misc PDX burgers

i still have yet to make my official hit list of Portland burger targets... one being lack of time, two being the overwhelming amount of good burgers in this city. the perfect burger quest is much larger here than it was in good old Albany. this past week i decided to stop being intimidated, refocus, and get all over it. no more random burgers - i need burgers with a purpose. a few misc randoms from the last month or so:

1 ) Boise Fry Company. This little gem opened down the street, with a focus all on fries, and burgers on the side. contrary to everything i believe in, but i love the concept. they have several different types of potatoes, served unseasoned but with your choice of a ton of different salts and fry sauces. we had the purple potatoes, and i ordered a buffalo burger with lettuce, tomato, red onion gastrique and garlic aioli. it wasn't an uber-juicy drippy meatfest since it was buffalo, but it was still a tasty little nosh. i'd definitely go back again.

 2) Doug Fir Lounge. Portland Burger week. imagine my surprise when i heard of this magnificent week. a slew of great PDX restaurants (20 in total?), all offering their most creative little burgery creation for a mere $5. heaven. we hit up Doug Fir Lounge (which i wanted to try regardless, #burgerfates), which featured a 6oz hand-formed Wagyu patty, candied bacon, mozzarella cheese, smoked and candied jalapeño aioli, shredded iceberg lettuce, all on a Portland French Bakery bun. so good. my only complaint was that the bun was a bit too bready for the burger and drowned it out a bit... i think it was designed for their regular sized burger. picky yes, but i hate when i have more bready edge than i have burger, stresses me out trying to reposition my patty & such. pure drama. net/net: drop the bun down a notch, let the burger & fixins shine, and my gawed great burger. jalapeno artichoke dip and thai spice tots were AMAZING on the side. 

3) Burgerville. we needed something quick, and -thought- that infamous wala wala onion season had kicked off at Burgerville... seemed like a perfect time for some onion rings and to officially hit up their burger. we initially scoffed at "burgerville" since we're ~sorta~ leaning in the burger snob direction unfortunately, and assumed a cliche sounding burger chain just couldn't be good, BUT the more and more good reviews we heard, the more we were intrigued. at that, i had no expectations going in, but was pleasantly surprised with the experience. first by the fact walla walla onion rings didn't start until the following day (booo!), but second by the fact that they offered a mighty respectable burger for a fast food joint. it was very clean - similar to In & Out (which i liked, but do not obsess over my any means) - it's just a straight up burger. it felt healthy, even though i'm sure it was not. burgerville can hold its own - well above Jack in the Box & Carl's Jr., i'd take b-ville over them any day hands down. the day i have to make a decision between b-ville and my BK bacon double cheese burger though... that will be a mighty fight.