The Hamburger Express has flavor as big as the sign

The sense of smell is tightly linked to memory. A quick Google search confirms that our olfactory nerve that lets us process smell lies close to our hippocampus, that part of our brain that is most important to storing memories. It even has a name: the Proust Effect. That is why a whiff of cotton candy can take us back to our childhood hometown fair and stir memories of laughter, whooshing air through our hair from almost violent rides and the noise of a crowd and jangling electronic bells. The faintest hint of perfume or cologne can bring to mind the person we knew who wore it, even if they've been gone for decades. Memory is a powerful thing, and smell is undeniably linked to memory in our brain cells.

Also tied tightly to smell is taste, and indeed, there have been studies exploring this phenomenon. Many of us would give much to taste a beloved relative's signature dish one more time. There are still a couple dishes from restaurants decades gone that I miss and remember with a sad wistfulness. When taste is tied to a memory it is called a gustatory memory, and they can be powerful things.

One of the tastes closely linked to my early 20s was a burger from Hamburger Express. I had never been and my cousin-in-law insisted that we make the journey to Cape and get one. It was late at night, and we were carefree enough to hop in the car and go on his whim. Still located at 902 William St., there was nothing else lit up in that part of town at that time of night. The giant hamburger sign was lit like a promise of comfort from above. The burger, 20 years ago, was decent. I remember thinking it was much better than chain fast food and a little bit cheaper, and I remember wishing it was closer to home. I had a pretty solid gustatory memory of that night and the first time that I tasted a burger from Hamburger Express.

Catfish Strips from Hamburger Express, crispy and full of flavor.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

Fast forward to the present day. It is because of the solidity of my memory that I can say, with no reservation, that the Hamburger Express burger I tried yesterday was leaps and bounds better than what I had 20 years ago. My gustatory memory either failed me, or Hamburger Express is just plain doing it better. After my recent trip, I unwrapped the bacon double cheeseburger and looked at it for a moment. This is a moment of truth for me, because after being in a bag for 20 minutes, burgers aren't pretty (which is why is I try to eat food where I ordered it, not an option at Hamburger Express). But this burger was beautiful. None of the toppings were spilling off of the side, the burger patties were the exact same size as the bun, the lettuce was fresh and crinkly, the tomato was sliced just right, the bun wasn't squashed. It was almost advertisement worthy. It tasted pretty wonderful, too, with a good seasoning, a balance of toppings that hit the not-too-much-not-too-little sweet spot, and a Golden Mean cheese to bacon to burger to bun ratio. It was a very good burger.

I had done my research beforehand, and many people spoke with enthusiasm about Hamburger Express' fish. Huh? Fish at a burger place intrigued me, so I ordered some of that, too, just so I could do my due diligence, of course. The Catfish Strips came with two sides and a soda, so I got hush puppies and coleslaw so I could stay traditional. Ya'll, this fish was good. Moist, flaky, crispy, with a breading that was well seasoned, the value is good at today's prices, and I enjoyed the fish. Once again, the Internet people were right.

On my next visit, I intend to evaluate the malt there. I'm still in search of the perfect malt that matches my gustatory memory of the malt shoppe I visited in Michigan before I was a decade old, and maybe Hamburger Express can take me back to those times.

Unlike when I was younger, Hamburger Express is no longer open late into the night. I believe they close most nights at 7, so check the hours before you venture forth. Look for the giant burger sign, you really can't miss it.