Column: Trip to Eureka had to include Bubba Burger

Venturing out of town on Highway 37 toward Eureka last week, I was beginning to have my doubts about trying my first Bubba Burger.

For those who haven’t heard, Eureka restaurant owner James Monroe created quite a stir around these parts over the summer when his Bubba Burger gained fame on the “Live with Regis and Kelly” TV show.

Monroe appeared on the show but his creation eventually lost out in the Ultimate Hometown Grill-Off finals to a pulled pork sandwich.

With such a hectic schedule around Libby and Troy – the news never seems to slow down – it’s difficult to get out of town for any length of time. So, I took my first week off since coming to the newspaper during the summer of 2008.

Since my wife had to work and Brandon had to go to school, it was just me and the dog. After a couple of days of sleeping late and watching television, I decided it was time to get out of the house.

Besides a trip to Rexford Bench Beach over the summer and a quick dash into town for beverages, I had never really been to Eureka to look around. The Bubba Burger caught my eye, however, and I knew I would have to try this creation at some point in the near future.

Heck, even the governor went up to Eureka several weeks ago to sample Monroe’s tasty concoction.

The Bubba Burger is a mesquite-grilled cheeseburger topped with grilled Cajun sausage, grilled jumbo shrimp and homemade chipotle sauce.

I’ve never been a big fan of chipotle sauce so I was afraid that might ruin it for me. On top of that, shrimp and sausage and hamburger – would my taste buds accept such a combination?

Upon reaching Eureka, I drove up and down a few streets to get a feel for the community. I also wasn’t sure where to find the Cutting Board Restaurant.

Of course, Eureka isn’t exactly a metropolis so it was easy to find – right there on the main road through town.

When I visit small towns, I also like to seek out bookstores to see if I can pick up any new titles for my home library. I walked into the Cutting Board and found both – a bookstore shares the same building.

Sitting down at one of the homemade tables, a young waitress made her way over to me with a menu. OK, the Bubba Burger cost $11 – well, I had predicted $12 so it came up a dollar less than anticipated. With all of those ingredients, I wasn’t sure what I would end up paying for lunch.

I glanced through the menu only to see what other type of food the restaurant might offer. But I had my mind made up – I came up here to try the Bubba.

A few other customers in the establishment got their food, including a Forest Service ranger enjoying lunch with two ladies. Another young man sat alone but soon dug in to the sizeable burger he ordered.

It all looked good and since I had no breakfast, my mouth was really hoping my Bubba would make it to me soon. In no time at all, the waitress was back. It was time to eat.

I must say, the Bubba is one of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten. The chipotle sauce did not ruin it at all for me and in fact, was one of its most memorable flavors. It was a little messy and my napkin got a good workout but man, that was a great lunch. Those potatoes that came along with it weren’t bad either.

I plunked down my money and ventured into the bookstore for a look around. A bird field guide caught me eye.

It won’t be long before I bring the family up to Eureka. It’ll be Bubba burgers for all.

(Brad Fuqua is managing editor of The Western News. He can be reached at: thewesternnews@gmail.com )