Eureka chef selling 200 every day

What a difference an $8.95 burger can make.

Following a week of publicity, James Monroe, chef behind the nationally famous Bubba Burger, has been making multiple trips to the grocery store each day to keep his Eureka restaurant and store, The Cutting Board, stocked with sausage and shrimp.

"I'm usually prepared for everything, but in Eureka we don't get shipments every day," Monroe said. "I went to the store four times [Monday]."

The burger, which is topped with spicy Cajun sausage, jumbo shrimp, chipotle sauce and cheddar cheese, was declared best burger in the Ultimate Hometown Grill Off on ABC's "Live! with Regis and Kelly."

Monroe and his wife, Marsha, flew to New York City last week to appear on the show Friday and prepare the burger. Monroe said that he has been asked what being on TV was like, to which he replies that it was just working, just doing his job.

There have been some noticeable changes at his business, however.

"I've sat down with people at tables, to take pictures," he said. "People take pictures of me working on their cell phones. There's been finger-pointing."

And then there's the fact that Monroe has been selling an average of 100 burgers at lunch - and the same number at dinner.

The huckleberry shakes and strawberry lemonade are quite popular, too. Monroe joked that his waitresses have been getting more phone numbers written on receipts.

Monroe said that many of his customers said they have only passed through Eureka before but now have found a reason to stop.

The Monroes opened The Cutting Board in October 2008. In addition to serving food, the store offers spices and barbecue supplies, as well as hand-crafted hardwood cutting boards.

"My wife and I started this [business' in October. There was a couple of months there we didn't think we'd make it," Monroe said. "We were hanging on by our fingernails."

Following the national attention for his burger, which he invented with leftovers he threw together one night just to fill his empty stomach, business has been booming, he said.

"This has been a great experience for all of us."

Reporter K.J. Hascall may be reached at 758-4439 or by e-mail at kjhascall@dailyinterlake.com