Village Deli surprisingly offers tasty cheeseburger, toppings

After eating at some of Bloomington's finest hamburger establishments, picking the best burger was daunting. In the end, it had to be done, and my choice for best burger in Bloomington goes to the Village Deli, 409 E. Kirkwood Ave. \nHow the best burger in Bloomington be at a deli? I didn't think it was possible, but -- on a tip from a friend -- I decided to try it. \nMy thick burger, topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, onion and mayo, had an excellent grilled flavor, was not overpowered by the bun or toppings, and was only a little more than $6. The burger was a nice size and perfectly cooked to my order -- medium well. The fries were also good -- a nice, crisp golden brown and covered in batter; a large portion came with my order. \nWhy didn't the others stack up? My burger adventure began at Crazy Horse, 214 W. Kirkwood Ave., where I sampled the Baja Burger. Topped with the Crazy Horse's baja barbecue sauce and my request of cheddar cheese, this burger was good but had culinary problems. The burger was of good size, but it was overcooked and dry. The barbecue sauce was excellent, but it overpowered the flavor. The fries were my favorite. They are covered with a seasoning salt and were not oily or greasy. They were nice and full, but not laden with a salty taste.\nBear's Place, 1316 E. Third St., also serves burgers. Although I could taste the grilled flavor of my cheddar cheese burger, the burger and its contents (lettuce, onion and mayonnaise) were lost in the gigantic bun. The smallest of all of the burgers I ate, it only filled me up for a little while. I found I was hungry again an hour after I ate. \nI ordered a basket of fries, which came overflowing with large fries that were only slightly oily and limp. They were still good, and made a nice complement to my burger. Bear's Place was also the most inexpensive burger, at about $4.\nThe last place I looked for comparison was Nick's English Hut, 423 E. Kirkwood Ave., where I sampled the Nick's burger, topped with cheese, lettuce and mayo. Although I love Nick's as a fine drinking establishment with a mean clam chowder, it did not do so well on the burger and fries. Both were so laden with oil that I could feel my pores clogging. But the burger was a good size, and I was sufficiently full. Nick's was also generous with the toppings.\nVillage Deli's cheeseburger stood out from the rest. It was the biggest and had excellent flavor. The cheese and other toppings were not lost in the large bun, and the fries were some of the best in town. The portion was sufficient to fill me up. All the burgers were priced around $5, but Village Deli, while slightly more expensive, is well worth the price.\nI encourage all the Deli faithful and those who have never been to stop in and try a hamburger. You will walk away satisfied and happy.