Roanoke vs. Greensboro_ Ode to Gluttony (Entry 2 of 6)

You know American patriotism has gone to extremes lately when one ESPN commentator bragged about how nationally significant it was for Joey chestnut to beat out his Japanese rival Takeru Kobayashi at the 4th of July hot dog eating contest, which is apparently going on as we speak. Both guys can reportedly eat six hot dogs per hour. Hmmmmm....yeah, I don't think that victory was exactly like Team USA beating the Soviet Union in ice hockey at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

But, today our focus is actually on another great American favorite, the hamburger. Amazingly enough, as places like Boulder, Colorado, and Chapel Hill, NC, are emphasizing fitness and healthy eating, there has also been an influx of over-indulgence across the country.

This brings us to our entry today on which burger joint is better: the famed Texas Tavern on Church Avenue in my hometown of Roanoke, Va., which was established in 1930 and is open 24/7 or the much newer Fincastle's located on Elm Street in downtown Greensboro, NC, my current adopted city. Interestingly enough, Fincastle's is named for Fincastle, Va., a small town that is some 20 miles north of Roanoke.

Let's start with the Texas Tavern where travelers have reportedly come from as far away as Pittsburgh to sample the Roanoke Millionaires Club's offerings. Texas Tavern is arguably most known for its cheesy western (pictured here) which rampantcuisine.com describes as a plain burger with a fried egg mixed with onions, pickles, and chesse. It sells for a very economical $2.20.

As for Fincastle's, they are open less often (see hours on the diner's web site (fincastles.com) and they are considerably more expensive than the astonishingly underpriced Texas Tavern. But, they do offer french fries, which the Church Avenue establishment curiously does not. Fincastle's also has onion rings, milkshakes, and hot dogs (something that the Texas Tavern also offers).

Food blogger Charlie Brinsin really liked the Delta Burger at Fincastle's. Brinsin raved that the burger which consists of a burger patty with apple smoked bacon, pimento cheese, a fried green tomato and remoulade sauce was one of the best burgers he ever had in Greensboro.

Fincastle's also offers the Magnolia Burger, which includes Muenster cheese, onion straws and apple smoked bacon, as well as fried pickled that one can have with or without a burger.

If I had to choose between the two, I would go with Fincastle's even though I love the athmospher at the Texas Tavern. I personally would avoid the high calorie items at both places as I need to lose weight as it is, so the deciding factor is an intangible. Fincastle's has a jukebox, which at one point included music from my friend, folk singer Bruce Piephoff. Alas, the Texas Tavern which can only seat ten people at a time would not have room for a jukebox so it's hard to hold it against them.

SIDE BURGERS ONE: If one heads 45 miles east down I-40, they can eat The Garbage Burger at Wimpy's Diner on 617 Hicks Street in Durham, NC. According to "Our State" magazine, the menu item which might jump off the menu consists of two quarter-pound beef patties, chilli, bacon, cole slaw, pickles, onions and cheese. The article by Josh Shaffer also said that Travel Channel host Adam Richman, a nationally known extreme-food connosieur, had five Garbage Burgers when he stopped in at Wimpy's?!

SIDE BURGERS TWO: Since today is the Fourth of July, we will squeeze in a mention of Washington, DC, and what "The Washingtonian" describes as 'the best hagover cure' in the DC-metro area. This would be a bison meat burger at Cashion's Eat Place on Columbia Road NW which includes a fried egg and the comeback sauce, which is reportedly similar to Thousand Island dressing. The menu item is very popular circa 2:00 a.m.