Carl's Jr. continues its eternal variations upon the cheeseburger with the guacamole bacon burger. One of their more successful efforts (I still recall my disappointment with the brilliant-in-concept Teriyaki burger and I continue to vacillate on the matter of the Western Bacon Burger.), it has appeared on the menu before. Now, however, it's being offered in single, double and six-dollar variations, with the size reflected in the price.

I went for the latter (Hey, if you're gonna indluge in the drive-thru, indulge in the drive-thru). and found it to be a darn sight better than the average fast food burger. The patty was thick and juicy, the guacamole was pleasantly spicy and the bacon was actually of a quality and amount to enhance the burger, rather than detract from it, like most fast-food bacon-on-burgers.

The guacamole bacon burger was named the official burger of last month's 2008 California Avocado Festival and it's a pretty solid choice. It also makes me consider what other high-end flavors I'd like to see on my low-end burgers. The grilled pineapple on the aforementioned Teriyaki burger raised my hopes, the the execution was distressingly bland. Mushroom Swiss burgers have been tried with varying degress of success, although the chili burgers are usually not terribly enticing. Toppings like brie, caramaleized red onions, roasted tomatoes or any lettuce beyond iceberg is probably out of range. Still, it'll give you something to mull over next time you're waiting at the window for your extra ketchup.

Even before the plummeting economy bred the trend toward downscaling, the idea of the burger joint as a gourment restaurant was popular. However, it's hit Las Vegas in a big way, with two casinos introducing their high-end take on the American classic--BLT and LBS. I guess this initial thing is in fashion now too....

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Doesn't this guy know that it's Burger King where you can "have it your way?"

A man in South Carolina has sued McDonald's after going into one of the establishments and ordering two hamburgers without cheese. Well, he got cheese on them, and it turns out he's allergic to cheese. He's suing for $10 million.

Now, the guy says he almost died (his medical bills were $700, which McDonald's said they would pay but they were turned down), and he's suing because of the reaction he had to the cheese and because his family "risked their lives" to rush him to the emergency room.

If you're wondering why he didn't see the cheese before he bit into the hamburger is because he ate it in a darkened room.

Today's Burger of the Day comes from Rouge, a highly acclaimed New American bistro in Philadelphia. Cathy over at Gastronomy had the pleasure of splitting one of these with a friend recently. It bears pointing out that this bad was ranked No. 4 on Alan Richman's list of 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die. As you can see from the pic, this hefty specimen is topped with Gruyère, under which lurk some tasty caramelized onions. But what did Cathy think? She describes her first bite as "beefy heaven," and goes on to praise the gargantuan patty's moistness. There are some who say that such an outsized burger stretches the very definition of the word "hamburger" to absurd limits. As for me, I know what the next meal I'm having in Philly is, that is of course after I down a Tony Luke's roast pork Italian.

[via Tastespotting]