Burgerville Keeps It (even more!) Local with the No. 6 Burger
When my family moved to Portland in 2006 we had a brand new baby and surprisingly little information about what was what around here. Landing initially in the Beaverton/Tigard area, we quickly learned two things: there is always traffic on 217, and Burgerville is a solid bet for a burger. 14 years later, both of these remain true. The aforementioned brand new baby is now in high school and a little brother joined the family along the way as well. Having lived in various areas of Portland and the westside over the years, we’ve always quickly found our local Burgerville after settling in.
While Burgerville has always been focused on sourcing local ingredients, working with family farmers and changing their special menu items to reflect what’s in season (hello, asparagus spears with garlic aioli, Walla Walla Onion Rings and fresh berry shakes!), they have recently made a renewed commitment to our local community. If you have kids, you already know that Burgerville includes packs of seeds in their kids’ meals in place of toys. Coming soon: Burgerville has formed a partnership with Culinary Breeding Network to source local, organic seeds. What else have they been up to?
Enter the No. 6 Burger
“When we introduced the No 6 last year, we started taking a stand to Make the Pacific Northwest the Healthiest Region on the Planet,” said Burgerville CEO Jill Taylor. “We’re putting climate change on the menu, and giving people a chance to enjoy a burger that can actually help regenerate soil and be part of a resilient Pacific Northwest.”
How? The grass-fed, grass-finished beef for the No. 6 burger comes from Carman Ranch in Wallowa County, Ore. There, Cory Carman grazes her cattle on native grass, which restores the soil with nutrients and stores carbon, helping combat climate change. This is part of a growing movement called regenerative agriculture, and it’s helping turn around a century and a half of overgrazing that has largely removed nutrients from our soil. The soil needs nutrients to support plants and animals. Those nutrients, in turn, produce healthy cattle and nutrient-rich, delicious beef.
Made with all-local ingredients, the burger also lowers carbon emissions by reducing transportation distance. The bun is from Grand Central Bakery, headquartered in Portland and using locally grown and milled wheat from Washington. And the aged cheddar cheese is from Face Rock Creamery in Bandon, Ore.
So, how does it taste?
In advance of Burgerville expanding the availability of the No. 6 Burger to 8 new locations , my family was given an opportunity to try the No. 6 for ourselves. Full disclosure: We invited a couple burger-loving friends over for some socially distanced, outdoor taste testing as not all members of my family eat beef. What did the carnivores have to say? The No. 6 was met with approval from all. The Carman Ranch patty was notably thicker and tastier than your average patty and paired perfectly with the Face Rock Creamery aged cheddar. The teenager was skeptical about the “whole wheat” aspect of the Grand Central Bakery bun, but was quickly swayed upon tasting the combination of ingredients. Success!
The Wrap-up
In the Pacific Northwest, we sometimes see businesses try to capitalize on “local” as a feel-good buzzword that, in reality, can mean all sorts of things – or nothing at all. Burgerville really is putting their money where their mouth is. What does it look like to help create a healthier Pacific Northwest? Acknowledging climate change and supporting local suppliers are certainly a part of this. Burgerville also encourages employees and customers to vote, as research has shown that communities with a higher voter turnout are healthier. If you haven’t voted yet, consider treating yourself to a No. 6 (or a Vampire Slayer if the No. 6 isn’t in your local location yet), some sweet potato fries and a pumpkin shake after you mail or drop off your ballot. Make your voice heard and fill your belly with food you can feel good about? Win-win!