Lucky 13

I got lucky with Mikelle during lunch today... Lucky 13 that is.  We went for lunch at a local bar on 1300 South and 135 West just west of the ball park.  I heard, on geekshowpodcast.com, about the chef winning a burger contest in Las Vegas in which he (or she) beat out like fifty other competitors to win a $10,000 burger prize.  Being burger lovers, and in keeping with the lunchwithmattandmikelle mission to explore food in the Salt Lake City area, we had to go.

Parking was a pain, the lot was full and there were no obvious places to park on the street.  We circled a couple of times while searching for a spot without a "no parking between signs" or "reserved", or simply "no parking", then found a spot a little south of the bar with a faded sign I think said "visitor." 

We had to show I.D. upon entering and sit at a raised table with three other patrons.  It was quite crowded and had more of a bar feel (duh) than a lunch place feel.  Good atmosphere, not too loud.  Mikelle and I could talk at a normal level (I hate it when you have to yell at your lunch-mate to be heard over pumpin' jams, or a T.V. turned up way too loud.  

The burger menu was broad.  A taste for everyone from super-spicey to 'shroomy to traditional.  I ordered the "Nut Buddy" or "Nut Butter", something like that.  It was a burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, and...seems like there was something else...oh yeah peanut butter.  It might sound gross, but it was delicious.  Think thai food with peanut sauce.  The nutty flavor played off the salty bacon and the superbly spiced ground beef to round out the mouth experience and tie the whole burger together. The bun was soft and flavorful, but didn't take the spotlight from the real star, the meat.  As I mentioned in the sentence before this one, "superbly spiced beef", I need to say it again; there was the perfect amount of salt, pepper, and whatever else was in the beef as seasoning.  The seasoning was not the only great aspect to the meat, the size of the patty was huge and it was cooked to exactly medium rare (burgers are usually overdone).  The fries were good, and the dippy sauce was strong.  I think it was cayenne pepper and a little horseradish and mayo.  For a burger, I could not recommend Lucky 13 any higher.  Nummy!