When we head out on the bus, we may just have to spend the first couple months driving around Texas getting sick of BBQ, if such an outcome is possible. You know BBQ is different than other kinds of dining because the indicators are nearly 180 degrees different than for any other kind of restaurant.

To start with, in what other type of dining is a decrepit looking building a good sign? They’re are some, but with BBQ is practically a given. You want a place with the character of New Orleans, a place where maintenance takes a backseat to good food and good fun.

Standing in line at the grocery store this afternoon (I was buying apples), I saw that the latest issue of Texas Monthly was promoting the “Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas.” I bought a copy and was disappointed that it didn’t put the Top 50 in rank order, but then again, that is nearly an impossible task. I know I couldn’t do it because there is just too much nuance.

Here’s what is both notible and exciting about the Texas Monthly list: I’ve never eaten at a single one of the joints. This fact is both exciting and overwhelming.

There are lots of places to go and lots of video to shoot, which means I need some exercise.

Chapps Cafe’s slogan is “Burgers to die for,” but for me…not so much. I had a bacon cheese burger with swiss cheese and it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great either. The only thing that stood out for me was that it was extremely filling. I only ate half. Of course that could have been more about the side order of cheddar fries Cali and I shared. That’s about all I can write about it. It’s just an average tasting burger.

Chapps Cafe
1004 Keller Pkwy
Keller, TXÂ
(817) 431-3888

I am not a burger person. I don’t go seeking for burger places for lunch or dinner. If sushi was cheap, I’d eat it every single day. Same with eating pasta and vegetables (but I’m not a vegetarian). Anyway, ever since I tried out Mooyah’s, I’ve been craving the taste of burgers. I must admit - our favorite place to get burgers is Jack in the Box. I wanted to try something new and opted to go to Steak ‘n Shake, which is literally across the freeway from our house. (Actually, I wanted to go eat at Buffalo Wild Wings but then changed my mind at the last minute.) I had heard that Steak ‘n Shake was a must-try from my husband’s mom to friends on Twitter.

Before we walked in, I thought it was going to be one of those fast-food joints, where you walk up to the counter, place your order, wait at the table, and be called when your order was ready. It was actually set up like a 60’s style diner, stylized in red, black, and white decor, and I was pleasantly surprised that we were actually seated (by a very tall girl) at a booth. Right as we sat down, I noticed another customer eating French fries (with a fork) and what caught my eye was that they were skinny fries. My favorite kind! So I knew that I’d be back at Steak ‘n Shake for something.

We poured over the menus since I didn’t check the menu ahead of time on-line. I tend to gravitate to the salads but I didn’t want to do that my first time. So chose the portobello & swiss steakburger platter (which comes with 2 sides), French fries, and a cup of chili. Since I didn’t want to not have a shake, I picked the “vanorange” which is a vanilla and orange shake. What is so cool is that in the glass one side is vanilla and the other side is orange! Tom got the bacon ‘n cheese double steakburger platter with the same sides. He topped it off with the “coffee mocha” shake. The waitress had a memory of steel as she didn’t write anything down! (That always amazes me.)

Our chili came out first. It wasn’t really hot, kinda more on the warm side, but it was still yummy. Shortly thereafter, we got our burgers and fries and our shakes (and a couple glasses of water, too). My burger was so juicy and the meat was peeking out of the bun. The meat was also very lean, much like the meat Mooyah puts in their burgers. The shake was thick and creamy and oh, so good. That’s why you needed the water to wash it all down.

After we were done, we sat and chit-chatted and the manager (the only one with a tie, slacks, and dress shirt) walked around from table to table asking how the food was. I like seeing that in a restaurant. It makes me feel like they do care about their customers. Since I’ve been living in Dallas for 2 years now, I can say that I’ve been to Steak ‘n Shake and I know I’ll be back again. The good thing about Steak ‘n Shake is that they’re open 24 hours. So when the mood hits, you know where to go.

Steak ‘n Shake
950 Market Place Blvd.
Irving, TX 75063
214-574-5300

Editor’s Note: This review was written by twitter friend @daysies. She twittered that she had just eaten at Steak ‘N’ Shake, one of our favorite places, and I asked her to do a guest review for Carnivore.TV. You can read more from daysies, a.k.a., Kathleen on her blog daysiesdotnu where she writes about whatever is on her mind.

I have to add something because it’s my favorite thing at Steak ‘N’ Shake. On the table with the salt, pepper and ketchup, they also provide pepper sauce. I think SNS might call it something different, but in the south, we call it pepper sauce. It’s vinegar in a bottle with green tabasco peppers. I love sprinkling it liberally over the skinny fries and then salting them. It’s salt, vinegar and POW! What could be better?

My big question for Kathleen, though, is where can I get good Sushi in Dallas?

Chris Christensen, The Amateur Traveler, was in Dallas for business, so Cali asked him to stop by for an interview and dinner. In preparation for our Big Trip to all 50 States, frugality has been the watchword, so yuppie burgers have been nearly banned from the options list.

Dinner with Chris was at State and Allen Lounge, an urban bistro in Uptown Dallas. Having not reviewed a burger in over a week, I felt obligated to order a Mushroom and Swiss burger, which came with a side of fries.

I need to do some morethinking to make a call about the importance of Burger to Bun Ratio (BtBR). For now I’ll just throw out the ratio that feels right in my heart. The burger experience is at least 60% about the meat, 15% about the toppings, and 25% about the bun. Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts about the proper BtBR in the comments.

The Mushroom and Swiss burger I ate at State and allen Lounge last night flips my loose BtBR on it’s head. This burger might be as much as 60% about the bun. The bun had to have been made with a good amount of butter because that was the taste that made this burger experience so uniquely good. The meat was excellent, although, I have yet to eat a burger in Dallas that is served truly medium. Medium in Dallas tends to be what I would call medium-well.

State and Allen has a very strong yuppie vibe. Dogs are welcomed at outside tables. Service is great, and they offer an impressive a la carte cheese and meat board.

This might be my second favorite yuppie burger, ever. The first is the Bluegrass Burger from Bluegrass Restaurant in Highland Park, IL. Dave, the chef at Bluegrass is THE starting point for most of what I believe about burgers, and he knows what it means to cook a burger medium.

It’s off topic here, but there are three places in North America with unforgettable Mac and Cheese. One is Nob Hill Restaurant in the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco. It is served with Blue Cheese crumbled on top. One is The Beaconsfield on the corner of Beaconsfield Ave. and Queen Street W in Toronto. It has a chipotle corn flake crust. The other is this place, State and Allen Lounge. State and Allen’s Mac and Cheese has toasted croutons on top.

Cali ordered the Al’s Love Love Spicy Chicken Bowl. It’s worth mentioning because of the name. Chris Christensen picked up the tab so our Big Trip frugality could remain in tact. Thanks, Chris!