Results show some should explore Bloomington further

Burger King placed second in the hamburger category for the IDS Weekend's Best of Bloomington reader's poll. Burger King. I just can't comprehend how anyone can think a Burger King hamburger tickles the tastebuds more than a Nick's, Bear's or Opie Taylor's burger. The Whopper doesn't even deserve to beat Rally's or Wendy's in this category, let alone my favorite Nick's burger.\nThe choices made by many readers in this poll are proof many students don't take advantage of the variety Bloomington offers. This poll was conducted to see who is the best of Bloomington, but the results show many people haven't chosen to experience this city.\nPlenty just stick to what they knew before coming to IU by voting for Starbucks, Chili's or Texas Roadhouse. Great restaurants aren't always built on the busiest street corner where they catch the eye of every passerby with their bright lights and fancy marquees. They also aren't defined by onion blossoms, cleverly named drinks or chocolate mountain deserts.\nTake Janko's Little Zagreb's for instance. Janko's is nestled on a corner between Fifth and Sixth Street where it's hard to even find the turn. The old building is painted in red and looks like an abandoned general store or warehouse -- not a restaurant. The sign is painted on the window with white letters. The tables are smashed closely together, covered with red and white country checkered table cloths. The appetizers aren't fancy, and the restaurant looks like a cheap cafe, but the steaks are thick, juicy and probably the best I've ever had.\nLittle Zagreb's chalked up many votes in this poll, and deservingly so. It's a good example of a restaurant whose food, not atmosphere and location, makes a name for the business. A few other restaurants accomplish this too, but most are left off the list.\nThe Best Band category also shows need for musical diversity. Rock/punk/ska band Johnny Socko finished fifth in the category, with cover bands like Dave and Rae and Mike and Joe ranking higher. Socko used to pack the Bluebird like no other band has in recent years. The crowd pushed toward the stage singing along with the band's original music just as loud as almost any cover song. Socko puts on a high-energy show, dancing and running around the stage more than any other band in Bloomington, but still barely made the top five. \nThough some votes showed readers' Bloomington virginity, others showed a good sense of humor. In the category for Best Place to Go for Comedy, one reader voted for Memorial Stadium on a Saturday afternoon, while two readers voted for Night Moves. One reader, in the category for Best Place to Make Out, voted for "Myles Brand's porch," while a couple others voted for "Your mom's bedroom" and "My dorm room." Some students said the best place to spend their paycheck is at their drug dealers or at the IU bursar, while in the category of Best IU Tradition one student listed skinny dipping in Showalter Fountain.\nSome readers were confused about the awards. They were called the Best of Bloomington Student Choice Awards, not the Best of Indianapolis Student Choice Awards or Best of Chicago Student Choice Awards. \nHopefully, people will read these awards and find new ideas of where to eat or who to go see play on the weekend. Bloomington offers a great variety of food and activities. It would be a shame if IU students didn't take advantage of the opportunities available during their four year stay.