Best Burger in Aiken Part 10 - Magnolia Cafe & Natural Market

Location - Magnolia Cafe & Natural Market, 210 York St SE, Aiken, SC 29801
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I know, I went over a week without a post. I know, I'm not the most regular writer on the face of the earth. But, what I have for you today should more than make up for it. And besides, part of the fun is not knowing when or where I'll pop up next.

Now then, I bring you three words: New. Number. One.

That's right. As I sit here writing this up about my lunch experience today, I am certainly satisfied and happy I went and ate local today as well as listened to a buddy's recommendation, as well.

Now, I have to admit something, before this quest/challenge I was pretty narrow minded on where to find good burgers. I figured the best burgers would come from a diner or hole in the wall grease trap-like place that either hadn't cleaned their grills since the day they were purchased used from another place or from places that had "grill(e)" in the name. Don't get me wrong, I knew full-well that the other places had good food, I just did not associate them with burgers.

I stand corrected.

I was wrong, and I am sorry.

My friend Jamey Cook is a chef at the place I went today and he is the one who made sure that I didn't overlook Magnolia Cafe & Natural Market (just across York Street from the original St. Mary's sanctuary). And boy am I glad I listened to ol' Squirrel. Like I said above, there is a new number one burger atop my list.

Before I get into it any more, let me show you this beauty, it's called the Magnolia Burger:

If you're not drooling right now, you need to adjust your screen or fix your taste buds or have your momma slap you good. Seriously.

This thing is hand-made and grilled to your liking (I went medium rare this time). I'm not 100% sure what all was on it but I can tell you the beef is seasoned well and the veggies are home-grown. But I'll get into that in a minute.

The patty was juicy, tender, large (and in charge) and full of flavor. It never fell apart and had great flavor the entire time. From that first bite all the way to the last, every ingredient was included. And that bun. Mmmm that bun was toasted just right and not smushed at all.

As for the veggies ON the burger (I need to differentiate because of the side that I will get to in a second), I caught some really awesome tastes from them. The lettuce, first and foremost, is not your normal lettuce. It is what you would get if you were to go get the salad mix seeds from a garden store and grow your own lettuce. We're talking real green leaves that weren't ripped off a head of lettuce, but grown amongst a spring or fall assortment. YES! Loved that. The tomatoes on it, I'm guessing were also from their gardens out back and must have been picked at just the right time. They had a very good, juicy taste to them as well (a piece fell out onto the plate by itself in the middle of the experience so I can tell you that, yes, it was good and ripe).

My one critique was there was a little too much sauce. I read the menu, but I didn't pay close enough attention to be able to write the ingredients but I believe there was blue cheese involved (if you don't like blue cheese you should try this anyways and just pretend you didn't read this part because it was so good). There was a lot of white sauce on this thing, but I'm not really complaining. It was really awesome how there were a couple bites where I could taste something very sweet in there...  Jamey, what was that because it was pretty dang good!

As if the burger itself wasn't enough to set itself apart, the side did it as well. I have said already, this is about the burgers but I do like when a restaurant sets itself apart and having grilled mixed veggies as a side for a burger? Nobody does that. Correction, Magnolia does that, and they do it well. We're talking mushrooms, red peppers, yellow squash, zucchini squash, and broccoli. Yum, yum, yum, and did I mention yum? Again, I'm not sure what they cooked or marinated this all in, but it was so, SO good.

And, as if that wasn't enough, I went ahead and splurged a bit. I had dessert. I enjoyed (and that word is not strong enough for this) their chocolate zucchini cake. Slap. Your. Momma. Good. Slap. Your. Own. Face. Good. They're not paying or bribing me in any way shape or form to tell you this, go for that cake alone. I am serious as a heart attack or stroke on that one.

Price: This one was a little more pricey than just about any other burger so far, but man was it worth it. $16.25 before tax (burger is $13.50, substitute veggies were $2.75, and I went with water) - side note, the piece of cake was $6 and I do believe you could share it... but why would you want to?
Ambience: It's a cafe. It really reminds me a lot of Aiken's New Moon Cafe with a little of Stoplight Deli. It's in what appears to be an old house, and I remember it being a couple other things before (I have never stopped in until now so don't ask me what the other places have been, but there was a fake Brittish royal guard standing out front at one point). None of the tables and chairs match, which I love, and there is local art on the walls. You can see into the kitchen from the dining area, and the dining area inside is small and intimate.

Your new rankings:
1) Magnolia Cafe & Market
2) Betsy's on the Corner
3) Brew Pub
4) Ray's
5) Playoffs
6) Malia's
7) Red Shed
8) City Bs
9) Blue Top

I went for lunch and it was not crowded at all (we need to change this people!) but it was a steady flow. In the 35 or so minutes I was in there, I think I saw 10-15 people come in. I don't want to overwhelm them, but I would love it if my reader(s) would flood this place over the next month or so and show the love. It's local and it is great food.

I'm over halfway done with this quest, but I may add another place to the list. I passed somewhere the other day and just about slapped myself for forgetting to have them on the list just because they are in North Augusta (this is about Aiken County, after all).

By the way, I cannot say THANK YOU enough to you all who read my ramblings. I have had over 1,050 views on this particular blog and 177 unique views alone on my Stoplight Deli post. The fact that some of you go back to re-read some of this either tells me I have some people critiquing my writing or you're just enjoying torturing your taste buds. Either way, I really appreciate it. Now then, excuse me while I slip into a food coma.

Goodbye Stoplight Deli

I'm going to take a break from my burger quest for just a post because I want to share my thoughts on something. I had intended for this blog to morph into a place for me to share thoughts on recipes and restaurants after the burger quest was over, anyways, so now is a good time to try something a little different out on you, my reader(s).

It seems to be a growing trend in Aiken, and perhaps in most towns around the country and maybe even the world, that growth is happening in a rather unhealthy way and it is causing some problems. For those of you who have been in Aiken for at least the last 5-10 years, you know what I am talking about.

But, before I get into that, let me first say that another Aiken staple is closing its doors next week. You have until Wednesday, June 10, 2015 to get down to Stoplight Deli (119 Laurens Street NW, Aiken, SC 29801) and enjoy at least one last Dagwood or slice of cake or a bowl of soup from those wonderful ladies. If you have a particular food allergy, take a shot, a pill or just man up. If you don't like what they have to offer, might I suggest North Korea or Russia as alternative living places?

If you've been before, you know what you will be missing, even if it was just once or twice to convince your grandma that you don't eat lunchables every day for lunch. If you've never been, especially those of you from out of town, get down there immediately. But be prepared to wait as all the locals from over the years line up to pay their respects (and I'm not joking about this part. I waited in line for nearly 20 or 30 minutes yesterday, and I will do it again sometime before they close. And I won't complain one bit because it's great to see that place filled to capacity and with a line).

Now, I'm sure there are plenty of people who are thinking, "Calm down, man! It's not the end of the world." And no, it's not. But it is the end for a very nice, local place in Aiken and it's part of a trend. This is a place that has become a staple in downtown Aiken over the years and I had hoped would be there for many more years to come. But that is not to be.

For those of you who aren't familiar, let me share this image of the lunch I had from there yesterday - a Daddy Dagwood, side of potato salad and a big ol' slice of red velvet cake (one of my favorites, FYI):

Looks pretty dang good, right? And that's just a small number of the items on their menu. They make just about everything in store, have numerous sandwiches (both hot and cold) and soups of the day, great sweet tea, and the ladies are just genuinely nice and hard working. Most of them have been working there for as long as I can remember, but I'm also not the best customer in that I haven't gone as often as I should. It sure is going to be a sad day when I decide, "Hey, I want a Dagwood and some potato or pasta salad from Stoplight. Oo oo, and some hummingbird cake! ... Oh, wait. They're closed."

That hurt just to type it.

And this brings me to the reason for this post: the changing food landscape of Aiken.

The other day, I was noticing as I was driving from the south side up Whiskey Road towards the bypass that things are continuing to grow in the direction of New Ellenton. Crackle Barrel, Shane's Rib Shack and Longhorns all opened up fairly recently. Outback went through a face lift to avoid losing customers. And now, we are adding a drive-through Starbucks, a Chipotle (I believe) and a Panera Bread. All onto an already busy stretch that also includes (in no particular order): Arby's, O'Charlie's, Chick-fil-a, Golden Corral, Chiles, Red Lobster, Atlanta Bread, Burger King, Sonic, Checkers, Krystal, Five Guys, McDonald's, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, and on... Actually, that might be everything in that immediate area.

Do you see what I mean? And that's just on that one stretch of Whiskey. Because of places like these (which also include Subway, Jimmy John's, Moe's, Applebee's, Mellow Mushroom) locally-owned, non-chain restaurants are closing here in Aiken at an alarming rate, recently.

We watched as Cafe Rio Blanco shut their doors just a few years ago. I stumbled across a picture of Orlando - the owner for those of you who never got to enjoy his company or food - the other day and I could almost taste his cuban sandwiches or smell the large cafe con leche I almost always had to have on a cold day. Or the plantains, rice, pork and onions, and all the other family recipes he and his family cooked up for a few years on Laurens Street.

Just last year, many of us celebrated as Mellow Mushroom announced they would be opening in downtown Aiken, only to realize it meant the West Side Bowery was closing. Many of my friends didn't necessarily see this as a bad thing, but boy was that a bitter pill for many long-time patrons of Sam Herb's restaurant.

And now, the most recent two closings have been announced: Davor's and Stoplight Deli, the latter of which has been around for quite some time and the former being a place that several of my friends loved to go to for brunch or for a quick drink.

And that's just four examples of small-town America feeling the effects of the big dogs' bite. I also remember thinking no way would Ferrando's move out of the alley. But that is what it took, sadly, for them to compete and stay relevant.

The same could be said for the Buffet (never went), Aires Grille (some of the best burgers and hand-cut fries you could ever hope for), Barbeque Barn (man I miss that being nice and close but at least they are still in North Augusta). How about Papa Russ's? Man, oh man, were those some great chili cheese fries and some pretty good pulled pork sandwiches.

So, why am I writing this post? Well, it's not an attack on the big stores. Trust me, I can't compete with the multi-billion dollar organizations that own many of these. And I am guilty of enjoying what many of the big box chains offer (yes, I am at Moe's Monday almost every Monday and the Jimmy John's people know me quite well, too). I am writing it probably because I feel a little guilty.

Guilty that I didn't eat at any of those places more. Guilty that I didn't already write my food blog back then to introduce more people to what these places have to offer. Guilty that I, like many, prefer the ease and quickness of some of the chains over waiting a few more minutes for something local.

But, most importantly, I am writing this, and the burger posts, because I want to share what I think makes Aiken great.

Yes, we are a horse town with polo and races and eventing galore. Sure, we have a pretty good college in USC Aiken. And of course, I love that we are 2.5 hours from the beach, mountains, Atlanta and Charlotte (those two might be a slight stretch depending on your speed) all in one location.

While all of those things are good selling points for Aiken, the best thing I can think of is that Aiken has been a town that features some of the best locally-owned and operated stores that are not chains. But, sadly, they are becoming fewer and fewer with each year. It might not be that long before the Acropolis, Brew Pub, Ray's, Blue Top, Playoffs, City B's and others are bought out and replaced or have to shut down due to not being able to compete. I know, seems extreme, but, it seems to be happening faster and faster every year.

Especially when I can count 12 chain pizza places, alone. But that's another conversation for another day... and maybe another blog series.

So, make sure you get out to Stoplight Deli before Wednesday the 10th. I'm sorry I wasn't able to write this about Davor's or Cafe Rio Blanco or some of the others, but I'm doing it now. Buy and eat local when you can. The locations will appreciate you more than those fast food joints. And, it's just the American thing to do. Right, Nick Offerman?

Best Burger in Aiken Part 9 - Ray's

Location - Ray's Tavern, 2466 Wagener Rd, Aiken, SC 29801
Facebook Page  (Seriously? You expect this place to have a website or Facebook page?)

Finally!

For those of you that have been following this, you know the last few posts I have been nearly obsessed with getting to Ray's Tavern to try their burger. This is because I've been told that it is quite the experience just getting to go to Ray's. I had a few people tell me that the "ambience" was enough to require a visit but they also have a sign on the side of the building that says "Best Burger in Aiken."

That's a pretty tall order, right there. Lots of praise and that sign made this a requirement. So I've tried and tried for the last few weeks to get in, but when I have had the intent of going they've been closed and when I have been off doing other things, they've been opened. "Why is that?" you ask? Well, it's simple: the owner is the one behind the bar and he runs things his way.

He kind of sounds like me in that he doesn't really trust someone else to run the place when he's not there. He does the cooking. He does the serving. And he is the one who entertains his customers. Now, I don't mean that he is up there flipping burgers while strumming a guitar and playing a harmonica before juggling beer bottles which he slings out to his regulars. I mean he leans over the bar and talks to the people who come in.

Now there's a concept. A bartender/server who is interested in talking to you (FYI to my bartender friends, I'm not calling out anybody in particular and most of you that I know personally are excellent and need to keep doing what you're doing. It's more a shot at our culture of always being on our phones or not interested in talking to those around us). He takes this so much to heart that he has signs all over the place that say, "Please, no cell phones at the bar," and has supposedly been known to ask people to either step away from the bar or to leave the building if you are on the phone too much. I like this guy.

So, I was driving by Monday evening on my way to run a couple errands when I noticed the chains in front of the driveway were down, there were a couple trucks in the driveway and the neon "OPEN" sign was lit up. YES! YES! YES! I immediately texted Ryan and John (because they both have really wanted to try this place with me) and we decided it was now or never.

Anyways, before I go any further, allow me to show you the burger I ordered and talk about that before I get more into the ambience. NOTE: because of the ambience and the no cell phone rule, I was hesitant to really take my time to get a good picture with my phone and was unable to get a well-lit picture, so I'm sorry for the lack of quality in today's picture:

Yes, I get it. This picture is not one of my better ones. So sue me. But the burger itself makes up for it.

And those fries.

First, the burger. It's interesting to note the difference in some of the constructions of the burgers I've had. Most places like to have the burger on the bottom bun then stack everything else on top. Here, however, everything is split evenly between above and below the patty. The onions, ketchup and mustard are below, the cheese, lettuce and mayo are on top. The only thing it's really missing would be pickles and having the bun toasted, but what I was served was really, really good. That first bite was one of the best ones, yet.

Maybe it was just the cigarette smoke (I'll get to that in a second) but I think I may have shed a tear. It was a really good burger. A big burger that required a big bite. It did not disappoint in flavor, temperature or scale. I know I surprised Ryan and John when I said it definitely is one of the better burgers I've had, so far, but it's true. It was cooked well, it had some really good cheese melted perfectly on it, the veggies were crisp and fresh.

I think the reason it surprised them is that it came from this place that is definitely different from where they went with me, Malia's. When you order from Ray's, you realize this is a bar and it is bar food. BUT it is really good bar food. This was definitely one of the better burgers taste-wise. Again, I mentioned the type of guy that runs this place, well, he's also the type of guy who probably hasn't really cleaned the grill or changed the oil in the fryer in decades. And I am A-OK with that because it adds some great flavors to everything.

By the way, the fries were really good. Sure, they're just like some of the other places but they were cooked right. Crisp with a few that weren't and a healthy amount.

Now, here is what you are really after when you go to Ray's, the ambience and price:

Price: OK, I'm sorry but I don't have an exact price here because I don't have a receipt. This is a cash only bar, so no credit card slip. I remember the cheese burger was around $6.50 and my total order was something like $14 with two beers, the burger and fries and an 8% tax added on (according to the menu).
Ambience: This is a private "club" from what I am told and in the county (no 1% sakes tax on prepared food!). Because of this private status, you are allowed to smoke in there (I want to say that Cork & Bull is like this?). I know this will turn some people off, but for me it was nostalgia. A blast from the past, really. When I first started going to bars 7-8 years ago you could still smoke in places like the Holly House, Pat's/Playoffs and others, and especially over in Augusta. Now, I'm not a smoker and I realize the health risks associated with both smoking and being around second hand smoke, but there is just something about a smokey old bar that cannot be explained. Low lighting, a couple of pool tables, a couple TVs, and just a handful (if that) of locals puffing away giving the place a haze. If that's not for you, it's not for you. I just felt like it took me back to when I was first starting to go to places like that and how much fun I had. I really liked it.



Now, after thinking on it, I had to make a couple changes. The biggest was no tie. I went ahead and put Betsy's to the top and slid Brew Pub into a solid second place (I still love you Brew Pub). Ray's, while delicious, I feel like it is third. Honestly, that top-five right now is solid and if you go and have a burger from any of those places, you're going to enjoy it. All 8 have not disappointed, but you do start to realize some burgers are a cut above the rest.

1) Betsy's on the Corner
2) Brew Pub
3) Ray's
4) Playoffs
5) Malia's
6) Red Shed
7) City Bs
8) Blue Top

I am also going to see about adding Cork & Bull to the mix if they have a burger since I mentioned them earlier. May need to knock out the Wilcox and/or Manuel's soon (especially because I have heard great things about Manuel's breads).