b.good

What does a town like Boston have to offer? World class universities, museums, national historical sites, Fenway Park, lobster, clam chowder. Certainly it has all of these. But when I decided to make a weekend trip up the Eastern seaboard to this New England city, none of these attractions are what excited me most. No, it wasn't the prospect of visiting Paul Revere's house, walking the halls of Harvard University, nor enjoying the charm of the brownstone streets that prompted a countdown of the days to my arrival in South Station. Instead, it was a hamburger. Yes, a patty of beef sandwiched between a whole wheat bun which stimulated my excitement.

Now, let me make one thing perfectly clear. To relate to my readers living out west I must communicate my 100% loyalty and satisfaction with In-N-Out Burger. Anyone who has eaten at one of their many establishments will agree with me that their burgers are delicious, fresh, and worth driving several hundred miles from Salt Lake to Vegas to enjoy.

But if In-N-Out Burger is like the prime rib of burgers, then b.good burgers is the filet mignon. If In-N-Out is a Mercedes Benz, then b.good is a Rolls Royce. If In-N-Out is a deluxe ocean-front suite, then b.good is a private beach bungalow. That is how good a burger from b.good tastes.

Located on Dunster Street near Harvard Square, it is only a short walk from the T. Upon arriving in Boston, I immediately found the Red Line and went directly to b.good. My order - an el guapo with fries and a drink. What is an el guapo? Well, b.good uses ground steak for their burgers. The el guapo is a patty of said beef with strips of all-natural bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a unique jalapeno ranch sauce - wow, I want another one as I sit here writing about it!

My 1:00 feeding

Being utterly satisfied with my lunch, I set off to see some of the secondary sights. Although I was satiated and nourished as needed for the remainder of the day, I certainly could find room for another burger a few hours later. At 5:00 I found myself passing through Harvard square again. I stopped a second time to enjoy another succulent el guapo.

el guapo, the 2nd round (5:00)

During the evening hours I attended a reception for a friend who is marrying a girl from Boston. I traveled by bus to Belmont where the reception was held. I stayed until about 8:45, after which I quickly found a bus returning to Cambridge. And where did the bus route terminate? Yep, Harvard Square. With b.good closing at 10:00 I had just enough time to make another order. Now, if my second burger was an indulgence visit, my third was an I-don't-know-when-I-will-ever-be-back-so-I-better-enjoy-it-while-I-can visit.

My 9:30, and final, visit (am I any fatter?)

At my third showing I decided to try a different burger. This time I ordered the maple apple turkey burger. It is ground turkey with a maple glaze topped with a sliced apple, bacon, and grain mustard. Different, yes, but quite good. However, next time I will stick with the fail-safe el guapo!

Notable quote: "I adore things like that... food you can't do without... It comforts you" (Susan, Meet Joe Black).