The Votes Are Cast And The Winner Is..... Mile High Burger Gets New Moniker At John Howie Steak

Who would have guessed that a contest inspired by a threatened lawsuit over a hamburger's name would inspire an outpouring of entries spanning 24 states and two countries? When Executive Chef Mark Hipkiss of John Howie Steak restaurant named his new creation the "Triple By-Pass", in homage to the gargantuan sandwich's contents (12-ounce prime chuck burger, tempura fried Kurobuta bacon and onion rings between two grilled cheese sandwiches oozing with Tillamook cheddar and Swiss cheese), little did he know that "The Heart Attack Grill" in Arizona owned that name. Conferring with proprietor John Howie, there just didn't seem to be another name that fit quite so aptly, so they decided to appeal to the public for help in the form of a contest. By the time the midnight, October 31st contest cut-off arrived, over 4,000 entries had been received.

So who had names to toss into the hat? Ideas came pouring in from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington. Voters from Canada and Australia also weighed in.

The winning handle is a play on Chef Hipkiss' name as well as a great descriptor for the burger, which will appear on the John Howie Steak lunch menu, effective immediately. The "Kiss Your Hips Goodbye" burger comes complete with an abundant order of crispy fries and winner Adam Reubens will be enjoying a party for 6, which will include 6 of the above named hamburgers and 6 pints of John Howie Steak Amber Ale.

Just a final word on "the burger"...a 16-year-old boy recently came in with his family, specifically to celebrate his birthday with the now legendary sandwich. He took half home ("the burger" wins again!).

John Howie Steak is located in The Shops at The Bravern, 11111 N.E. 8th Street, Suite 125, Bellevue, Washington 98004. Hours are: Monday - Thursday from 11:00 am - 10:00 pm; Friday 11:00 am - 11:00 pm; Saturday 5:00 - 11:00 pm; and Sunday 5:00 - 9:00 pm with Happy Hour on Monday - Friday, 3 - 6 pm. Valet service or validated self parking is available in The Shops at The Bravern parking garage. For reservations or information call (425) 440-0880.