Americans like lists. Top 10 this, Top 5 that. Most admired, most beautiful, most unusual, biggest, worst. I can't say I'm any different. When you lead a busy life, which many people do, it's helpful to have some things capsulized. It's convenient and efficient. On the other hand it's not always reliable. Lists are often subjective. You find many more like "Most Unusual Smell" than you do measurable things, like "Tallest Miniature Horse".
At the top of my list of favorite lists is any "Best Hamburger" list. If any food lends itself to a Best Of, it's the burger. It's a food most of us understand, it's served in a lot of places, and it can be everything from an overcooked lump in a stale bun to a sublime, complex experience. At its heart it's just ground beef on a bun, which as legend has it goes all the way back to the days of Genghis Khan more that 800 years ago. Seems he and his posse riding the countryside on horseback - no doubt with "Hummer" branded across the rear - it was not easy to stop and build a fire for their meal. The army needed food that could be carried with them on their horses and eaten easily, so they would put scraps of meat under their saddles to tenderize while they rode. When they got hungry the would eat the meat raw. They wouldn't even add some capers, onions, and chopped parsley and make a good tartare. These guys were tough.
Here is one of many lists out there. Your town probably has its own. I took notice to this one because it purports to be a national list, and it put a restaurant not too far from my neighborhood as Number 1. I haven't been to Le Tub, and I've heard good and not-so-good, so I plan to experience it myself and see what it's all about. This list comes from GQ magazine:
The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die
20. Hamburger Sandwich
Louis' Lunch
New Haven, CT
19. Our Famous Burger
Sidetrack Bar and Grill
Ypsilanti, MI
18. Hamburger
Poag Mahone's Carvery and Ale House
Chicago
17. Double Bacon Deluxe with Cheese
Red Mill Burgers
Seattle
16. Hamburger & Fries
Burger Joint
San Francisco
15. Build Your Own Burger
The Counter
Santa Monica
14. Hamburger
J. G. Melon
New York City
13. Cheeseburger
White Manna
Hackensack, NJ
12. Hamburger
Bobcat Bite
Sante Fe
11. Grilled Bistro Burger
Bistro Don Giovanni
Napa, CA
10. Number Five
Keller's Drive-in
Dallas
9. Cheeseburger
Burger Joint, Le Parker Meridien Hotel
New York City
8. Hamburger
Miller's Bar
Dearborn, MI
7. Buckhorn Burger
Buckhorn
San Antonio, NM
6. California Burger
Houston's
Santa Monica
5. Kobe Sliders
Barclay Prime
Philadelphia
4. Rouge Burger
Rouge
Philadelphia
3. Not Just a Burger
Spiced Pear Restaurant at the Chanler Hotel
Newport, RI
2. Luger Burger
Peter Luger Steak House
Brooklyn
1. Sirloin Burger
Le Tub
Hollywood, FL
And I have to appreciate a blog dedicated to the burger. I first starting reading these guys' blog a few months ago, and like to check in on it every couple weeks to keep expanding my burger-related knowledge in tune. Checking out A Hamburger Today is a great jumping off point into the world of all things ground up, cooked, and put on a bun. They also have more links to "Tops" list for burgers.
I have to leave now. There's a hot grill getting very lonely.