In case you didn't already read my review of Hood's first version of this burger: it's an homage to Louis' Lunch, an eatery opened in 1895(!) that is famous for being recognized by The Library of Congress as the birthplace of the first hamburger.

This is Hood's second iteration of Louis Lunch. It's much better than the first. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly leave extensive notes on the old one so I can't compare directly. It is what it is.

What I can say about this one, however, is that it's one of the best examples of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. I mean, just look at that spec sheet. Sparse as can be. And yet, the emergent dish works perfectly. The creamy cheese adds all the richness you can ever hope for, the tomato counterbalances it just enough, and the onions are... well, just a good burger ingredient in general.

Obviously it's not peak burger. Not even in Hood's own lineup. But it doesn't need to be. It's proven its worth. It stands on its own.