Café Castagna (1758 SE Hawthorne St.)

For so long I have been hearing on all the foodie discussion boards and blogs about how Café Castagna has the best burger in the city of Portland. A couple of weeks ago I decided to verify that statement.

And I declare: it's true. Thick, beefy burger cooked medium rare, with pickles that tasted homemade. It was delightful. And the mess of fries I got with it - crispy and thin. Just right.

I don't actually eat burgers very often because I don't find them to be a particularly interesting food. But when done right, they can be very tasty. And I found this to be extremely tasty.

I know some of you might be saying, "Wait a minute, missy! How can you say if this is the best burger in Portland when you just said you don't eat them very often?" And to you I say, Well, because it tasted better than any damn burger I have had pretty much anywhere, so in the world of Lizzy Dishes, I say it is the best.

My friend ordered the house-made Italian sausages - one very smooth, one not so much. Both of them very good. I can't describe the taste very well, because, well, the memory is blotted out by the memory of my burger. I do remember thinking that they were excellent, though.

I do remember the taste of the chocolate pot de creme that I ordered for dessert - a rich, dark chocolate with the mellowing touch of whipped cream, served with a fennel shortbread. A great finish to the meal. Sigh.