H Burger Co.'s revamped veggie burger is a winner

The last time we went seeking a decent veggie burger in this cowtown, we checked out Park Burger, whose house-made veggie burger is definitely a winner, particularly if you're looking for a traditional mustard-and-pickle setup. But if you work or live closer to downtown than to Englewood, or you'd like something a tad more adventurous, you can't go wrong with H Burger Co..

The deep black booths and white tables fill up quickly for mealtimes, and some brave souls were even enjoying the eatery's liquid-nitrogen milkshakes on this frigid lunch hour. While Johnny Cash and Roger Miller piped over the loudspeakers, escapees from nearby offices sat down to take a quick escape for lunch, loosening ties and dangling high heels off of toes (under the table, where no one could see). The staff is clearly used to the rush, bustling around and making sure each table is taken care of while diners trickle in and out the door.

This is a relatively new veggie burger; when H Burger Co. opened, it offered a burger made in a falafel-style (using ground chickpeas formed into a patty, presumably), but according to one of the servers we asked while eating in at lunch recently, it was an inconsistent burger, coming out with different texture and flavor each time. So they switched to the new Eden Burger, $8.95, described as a "special blend of squash and beans, bound with egg and grilled on the flat top, topped with sweet and spicy bok choy, red peppers and H|Greens." The version in the photo has a pepperjack cheese slice added and grilled asparagus with a balsamic reduction as a side in place of fries; it's not vegan (note it's bound with egg), but it's ridiculously tasty.

Another veggie option listed under sides (but that worked great as an appetizer) is the fried artichokes served with parmesan ranch sauce; the thick folds of artichoke battered and deep-fried probably aren't that good for you, but they taste fantastic.

There's also a basil portabello grilled sandwich on the menu for non-meat-eaters, and the tomato caprese grilled cheese -- featuring tomato, pesto, fontina, fresh mozzarella and balsamic reduction on grilled ciabatta bread -- is another good option for meat-free diners at H Burger Co.