, and taking in more of the quite colorful atmosphere.

Look beyond the short menu at your table (if you can get a table) and ask for the full happy hour menu. There’s quite a selection; most everything is $4, so we got four items, including ahi tuna seared rare “Oaxaca-style,” spicy fried fresh calamari, and a salad of pear and arugula. But we were really here for the burger, specifically, the El Diablo “steakhouse” avocado burger with smoky bacon, jack cheese, red onion, butter lettuce, and tomatoes. We added fries for $1.50 for a nice-looking happy hour plate – and a pretty good deal.

Peso’s does a decent burger with good fixings. Nothing fancy, like Lunchbox Laboratory offers, but with much better service; considering how crowded the conditions were, our server was patient, friendly, and helpful.The downside: Though it’s not fast food like Dick’s, we found ourselves eating quickly and wanting to get out, as the happy hour crowd was rather raucous, and we got tired of screaming at each other to be heard. As at La Carta de Oaxaca, it can be hard to enjoy the food in a noisy environment; then again, most people are coming to Peso’s to get happy over happy hour drinks.

Cross-posted at Seattlest, where “we” = me.

I liked to pair the sloppy joe with grilled Caesar salad when available, but a plate of fries is also fine. Or, if you want to stay meaty (Quinn’s is a gastropub, so you might just be pairing with a beer!), how about a side of marrow bones or foie gras?

Great space that’s still popular, so you might want to try lunch hours if you want to be sure of a seat. Or, book the big table for your small group. Cheers to Scott and Heather Staples for getting the gastropub scene moving here in Seattle!

We went with a couple of the daily experiments. One was the Burger of the Gods. The “super beef” was tantalizingly tasty and juicy, with candied balsamic onions and super gorgonzola sauce adding complementary sweetness and substance. The Fat Mario’s Last Meal burger, though, was ambitious overkill. The duck and pork combination was fatty and fun, but the soft salami atop was too salty, and combined with havarti cheese, sautéed onions, roasted shallots, and tomato sauce, simply overpowered the “dork.”

Why didn’t we anticipate this?

For a burger joint, it’s overwhelming for the first-timer. There’s a huge, handwritten menu above the ordering counter requiring navigation, and two more by the front door. And while we applaud Scott Simpson for his passion for meat patties, his partner wasn’t particularly helpful at the counter. We’d heard this gripe from others, but were surprised by her impatience when we asked for suggestions – and her insistence that we get our order placed quickly, despite no line behind us. Is it too much to ask for some hospitality to go with those great hamburgers?

To avoid counter conundrums, step back and study the menu without getting sucked into the ordering zone. Start simple. The daily experiments are fun, with witty names, but many of those combinations might be over-the-top. Know that you can have your burger cooked only one way. And know that the burgers are big ones.

The whole experience, once settled, is fun, but it’s still fast-ish food. Cooked to order, sure, but you’re eating burgers and fries, and you’re likely to eat fast. Ultimately, it seems like a lot of money ($40 for two burgers, two sides, a shake to share, tax, and a tip for the “service”) for the amount of sit-down time. We’re reminded that a good bowl of ramen, for example, can cost $10-15, and should be downed in just seven minutes, but ramen doesn’t leave us stuffed with an unsettled stomach – even into the next day. Lunchbox Laboratory may have the best burgers in town, but we’re still digesting the experience.

Cross-posted at Seattlest, where “we” = me.

For the sake of contrast, we later wandered down the hill to remind ourselves of the Dick’s experience. A mere $1.70 buys a Special burger, complete with lettuce, mayo, and chopped pickles; fries run an additional $1.40. We love the cheap menu. (The only thing over $2.00 is the Deluxe burger, and you can’t get much for five cents these days, but Dick’s gives you a choice of onions, ketchup, or tartar sauce for your nickel.) We love the speed of the fast food. We love that it’s, well, Dick’s. But while they tout fresh, never frozen, burgers (the finest, they say, but notice that Hilltop’s burger is brown, while Dick’s is fast food grey) and potatoes, we left with that usual uneasy feeling in the stomach. It’s all part of the experience, eh?

So, we’ll still need to get to Flame. And once we journey beyond Queen Anne, Lunchbox Laboratory is tops on our list to try. But where else would you recommend for the best burger?

Cross-posted on Seattlest, where “we” = me.

At El Palacio, it’s simple, straightforward, and ready in seconds. Sliced pork, ham (usually Serrano), Swiss cheese, and pickle slices sit inside soft, sweet egg bread, getting pressed to a crisp in a plancha (not a panini grill, which has grooves), which melts the cheese perfectly. Grab a guanabana juice (or one of many other exotic flavors), pay by credit card (if you like), and take one of many seats under a tent-like structure. (You’ll likely share a table with some local Cubans – a perfect chance to practice your Spanish!)

Paseo is a far different place. No credit cards (or checks), no parking, (almost) no seats, no consistent hours, no phone being answered, no service (according to some), and no sign of the place (you’ll need to know it’s at 4225 Fremont Avenue North) – unless you encounter the “No more sandwiches sign” in the window, which means they have no more bread.

But who’s complaining? Come early, bring cash, and order a sandwich. While it may not be authentic, Paseo’s Midnight Cuban is a delicious mess: marinated pork pieces, sliced ham, melted cheese, grilled onions, cilantro, garlicky mayo and more spilling out of the baguette. Incredible. Same for the tasty tofu and perfect prawn sandwiches. Served with a half-ear of corn on the cob, you’ll need a fistful of napkins for sure – but only after you lick all the goodness off your fingers first.

El Palacio may be the king of the juices and Midnight Cubans, but we eagerly await the reopening of Paseo at the end of the month for its spin on this special sandwich.

Originally posted at Seattlest (where “we” = me) on January 8, 2008.

There are many variations of this sandwich served throughout Louisville and beyond, but The Hot Brown ($14) originated at The Brown Hotel in 1923. It’s basically an open-face roasted turkey sandwich with Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, bacon, and mornay sauce baked and served in a little skillet. It’s, um, filling. The recipe shows the turkey, which is lean, but then a healthy (or not-so-healthy?) amount of bacon. And for dairy fans (and the lactose-intolerant), note the butter, milk, egg, Parmesan and whipped cream.

This is one of those foods that’s simply fun to try while traveling. Did I like it? Well, it had that ooey-gooey likeability factor that was comforting for the first few bites. And then alarming when realizing that some people eat dishes like this on a daily basis – particularly in the South.