Embers

Being a steak/burger kind of guy, on one of my numerous trips to Mexico City I decided to find the place in town with the best. Usually that’s not my style, as burgers over three dollars usually don’t taste much better--or better at all--than cheaper ones, but since it’s pretty cheap in comparison down in Mexico, I decided to give it a try.

I ate a lot of burgers on that trip, and listened to a lot of people who told me their pick for the title. Most of them were pretty easy to get to, with Mexico City’s vast subway system.

I don’t remember who told me about Embers, but I hopped on a taxi and made my way to the funnily-named place for a burger shop.

With a fun-looking exterior and an open, cheery inside, I quickly ordered my usual and munched on the fantastic bread pieces--so good you might fill up before the burger arrives--while I looked around. No one was behind the keyboard in the corner, probably a good thing right now. The first thing that really draws your attention is a sign over the door that says “All our burgers are made from genuine 100% beef.” I don’t know if that’s supposed to make me feel better or just a joke, because underneath is a photo or drawing of two horses laughing! I wish I had a picture of it, but I couldn’t find the one I took. {It’s on the website! Go to “menu,” then “international menu,” then “sandwiches”}

On the menu are numerous types of burgers, but I always have the same one; as I told the waiter, in Spanish obviously, “I like my burgers like my women: nude.” In case you can’t figure that out on your own, that means I only want the bread, cheese, and meat. {Recently some wise guy insisted a nude burger would be without cheese, so I’ve had to change this to “lingerie burger.”} As a fun aside, on a later trip I took a couple of young female relatives along; one ordered the mushroom special, which I prefer not to even contemplate, but the other ordered the Roquefort, which is marinated in champagne. For a girl who had never drunk alcohol in her life, it made for some interesting and very a musing viewing.

So on to the important stuff, right? Not only was it the best burger I’ve ever had in Mexico--whole country--it was one of the best in the world. Yes, the search ended right there. While it is technically possible that there’s a better burger in town, these are so good I’m not going to bother searching any further; I may not be the same kind of connoisseur of burgers that I am of corn, but I feel very comfortable saying that. And every subsequent visit has been just as good. And if you’re feeling up to it, there’s one burger on the menu that is so big it comes out on a butcher’s block. Go ahead, seriously, I dare you. . .

If I could take off half a star because it’s not near a subway route--you have to take a minibus FROM the subway, or take a cab--I would, but that’s not really their fault, right? And don’t forget to go to the arcade down the block to have some fun while the rest of you digests your big meal; I recommend the shoot-’em-up game, or the air hockey if you‘re not alone.

Hey, they have karaoke now! {Which, by the way, is Japanese for “Empty Orchestra.” If you watch How I Met Your Mother, you’d know that was “hauntingly beautiful.”} I hope they have “At This Moment,” I can totally rock that song. . .