FOODIE
A Summer Vacation For The Senses
Enjoy roadtrip flavor in a quaintly suburban setting in Huntington village
By Brian Rafferty/ foodie@longislandernews.com

What more could you ask of a burger joint than to have fresh, char-grilled meat and nice buns?

Maybe a chocolate soda?

Done.

The American Burger Co. flagship store in Huntington finally made the leap at the end of April and has transformed its exterior to be American Roadside Burgers, falling in line with its Smithtown branch.

Though the outside is slightly changed, the real reason anybody ever went to this place remains the same, and should continue to draw burger lovers in for some time to come.

The tradition of the roadside burger is one steeped in American mythology. What makes this treat so fulfilling is the decades of American lore that precede it. Picture yourself driving with the kids in the back of the station wagon, untrusting of the local eateries, wondering where to stop to fill the kids’ bellies without giving them food poisoning – or giving yourself heartburn that never seems to end.

The solution to all that; the burger joint. From town to town you stop in at any roadside dive and can order a burger. They may differ in size and toppings, but the idea is the same – a high fat-to-lean ratio to make the burger juicy, a hard sear on the outside and a pale pink interior. Place that on a no-frills bun and what you get is a delectable piece of heaven available on any highway exit – long before fast food tombs brought their overcooked, assembly line hockey pucks to every interstate rest area and further choked the small towns just off the main drag.

In today’s troubled economic times more people are considering curtailing the family vacations – certainly not taking many long drives – and the roadside diner will lose out.

But rather than mourn the loss across Middle America, we should celebrate this little slice of it right here in our backyard – American Roadside Burger.

The moment you walk in you see a short menu; burgers, maybe doubled or even quadrupled, hot dogs, chicken, grilled cheese onion rings and milkshakes make up the menu. They even offer Bosco chocolate soda at the self-serve fountain.

You want a vacation without having to leave home? Do what I did – order a Double Cheeseburger ($5.42) Roadside Onion Rings ($2.66) and a Vanilla Milk Shake ($2.91). Find a seat if you can, and wait for your order to be made – just two or three minutes. You will soon be brought a tray with your burger wrapped in foil, the grease on the onion rings glistening, the thick shake bringing back fond memories of your own time in the back of that station wagon.

American Roadside Burgers
337 New York Avenue, Huntington
631-935-0300
www.americanroadsideburgers.com

Cuisine: Burgerjoint
Atmosphere: Quick and tasty
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday – Thursday
11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday & Saturday.

Main Menu