I have heard it said that the measuring stick that you will hold all pizzas to is the first slice you recall eating as a child. For me that would be the perfection that is Sammy's Pizza, a small Minnesota based chain that has graced Eau Claire with its presence for over 50 years. This is a burger blog and this is a burger post, so I won't go on and on about the manna from heaven that is a Sammy's House Special. Trust me, I could write countless posts on that one thing alone. But I am certain that if that is true of pizza, it also true of all foods we love. Fried chicken, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, and most definately burgers.
Growing up in Eau Claire was an interesting existence. Far removed from the nearest big cities, this pin prick of a town (pop. 50,000 or so when I was a kid) drew folks into it from surrounding communities far and wide. This created an atmosphere of commerce that drove the local economy, and warranted an amount of restaurants comparable to cities 2 or 3 times its size. Of course there was an inordinate amount of fast food to be had, but with the modern day behemoth chains the likes of Applebee's, TGIFs, Olive Garden, et. al. still light years away, the scene was ruled by locally owned and operated treasures. In Eau Claire, in the 70's and 80's, the Grand Poohbah that ruled all had to have been The Chicken Hut.
3 locations in town, including one that was open 24 hours every day, each seemed busy at all hours. The original owner, Clarence Schneider, lived in the same neighborhood as me. I was his paperboy for a couple of years. He was, I thought, an intimidating figure, who took his food and his reputation seriously. He earned an extremely loyal following by serving great food at an affordable price, and the portions were enormous.
Over the years I never stopped going to the Chicken Hut. In my high school and college years I would often find myself at the 24 hour a day location across town for late night binges. Eventually Clarence got out of the restaurant biz, and gave one of the eateries to each of his 3 children. Each of his kids took charge of his and her own restaurants, and gave it a unique name. I no longer live in Eau Claire, and don't get to eat at any of the locations often (if ever). I have heard that one of the businesses (Ron's Family Restaurant) fell victim to the economic downturn of 2008. 2 locations remain. I hope if I do get back, the experience will be as great as I remember.
I can remember from an early age visiting the location on 3rd St., just minutes from my family's house on 9th. I would only order one thing from Chicken Hut (it is worth noting that every location had an enormous fiberglass chicken on the roof); A cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate malt. The burger was I would guess a 1/4 pound, griddled to a perfection. The bun was squishy white. American cheese, pickles, mustard, and ketchup rounded out the beefy goodness. The crinkle-cut fries, as a single order, came mounded beyond comprehension. Seriously, think the equivalent of 2 large orders of McDonald's fries. The chocolate malt was served in the metal blender cup. More than enough to fill your tall glass twice.
If I think of a cheeseburger, this is the image that springs to mind first. To me, that is what a burger "should be." It will be different for you, and that is the way it should be.
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