In most cities, there are a few restaurants that have been around for a while or perhaps a few restaurateurs who have been around the block a few times opening various restaurants. Little Mike’s is one of those restaurants. It’s a restaurant in the Oklahoma City area that is very well known for classic smashed patty onion hamburgers. In the past year, they started serving buffalo burgers. I stopped in for the second time to eat one. I also decided to quiz Mike a little bit about how he cooks them.

My buffalo burger was a well seasoned 1/4 pound buffalo burger that I ordered without cheese and with grilled onions. The fries are always fresh at Little Mike’s and a feature of the menu. Interestingly enough, the buffalo burgers are cooked on a gas grill rather than the flat top grill with the b**f hamburgers. Mike’s grill cook told me that they prefer to do it this way due to the lean nature of the bison meat. The grilled onions are added later rather than cooked underneath the burger. The burger was served on a plain white bun and of course with only onions as I requested. I could tell a moderate amount of salt and pepper was used as the seasoning. Other condiments were available but I chose to keep it simple. The taste of the bison and the grilled onions was fantastic and it’s obvious that Little Mike’s put some thought into how they would prepare the buffalo burgers once they added them to the menu. The fries were fresh and cooked perfectly. This is classic fast food done well and uncomplicated. The best news I heard was that the Buffalo Burgers are selling quite well for the restaurant. If you’re passing through the southwest, Little Mike’s Hamburger’s is one to place on your list for well prepared buffalo burgers.

Rocky Mountain Diner in Denver on 18th Street

When I had the opportunity to travel to Denver recently, I jumped at the chance. While we were there we wanted to experience the city and as many of the local attractions we could during our 5 day stay. I immediately spoke with friends and also scoured the internet for the best places to go. Denver was a very fun and interesting place. We went to see the Bonnie Raitt/Taj Mahal show at the Red Rocks Amphitheater, the Rocky Mountain National Park, and of course a few other local attractions like the Left Hand Brewery in Longmont, CO. The people are very nice in Denver and the food was great. We were staying in the Sheraton in the downtown area so we mostly gravitated towards the restaurants within walking distance.

I was pleasantly surprised to see some sort of menu item featuring bison meat at every local restaurant we visited. It’s clear that bison meat is an accepted and popular food in Colorado and that was very encouraging. The more we spoke with locals, we learned that bison is available in many Denver grocery stores and the buffalo burger is pretty much a staple in restaurants and bars there as well. After a little investigation, I found that the National Bison Association is headquartered in suburban Denver so it only makes sense that the meat is fairly popular in the area.

Our first stop was to the Rocky Mountain Diner. I chose the Buffalo Meatloaf. It was served with fresh mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, and a flavorful brown gravy. We were informed by the waitress that the Buffalo Meatloaf is one of the biggest sellers on the menu. When I got my plate I was struck by the texture of the meat. This was not a meatloaf stuffed with seasonings and slathered with ketchup. The bison meat was featured perfectly and not obscured by seasonings and a topping. If there were onions in the meatloaf they must have been grated. In every bite I tasted the ground bison meat’s sweetness and it was not dominated by any particular seasoning or texture. After being in Denver for a few more days I understood why the bison items are so good –  with so many restaurants serving bison, the chefs definitely “bring it” with some thoughtful and well executed recipes. I should note that the Rocky Mountain Diner is located in downtown Denver near the 16th Street Mall and would be a good stop for a business traveler staying in the area.

Our other stop that included bison meat was to The Platte River Bar and Grill. Susan, my hairstylist and a former Denver resident, insisted that I visit “The Platte” for the food and the great deck on the back of the place. Their menu had the standard bar and grill fare, but with a few twists. They had close to a dozen different burgers, all available with your choice of meat: bison meat, veggie, or b**f. They also featured some Mexican items and locally microbrew beers. I ordered The Platte’s signature burger and had it made with bison meat. For a treat, I had a mug of tapped Breckenridge Summer Bright with the meal. This burger was well prepared by a cook who obviously had experience preparing bison. The bison meat’s flavor was somewhat dominated by a jumble of flavors on the burger, namely the huge amount of thousand island dressing. The burger was good though and I was impressed that it was not dry.

Other worthy mentions:

The Wynkoop Brewing Company serves bison meat in several recipes ranging from bison carnitas, bison chili for your nachos, a buffalo burger, and a bison meatloaf.

Ted’s Montana Grill offers burgers in both b**f and bison, BBQ bison short ribs, and the ever present Denver menu item: buffalo meatloaf. This is a chain restaurant, but the founder is big on bison meat.