Jem 100
December 24th, 2008
Is there a good burger in this town?
That is the question I put to Kwazy Kate as we toured Newberg on Monday after I had gotten the tire chains on my truck that would allow me to escape back to Beaverton.
As it turns out, there is one, and, considering the location, a pretty damn good one.
Jem 100
Jem 100 has been a Newberg tradition for 30 years, and for the last twenty it has been under the stewardship of owner Tom Vondercheck and his wife.
When we first arrived we were prepared to be disappointed as, with all the snow, it looked like no one was home. Kwazy Kate spied the owner digging out his sidewalks from the two feet of snow that mother nature had left us over the last two days. Tom was quick to invite us in, he told us that the grill was hot and that he had just got back from delivering some orders to some folks across town.
Unlocking the door, Tom lead us into a very authentic looking 50’s malt shop, right down to the Wurlitzer jukebox in the corner.
An old school burger palace
He was quick to take our orders, I decided to try the Bacon Swiss Burger with an order of sweet potato fries. I passed on what Kwazy Kate called “the best milk shake in the world”, I was still kind of chilled.
The burgers arrived promptly and were served by one of Tom’s teen aged employees who had WALKED across town, in the snow, to get to work and had arrived shortly after we did. Damn, do kids still do that?
Now I have to tell you, I was not expecting much from the burger, but I was pretty impressed when it got to me.
The Bacon Swiss and Sweet Potato Fries
Built on a sesame seed bun, the burger I was served was a joy to look at. The thick sliced bacon was cooked just right, not burnt or dry like you get at most places. The sesame seed bun was dressed out with mayo on the bottom and what looked like hamburger relish on the top. Tomato, lettuce and my favorite, red onion completed the burger, along with a nicely melted slice of Swiss cheese.
It was love at first bite.
The bacon was smokey tender and the patty was a rich and meaty medium well. Now that’s a little more done then I like them, but I can’t fault Tom for that as I did not specify how I wanted it cooked. The bun held up for the entire burger, I can’t stand one that falls apart, and everything was crispy fresh. The real treat of the meal was the fries. I know of only one other place that serves sweet potato fries and I have grown to love them. These were cut shoestring style and fried to a sweet, orange crispiness. Believe me, you have to try them.
Overall, I was pretty impressed with Jem 100. A good quality burger at a reasonable price. Toss in the genuine hometown friendliness of Tom and his crew, and what you have is a damned good reason to stop the next time you are passing through Newberg.
Jim 100 is located at 208 N Main Street in Newberg, Oregon.