Since I have been posting periodically about burger joints in the Cincinnati area, it’s a good time to mention a distinctive burger offering at a Mount Airy diner more famous for a different sandwich: Snappy Lunch.
When most speak of Snappy Lunch, they mention “the world famous pork chop sandwich.” But Snappy also has an unusual burger which in some parts of the deep South would be called a slug burger.
During the Great Depression, access to ground beef was not always constant nor affordable. As a way to “stretch” the meat further, fillers were added. usually in the form of stale bread. The unappetizing name of “slug burger” was reportedly actually a reference that you could buy one for just a slug, a nickname at the time for a nickel.
While it may have been born of desperation, it actually resulted in an interesting sandwich. The added bread soaks up extra griddle grease and results in a crisper exterior to the patty. The burgers are believed to have originated in Mississippi but quickly spread, though today you do not see them offered all that often. The term slug burger did not spread like the recipe so that term is not one you will hear at Snappy Lunch.
At Snappy Lunch, when you order a burger you have to indicate whether you want a “breaded hamburger” or an “all-meat hamburger.” They do not use stale bread as the filler, instead using crumbled biscuits. While the pork chop sandwich is what the restaurant is known for, be adventurous on your next visit and try a breaded burger. With Snappy Lunch’s more-than-reasonable prices (the last time I was there a burger was $2.05!), it’s certainly not a big gamble and you will have had a burger not found in many restaurants any longer.
You CAN NOT beat their breaded hamburgers. Always get me 2 breaded burgers and a pork chop.