Life in The Killer Zone!

"Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question."

— The Guardian of Forever

@slakingfool Darn. Any recommendations for a good, greasy burger takeout; place without pretension or any zombies? #DesMoinesFood

— And I Like To Eat (@AndILikeToEat) January 5, 2013

Appreciating the humor but sincerity of this question I had but one answer… B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli on S.E. Sixth and Hartford. The only issue was though I've gotten the occasional hoagie sandwich to go from B&B, I had never eaten their burger and was only passing on what I knew by word of mouth. A visit to B&B for a Killer Burger was in order.

The next day, braving the still icy neighborhood streets I walked over to B&B intent on ordering a double cheeseburger, but the friendly crew working the deli talked me up to a triple, and a shot of Templeton Rye. Though not the meatiest Killer Burger on the menu – that distinction lies with the Quadzilla – the triple was a formidable full-pound of quality beef, hand ground by B&B's third generation butchers.

Gooey with melted American cheese I took hold of my creation and worked into that first bite. My technique for rassling this bad boy was weak and my poor bun suffered under my aggressive grip so I resorted to eating a couple of the third-pound patties sans the bun. I could better appreciate how tender and juicy the burger was.

Now I felt confident in my recommendation. And from fellow blogger And I Like To Eat's assessment of B&B's burger, they found what they were looking for.

A subsequent visit for lunch with the wordsmith of General Tso's Revenge brought us to B&B for more Killer Sandwiches: one of B&B's famous Killer Tenderloins for him, a Reuben for myself, and as minds thinking alike we each ordered an egg salad sandwich. Getting a bite off the tenderloin I appreciated the well-seasoned flavor of the pork and the crispness of the exterior. My Reuben sported a pile of tender corned beef that disappeared into my slaking pie-hole all too soon. The impressively chunky egg salad soon followed. Still peckish I snagged a trio of smooth, mustardy deviled eggs for dessert.

On yet another visit I came for a salami and cheese on a hoagie roll but found myself compelled to try a trio of Killer Tacos. The deep-fried flour tortillas was the hook but the seasoned beef filling reeled me in. With spices incorporated into the ground meat by hand with a potato masher, the texture and the warm, cuminy flavor negated any need for salsa or sour cream.

Other items of note include a duo of tidy, tasty burritos: one with B&B's breakfast sausage, eggs, potato and cheese; and a burrito made with B&B's family recipe chorizo. There's a story about the Brooks family's long love for chorizo.

B&B proudly proclaims on their website "Keeping Iowans on Top of the Food Chain since 1922!" When either the zombie apocalypse, alien invaders, or Morlocks reign over us, I've no doubt B&B's Killer Sandwiches will help abate their taste for well-fed Iowans.