Perched atop a steep hill in the small college town of West Lafayette sits Indiana’s oldest diner, Triple XXX. It’s a place you need to eat at before you graduate Purdue. It’s also the same diner Guy Fieri featured on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” so eating at the restaurant in and of itself makes it a special moment. I mean, who’s complaining about burgers?
The diner’s most famous item on the menu is inarguably The Duane Purvis All-American burger. It’s a 1/4th pound sirloin patty with melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and creamy peanut butter. That’s right. Peanut butter.
And for those of you who don’t know, Duane Purvis is an All-American running-back that played for the Purdue Boilermakers in 1932. His stunning athleticism has left a legendary mark both on the football field and in the Triple XXX Diner.
As a junior, I’ve noticed that a lot of students (including myself) are reluctant to try the burger because peanut butter seems like such an odd condiment to add to this American classic. But worry not, Boilermakers, for I have decided to sacrifice myself and give you all a review of the Duane Purvis burger. You know, for science.
The Entrance
As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by the scent of juicy patties sizzling away on the grill and the smiling welcome of two sweet waitresses. I was honestly a bit frazzled looking at the menu because breakfast-for-dinner sounded sooo good, but I knocked myself out of it and focused on my primary goal: successfully eating a burger with peanut butter.
After scavenging the menu, I ordered the fried mushrooms, the Duane Purvis burger, and the famous Triple XXX root beer to wash everything down.
Meeting the Legend
I was confused when I received my sandwich, because I couldn’t find the peanut butter. Moments before I almost flagged a waitress down, my eyes zoomed into the bottom bun. There was peanut butter slowly oozing out from the under the patty.
I’m someone who isn’t afraid of trying new things, but peanut butter and meat? It’s an unforeseen combination that I was a bit reluctant to eat. But because this article needed to be written, I went for it.
The First Bite
My first thought: Oh my god, this is so weird. What is HAPPENING.
My second thought: HOW IS THIS COMBO MAGICALLY WORKING?
After A Few More Bites
I’m a huge fan of peanut butter (especially of these Peanut Butter S’mores), and surprisingly enough, this sandwich worked. The sweet and savory aspect of the peanut butter just magically blended with the patty, cheese, and vegetables.
I was hooked.
The Last Bite
Wait, how am I almost finished? Pre-Duane-Purvis-Burger me would have shrouded in disbelief at the thought of being seconds away from finishing this sandwich.
It was almost as if I was eating toast with peanut butter, but with extra toppings on it. Kind of like if you made a grilled cheese sandwich but made it super fancy with extra ingredients.
The Results
To put it shortly, this sandwich was out of this WORLD. It was so interesting to eat a burger with peanut butter, and actually enjoy it. Paired perfectly with the root beer, the burger was finished right under five minutes. It was a bit greasy, but what do you expect from a diner?
I think that after my cholesterol levels go down, I’d be willing to come back to the diner and try it all over again. Maybe I’ll try something new, who knows? Bottom line—the Duane Purvis All-American burger was delicious.
Face your fears of odd food combinations and become pleasantly surprised, just like I did. One more item on my bucket list has officially been crossed off.
