The Best Little Burger in the World –
Calvin Trillin, one of my most favorite food writers, once proclaimed that if you don’t think the burger in your home town isn’t the best burger in the world, you’re an asshole. (Not an exact quote and it was reported he said the same thing about pizza) but you get the idea.
I have to say I agree with him in some way. I measure burgers by the best burger in Racine, Wisconsin, Kewpee’s double cheeseburger, hold the onion.
At one time there was a chain of Kewpee’s scattered across the Midwest. The one in Racine was one of the last hold outs. In Racine, they opened in 1926.
Kewpee’s was the tiniest of spots located in downtown Racine. When you walked through the door you were assaulted by what can only be called the ‘Kewpee aroma’, a mix of frying food that lingered over the decades.
In winter, the windows would fog up and the coat rack would be stacked high with winter coats. Melting snow puddled on the floor. In summer, the fans tried hard to keep the place cool and most often failed.
There were maybe ten tables scrunched together with two semi-circular counters that each sat about 10 people. Sitting at the counter allowed diners to watch their food (and everyone else’s food) being prepared on then sizzling hot griddle.
The cooks were culinary artists on high speed. They’d have a huge mass of beef on the grill and as orders were called in by the snappy waitresses, they’d slice off a hunk with the side of their spatula and with a quick smack of that same spatula turn the meat into a burger patty that found it’s place on the sizzling hot griddle. They always knew the exact moment to turn each patty and add a slice of American cheese and then move it down the line until it was time to flop it on to the soft bun. A squirt of what ever condiment the order called for, a pickle placed just so, onions if you wanted them and voila on to the wrapper and then to the customers. It was pure magic from beginning to end.
The result was a perfect burger, crispy-edged, juicy middle, dripping condiments thar were contained by the wrapper to avoid too much of a mess, each bite a bit of burger heaven.
When they tore down the building that housed Kewpee’s, the whole shebang was moved across the parking lot that didn’t use to be there into a larger building built specifically for Kewpee’s. The reproduction was pretty faithful to the original site but it was larger, cleaner, newer which took away the vibe that was part of the Kewpee experience. No more bumping into other people, little or no wait, the subway tiled walls had no residue grease.
No matter, the burgers were as good as ever.
It’s been too long since I’ve had a Kewpee burger and I’m not sure I’ll ever get the chance to have another one. A trip to Racine is probably not going to happen.
Every now and then I get a whiff of a burger on a griddle or I take a bite of a similar burger and I’m transported back to that cozy little spot where the best burgers in the world were made.
Karyn ordered a Zinfandel and Edie opted for the Bacon Bloody, a bacon-infused Bloody Mary.
We eat at Zin often but I’ve never ordered these fries…..my mistake. They were heavenly – sort of poutinelike – but better. We almost forgot we were there for the burgers.
Edie went uptown with the Kobe Burger (Kobe beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce and mayo which she also opted out of). 
I ordered the My Boy Blue (Maytag Blue Cheese, caramelized onions, A1 sauce, lettuce and mayo which I stuck with.)
They are dusted in Parmesan and are fab. And somewhere in there Jordan brought the featured drink of the summer, a watermelon mojito.
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