Taste – The “Beast Burger” Challenge
By David Walton | Photos by Evermore Photo Co.
The style of the best local restaurants is often the culmination of an owner’s experiences. Such was the case for Brett and Leslie McCullough. Before starting Brett’s Casual American restaurant in February 2007 in Athens, the McCulloughs operated restaurants throughout Texas, New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., Albuquerque, N.M., Phoenix, Ariz., and Denver, Colo. The McCulloughs drew upon their restaurant experiences in these regions to craft food flavors which became their menu, along with a casual environment.
In 2007, the timing was good business-wise for getting the space, but it was not ideal personally as Leslie was eight months pregnant. They also opened right before a financial market downturn, which created challenges when starting a restaurant.
But even with those challenges, the McCulloughs were able to create a friendly environment with good eats. The burgers — prepared with custom seasonings along with high-quality fresh ingredients — are very popular. They also offer tacos, shrimp and fish and their salad dressings are homemade, with the Asian Chicken Salad’s sesame ginger dressing being a crowd favorite. Anything on the menu can be made gluten-free, for example, sandwiches can be made on romaine leaf “buns”, and tacos on lettuce “buns” or corn tortillas.
One unique aspect of the restaurant is the “Beast Burger” challenge — a major differentiator for Brett’s Casual American! The original challenge included a 3-pound burger patty, 1-pound of cheese, a large 12-inch bun, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The finished product was about six pounds of food! Once 10 people had successfully completed it, another pound of ground beef plus fries were added. Customers have 45 minutes to complete the meal, and three people have gone the distance — all professional “food challengers”, including one young lady who finished in roughly 11 minutes.
As for community involvement, the team at Brett’s believes that being an active part of their community is important. They have been involved in hundreds of events over the years, but their long-time support is to Mercy Medical Center, providing medical services to the underserved population.
Along with supporting the community, Brett’s Casual American is an inviting place for customers, like the memorable 102-year-old “regular” whom Brett mentioned. She was as sharp as a tack, and stated every visit, “This is the best hamburger I’ve ever had in my life!” He always took that as a great compliment, figuring she had a few over her time! Stop by Brett’s and give a burger a try. You can find them at 3190 Atlanta Hwy. in Athens or visit brettscasualamerican.com.
