SATURDAY, MARCH 29: SECOND ROUND BURGER ACTION >>>
Burger construction isn't rocket science. Take some beef, mold it into a patty, throw on some cheese, lettuce, tomato and condiments, serve and enjoy. But hidden within those folds is a complexity that defines the short ingredients list. Building a burger is child's play; making a great burger is another thing entirely. Opening a discussion on which South Sound burger joints offer a great burger serves as our mission for the Tournament of Burgers - that and trying to score free burgers from the competitors.
Before we examine today's Second Round burger battles, let's take a look at yesterday's burger-building results.
Game 1: Eastside Big Tom vs. Steel Creek American Whiskey Co.
Eastside Big Tom's was voted Best Burger recently in the Weekly Volcano's 2014 Best of Olympia issue. Home of the "goop," a delicious blend of mayo, mustard, pickle relish and secret salad dressing sauce, Eastside Big Tom's is an Olympian favorite, and the whiskey-drinking cowgirls and cowboys at Steel Creek couldn't line dance fast enough. Eastside Big Tom grabbed 78 percent of the vote and moves into the Sweet 16.
Game 2: Chalk Talk Bistro vs. Pick-Quick Drive-In
Everyone is, er, talking about the conversation of Mary's Burger Bistro into Chalk Talk Bistro. There have been theories written, of course written in chalk. It doesn't matter. Fife's longstanding, popular Pick-Quick Drive-In snapped all the chalk with 62 percent of the vote, and moves into the Sweet 16.
Game 3: The Westside Tavern vs. Pacific Grill
Pacific Grill, the downtown Tacoma bastion of Northwest culinary staples and forward thinking dishes that explore some of the most buzzed about national food trends, met its match yesterday. The Westside Tavern might not serve meat candy and "Freaking Delicious Beef Carpaccio," but it does specialize in burgers and uproariously good times. And that combination paid off yesterday as the beloved Westside Olympia joint grabbed 59 percent of the vote and a spot in the Sweet 16.
Game 4: Bootlegger's Bar & Grill vs. Best Burgers
It isn't certain the patrons of Bootlegger's knew the Buckley restaurant was in the Tournament of Burgers. Its Facebook claims their Ladies Night is going to be "nuts," but it's void of tournament chatter. Best Burgers knows they're in, and received remarkable play from their Triple Cheeseburger. With 70 percent of the vote, Best Burgers moves into the Sweet 16.
Let's weed through the condiments. The following are advancing to the Sweet 16:
The daily burger battles on Walkie Talkie are sponsored by Ricky J's Restaurant and Lounge in Puyallup.
OK, let's dive into today's Second Round burger battles. Vote for one burger joint per game. Voting for today's burger battles ends at 11:45 p.m.
Game 1: The Forum (815 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) vs. Frisko Freeze (1201 Division Ave., Tacoma)
Game 2: Lunchbox Laboratory (4901 Point Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor) vs. Powerhouse Puyallup (454 E. Main, Puyallup)
Game 3: The Spar (2121 N. 30th St., Tacoma) vs. Norma's Burger's (10322 Martin Way E., Olympia)
Game 4: Little Jerry's (8233 S. Park Ave., Tacoma) vs. Mikie Burger (4915 Center St., Tacoma)
Confused? Read our Tournament of Burgers introduction here.