Before I took over this column, the previous author did a hamburger round-up I enjoyed. Who knew Chattanooga had so many places where one could satisfy his or her carnivorous cravings? I’d like to revive that series for one week so I can tell you about another great place: Southern Burger Company.
You might already be a Southern Burger fan. If that’s the case, then you probably know owner Christian Siler has been slinging gourmet burgers out of a truck since he launched his restaurant in March 2010. What you might not know is that Christian recently opened a brick and mortar version of his popular establishment at Warehouse Row. He’s still taking his show on the road, but now you can also eat his burgers without having to brave the elements.
Your visit to Southern Burger will begin with free parking at Warehouse Row. Next, you’ll make your way toward the main entrances while looking for a sign that reads “Silver Jalapeno,” and soon will also read “Southern Burger.” You’ll then descend down a steep staircase and enter one of the most relaxing spots in Chattanooga to eat. The atmosphere in the basement of Warehouse Row is pleasant and the dining area is spacious, creating an ideal place for a brief escape from a busy day.
As you walk through the door, the smell of grilled meat will lure you to the counter. You’ll want to head straight to the cash register, where you can grab a menu and then pore over the selections.
A meal at Southern Burger is a pleasure for someone who appreciates simple food done well. Their staple is the hamburger, made from Hereford beef purchased in Tennessee and seasoned with salt and pepper. Once the meat is steaming hot, they slide it between a bun baked locally at Bread Basket. From there, you can add any of nearly 20 toppings, ranging from gourmet cheeses, to traditional toppings like Wickles’ Pickles and hydroponically grown lettuce, to premium toppings, all of which allow you to be creative and try something new, or simply build your favorite burger.
Do you like avocado and onion? Can do. Are you in the mood for a chili burger? Southern Burger has you, and your burger, covered. And if you’d like to put your cardiologist’s children through college, you could even top a burger with a fried egg.
Finally, Southern Burger offers a variety of conventional toppings, including house ketchup, mustard and dijonnaise, and Duke’s Mayonnaise (because there is no better mayo). They really kick their toppings into high gear with their premium selections, including garlic mayoli, southern sauce, blue-cheese jalapeno, buttermilk ranch and dijon vinaigrette.
By now, it should be clear that Southern Burger is not playing fair in the local burger wars.
I tried one of the restaurant’s stock creations - the Mushroom Swiss. It comes with mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, Swiss cheese, mustard and mayo. While I love mushrooms, hamburgers and Swiss cheese, I’ve never tasted a Mushroom Swiss Burger that made me lean back in my chair and go, “Oh my God,” until I ate at Southern Burger.
The meat was juicy and slathered in delicious cheese, the mushrooms were thick and chewy, and the bun was fresh and sweet. Sorry, Arby’s, but this is my new “Good mood food.”
My only complaint would be the portion. For nearly seven bucks, I expected more meat. However, for an additional two dollars, Southern Burger will double the meat and cheese.
The menu at Southern Burger also includes a number of sides, including French fries, onion rings and chilled grilled veggies. I chose the fries, made from freshly cut potatoes and cooked in peanut oil, with garlic mayoli. As I dipped two crispy fries into the sauce and then took a bite, I leaned back in my chair and said grace for the second time.
A caveat about the fries: While I thought they were good, my wife said they were too greasy. Once I was done licking the salt off my fingers, I reluctantly agreed and then grabbed a couple more. Five Guys serves a “lighter” French fry, but in my estimation, the fries at Southern Burger taste better. Both places fill your bag with potato-goodness, so it’s a tossup based on personal preference.
Once you eat at Southern Burger, I believe you’ll want to go back. I certainly did. On my second visit, I tried the hormone-free char-grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich, which was every bit as good as the Mushroom Swiss Burger. It comes with the house dijonnaise, which is out-of-this-world good, and an ample portion of chicken.
I also ordered the onion rings. This was the only item that clearly fell short. While I appreciate the effort of Southern Burger to provide gluten-free rings, the batter, made out of corn meal and potato starch, did not stick to the onion, leaving me with a small portion of cooked onions and crumbled batter at the bottom of my bag. Christian needs to either serve his rings in a different manner or create a new batter that holds its shape.
Other house creations include the Blue Burger, which comes with Benton’s bacon, blue cheese, balsamic caramelized onions and mustard; the Jalapeño Burger, which includes cheddar cheese, fresh jalapenos, mayo, ketchup and Tennessee Bacon Jam; the Habanero Jam Burger, which comes with a sweet habanero jam, goat cheese and arugula; and an eggplant cheddar patty topped with sautéed mushrooms and other veggies.
I asked Christian about the bacon jam. He said he makes it like regular jam, only he adds bacon and George Dickel Whiskey instead of fruit. If your bacon has ever touched your syrup while you’ve eaten pancakes, then you know what his bacon jam tastes like. (I tried a sample of the jam, not the whole burger.)
I’d like to comment on one more thing before I close this column: the service. Have you ever stepped up to the counter at a fast food joint and received a bored look from the teenager on the other side? That was not my experience at Southern Burger. Instead, I got Jeff, an extremely welcoming and knowledgeable young man. As I asked him about the different items on the menu, he enthusiastically answered all of my questions and made suggestions that turned out to be spot on. What’s more, while I was eating (and before Christian knew I was writing a column about Southern Burger), Christopher went from table to table asking each customer what they thought of the food.
There are a lot of ways to compete in a crowded market. In the local burger wars, Southern Burger has chosen to offer remarkably good food that tastes like nothing else in Chattanooga. By being both unique and delicious, Christian has all but guaranteed his continued success. Join me over a Mushroom Swiss Burger and tell me I’m wrong.
Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.