Ruby's Burger List Leads to Vigorous LTHforum Debate

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Aug 21, 2009 5:20PM

From the "calm the fuck down" department: Jeff Ruby's list of his 30 favorite burgers turned the echo chamber at LTHForum up to 11, much of it centered on why Patty's Diner (3538 Main St., Skokie, 847-675-4274) didn't make Ruby's cut. Some samples (emphasis ours):

stevez: "Interesting omission of Patty's. You would think that Jeff R. would know better."

gtomaras: "How can (Five Guys and Moody's Pub) make the list and Patty's doesn't."

foodmex: "Okay folks, I will tell you why Patty's burger didn't make Chicago Magazine list. Did you really think Chicago Magazine is going to include a little diner in Skokie in their best of the best list? Did you really think majority of the Chicago Magazine readers are going to trek to Skokie to have the best hamburger? It is food politics and evidently the buck stops here."

Eventually, Ruby himself chimed in and essentially reminded everyone with some disarming self-deprecation that it's just a list. Or, as David Hammond said, "It's epistemology, babe." Anyway, if you're looking to kill time and/or put together your own burger list from some very informed opinions, the thread is a good place to start.