Jingle Bell Run and R.F. O'Sullivan's

So you know it's the winter holiday season when the Jingle Bell Run happens.  We were fortunate that the weather was about 20 degrees warmer than last year...thank goodness for small favors.  Dressed in our holiday best, which includes colorful socks and a bell necklace that gets a bit tiresome by the end of the 5K, Nick and I completed the run with some respectable times, and then went in search of some of the free Harpoon that comes with finishing the race!

Ready to Run!

Of course, everyone else running the race is looking for the same types of bars so those in Davis Square fill up quickly.  In search of places with no lines, we joined our friends, jumped on the T, and eventually found ourselves at R.F. O'Sullivan and Sons, known far and wide for their burgers.  Naturally, I was sold on this stop.  Burgers and beer after a race - what more do you need in life?  Fortunately there was not a crowd of runners in sight, so we grabbed some seats at the bar and the bartender was quick to take our orders and get some beer in our bellys!

How am I supposed to eat this?!

Known for their burgers, R.F. O'Sullivan's has over 28 options (!) on their menu and some specials on top of that.  So, when one in our group was debating on whether she should order a burger, I simply replied with a raised eyebrow - no more comments were necessary.  I went with the Bourson Burger, which is a half pound sirloin burger topped with their own homemade Bourson cheese.

When the burgers were served, they were massive!  The top of the burger bun seems to be teetering on top of all the goodness, and you know you just have to cut it in half and dive in.  I always order meat medium rare, mostly because I love it, but it started because generally when you order medium rare, even if its sits for a bit you will at least get medium.  Never fear here, though: each burger came out perfectly cooked to each of our likings.

Thats Medium Rare

The burger was tender, juicy and delicious.  It was totally messy, but with the meat as tasty as it was on this burger I hardly cared if anyone was watching me.  That, and everyone else was devouring their burgers too.

I went with the half and half for the side order, meaning fries AND rings; the best of both worlds in my opinion as I always have trouble deciding.  The fries that come with the burger are those big delicious steak fries that are hard to come by these days.  The rings were crispy and a great contrast to the steak fries - definitely go half and half.  One of the best parts of this burger - the whole plate was less than $10!

Half and Half - Fries and Onion Rings

There is a reason that R.F. O'Sullivan's comes up in every "best burger" list.  While it's a bit off of Porter Square, the burgers and the atmosphere are totally worth it.  I highly recommend stopping by and indulging.