Currently listening to: “Call Me” by St. Paul & The Broken Bones
We’ve finally made it to one of the hottest months of the year. It brings me tears to think that more than half of 2014 is over, when it just seems like yesterday I was counting down the ball and grabbing my bloated gut, asking the gods of alcohol why they put so many bubbles in champagne. It also brings in a cause of celebration. On the 4th of July, 1776, a couple of pretty important dudes got together and signed a pretty important paper that allowed the U.S. to separate from Great Britain. Shortly after, Will Smith saved the White House from total alien destruction.
Before we almost blow our hands off on the evening of Fourth of July, we hopefully will be using them for other reasons. Mostly, gripped around two buns. Okay, not like that. I’m talking about a juicy hamburger. Either from your personal backyard chef, or your favorite local restaurant. Though the burger this blog is about was not even eaten in the month of July, it helps signify why America is the best country in the world. Well, culinary wise, not soccer wise. We have grown, exponentially, from classic cuisines, to third and fourth generation handed down recipes, altered from different origins of the world, flipped upside down and back again. I visited a dive in Birmingham, Alabama that really understands the meaning of upscale bar food, by taking the common finger food, and kicking it up a notch. The inside has a dark, cave like feel. The outside looks like an old house. The food makes you want to run naked through a field of daffodils. Check it out!
The J. Clyde was my last burger stop on a 4 day road trip. Let’s just say, it capped it off perfectly. My girlfriend and I initially had quite the trouble finding a good place to eat. We were driving around downtown, in what looked like the business district, only noticing a few bars open. I took to the internet to find the best burger in Birmingham, only to have it sitting 4 miles away from my then current location. That’s when we realized we had been looking in the wrong place all together. J. Clyde is in the heart of the happening part of town. Countless bars, restaurants and shops line the streets with bright lights, inviting you into a very unpretentious neighborhood. After we arrived at our destination and sat down, I noticed the extensive beer list and the tap behind the bar to back it up. I knew we were in the right place. In such a small vicinity, this facility offers two bars, and two areas for patio seating. Then we received the menu. The burger stood out like a sore thumb. When I ordered, I added a couple of toppings to ensure the flavor explosion of this sangwich. But before that, we ordered an incredible appetizer. Ladies and gentlemen, the whole meal. A Pork Cheek Egg Roll, and the Gus Burger.
The PCER was made of braised pork cheek and fresh veggies, flash fried in a hand rolled wonton. It immediately transported us into a different country. The warm taste of authenticity mixed with the miso soy dip had us in disbelief that we were in a dive bar in Alabama. We then became aware of the talent and love the chef pours into each dish, and knew this particular Birminghamburger would be insane. Well, it was. The Gus Burger was eight ounces of grass fed beef, topped with a fried egg, crispy bacon, mustard ale cheese, and onions that are reduced down in a local brewery’s porter style beer. The complexity of this burger was off the charts. The meat was incredibly tender and well seasoned while the crispy bacon added a beautiful crunch, and a bit of saltiness that every burger needs. The mustard ale cheese blended in with the yolk of the fried egg, creating a savory liquid, which could have been served as a condiment on it’s own. The onions, in my opinion, were the star of the game, and brought the most flavor to the table. Reduced down to make them sweet, but infused with a porter, which carries subtle coffee, chocolate, and caramel notes. Then, to make the situation even better, the hand cut fries were fried to perfection, leaving me completely satisfied with my meal. I will give The J. Clyde 4 of 5 burgz.
I knew our waiter was the right one when I said I wanted something local and he offered one of the local breweries newest tripels. He wanted to get me drunk. Conveniently, I wanted to get me drunk too. Overall, I was stoked on my very short visit to Birmingham and I can’t wait to visit again, with just a bit more time to explore. If you’re ever in town, be sure to try something from the three local breweries, all on the same street. And for Pete’s sake, go to the J. Clyde's, get a J. Clydesdale sized burger, and ride out into the sunset with a belly full of burger and happiness.
Monday: 2:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday - Saturday: 2:00 PM - 2:00 AM
