Throughout my childhood and into my teen years, I remember my dad, whenever he would order a burger, asking to have it “through the garden.” However, I only associate that particular order with two restaurants, long defunct. One was O’Henry’s on Triplett Street just before the 18th Street intersection. The other was Cornell’s on New Hartford Road, just down from the 27th Street intersection.
Hamburger Through the Garden
For starters, those amazing old restaurants were known for, among many other things, their amazing hamburgers. They had the ones with those thin, crispy edges.
The seating at O’Henry’s was mostly in booths, and there were mini-jukeboxes at each one. There was also a long bar, although it didn’t serve alcohol. Cornell’s was more of a family-style after-church restaurant; it was packed on Sundays.
Oddly enough, I don’t remember visiting The Big Dipper when I was young nearly as much as I have in adulthood. I don’t know why that is, but the Dipper is the only place I’ve ever been that actually has “through the garden” on the menu.
My guess is that this is where Dad began ordering hamburgers that way and just carried that phraseology with him elsewhere. Honestly, O’Henry’s and Cornell’s jump out in my mind, but I can’t hear him ordering it now, and I’m thinking it happened a lot.
What Does ‘Through the Garden’ Mean?
If you’re wondering, “through the garden” means you want your burger with mayonnaise, pickles, onion, lettuce, and tomato. In other parts of the country, folks say “dragged through the garden.” The Weathered Grey Table also shares with us those synonymous phrases that are equally (if not more so) in common like “with everything” and “deluxe.”…