Burgers In Portland (Part 1)

It's difficult issuing a ranking for something so personal as a burger. The individual components all speak to the diner in different ways. The meat. The bun. The cheese. Everything. But because the composed whole tends to evoke the same visceral, elemental reactions, ultimately the burger-dining public is best served by a showcase rather than a coronation. That being said, some Portland burgers are definitely better than others, and here are some of them, in no particular order.

Clyde Common - hamburger sandwich
Sit at the bar at Clyde Common and you'll invariably see a burger arrive for the person sitting next to you, causing you to think to yourself, "Man that looks good." It shines best with some bacon, but the unheralded star of this burger are the pickled onions.

Slow Bar - winter/summerburger
The components may change with the seasons, but the end result is still a delicious burger.

Toro Bravo - bacon and manchego burger
If you can ever resist the siren song of the other exceptional dishes at this Portland standard-bearer, the burger is a specimen. Featuring the housemade bacon to go along with manchego cheese, this is another case, like the Clyde Common burger, where the pickles play a key role. The big, savory elements are brought into focus thanks to the slight tartness that the pickles impart.

Ten01 - chorizo burger
There are two burgers on the menu, both of which are excellent, but the chorizo burger is particularly noteworthy. It features the housemade chorizo and a fried egg, making it essentially a juevos rancheros sandwich. If you're not in the mood for fried egg (and admittedly, you do kinda have to be in the right kind of mood for this burger) then the standard house burger is also quite a treat.

Victory Bar - venison burger
Every great hangout bar needs to have a great burger, and Victory Bar and its burger are great examples of both. It features fried leeks to go with the venison patty, and pairs brilliantly with a nice Belgian beer.

There's certainly more burgers in Portland, so expect this to be an ongoing series. In the meantime, when you order a burger and they ask how you want it cooked, tell 'em you want it awesome.