It’s been 21 months and 89 hamburgers since I asked myself one simple question: “Where is the best burger in town?”

It seems that the hamburger has managed to work its way onto almost every menu, from fancy to casual, traditional restaurants to vintage drive-throughs. I sampled a broad range.

If I had one major holistic complaint, it would be that far too often, the focus has been lost on the actual genesis of the product. The patty has become an unfortunate afterthought at too many eateries. At times, I think it has simply become a pissing match to see who can put crazier toppings on top of grilled ground beef sandwiches. That’s a shame.

Not surprisingly, there was good and bad found within all price ranges. Someone once said, "I would never pay more than $12 for a burger." While I appreciate that sentiment, I disagree. A good burger is a good burger is a good burger.

One thing I learned on this hunt is that sides really aren't that important to me. As long as the burger is good, I'm willing to be forgiving on the extras. At the Cat n’ Fiddle Pub, I made the wise decision to simply order two burgers and skip the fries.

One experience that will always stand out was the Lougheed Hospital’s cafeteria burger, but not for the normal reasons — I reviewed it during our stay when our daughter was born. While it would have been otherwise forgettable, it’ll always put a smile on my face when I reflect upon it.

As I look back on my final list, I’m not sure where the “best” burger is. Instead, what I found was a bunch of outstanding burgers with some important commonalities: a good beef-to-everything-else ratio is key, as are fresh ingredients (cold produce is preferred, please). Lastly, basic burgers are where it’s at. Bells and whistles are OK, but you need to back them up with a decent foundation, folks.

I go back to Five Guys Burgers and Fries time and time again. Heck, I drove to Medicine Hat and back just to check them out before a location opened here. I love that you have to order a “little burger” if you don’t want two patties. As well, by giving the customer complete flexibility to mix-and-match toppings and sauces at no extra charge, it’s a recipe for a winner. It’s also the only place I know of that serves fresh jalapenos in lieu of soggy pickled ones.

After checking out Rocky's Burger Bus, I described its double burger as a “no-frills, meat-focused slab of awesome” and a “melty, gooey, beefy sandwich.” That about sums it up .

Boogie's Burgers — a perennial fan favourite — has a great house red sauce and fantastically fresh buns. It also avoided my wrath in regards to having “burger” in its name. I’ve taken a few burger-named places to task for serving sub-par offerings. If you’ve got it in your name, you should be held to a higher standard.

Both White Spot and Montana's have great options as far as chain restaurants go. White Spot’s double double is reminiscent of In-N-Out’s burger of the same name and Montana’s addition of brisket on top of a patty really works.

At NOtaBLE, Chef Michael Noble — who has a huge passion for burgers — changes his monthly house burger, and I see no reason not to go out on a limb by saying each one will be great.

The most expensive single burger I had was the decadent $40 lounger at Loungeburger — a Wagyu beef patty topped with proscuitto-wrapped lobster and doused in a truffle Hollandaise sauce. I described it as a “celebration burger.” If you’re in the mood to throw caution to the wind and burgers are your thing, go for it. Loungeburger also has an almost endless list of possibilities on its DIY menu, making it accessible to both burgerphiles and the general public.

For pure beefiness, the best tasting patty was at the Chuckwagon Cafe, located in Turner Valley. The Chuckwagon raises its own beef and you’ll be hard-pressed to find fresher meat. It’s worth the drive.

If you’re looking for a burger for more than one person, Charcut is a viable option. Its share burger is made from sausage and can be ordered literally as big as you’d like. All the meat is prepared in-house and this burger comes topped with melted cheese curds and fried egg(s).

For pubs, there were many I enjoyed. Some of the standouts were Broken City, The Blind Monk, Reef 'N Beef, Boccavino Lounge & Grill, The BottleHouse and the Ship & Anchor.

I really, really liked Rush’s Spring Creek burger, but I’m hesitant to give it an ongoing nod as chef Justin Leboe is no longer there. Instead, keep an eye open for his new project, Model Milk, slated to open in 2011 in the Model Milk building on 17th Avenue, naturally.

One burger I didn’t formally review, but is a guilty pleasure of mine, is the McDonald’s double cheeseburger — but in modified form. I highly suggest trying one with extra onions, pickles and Big Mac sauce. At $1.69 apiece, it’s economical and really hits the spot.

At the other end, there were some barely palatable burgers, but I ate every last bite of every single one. I’d like to think it’s journalistic integrity, but really, it’s just testament to my gluttonous existence.

The one down side to the Burger Hunt? I’ve stopped making my own burgers after placing too much pressure on myself to live up to the crazy standards that I’ve exacted in my head. It’s OK though, there are a ton of great options available all over Calgary.

Next up: Pizza Hunt.

Please email pizza suggestions to darelleats@gmail.com, and post your own opinions at ffwdweekly.com.