There’s a new burger on the Minneapolis scene. Sort of.
In actuality, My Burger has been serving downtown folk for 7 years now. But with a brand new modern look slowly devised with the help of Fame, also of downtown… fame…, it’s easy to mistake the neighborhood newcomer as a big chain or a rookie.
Owner(with his father- who also owns Nicollet Island Inn), John Abdo told me yesterday, their quietly announced opening day, that they’re still using the same recipe that his father, the “serial entrepreneur”, devised nearly seven years ago. They use an 80/20 lean/fat Angus beef, quarter pound patty, griddled with their special seasoning and pressed thin. Buttered, toasted buns and sweet pickles are standard- but they offer dill pickles too. John says that the sweet pickles were his mom’s idea.
To get a good idea of a burger, I like to try it plain first. Here’s their plain hamburger on a buttered, toasted bun served with fries for $5.45. Solid.
Overall, it was dry- needed condiments. However, when I mentioned this to John, I didn’t get the impression it was a common complaint and he assured me they will cook a burger medium rare upon request. A good caramelized crust on the patty, but the patty was too thin for my taste.
The fries were solid- for 3/8”. I’ve always been a 1/4” fry man myself. Thicker fries tend to distract with too much potato flavor and texture in the middle. This was the case here, but they managed to find a way to keep the fries relatively crispy once they are cold- not a simple feat.
I asked John why they chose 3100 Excelsior Blvd. for their first venture out of downtown. He says they shopped around the Twin Cities- NE Mpls., St. Paul and S. Mpls., but settled here because they liked the neighborhood and, of course, the traffic. NE Mpls. and St. Paul are likely future prospects, as I was assured they want to continue to grow. Are they concerned about being within throwing distance of Burger Jones? No, “…it’s a totally different market”. Agreed.
What is John’s favorite local burger(besides his own)?
“…for a little fancier burger, I love 112(Eatery)… when it’s on and it’s charred on the outside… it’s awesome”. For “simple” burgers he mentioned of The Nook and Blue Door- making the assertion that Blue Door has the best Ju(i)cy Lucy’s in town. John said he’s been wanting to make to a Burger Night event, but hasn’t had the chance.
John Abdo on opening day.
My Burger is a simple, family run burger joint that is a definite boon for the local burger landscape. Check them out if you haven’t already.
