Burgermaster

Suspend your sense of reality. Imagine a place where profanity is not tolerated. No cleats are allowed. Shirts and shoes are required. Despite the fact that most of our readers will stand out like a hooker at King Felix’s coronation, everyone is treated the same at Burgermaster. Located in Eight Mile on Highway 45, this establishment has been heralded for several years as having one of the best burgers in the area. But they had so much more to offer this well-bred reporter.

Burgermaster is filled with a blue-collar crowd. It reminds me of a diner with wood paneling. Waitresses work from behind a counter that takes up about a third of the space with the remainder filled with non-descript tables. A lengthy menu is supplemented by numerous off-the-menu items found scattered about the walls. A take-out window does a brisk business, with a long line forming late in the morning. A plate lunch special is offered each day while there are numerous fried seafood items, po-boys, 1/2 pound and smaller burgers with chili, cheese or both.

While we did stand out from the rest of the patrons, our experience was the same as everyone else—easygoing and pleasant. The beep of Nextel type phone/radios interrupted eating activity around the room while men dealt with dirt loads, safety incidents and the like. Our waitress was friendly and gave us plenty of time to order, expounding on the more popular items on the menu. While cruising over the offerings, we chose to place an order of onion rings and fried green tomatoes while we took some time to decide on our main meal.

I have never had fried food as well prepared as by the cooks at Burgermaster. All of our fried orders came out hot, crisp with tender insides. The grease was so hot that nothing came out soggy or limp. A flour-based batter was used for the rings and tomatoes. Hot to the touch, thick cuts of juicy onion and succulent, firm tomatoes were piled high on a platter and served with ranch dressing on the side. Neither lasted very long, and we gobbled them up despite the heat under the fried breading.

One of us had to try the burger, and I volunteered in spite of wanting to select a number of other choices. I ordered the 1/2 pound Burgermaster with cheese and fries. One of my friends chose the special, baked chicken and dressing with a choice of two sides, in this case fried okra and turnip greens. The other ordered the grouper plate. Truthfully, each one of us wanted to get the fried grouper plate, which came with hush puppies, cole slaw and fries.

We did arrive hungry and by ordering the fried vegetables, we timed the meal just right. It appears that Burgermaster cooks all the food to order, ensuring that everyone gets a fresh, hot meal. While this took a little while longer than your typical lunch dive, it is not too long that you begin to fidget.

All around us, large tables of workers seemed to be receiving plates with two or three chili cheeseburgers with fries or the grouper. The little, or rather normal size burgers, looked more appealing than my larger than life burger. I’ll make sure to try out the smaller burger next time if I do not order the grouper. There is something unsettling to me about consuming one-half a pound of beef.

I ate it anyway, and it was good. The burger is obviously thick and formed like one at home (unless you use one of those stupid hamburger shapers). No one asked how I wanted it cooked and this made no difference. It was not dry or heavily fried and was very satisfying. The fries, like everything else from the deep fat of artery-clogging oil were hot to the touch, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Next came the special. One-half a chicken covered in gravy was served alongside homemade dressing, turnip greens and the fried okra. The dressing was country style—not over-seasoned and on the mushy side. The turnip greens were frozen but definitely edible. Even thought we all had an enormous amount of food, the crunchy corn muffins, also homemade, disappeared as well. When the bountiful, heaping grouper plate arrived, the two of us knew we had been out ordered. A large filet of fish dominated the plate. Fried in cornmeal, it was sublime. The hushpuppies were dotted with bits of onion and were heavenly as well. We all decided that this was one of the best fried seafood plates we had experienced in recent memory.

Immediately when we entered, I saw a sign heralding a coffee shake and another of us was captivated by an apple pie sign. Each of us was beyond full, and were already discussing how awful, miserable we were going to be all afternoon. Thank goodness it was a Friday. We ordered dessert. A large warm, fresh slice of apple pie and big cup of coffee shake hit the spot, if there was any spot left to hit. I’ll certainly eat a little less next time to save some room for either of these treats.

I do not recommend that you have a pig-out like we did, which is not something I normally do. But your senses may overtake you upon entering, transporting you outside of reality.

Burgermaster is located on the right side of Highway 45 coming from town in Eight Mile about three or so miles past the interstate exit. They are open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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