Best Burger in Ohio Goes Gourmet::Rigsby's Kitchen

**lisathewaitress**

I didn't intend this visit to be a burger hunt, but the other day, Crumpet emailed at the crack of 11 to see if I was in for a luncheon. I had this memory of Rigsby's doing a $10 lunch, and being that I'm trying to eat healtfully and all, Banana Bean was kind of out of the picture (sorry, BB). So it was off to Rigsby's I went - twice in a week!
Any time I go to Rigsby's, I have to get the truffled deviled eggs. Say what you will about truffle oil - I know, I know, it's all chemicals, there's no truffles in truffle oil, etc. etc. but those eggs are yummy.

I had been thinking of getting one of the "blue plate specials" Rigsby's offers for lunch, wherein one can have two 1/2 salad, 1/2 sandwich, or soup for $10. Or perhaps the chicken livers, which Husband had once and they were tasty, but then the $9 burger caught my eye. I remembered a few readers had recommended that I try it way back when we announce the burger hunt. It's cheaper than the $10 Northstar veggie burger, after all.

I have to say, it was indeed a delicious burger. It was ordered medium and was delivered perfectly cooked. It was topped with a good quality aged cheddar, mild sliced onions, lettuce, and perhaps a horseradish aioli, which was very tasty. Everything came stacked on an olive oil bun, which stood up to the burger through cutting and eating.

The fries on the side were excellent. Crisp and salty, it was all I could do to refrain from devouring them but I'm trying to take it easy on the fried foods lately.

Crumpet chose the roast beef and brie sandwich, which was quite tasty, but not as tasty as the burger:

All in all, I'll have to give the Rigsby's burger 4 fries, which ties it with my other favortie burger in town, the Rossi burger http://www.restaurantwidow.com/2007/04/sopranos_predic.html

info: Rigsby's Kitchen http://www.rigsbyskitchen.com/ 698 N. High St (Short North) 614.461.7888
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andymcmorrow · Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 1

I know this doesn't necessarily count as a burger post, but I'd be interested in your favorite "dives" that serve awesome food -- be it burgers, dogs, Venezuelan food or fried bologna sandwiches.

You have to understand that when I use "dive" it's not in a perjorative sense at all.

Any thoughts?

selimacat · Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 1

uhockey · Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 25 Location: Dublin

I cannot say that I've ever seen "real" truffle oil, as in an oil pressed from truffles. Considering the lack of fats plus price and overall dry texture of truffles, one would imagine the oil yield to be very low and therefore the price tag of true truffle oil to be obscenely costly.

**lisathewaitress** · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 2:51 pm Post subject:

here's a link to a pretty good article on the subject from the NY Times. I have seen the occasional bottle which says it has been infused with truffles, so I'm not sure the exact rules on labeling.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/dining/16truf.html
However, truffle salt must contain at least 5% real truffles. We like to put that on our popcorn here at Chez Widow. You can buy it through Dean & Deluca.
http://www.deandeluca.com/caviar-foie-gras-charcuterie/truffles-and-mushrooms/truffle-and-salt.aspx
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**lisathewaitress** · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 2:59 pm Post subject:

even the chemical-produced truffle oil is really expensive - at the restaurant where I used to work, the truffle oil we used was around $40 wholesale, for a 375ml bottle! (about a cup and a halfish. I think - most of my knowledge of the ml system comes directly from wine, so it's also half of a standard bottle.)
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Lorence · Joined: 04 May 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Columbus, OH

I don't know much about truffle oil either, but I've been told that Urbani makes the best (http://www.urbanitruffles.com/oils.asp). This information came to me from Chef Altholz, the executive chef of the Highlawn Pavillion in New Jersey http://www.highlawn.com/. I recently reconnected with him - we were friends in grade school through middle school. I noticed that he had a number of recipes using truffle oil on his menu and I was curious since we'd also recently had the portobello mushroom ravioli finished with truffle oil at Figlio , so I asked. That ravioli dish is an occasional special at Figlio, but a regular item at Vino Vino). I haven't make the investment yet, though.

Urbani is on sale on Amazon:
http://tinyurl.com/6zjd4k

**lisathewaitress** · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 10:42 pm Post subject: Re: Burgers and more