Burgers Go Gourmet on Armitage

Okay, so I fibbed...I didn't get my posts done when I said I would.  Forgive me?  This post is worth reading, I promise!

There's a fairly new burger shop down on Armitage in Lincoln Park that's garnering all sorts of attention from food bloggers and magazines (hello, Men's Health Manliest Burger Place in America!).  Let me take you to Butcher and the Burger.

It's on the corner of Armitage and Kenmore, and it's not a big space.  I have to be honest.  But it is so cool.  So cool.

Here's how it works:

1. Pick your meat blend (I know! Amazing! They have beef, turkey, and if I remember correctly, some gamey stuff like elk and bison.)
2. Pick your seasoning blend (You get to choose?!?)
3. Pick your bun (Pretzel! Split-top egg! Just lettuce! Just lettuce? Why on earth would I want to do that when they have pretzel buns??)
4. Pick your cheese (Read carefully: They do not charge you extra for getting blue cheese or goat cheese as opposed to, say, a nice cheddar. To the person that came up with this idea: High five. And you deserve a hug...or a medal.)
5. Pick your other toppings (Extra charge for certain stuff, but the griddled mushrooms I had were well worth it.)
6. Sit down and wait for them to call your name.
7. Receive your Hulk-sized burger, served on a wooden cutting board (If you like it, you can buy one!)
8. Drool (Hey, watch it, you...you're just embarrassing yourself.)
9. Eat.  Don't hesitate, just get in there. Though you may need a steak knife to make that burger cooperate (Let it know who's boss!)

Here's the Amateur Foodie's order:

AF's burger...so very delicious!

Prime blend, simple seasoning (Salt & pepper only), pretzel bun, blue cheese, griddled mushrooms.  The only thing that might have improved on this slightly would've been some steak sauce.  But that's just me...

My mom got the steakhouse seasoning, and it was also delicious, probably a little more delicious than my S&P burger...but I did that for a reason.  I wanted to see if I loved the burger without frills (okay, blue cheese and mushrooms are frills...gimme a break!).  And I did.  The meat was good enough to stand alone, without any garlic-powder-paprika-über-flavorful accoutrements.  But I'm getting the steakhouse seasoning next time.

My mom, dad, and I ordered a large fry to split between the three of us...

Oh my lord, there were so many fries!

This picture does the fries and truffle mayo no justice.  It was a mountain. A delicious fried mountain.

Unless you're planning on splitting the fries between eight or so people, you probably don't need to order a large.  But hey, I'm not judging.  They're golden and crispy, not over-salted, not too greasy.  They're seasoned perfectly for going with some sort of condiment...

We ordered a very, very special condiment for our fries: truffle mayo.  Now, usually I'm not a big mayonnaise person.  And mayo with fries?  Eh.  But this?  Oh, was it good...Savory and complex, creamy and yet not too heavy.  At least it didn't seem heavy.  Plus it has truffle in it.  Tell me you can say no to that, I dare you.

Nothing like dipping your deep-fat-fried 'tater sticks in a bowl of more fatty deliciousness...Just be judicious.  Eat the mayo in moderation.  But please eat it at least once, I beg of you.

Coca-Cola de México

And to cap off my calorie-bomb meal (my own doing...felt like I had to go to the gym afterwards, but quite frankly, I was too full to move), I had a bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola, the kind made with sugarcane that comes in a snazzy glass bottle.  You'd think that since it's made with real sugarcane it would be super sweet, but it isn't.  It's refreshing, plus it doesn't make your teeth feel like they're rotting.  It isn't easy to find at restaurants, and Butcher and the Burger seems like the perfect spot to enjoy it.

The whole place feels like a throwback, with lots of butcher-block counter tops, industrial-feeling hardware on the stools that cleverly fold under the long counter, and boxes of beignet mix on old-looking shelves throughout the dining space.  I couldn't possibly have seen all the cool little touches inside the restaurant.  My mom pointed out an old clock waaay up high, near the ceiling.  I should've snapped a photo...I think it was from an airport?

Expect to pay a little extra for your burger than you would at, say, a SmashBurger or a Five Guys.  There's a reason for that.  Custom-blended meat, old-fashioned style, and the ability to customize to your own specifications, maybe more than at any other Build-a-Burger joint in existence today.

~AF

(**Look for my post about Rick Bayless's torta shop, Xoco, over the next few days...and don't forget to look for your favorite foodie on Twitter! @KaitlynKesler1**)