BURGER WARS IN THE VALLEY

         A CHEESE BURGER IS A GLORIOUS THING.
         IT CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT IT TO BE.




But a cheeseburger isn't just a cheeseburger. There are versions----Sloppy, like a Tommy's chili cheeseburger where you need to take a bath after eating; neat; old-fashioned; new age. But mostly, it depends on the meat. Don't forget that. And, if you know where to go, you can get exactly what you want.


THE HOTEL BURGER:  THE RITZ-CARLTON IN RANCHO MIRAGE

No matter where you are in the world, if you are at a four or five-star hotel, you will get a burger with better quality bread, a thicker patty of possibly prime meat or a combo of meats, a bun that is usually toasted with a dash of butter, and condiments on the side Hotel burgers are very neat. I love them because you know the meat you are getting is healthier and tastier--not modified by lots of salt and additives. You also know you don;t have to rely on the condiments or the lettuce (usually butter lettuce) or tomato for flavor. If you want this burger, go to the Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage.

Ritz-Carlton 68900 Frank Sinatra Drive 760-321-8282

HOTEL BURGER: THE BARN KITCHEN AT SPARROW LODGE. This burger takes minimalism to extreme levels, and it pays off big time for them. This is all about the bun and the meat and you don't need anything else to flip out over the joy of it. Yes, they serve it with lettuce and tomato, but it's irrelevant. It is just to die for.

1330 E. Palm Canyon

THE CLASSIC AMERICAN:  TYLER'S IN PALM SPRINGS

A classic American burger, like The Apple Pan in Los Angeles, consists of good quality white bread bun, maybe a slightly-thinner patty than a hotel, and pure ingredients like mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, tomatoes and lettuce. It is not a fussy burger. It's just flat-out great. And, slider or burger, it makes no difference. Tyler's in Palm Springs delivers that burger. It has no equal. Add bacon or not.

149 S. Indian Canyon

NEW AGE BURGER:   TONY'S BURGERS----NOT THE BEST

There's a problem with this kind of burger. It has the philosophy of More is Better. Over the years there has been a mis-conception on the part of chefs that more ingredients make things fancier and more complicated, therefore, better. WRONG. An example of this is Tony's Burger's on Date Palm. His menu is over complicated, the meat is not tasty, and the burgers lack soul. They're OK, if you don't know better, but, if you do, there's no reason to eat them when you have places here that are so much better.

So unnecessarily overdone

So far.... I have yet to find the cheap, sloppy burger in Coachella Valley. I'm on the lookout. Any suggestions????