50 Burgers, 50 Days: BC Tavern

A burger a day all around Austin, plus an answer to the pressing question: Fries or rings?
Day 27: BC Tavern
11715 Bee Cave Road. 477-6535, www.bc-tavern.com.
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Bar 4 to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until midnight Friday-Saturday. Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
By Mike Sutter | Fed Man Walking | 09.06.11
UPDATE: BC Tavern has closed
The burger: Three Napkin Burger ($9). The more things change, the more they reinforce the universal demand for a good cheeseburger. BC Tavern used to be Zoot, but owners Stewart Scruggs and Mark Paul decided their Bee Cave neighbors wanted a neighborhood public house more than they wanted legacy fine-dining. The Three Napkin Burger felt like a lark on the Zoot menu, but it could become BC Tavern's cornerstone. Start with good hand-formed beef, then add excelsior ribbons of purple cabbage slaw, cheddar cheese and tomatoes. Every bite is a sweet spot, the burger world's answer to the top of a muffin. The cabbage makes you appreciate the absence of iceberg lettuce, a staple that for all its dew-dropped cosmetic appeal usually tastes like sandy water. This slaw delivers crunch, color and peppered attitude. Let's admit that the Three Napkin Burger cheats a little with two sweet components: onion jam and a stay-puffed kolache-style bun. Let's also admit that we're OK with that.

Bonus: Burgers are 2-for-1 on Tuesdays.
(Photos by Mike Sutter © Fed Man Waking)
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