If you seek the gold standard of Hamburgers, Val's is it. Consistent. Unchanging. Excellent. Utterly committed to doing the right thing.

Burgers: I always have a Mama burger, with cheese and tomatoes on a French roll. Those of you who think you can eat a Papa, have at it. I have tried and failed at eating all of the Papa burger, fries and chocolate shake. My Mama Burger is always prepared medium rare and it is. Incredible juicy which drips down my elbows.

Oh it is indecent. That is why I order the French roll. I turn it upside down so the juice goes all the way through it and stays intact for the meal. I ask them to cut the burger in half. Fresh sweet onions, dill slices, sweet slices are on the side of the table. You can overdo it and get the mushrooms and grilled onions, as I have done. No regrets but just too much. Oh it was good.

Fries: Crunchy outside, melting inside. One order feeds two for sure. You can try an order of fries and a Mama burger all for yourself, but when you add the chocolate shake it becomes all you can do. The Papa burger added to the mix is too much. Food coma happens with Mama. Death happens with Papa if you finish it all. I have never tasted better fries.

Shake: I always have a chocolate shake. Malt is there for those who want it as well. Real whipped cream in the shake. Portion fills really large glass three times over. Over diameter straw helps create the brain freeze. Exceptional. The best shake I have eaten.

Val's has other offerings, but I have never eaten anything else. I always tell myself I will try something different, but there is no reason.

I have been eating at Val's for 20+ years. This place does one thing and one thing well. Think 1959 or so. Red plastic banquettes. Burgers, breakfast, shakes, fries and rings. Cash only. You cannot get a better burger but you can argue about what makes this place so special.

Parking is challenging, but not impossible. In the city I have eaten the cheeseburger and Fries and Chocolate Shake at Marlowe's, Zuni Cafe , Bullshead, Roam, Bill's and all the others of note. In the East Bay I have eaten at True Burger, Fatapples, Barneys and Boulevard. They are all good but none are better and few are equal.