“The Standard” might seem like a safe name for something, like a burger and hot dog place. But like most of the beautiful world of language and of burgers, it has a bit of a double meaning.
Before I give my review of The Standard, which occupies a prime location in the oh-so-hip Pizitz Food Hall on 3rd Ave and 19th Street, where it competes with an Ethiopian place, chicken and waffles and a cheesemonger, let’s talk a little Birmingham history and burger philosophy (they will intertwine, trust me).
Back in the industrial heyday of Birmingham, inexpensive food served from store-fronts and counters were common. With strong roots in the Greek and Italian families that immigrated to this area, hot dog stands – many which added or served burgers also – fed more than one generation of laborers in the city. The city still benefits from the legacy of these families – the Bright Star, Fish Market, Jim n’ Nicks, to Sneaky Pete’s and more.
We’re not talking complicated food here; this was inexpensive food for working class folks. Today, burgers and dogs have been shined up. Burger and hip dogs grace the menus of almost any restaurant you find, because in a lot of ways, they represent the adult equivalent of chicken fingers and macaroni and cheese on a kid’s menu… you feel like you gotta have it or the revolt will begin.
So today, instead of getting a burger (or dog) at a homey, joint, you can get a burger at $40 steak joint (or Frank Stitt-owned eatery). You can get a burger at a fish place… and you can get a burger at a place like McDonalds or The Standard.
In some ways, reviewing burgers isn’t an everything equal proposition. I’ve said it before, where you get a burger is probably as important as the burger. And while quality – which is more art than definition – can be universal, the aspects to quality vary greatly.
Which is why I find the name of this fairly new establishment – “The Standard” – to be fitting and a bit ironic at the same time. The cheeseburger from The Standard is a solid good, nearly great save for a couple of things. It’s not life-altering or among the top five in the city, but that’s less of a shot than a recognition that other places put more overall time, effort and creativity in their burger.
The meat at The Standard is the real show. They even allow the meat to be a show, grinding it on site with what they purport to be a custom blend of cuts. I’ll say I liked it, a lot. The patty isn’t thick, comparatively, but it was cooked about as awesomely as you can … done enough, not too much but cooked with ample grill and heat that it had some crunch on it. I watched several patties being cooked, and unlike other places, they go from a ball, pressing it on the grill to a patty (which explains some of the charring).
There are some other nice touches. I think the pickles are homemade (but I could be wrong), and I like what they do with the potato bun, grilled and a bit sweeter than a plain one.
I saw a review of the Standard done for al.com by Bob Carlton, and I swear to you, that I said almost word for word what he put in the review to my colleagues (and I hadn’t seen the review yet). He quoted the owner, Matt Ralph:
“This is a non-corny Johnny Rocket’s type of place, (with) a classic look and feel. That’s kind of the idea.”
The food looks Rocket-like, and tastes a bit like it, too. Down to the disappointing fries and/or tots. I know, I shouldn’t knock a place for taking the easy way out on fries.
And if you read the review, note that Ralph was also part of the brains behind the aptly named Wooden Goat in Avondale, and more meaningfully, from the Hotbox at Parkside.
But if The Standard is the standard to which Rocket-like places are held to standard, then the place is doing alright. It’s a decent burger made with excellent meat and some surprises – reasonably priced and among the good ones in downtown.
Someday, we’ll do a dog review, because it looked like they might have channeled something with those dogs … And the rest of the menu has some surprises you might want to check out.
But honestly, skip the fries and tots …
Beautimousburger 