K LaMay's Steamed Cheeseburgers — Restaurant in Meriden

Ok, so ... this is gonna take a while. :)

Have been wanting to visit K LaMay's since last year, when I was returning home from an event mid-afternoon on a Sunday, and when I got there they had just closed. Fair play, closing early on Sunday is cool. Family time, you know? Took me almost a year to make it happen but yesterday I did and OH HECK YES it was WORTH THE WAIT.

I've eaten many, many, MANY burgers ... as my reviews will attest. I've never had a STEAMED burger, and didn't even know they were a thing until I googled. Holy cow. A true Connecticut delicacy. The Wikipedia entry tells you all you need to know. Look it up!

For this meal, I of course got the double burger, with bacon and extra cheese. Added fries and of course a diet soda, because, you know, sugar is bad.

Service was fast, my food arrived in minutes, and the waitress smiled when she put the massive burger in front of me and said "good luck!" as if ... well ... I might have some trouble EATING it all?

Hahahahha ... nope.

Anyway, the burger ... STEAMING refers not only to the method of cooking but it's approximate temperature DOWN TO THE LAST BITE. Yes, steaming as in steaming HOT! I've never had a burger patty that hot down to the last bite. Wild!

The patties themselves were flavorful and so juicy. But not so juicy that your fingers were covered in grease. Aha! The STEAMING cooks the beef and removes much of the grease, apparently, leaving the meat moist and tender. Interesting!

The cheese ... well, they said genuine Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar and they were NOT kidding. LOOK AT THOSE CURDS! My burger came with a knife and fork (first time for THAT) and the utensils were actually of use scooping up the generous excess cheese that had fallen OFF the burger, haha!

The cheese was different, not gonna lie, not what I am used to, but, I've yet to meet a cheese I didn't like, so it was still awesome. The sharpness of the cheddar complemented the burger nicely.

The bun ... was perfect. Not overpowering at all in size or texture, just enough to keep the patties under control while I devoured them.

The fries were terrific, also HOT, as in, THEY JUST MADE THEM hot, and I actually had to wait before eating them. Ha!

The place itself is not just clean, it's IMMACULATE. The decor is nice and there's a TV and stuff, not that I was able to watch it, I was too busy CHOWING DOWN. The bathroom was also spotless. Love this attention to detail.

So, there you have it. My first-ever steamed cheeseburger experience was a great one, and you can be sure,...

3-13-2022 if anything it got BETTER!

First off this place is #1, But Ted's is #1 too, it's a taste and cheese thing, but BOTH are winners. Another reason Meriden is the birthplace of the Steamed Cheeseburger! There are a few places here that serve up this concoction from the 1900's, this place I think ties it for #1 along with Ted's Steamed Cheeseburgers. Both use the same Steam method, both use Kaiser rolls, Ted's is a smaller roll, Kay's uses a full size roll, both use Cheddar Cheese, Ted's is made specifily for them, does not separate on steaming not as cheddery, Kay's uses an Extra Sharp Wisconsin Cheddar, it seperates a bit on Steaming, but, retains that distinct Cheddar bite, Burgers are the same, Kay's gives you a bit more meat to cover that larger bun. Kay's also gives you a medium well burger which does retain a little taste, but tried and true "Steamers" get a little juice drizzled over the burger, this goes for both places, it's a must, toppings are plentiful and fresh, all orders are made when you order. Anyone getting togo burgers knows to let them sit wrapped for 5 minutes or so, just blends everything and sets the cheese. Fries and other great stuff to, and Foxon Park Soda....

They make the best chicken nuggets i have ever had in my life! They were crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. I actually called my mother to tell her how incredible they were. We are a chicken tender, chicken cutlet, chicken 🐔 loving family all the way back to Sicily. In the realm of chicken nuggets no one has anything on this little gem of a restaurant 😋 My husband had the steak and cheese smothered in caramelized onions. We shared the tater tots and I had to have a bite of one of their famous burgers too. The patty is tender, flavorful and unique. The cheese is real Wisconsin white cheddar and lots of it! I thought they mixed up the order because steamed real cheese looks like scrambled eggs. But no, it was heaps of tender cheesy goodness. He loved his steak and cheese sandwich too.This place is a 10 out of 10, no notes. The staff were polite and the service was fast 🏃‍♀️ I want to tell the world 🌎 I am a chef and my inner child just had the best chickie...