My recent trip to Annie's Hamburgers motivated me to try more "old-timey" burger places.
Bubba's is a weathered but cute little cape house nestled under an overpass. As other bloggers have noted, there's plenty of Americana kitsch on display, and the day I went they also seemed to be in the middle of doing inventory, as the inside was filled with boxes of pop and beer.
Having been assured that Bubba's buffalo burger was not dry, I was game to try it, but my courage flagged when I saw several sweet discs of beef sizzling on the grill. So I ordered a double with one beef patty and one buffalo ($7.75) with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise and no mustard, plus a side of jalapeno potato salad ($0.92) from the easy-go-lucky counter attendant. I also ordered a diet Stewart's Root Beer. (Don't ask me to explain the nutritional logic of this pairing, I just like it.)
I have never before used so many napkins to eat a double cheeseburger. And yet my Bubba's burgers were not overly greasy: Ample juices from both meats combined with the luscious near-liquid melted cheddar, mayonnaise, and fresh roughage to make for a very delicious sandwich. Although two hands were definitely required, I enjoyed the burger so much, I almost could have eaten another. The jalapeno potato salad tasted more of dill than of peppers, and as others have noted, I probably would have preferred onion rings, but it was nonetheless a satisfactory side.
In case you're curious, I could distinguish between the beef (top patty) and the buffalo (bottom patty) in flavor, but both were of the same succulent consistency. The beef was slightly saltier, while the buffalo was earthier, maybe a bit more peppery. The latter is technically a leaner meat, though I didn't notice that it tasted less fatty wedged between buttery white buns, cheese and mayo.
I will definitely be a repeat offender at Bubba's Burger Shack, and next time I think I'll take advantage of the happy hour (Beer $2.25 Monday-Friday 2pm-7pm) and go double on the buffalo meat.