What makes a burger good? I mean, real good. I reckon first, you gotta have quality beef — like, say from Simon Farms in Faulkner county, bought one cow at a time and lovingly ground into the perfect texture and consistency. The burger should be juicy, but there should be texture to the meat — the dollar menu disgraces that just turn to mush in the mouth need not apply. It should be served on substantial bun. There should be fresh toppings and real cheese.

In other words, a good burger should be like a burger from The Root Cafe.

Advertisement

It had been awhile since I had one of these masterpieces, but during a photoshoot for Food and Farm the other day, one of the photographer’s assistants ran down to the SoMa cafe for lunch and came back with the sort of sandwich that deserves odes and songs written about. Good outside sear, tender, perfectly medium middle — every bite was a triumph of taste and the worst of tragedies, that of being finished and not having any more.

A burger at The Root runs $8.50 and comes with a salad and housemade dressing. Sure, it costs more, but unlike commodity beef, the beef comes from one single animal, and not the hundreds of animals present in your average Big Mac. Sure, there are cheaper burgers in the world, but there aren’t many that taste better.

Advertisement

Spend a few more dollars. Treat yourself to a plate of local food. You’ll thank me.

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

Previous article More anti-abortion legislation clears House committee Next article U.S. Supreme Court to take case on state Internet tax law