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Griddled burgers wrapped in paper. Hand-cut fries. The ultimate milkshakes. There's no shortage of nostalgia wrapped up inside Hugh-Baby's, a new burger joint on Charlotte Avenue. And it spreads well beyond the foodto the crisp, standardized uniforms and the retro tabletops, too. All of this is intentional, of course. A recent barrage of burger joints in this town calls for a brand to stand out and offer something beyond the fancy, avocado-topped, farm-to-table two-fisters that every chef seems to want to serve.
Hugh-Baby's owner, Pat Martin, pit-master behind Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint, was looking to open a high-quality burger joint, something he could replicate if all went welland something that would stand out from the crowd. Service, ingredients, and hospitality all had to be top-notch, he insisted. And the space had to speak from the heartMartin didn't want to replicate the In-N-Outs or Shake Shacks of the world. He wanted to create something that was distinctly of the Mid-South.
Having grown up in Mississippi, close to Memphis, Martin pulled inspiration from the burger joints he visited as a kid (a lot of them are showcased in sepia-tone images on the walls), and also from the famed 'slugburger” that his own town, Corinth, Mississippi, celebrates with a festival each year. The burger got its name for being the price of a 'slug” or a nickel, and the mix, which is ground pork and soy meal, was a Depression-era mainstay that many from that region still know and love. Hugh-Baby's serves their slugburgers on Fridays only and regularly sell out.
Named for Martin's gregarious and life-loving uncle, Hugh Baby Coleman, the fast-food restaurant puts up a menu that's easy to eat and to love. Simplicity is the key, Martin says. The burgers are ground onsite each day and topped with a classic lettuce-tomato-pickle-onion combo. Barbecue sandwiches are made from pork shoulders that are smoked onsite, Memphis-style. There's also barbecue bologna and turkey, plus a chicken sandwich, made with a boneless thigh and smothered in barbecue saucebut, at your request, it can also come with a ladle of the restaurant's addictive white sauce. Hot dogs get their place in the spotlight, too, with a slaw dog or the Pickwick, which is piled up with grilled onions, tangy jalapenos, and yellow mustard. Every order, we believe, should be eaten with a side of those perfectly salted, hand-cut fries.
The sandwiches are neat and tidy, small enough to fit in your hand, and won't drip all over your shirt. From the order counter, you can watch as a team of quick-service cooks flip and dress your order, giving a sense of transparency and even camaraderie to the experiencea reminder of bygone days, when fast food didn't mean mystery meat. They'll even take their time mixing you a milkshake, in vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry, complete with a cherry on top.
Ask Martin whether he has plans to open more locations, and he says it remains to be seenbut, judging by the crowds that regularly fill the Hugh-Baby's patio, we won't be surprised if we see more popping up soon.
4816 Charlotte Ave, 615-610-3340; hughbabys.com