Burger Love at Hamburger Harry's

Ask me what my favorite food is and I’ll say “hamburgers.”

Make no mistake, I love cuisine from all around the globe. From “peasant food” to “molecular gastronomy,” I’m game to taste and have had many a good bite. But if you want to get down to the nitty gritty, my “desert island” food … I’m going with the hamburger. And thus this week it was with great anticipation that I finally visited of Edmonds to get my burger fix.

Situated on 5th Avenue South just a hair south of the core Edmonds downtown area, Hamburger Harry’s is technically Hamburger Harry’s II. The first restaurant is located in Ballard. Casual and family-friendly, the eatery’s walls are papered with autographed pictures of sports greats. For warmer seasons, a large outdoor seating area is available to those willing to tolerate noise from the passing traffic.

As can be accurately deduced from the restaurant’s name, Hamburger Harry’s offers a large selection of burgers. The menu goes far beyond that, however. Entrees such as meatloaf and pasta as well as all-day breakfast are available for those impervious to the siren call of Harry’s ground-chuck patties. Needless to say, I am not in that camp.

The diverse appetizer list of Hamburger Harry’s covers everything from quesadillas to Thai-inspired chicken lettuce cups. Among the fried delights are cheese curds and pickle chips, and I went with the latter. “There’s no in-between,” the host advised me with respect to the fried pickles ($6.99). “People either love 'em or hate 'em.”

I loved 'em. Accompanied by chipotle aioli and honey-mustard dipping sauces, the chips' light batter coating didn’t distract from the pickles' excellent garlic dill flavor. The pleasant sourness found a perfect counterpoint in the smokiness and spice of the chipotle sauce. I was somewhat puzzled by the handful of undressed mixed greens presented on my pickle plate, though gamely tried a forkful with a pickle chip. The verdict: Fried pickles go better with aioli than they do with lettuce.

The burger lineup at Hamburger Harry’s includes standard preparations with the likes of teriyaki sauce, seasoned mushrooms and caramelized onions. However, the menu delves into new territory with unique concoctions such as the jalapeno popper burger featuring roasted peppers and cream cheese, as well as a Triple Crown burger boasting a fried egg. I chose to walk on the wild side and ordered the peanut butter bacon burger ($10.79), much to the delight of my server, who enthusiastically informed me that the unusual combo is his favorite yet tends to scare people away.

I don’t scare easily when it comes to burgers, and when mine arrived, I tucked right in. It was a gloriously messy affair, the generous patty showing proper grilling and just a hint of pink. The peanut butter flavor didn’t knock me over the head as the thick slices of peppery bacon tended to dominate the combination. While the hamburger was indeed very good, I actually found myself wishing for (gasp!) more of a peanut butter taste.

For an extra buck I upgraded from french fries to onion rings and a sizable mound accompanied my burger. Hamburger Harry’s onion rings are untraditional -- similar to the fried pickles, they're lightly battered. The delicate rings are all about the sweet onion, not about the coating, which I found a welcome departure from the classic presentation. A kick of horseradish in the dipping sauce was similarly appreciated.

Hamburgers have appeared on American restaurant menus for nearly two centuries, and their popularity is undeniable. I know I am not alone in my obsession with a juicy ground beef patty dressed up with all the fixin’s. Hamburger Harry’s hits all the marks in delivering a top-notch burger and throws in a few unexpected twists to keep things interesting for burger lovers in Edmonds.