Fork in the Road: Rosedale Country Kitchen

ROSEDALE, Ind. (WTHI) - Whispers from the grapevine tipped ole food detective Mikey and his gang off about a place people are saying has one of the best burgers in the Valley.  Never willing to turn down a case, ole Mikey gladly accepted, starting the investigation in Rosedale, Ind.

He didn't know why the yellow sign drew him in--maybe a gut feeling, maybe it was Woody's deep love of lemons and Coldplay's "Yellow".  Regardless, he spotted it out from across the street, easily enough.

When he entered, a wave of wonderful aroma hit him like like a blanket, covering him and making him think of dinner at his mother's house: one of the best smells in the world.  When Mikey came to, he noticed the others going through a similar experience, because they all paused to admire the smell.  This was surely their first stop: Rosedale Country Kitchen.

The gang slipped in through the front door and into the kitchen.  It didn't take long for them to spot their suspect.  It was being tossed and rolled into a delicious mound of meat.

Interesting, Mikey noted.  The chef kept a convenient supply of meatloaf sized ground beef balls at the ready.  Was it for hand prepped, spice packing goodness?  Was this some secret chef method.  He couldn't be certain yet, but he felt he was getting closer to finding an answer.

The chef tossed the ball of beef on the flat-top grill.  The sizzling beef sounded like a choir of small food angels, shouting a joyful, beef-laden noise.  The chef applied a iron press to trap in the flavor.  The smoke wafting up from the cooking beef had every mouth watering: a great sign for the crew.

Gary, the bearded wonder, took down evidence for further review, while Mikey investigated the cooking methods; until...

Texas toast was pulled and lathered in butter, then precisely placed on the grill in rows.  Thicker bread has been used as a substitute before, Mikey thought, but what's this guy getting at?  What's his secret?

A tray of cheeses and vegetables that was set behind the chef, became more animated as the chef took cheese slices off two slices at a time, and turned back towards the grill.  A typical cheese burger on Texas toast.  Seems simple enough, Mikey thought.

To food detective Latta's surprise, the cheese never made it's typical journey to the meat for your standard melting job.  Oh no, it went right to the Texas toast slices, which were then stacked into a sandwich: a grilled cheese.  Well, well, well, this is an interesting twist, Mikey thought.

The grilled cheese sandwiches were removed from the grill, plated and decorated. 

As the combination of buttered and toasted bread and seasoned beef enveloped the gang's olfactory, Latta thought about a grilled cheeseburger, and how wonderful it was going to taste, but he remembered that he can't let his emotions take over.  He's got to solve the case of the best burger in the valley.

After the beef was done, the chef threw a curveball into any conventional burger crafting practice. 

The perfectly cooked beef was layered on top of one grill cheese, then topped by another grilled cheese.  It was a combination that shocked the gang at first; but, after a short while, they opened their maws ready to chow down on this beautiful burger concoction.

Was this wonderful double grilled cheese sandwich burger enough evidence for food detective Latta and his posse of "Professional Eaters" to close the case of the best burger in the Wabash Valley?  Only time, and the taste two other of the Valley's best will tell.