October's Better Denver Burger: The City Grille Burger

City Grille was long overdue for me. Having lived in Capitol Hill for 3 years and not really frequenting that side of Colfax, I finally made it over to the joint long known for one of the best burgers in town. Now I may lose credibility points as a burger lover for that one, but what I want to communicate is that CG has been on my list for a very long time, and this was sort of a defining moment for the Better Burger Quest.

So for a Tuesday happy hour, I met my friend Jeremy over at the dive for some beef and brew. Also paying homage to another Colorado staple, we guzzled down some Fat Tire as we waited for our City Grille Burgers to arrive.

Now it's normally a good call to go with the traditional burger when trying to figure out who has the basics down. But in the instance where there is a true house specialty, it in a sense is a sacrilege to opt out on your first visit. And it just so happens, that this is another example of where the namesake doesn't disappoint.

A few things I look for in a burger- good bread that's well toasted, and well-executed beef. This one has both, served on a Ciabatta bun with a 1/2 pound of grilled sirloin, and topped with Gruyère cheese, bacon, and Caesar dressing. The flavors are very well balanced, with the aggressive beefy flavor of the meat complementing with the smoky bacon and tangy dressing. We're talking layers.

My advice- forgo the lettuce, tomato etc. They will only serve to distract.

Overall, I have to say this was a truly enjoyable burger, of the greasy bar food category. November's feature may turn the tables a little bit as I unpack Larkburger. Dish It Up.

Price: 9.95 including a side


You'll have to forgive the absence of pictures, but I will post them once I can figure out how to get them off of my corrupted SD card. Stay tuned....