I eat steak all the time; it doesn't matter where it's from. I'll eat a breakfast steak at Holman's, a bloody-ass steak at Poor Richard's, or a filet mignon at the Acropolis. It's all steak to me, and varying degrees of quality make for compelling differences in meals. Burgers, however, are different. I won't eat a burger from McDonald's, and I won't eat one at a crappy bar. It's not worth the calories, and who wants crummy ground beef lost in a crummy white bun. Ewww. I will only eat a burger that's really worth it. Ringside and Humdinger, they're the two places I trust. They both make burgers that are entirely worth it.

Ringside doesn't need much explanation, but precious few are familiar with the pleasures found at Humdinger. A tiny little burger joint on Barbur Blvd, Humdinger has the largest burger bar menu I've ever seen. Fish and chips, dogs, tuna melts, homemade chili, and beef patties that range from 1/4 pound to a whole goddamn pound! I always order the Deluxe, a 1/4 pound patty with tons of pickles, fresh lettuce, tomato, mayo, ketchup; more a meal than a sandwich. The Deluxe, of course, comes with a free cup of chili, which is some of the best around. Big chunks of steak, beef, cheese, onions. I may have bad breath afterwards, but who cares? Splurge on a shake, buy the kid a cone, grab Grampy a chili dog, but whatever you do, don't pass Humdinger on the way home. KATIE SHIMER