A Burger From Edzo’s
Beefy, Cheesy Glory
Last year, I drastically cut my carbohydrate intake. It was good for my health, but it really messed up my sandwich eating regimen. Not being able to grab a sandwich whenever I wanted almost made me give up before I started. But, just like the TV programming of my childhood, it also taught me an important lesson about myself: I’m never tired of eating hamburgers. Never. I can eat them for lunch every day (sans bread) for six days straight and still want nothing more than a burger on a bun on Saturday afternoon. And one of my favorite places to go for beefy, cheesy glory is Edzo’s Burger Shop.
There are dozens of places in Chicago and the suburbs to get a great burger, but Edzo’s is high on my list. Everything they serve is made with care and precision. They turn out perfect burgers, shakes, and double-fried fries every time. I won’t spend 1,000 words on their extended menu today, but I could. It’s definitely worth a look.
Like most people, I tend to get stuck in patterns when ordering. I ordered the same thing at Five Guys 18 of the first 20 times I went there (and I did count). At Edzo’s, I end up ordering something different almost every time. Their basic 4-oz griddle burger with ketchup, mustard, pickle, and onion is beautiful–add cheddar, and it might be the best thing on the menu. But there are so many different combinations of toppings available that there’s no silver bullet here. Just a lot of really wonderful options. I’m lucky enough to have a writing gig three blocks from the Evanston location, and half the time I walk in, I don’t know what I’m going to order. I could get a patty melt on rye! A 28-day dry-aged beef patty and a dollop of garlic butter! An 8-oz flame-broiled behemoth with sauteed mushrooms and onions! For a good chunk of 2013, Eddie was even serving up a Double Double Animal Style Tribute Burger. It was so good, I got it twice in a row.
The burger that inspired this post was simple. A single 4-oz griddled patty with pepperjack cheese, giardiniera, and mayonnaise. Edzo’s makes one of the best smashed-and-griddled burgers in Chicago. Just look at those crispy, lacy edges. Look at that melted cheese. That abundance of spicy pickled vegetables spilling wantonly onto the deli paper. After everything I’ve written so far, I’m not sure what else to say, other than “it was everything I wanted it to be.”
I’m a tax guy and technical writer living in the city known to its locals as The Big ‘Ago. I self-identify as a fighter against culinary dogma, a sandwich lover, and an overly-earnest hot dog enthusiast.
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