Lord of the Burgers!

One Burger to rule them all, one Burger to bind them, one Burger to bring them all and…ok enough!

Enjoy the ultimate Burger visit

I stepped across the threshold of Jake’s WayBack Burger joint with the Chamber of Commerce for the Ribbon cutting this past Friday.  An opening in December included an enormous welcome by Mayor Mary Giuliani-Stephens for Jake’s WayBack Burgers to the community. 

Great conversation was aplenty with a spirited collection of locals; it was a good place to be this December.  With a lively and inclusive group of members such as the Chamber of Commerce, and Washington County Commissioner Lisa Weik; folks came out to support and enthuse the emerging business, to befriend the establishment, and provide optimism for the community.  Woodbury Mayor spoke of her thankfulness to Jake’s WayBack’s investment in the area.

For about forty minutes to an hour you’ll hear conversations from passionate politicians about wanting to do what is right for the citizens, or parents seeking how to keep Christmas modest and meaningful for young children or the fear of being sunk into the materialism of it all.  You’ll hear tales, for instance, of the mystic who gave up a University of MN post to be a gardener till the end of his days. Conversations from how mathematics is just as much an art form as music, to one of the reasons we were there – to experience giant, tasty burgers – A colorful kaleidoscope of Woodburians who are fun, down-to-earth, caring and, very, very busy.  Carving out time to welcome new growth of businesses in our town.

Great Staff and Great Milkshakes

As the family from our new Jake’s WayBack restaurant drift back to the history of WayBacks from the distant shores of Connecticut and New Jersey; their tale reunites in Woodbury,  and December feels like one big long party.  Eggnog milkshakes greeted us at the door by a very friendly staff.  “I don’t even like eggnog, but this is delicious”,  Lisa Weik commented.   For those of us that do not like the frothy cinnamon taste of eggnog, break the yokes and live a little!  They are very good.

Beating Records…

Some folks just can’t resist setting records and winning bets – even Mayor Mary was encouraging everyone to return on Saturday for the Grand Opening of Jake’s WayBacks to participate in the burger eating contest and to meet with Santa.  Speed-eater Thomas Carson of Illinois once proved he could devour 22 hamburgers and 2 L (2 qt) of ice cream in only 25 minutes.  Not to be outdone, Mayor Mary said that her son-in-law was aiming to beat the record on Saturday.  Mayor mentioned that the family had their eye on New York’s Steve Meltzer who gobbled up 96 sausages in 6 minutes.  Ohhh, our Mayor may have also mentioned that the records were amazing, but not recommended, and that eating food that fast can make you choke, and it’s tough on your digestive system, but, it is clear she likes a good competition and sure enough -- one should be held!

Sing Hallelujah for the $14.99 Burger!

Companies spend big dollars to make food look great in commercials, in order to make your mouth water, stomach juices flow, so that you’ll want to eat.  My old Irish setter would drool when he saw food.  And, talking about great tasters, I’m like a brown bullhead, a Northern American freshwater fish, where the entire body is covered with taste buds…Me and my Setter, we drool - we love our food.

The hamburgers you see on TV may be just for show.  With the use of a blowtorch, the meat is browned on the outside and made to sizzle.  It’s also injected with oil and water for that wonderfully juicy look.  The cheese is melted with a wallpaper steamer.  And a hose releases vapor, so the burger appears to be piping hot.   Food photographers can use 20 pizzas in setting up one perfect shot for an advertisement.

The Real Deal…

This is not the case in Jake’s WayBack burgers – I took only 2 photos of the Mayor eating her burger and one shot of the eggnog milkshake.  If you are nostalgic for a hamburger and not a ‘thin grey thing’, you can look forward to a tasty, hand-made juicy WayBack Burger served with a smile from staff.  They have burgers of the month.  This month features a Brisket Burger, with American Cheese, and Wayback Gold Sauce.  For Thanksgiving their specialty was a turkey burger with cranberry relish on a great bun.   Homemade chips were tasty too.  There’s a couple of salads to choose from, and a children’s menu is offered as well.

9 STACKED BURGER!

Before entering WayBacks I thought that I’d have to be living like a wealthy Roman about 2,000 years ago in order to eat all these massive portions. Privileged Romans would love feasts of fancy foods, like, jellyfish, ostrich, fish livers, flamingo tongues and pheasant brains?  When they were too full to eat more, the Romans ordered the housekeepers to tickle inside their throats, emptying out their stomachs, only to eat again. Little did I know that you could order a regular size burger. I couldn’t imagine, at my size; ordering a 9 burger meal, devouring it and feeling good. But then again, the leading speed eater amongst women is the 100 lb Sonya Thomas who ate 40 hot dogs in 10 minutes; so size isn’t everything is it? 

WayBacks burgers are tasty burgers, and served in an appetizing manner. And lest I regress; they have no affiliation with the National Federation of Competitive Eating. Instead, like the beginning of time, we still like to sit around the fire to share the animal we hunt; we share stories, which help us obtain the sense of belonging.  WayBack’s gave us this atmosphere!

Courting…with meat!

Not only do we eat to live and stay healthy; we also eat for the pleasure of being with friends and family and it helps in the art of good conversation…There is courting with food of course…When peregrine Falcons go courting, the male gives the female a gift of food – usually a dead bird.

LOCATION IN WOODBURY

Go a courtin’ at Jake’s WayBacks, and when you are not up to all the fuss and bother of cooking some busy evening…  Give them a gander.  They are located at 8470 City Center Drive, Woodbury, MM 55125; Phone: (651) 714-9095