Burgerville, Portland Oregon

Though we tend to reject chain stores and restaurants as inherently insincere, we were introduced to one that breaks the mold when we visited my family in Portland, Oregon two summers ago. It's called Burgerville and it can be found throughout Oregon and Southen Washington. Doing some research on the web, I found some recent lousy reviews, but I assume the quality changes from location to location. What stands out about Burgerville is that they use mostly local ingredients and are conscientious, as far as I could tell, about how these local sources grow their food and seem to generally strive towards sustainability in their business practices.

On our visit there I had the Wild Smoked Salmon and Hazelnut Salad, featuring those locally grown and caught items as well as local Tillamook Cheese amongst lots of fresh greens. It was reasonably priced and very yummy. I did not indulge in things like the Pepper Bacon Cheeseburger which features, like all their burgers, locally raised, antibiotic and hormone-free beef nor the Oregon marionberry or blackberry shake, in- season berry lemonade or Walla Walla Onion Rings, but I was assured all were spectacular. The atmosphere was cute and old fashioned, the staff - well - I don't remember, but certainly not surly, and I remember wishing that more places like it existed.

When I think of our visit there, more than anything, it makes me think fondly of Portland in general - one of the most sincere cities I know. I believe it is officially the "greenest" city in the U.S. Even the airport is a delight. I'm sure there are tons of good and sincere restaurants in Portland, but until we can return for more investigation, Burgerville will have to do for now. Big shout out to Portland! We love you!

Evaluation: Kind of sincere



www.Burgerville.com

The Modern Snack Bar - Aquebogue, New York

You know that fork in the road we wrote about earlier? Well, eventually those two roads come together continuing on into the North Fork of Long Island, and one of the great things about that drive (and there are many) is The Modern as we are fond of calling it. What you need to know is that the lobster-salad rolls are the best, there's a great kids menu (along with plenty of crayons), and that the ambiance of the place is worth walking in the door for. There is that sense of walking back into the era when places like this were commonplace, where waitresses wear white uniforms and stiff hats like old-time nurses. The place was perhaps quite modern when it first opened its doors 60 years ago. but what has happened since that time is a kind of stasis... What was truly modern at the time is now quaint and interesting: it's a visual pleasure, the waitresses are friendly, service is good and the selection of pies is beyond belief.

It's a local favorite haunt that we stumbled into by chance, and now feel inclined to go back to whenever we're out that way. A couple of times we've ended up out there when the Modern happened to be closed, so we went to other seemingly likely joints that for all appearances looked comparable. That has never turned out for the good (with one notable exception that we discovered recently) which will of course show up in a later posting. Sorry, you'll just have to wait.

There is one thing to watch out for - and that's ordering stuff that is clearly out of season (don't do it!) since they continue to serve it because people (not those in the know) ask for it and the Modern folks want to be helpful... But hey - that's not the reason to go to this place. Really - go for the lobster rolls, and maybe an old-fashioned-modern root beer float.

Evaluation: Very sincere

 

Route 25 * Aquebogue, New York 11931
(631) 722-3655
http://modernsnackbar.com/
Tuesday - Thursday.. 11:00 am - 9:00 pm Friday & Saturday.... 11:00 am - 10:00 pm Sunday..................... 12:00 noon - 9:00 pm Closed Mondays, Easter Sunday, & Thanksgiving Day