I interrupt my scheduled posting related to the Ramones (and sincerely apologize to all of you expecting it today, especially Maxime) to introduce you to Rick from Olympia, Washington, owner of what is undoubtedly the best burger joint in all of France! Yes, Ella and I have found the cheeseburger we hoped to find in Nantes, meaning we now know exactly where to go when we’ve got a hankering for a burger! Stop the presses!

Rick and his French wife, Sidonie, lived in the US for 15 years until they couldn’t stand to hear George W. Bush’s voice any longer. So they came to Sidonie’s home country, settled in Nantes and opened up an American burger joint. I found it a few weeks ago on one of my many walks and last night made plans with Ella to go today. For Washingtonians like ourselves, it was the perfect day. Yup, it was raining and felt just like Seattle. Arriving at what Rick and Sidonie call “The Burger House” (the store colors are even purple & yellow – quite UW-like; click on the name to see a navigable street view, courtesy of Google), we heard The Doors song “Hello, I Love You” playing. I approached the counter and began speaking (read: trying to speak) in French. Sidonie responded, “You can speak English here.”

Taking our seats, we reviewed the menu. I ordered a Route 66 Burger (delicious!) and Ella ordered the obligatory bacon-cheese, complemented with an Oreo milkshake. I added a beer to my lunch and we both had wonderful fries. Having heard my fumbled French and recognizing a fellow American, Rick brought the food to the table himself, chatting and posing for this photo. When I told him I graduated from The Evergreen State College he exclaimed, “A Greener!”

Count this as the second of the things on my Top 5 list of experiences I want to have in Nantes, taking in an FC Nantes game being the other completed. I know visiting the Hippodrome with my father is another. The 4th & 5th, I’m not yet sure.

For further context of Ella’s and my cheeseburger search, I refer you to these past blog posts:
Day 22, Day 35, Day 48, Day 53, Day 67