September 25, 2007 -- By Ashley Griffin

Long gone are the days when a chef could sandwich a hunk of mediocre beef between a toasted sesame seed bun and win rave reviews from diners. Today, the traditional American burger has undergone a makeover at many Portland restaurants that proudly provide upscale burgers featuring new sauces and accompaniments. Chefs have even elevated the status of traditional style burgers by utilizing higher quality meat, buns and cheeses. For a roundup of everything from long established to new wave burger styles in our city, read on.

Tried and True
Wildwood's Lunch and Five to Seven menu burger arrives compact and colorful and filled with juicy flavors. It isn't overly large or paired with any fancy, frilly toppings, but is instead noted and favored for its simplicity. Executive Chef Dustin Clark unveils the beauty of a simple burger patty on a house made brioche bun topped with warm onions and spread with an aioli (top bun) and a parsley pesto sauce (bottom bun). Both halves hold up equally well to the understated sauces, adding a touch of extra flavor to the burger without taking away from its traditional look and taste.

Local foodies have long debated who has the best burger in town: Wildwood or Castagna. Some love Wildwood's for its lip-smacking goodness, while others wear the title of a Café Castagna Burger Devotee with pride. Café Castagna's beefy burger features ground chuck, aioli, lettuce and onions all served on a house made brioche bun. The kitchen staff even adds an extra punch with homemade pickles, which, for many, steal the show.

A Cheesy Twist
Slices of cheddar and Swiss cheese have given way to less traditional but more eye-popping, mouth-watering cheeses on burgers. Consider blue cheese, an apt pairing for red meat. Chef Pascal Sauton presents a blue cheese and burger pairing at his restaurant Carafe, where he also offers customers a choice between Gruyère, White Cheddar and Camembert cheese. Sauton finds that the blue Fourme d'Ambert from Auvergne France pairs perfectly: "I like the Fourme d'Ambert characteristics: not too salty, very smooth, unctuous. It marries very well with red meat." Also setting Carafe's burger apart, Sauton uses Oregon County Beef seasoned with a blend of spices that they grind and grill to order each day, served on an artisan bun.

The Gourmet Burger
Downtown at Gracie's, a similarly aligned burger also pairs Kobe beef and foie gras. However, some might say they have one-upped Hurley's burger in terms of the number of ingredients: "[There are] so many different components [put] together in such a complex manner...it is constructed more than anything else and it's blown people away with its taste and textures," says owner Gregg Schillinger. The $22 burger is topped with two poached quail eggs, a bacon aioli, frisee and Cantal cheese, slapping it all down on a duck fat brioche bun. The dish is entirely capable of clogging anyone's arteries if eaten too often, so of course with anything too good to be true, enjoy it in moderation.

It's Fun Being Saucy
Condimaniacs, especially of the sauce loving variety, will find a burger catering to their obsession at 23Hoyt, where Chef Christopher Israel's Special Sauce 23 Burger is available on the bar menu. The burger features house ground fresh chuck, housemade pickles and ketchup, aioli in place of mayonnaise, mustard greens, Knueske's bacon, Vella Jack Cheese, and lettuce and tomatoes (when in season). As for the sauce, Chef Israel won't divulge his recipe but is willing to hint at the flavors it brings: "Let's just say it's pretty basic - think Big Mac - and you'll be going in the right direction." Sometimes the simple classics are all we need.

Sharp, whole-grain mustard aïoli sauce, pickled veggies and house made ketchup adds the perfect richness to the all natural Highland Oak Farm cross-rib cut burger at Paley's Place. ($15) For a couple dollars more, add home cured bacon and blue cheese to set this burger off.

On A Budget

The Heathman, well known for using the best quality available ingredients, has transferred its reputation to the world of burgers. They serve their Cascade natural beef on local favorite Grand Central bread and additional accompaniments such as a French blue cheese are available. The best part: the high quality doesn't come with a hefty price tag. You can nab the Heathman burger during their 4:00 - 6:00pm nightly happy hour for under $5 or order it at other times from their bar menu for less than $10. "It's the best quality bun and comparably the best quality beef grilled to your liking. It's a simple burger and it's done perfectly," explains Chef de Cuisine Karl Zank.

Hopworks Urban Brewery also has a tasty 1/2 pound slab of Cascade all natural ground beef for under $10. Garden burger is also available on request. This is paired perfectly with a pint of their organic stout or IPA.

Often awarded the best "burger in town" by many Portland foodies, isn't listed as a burger on Higgins' menu at all. You will find it on their bistro menu as ground and spiced sirloin on a toasted hearth-baked roll. Accompanied by fresh greens and a house made relish puts this burger over the top ($11.25). Add an appetizer and this can easily be shared by two.

Sure the Luther Burger (cheese burger with a glazed doughnut in place of a bun) was a sight to double or maybe triple take, I never thought it would make it as a mainstay on a menu. The Original has many tasty burgers and sandwiches to choose from including a mash-up of their all natural beef burger and a local Voodoo glazed doughnut ($7.95). It comes salad or fries, but really, who are you kidding if you tack on the salad to this beast.

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Prices are subject to change