German Hamburgers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground sirloin
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 c. milk
- 1 c. sauerkraut, drained
- 5 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted and buttered
Instructions
- Shape meat into four thick patties, the size to fit sesame seed buns. Broil meat patties.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Blend in flour; stir until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat: stir in milk. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil for a minute. Add salt, sauerkraut, and crumbled bacon to the sauce, reserving some bacon for garnish.
- Serve hamburgers open face on buns with about ½-inch of creamed sauerkraut topping. Sprinkle remaining bacon and parmesan cheese on top.
About the White House
Location:
Golden Valley, Minnesota
Status:
Permanently closed
Dates active:
1954-1983
In early 1960, Irv Schectman stopped into the White House restaurant for takeout and learned from his friend and owner Mike Troup, that the restaurant was for sale. Within a few weeks, Irv left the carpet business owned with his wife and bought the White House for around $500,000.
There had been restaurants on the site since 1919. In the 1940s, it was a dinner and dancing hotspot that boasted the longest dance floor in the great northwest. It was already named the White House when Troup purchased it in 1954 and introduced Cantonese fare to the menu of American classics.
Under Irv’s ownership, the White House developed a reputation for excellent Cantonese and American food and a fun atmosphere, with nationally-recognized jazz bands and lesser-known artists from Brazil playing the Bamboo Room.
In 1969, Irv took the restaurant in a new direction, remodeling the interior with antique furniture, and collectible art. The main dining room became known as the San Francisco room and the Bamboo Room was renamed the Nob Hill Room, which hosted local musical acts on weekends.
Irv’s new passion was authentic northern Italian food, so he added tomato-less dishes like those found in the northern region of Italy to the menu. He formed the Midwest chapter of La Societa dell’Elegante Pranzare Italiano, or the Society for Elegant Italian Dining.
La Societa dell’Elegante Pranzare Italiano originally started around the turn of the 19th century by northern Italian immigrants. For around $10 per person, a select group of diners enjoyed an authentic six-course Italian meal with three wines at the White House. Irv planned the meal for 60 members and had it prepared by his chef on the first Monday night of the month. He continued the tradition for 11 years, never once serving the same meal.
After more than 20 years, Irv retired and sold the White House in 1983. The White House served its last meal on January 15, 1983. The new owners opened a new Chinese restaurant that went under within a couple of years. The building was demolished in 1991. Irv moved to California and eventually settled near Palm Springs, where he lived until he died in 2003.
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