John Howie Steak, Take 2
- November 18th, 2010
- Posted in General . Steakhouse
- By e
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It’s been almost a year since the last time I had a burger at John Howie Steak in Bellevue. I’ve been there several times since, but always for dinner and I usually get the (brilliant) 42-day-aged New York Strip. Yesterday I was in the neighborhood and decided it was time to check back on the burger.
JHS actually offers three different burgers at lunch – the USDA Prime Beef Bacon Cheeseburger (pictured), the Kiss Your Hips Goodbye (3/4 lb of beef, onion rings, and bacon between two grilled cheese sandwiches), and a Peppercorn Crusted Wagyu Burger. My tastes definitely run traditional when it comes to burgers so I once again went with the Bacon Cheeseburger. The menu describes it as follows – 1/2 pound ground prime chuck, Beecher’s Cheddar, Kurobota bacon, house baked bun, drive-in sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle (not on mine!), and sliced red onion.
To put it simply, my burger was outstanding. Great beef cooked to exactly the medium-rare I’d asked for. Melted Beecher’s, outstanding bacon, and really nice fresh veggies. There was a little too much lettuce for my taste, but a lot less than my last burger here. I’ve really only got one complaint about this burger, and that’s the bun.
This is a really juicy burger, and the fact that I enjoy mine medium-rare only accentuates that. The bun tastes nice and was toasted, but it simply cannot come close to holding up under this patty once you bite in. The bottom half melted away and I had to finish the last few bites with a fork. That said, I finished every bite as I wasn’t letting any of this go to waste!
The fries were excellent, and I really enjoy the John Howie Amber. Not that the burger isn’t enough by itself, but you should also try the tempura bacon appetizer – it’s amazing.
+ Excellent beef, top-notch everything that goes on the bun with it, great preparation
- The bun lets the burger down
Rating: 
I hate to say it, but if you put mayo on the bottom bun it’ll hold up better. A little culinary water proofing goes a long way.
protip: See that paper the fries are sitting atop in the dish? Wrap it around the burger. No muss, no fuss.
I do like this burger. Still not sure it’s my favorite in the Western Wa, but it’s probably up there. Still need to go to Jak’s though.
Not sure why you’d knock a bun that’s actual bread, rather than some flat spongy thing. I’d definitely cut down a $13 burger for using iceberg lettuce, though.