Bar Symon Burger
32858 Walker Road, Avon Lake, (440) 933-5652, barsymon.com
Overflowing from the borders of a
toasted English muffin, the Bar Symon Burger ($9) looks a little snug
sitting inside its black plastic basket with a pile of shoestring fries
riding shotgun. Topped with fried egg and huge slices of cheddar and
bacon, it’s got a greasy diner attitude and gourmet taste. Fight the
urge to pick off the house-pickled onions because they’re not the
boring raw red onion you’re used to — their vinegary zest is a welcome
surprise.
56 West
Friend with Benefits
16300 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, (216) 226-0056, fiftysixwest.com
Order this burger for two reasons: First, the onion rings stacked on top offer a sweet twist to this mighty, half-pound bacon cheeseburger. Secondly, it’s just plain fun to say, “I’ll take the Friend with Benefits.” At $7.56 ($1.56 more to add fries), there’s no long-term commitment required.
Grumpy's Café
Rhino Burger
2621 W. 14th St., Cleveland, (216) 241-5025, grumpys-cafe.com
Don’t expect the Rhino Burger
($9.99) to show your taste buds any mercy. If it’s not the pepper jack
cheese, then the salsa packed with huge chunks of jalapeño will
certainly start a spicy tingle on your tongue. Then you hit the center
of the sandwich. Chorizo and beef play nice with each other in this
half-pound patty — the beef offering a bit of a sweet and juicy relief,
and the chorizo swooping in for a tangy kick. There’s no escaping the
heat, especially if you add the house specialty Cajun home fries as
your side.
