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Burger Mama's coney hot dog + Enlarge

There a few choices mankind must never be forced to make, and choosing between progress and hamburgers is one of them. I mean, new development is all well and good, but what is a hungry lunch-seeker to do when that construction comes at the cost of an established burger joint that must be torn down to accommodate this brave new world?

Rejoice that it had moved east, that’s what. Such is the case for Burger Mama’s, which has abandoned its Kanis Road location to make way for a new building and set up shop on Cantrell Road in a shopping center space that previously hosted Eastern Flames restaurant and a Quiznos sub shop before that.

As far as visibility goes, it’s hard to argue the move is anything but an upgrade. Granted, the crossing of Kanis and Shackleford roads sure gets its fair share of motorists these days, but Cantrell Road between Mississippi Street and Interstate 430 isn’t exactly deserted, as anyone trying to turn left out of the new location will soon realize. It ain’t easy, and neither is parking for that matter, thanks to shared, narrow spaces with other business in the strip mall.

But those slight inconveniences aside, the new digs do offer a lot to brag about for Burger Mama’s. The single, open dining room has no lack for tables to seat anywhere from singles to groups, curiously opting to add chairs to its booths by default for any easy option to seat five. Just don’t plop down too hard in those booths. The padding is, well, not all that receptive. Then again, you could just belly up to the full bar, because there totally is one. In a burger joint. That’s a moderately rare but entirely welcome combo, especially if you’re lucky enough to be in a line of work that accepts that sort of thing at lunch.

Given the alcoholic presence on premises, there’s sort of an odd clash to note when it comes to décor. There is an abundance of the usual barroom signs advertising beers of various sort — Miller Lite, Bud Light and so on — and hanging right next to them are more wholesome images typical of the retro theme so commonly used in burger joints: a Wizard of Oz poster, for instance. Bridging the two is a tribute to the Beatles, post Sgt. Pepper era. Clearly most visible, though, are the restaurant’s signs from the old location, with name and phone number, that now serve as backdrops to the bar.

The menu, on the other hand, shows no sign of any clashing ideologies. It’s a pretty straightforward presentation of a few basic sections all with assorted options. There are appetizers, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, chicken and salads on the first two pages, with the back page devoted to fish and shrimp. Here, too, are where the sides are listed — and that’s important, because the main dishes themselves don’t come with sides. You want a burger, be prepared to pay extra for fries.

As for that diversity, the amount you’ll find largely depends on what you’re looking at. Burgers, for example, are either beef or turkey, and come as singles, doubles or triples. There are options to add things like cheese, bacon and onions, but don’t expect any elaborate house creations with exotic additions to crowd things up. There aren’t any. The sandwiches, on the other hand, run from standards like ham and cheese, or BLT to more rare finds like a pork chop (grilled or fried) and the little more common chicken fried steak. Here is also where the chicken sandwich is located, as the actual chicken section is devoted to wings (with four flavor options) and tenders. Salads come large or small; fish and shrimp come together or separate.

No, it’s not too fancy or overly complicated. And that’s fine, because that’s not what most people are looking for in a burger joint, even if the new location lacks some of the rustic nostalgia of the old. It’s still quality, and — most importantly — it’s still there, meaning we’re saved from making at least one hard choice for now.

THE DISH: OUR REVIEW

Double burger ($5.45) with bacon ($1.50) and cheese ($0.60): On first sight there’s no doubt that the establishment’s commitment to hand patted (not painted, as I first read it) patties is true. What the slogan doesn’t tell you is how big these monsters are. Don’t think fast food, where the double is really a single. This is a true double burger, well grilled though a touch on the dry side. And the added bacon follows suit. While the price is a touch steep, you do get what you pay for while full strips of just-grilled bacon all pile up and make the burger even more towery. In short, come hungry; leave happy. (sw)

French fries ($1.99): I note these separately because, to my surprise, they are not included with the burger. Not even as an upgrade option from something else like chips. And for $2, I expected a little more than what would be called a standard side of fries anywhere else. Crinkle cut, slightly salted and generally all around average, it’s hard to say they stand out enough to be worth the extra expense — but even harder to have a burger without some fries. (sw)

Coney hot dog ($5.49): This footlong coney dog came topped with meaty, beanless chili and creamy slaw. The slaw didn’t look to be house made, but the chili probably was. The bun was filled with two hot dogs, placed end-to-end, and the dogs weren’t overly thick but seemed to be of a fair quality. They seemed to be charred a bit before their placement in the bun, which added an extra layer of flavor. Overall, the dog was not the best in town, but fairly good nonetheless. (mt)

Sweet potato fries ($2.99): These fries couldn’t be more standard if they tried. They were of the crinkle cut variety, which meant they couldn’t possibly be made in house. I mean, what kitchen has a crinkle cutter, am I right? Plus, they were just begging for some sort of spice companion. The crinkle cut by design supplies endless nooks and crannies for holding a sugar and cinnamon mix, a season salt mix or maybe a side of honey dip. I had half a mind to dip them in ketchup just to keep them from being so lonely, but didn’t. (mt)

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RESTAURANT INFO:

LOCATION: 7710 Cantrell Road, Little Rock

PHONE: (501) 225-2495

DINING HOURS: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday

PRICES: $4.45-$10.99

ALCOHOL: Full bar

IN A NUTSHELL: Burger Mama’s recently made the move from the corner of Kanis and Shackleford roads — a location that will become a doughnut chain — and landed up in a strip center on Cantrell Road that used to house Eastern Flames and a Quiznos, not simultaneously. The burgers are big and freshly made, and the fries are decent. Burger Mama’s also sports a full bar, which is kind of a rarity.