Nathan Hula Big Burger

A good friend did some foodie recon and passed along word of an epic challenge in North Durham—a two-pound burger served up at Eno River Eatery off Roxboro Rd. Coined the "Nathan Hula Big Burger" after the original record holder, this gut check dares you to down a 2 lb. burger (coated with cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato), loaded fries, a small side of apples and a pickle in under 20 minutes. As the menu states, "if you can eat it all and beat the record, it's FREE!!!"—a lofty goal considering the meal will cost you $16.99 otherwise.

If you decide to take on this massive meat feast, prepare to wait at least half an hour while your burger is under construction—a perfect opportunity for you to prepare your game plan or do breathing exercises. Once the burger is ready, it is served up with appropriate fanfare to notify you and the entire restaurant that the challenge is on—waiters banging pots and pans surround you and place the beef tower and a timer on your table—the wait is over.

The burger is divided into four patties, so a natural strategy is to devour one layer at a time. The first bite will whet your appetite and make you think that anything is possible, but as you move to the second patty your pace will likely slow-down and swallowing may require effort. Both brave souls who attempted the challenge (one guy, one GWG) hit a wall at the half-way point (2 patties) and neither came anywhere close to beating the time limit. Even the most passionate beefeater will struggle with this one—the greasiness and density of the beef make for a formidable yet delectable opponent. The fries and apples are the easy part.

Even though no one won the challenge on this attempt, we did come away with enough leftovers for two additional meals! If anyone decides to try out this burger beast, make sure to let us know how you stack up. Even if you aren't up for the Hula, the Eno River Eatery feels like a nice place to frequent with fresh, tasty food and a friendly staff.