Chafing Dish Club Burgers

[smokeasaurus]

Let us harken back to the summer of 1978...

Yes Smoochy, I know it is Memorial Day, but I am reminiscing!!!!


anyways, Let us harken back to the summer of 1978

When a young Smokeasaurus ( I didn't call myself that back then, I think it was cool dude  ) was just out of High School and switched to full time hours at the Broadway Department Store. It was still the golden age of department store shopping and the Broadway was at its height of operations. Most Broadways had a full sit down coffee shop which they named The Chafing Dish. We would serve all the well to do customers from Sherman Oaks and surrounding cities as well as employees.

We had a full menu and served such classics as French Dips, Monte Cristo's, Rainbow Trout, Cobb Salads, Tostado Salads and much more.

I was a fry cook and did all the grilling. I fried up Liver and Onions, New York Steaks, Pork Chops...anything that would go on the gill.

One menu item that was our most popular was our Club Burger. It was a classic cheesburger with a 1/4 oz pattie, a slice of American cheese, topped with two strips of bacon (had to be criss crossed). The bun was buttered and fried on the grill.
The condiments was a Iceberg lettuce cup, a big tomater slice and -2- pickles. A side of thousand island dressing was included (no mayo or mustard or ketchup on this coffee shop classic)

So today, I did Chafing Dish Club Burgers for the first time since I flipped my last one in 1981. Why I have not done them since is a mystery to me (I do have an Idea about another classic, but that is for another weekend)

I will never forget when Mr. Mason (our coffee shop manager) would walk by and see too much food on the plate and say "We are feeding them, not fattening them"

I loved that job, it was the best 4 years I have ever spent at a job (at least until Eric hires me at Pellet Grill Outfitters  )

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you:  The Broadway Department Store Chafing Dish Club Burger





They were darn good, but they didn't taste near as good as I remember them.....maybe that is the way it should be 

[muebe]

Great looking burger Smoke! I love bacon cris crossed or stacked

[Chili Head]

I dunno they pretty damn good to me!

[Pappymn]

I dig your bacon to bun ratio....excellent. Thanks for the story too.

[deestafford]

Smoke,  Great pictures.  Does anything taste as good as we think it did.  A few years ago I came across a bottle of stuff that my Grandmother used to flavor water for us when we would visit her in the late '40s.  I put that stuff in a glass of water and man that was some of the sorriest tasting stuff I've drank in a long time.   Dee

[Keymaster]

looks pretty dang good to me

[drholly]

Smoke - great story and nice lookin' burgers. To me, one of the best parts of those coffee shop or diner lunches was the milk - always in the big stainless container with the counter weighted handle - it was soooo cold and foamy - pefect with those burgers! Thanks for the memory.

[teesquare]

Dude...you can cook a burger for me anytime!!! Those are classic

[Smokin Don]

A great burger Smoke!!! Don

[fishingbouchman]

 

[TMB]

Those look great Smoke & Smoochy!   

[Hub]

Thanks for sharing a great story!  Its sad that the department store lunch counter is now just a memory.  Somehow a Subway sandwich inside a Wal Mart just doesn't have the same romance to it.

Hub

[CDN Smoker]

Great story.

Our Walmart has a McDonalds.

[Scott6049]

Great looking burgers