How to ruin a hamburger in 30 minutes flat

I love beef. Any cut can be scrumptious if cooked appropriately.

So, I'm at this local breakfast joint the other day, just putting in time. I'm craving a burger but was thinking I'd just do breakfast (when in Rome...). However, today was a red-letter day as the large, prominently displayed blackboard menu included a locally-sourced, 7 oz. 100% Black Angus beef burger. Can I get an "Amen"?!?

So I order the burger and grab a couple sections out of the Sunday paper and hunker down, salivating in anticipation. A lot of time passes and the server finally comes by and offers more coffee, offering a not-so-heartfelt apology as the burgers take a while to prepare. Fine, I say, I'm sure the wait will be worthwhile. Server agrees and disappears.

When my plate finally arrives, some 30 minutes after placing my order, I'm immediately a bit skeptical - the burger is charred and not at all juicy-looking. I take my first bite and confirm my suspicion that the burger has been over-cooked (aka ruined).

I understand there are minimum standards for cooking ground meat. But, when you source that meat locally, why not grind it on-site? That way, if I'm not mistaken, the internal temperature standards are lower, resulting in a juicier, much tastier product.

I was so disappointed. I will be addressing the issue with the restaurant but was not in the mood on that particular day (which is unlike me).

As a side note, I am always surprised when restaurants flaunt their local content but don't train their servers to speak about it with any degree of intelligence. This restaurant was an offender on that front as well.