A twist on an American staple
International Burgers offering themed burgers from different countries
The Lehigh Valley has long been a refuge for burger buffs, with popular restaurants such as The Beef Baron in Bethlehem, The Burgery Company in Emmaus, The Burger Shack in Whitehall Township and Bell Hall and Wert’s Cafe in Allentown dishing out a multitude of mouthwatering creations.
The latest area eatery to satisfy carnivorous appetites is International Burgers by Sazon Dominicano in Catasauqua.
The 20-seat restaurant, which opened about a month ago at 129 Bridge St., offers made-to-order, themed burgers coinciding with different countries, chef and operator Jose Perez said.
For example, the Italian burger features tomato sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese; and the Mexican burger features pico de gallo, tortilla chips and spicy mayonnaise.
The business is an offshoot of Perez’s father’s restaurant, Sazon Dominicano, a popular Dominican restaurant that moved this summer from the same 129 Bridge St. spot to a larger space less than a block away at 215 Bridge St. (the former Bridge Street Family Restaurant).
“Jose used to have a food truck of the same name, International Burgers, in Puerto Rico before moving to the United States about a year ago,” said Robinson Perez, Jose’s father and owner of Sazon Dominicano. “I suggested that he come join me in Catasauqua, operating the same concept here. It’s a great spot with great visibility.”
In addition to the Italian and Mexican burgers, other popular varieties include a Dominican (featuring Dominican salami and Dominican fried cheese), Spanish (including pulled pork and barbecue sauce) and Venezuelan (with avocado, bacon and egg).
With the exception of the French (featuring chicken filet) and Japanese (featuring breaded mero fish) selections, all of the burgers feature 6-ounce beef patties. Pricing ranges from $6 to $8 for burgers only and $9 to $11 for
burger and fry combos.
Other menu highlights include chicken wings, Cuban sandwiches, empanadas, Puerto Rican-style hot dogs, loaded fries (with bacon, cheese, ham and more) and various tacos, including chicken, pork, steak and fish.
“Some of the ingredients are made right up the road at Sazon Dominicano,” Robinson said. “For example, the pulled pork is made at my restaurant, the stuffing for the empanadas is made at my restaurant, and the chicken is seasoned at my restaurant. So customers will find some familiar flavors between the two restaurants, but we’re definitely not stepping on each other’s toes.”
International Burgers, featuring new flooring, kitchen equipment and a colorful facade, is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Takeout and outdoor seating are available. Info: 610-443-0239.
More burger buzz
Speaking of burgers, Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group, operating 21 Red Robin restaurants in eastern and central Pennsylvania, including four in the Lehigh Valley, a few weeks ago launched the chain’s first food truck, which has already become a staple at local businesses such as Yergey Brewing in Emmaus and events such as Food Truck Thursdays at the South Mall in Salisbury Township.
Customers of the truck order from a condensed version of Red Robin’s regular menu, featuring popular items such as the Whiskey River BBQ burger, teriyaki chicken sandwich and boneless wings.
“[The truck] could be booked for private events, corporate events, birthday parties, weddings, rehearsal dinners, bachelor parties and team-building events,” said Mike Axiotis, president and CEO of Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group.
Burgers, starting at $11.99 and served with steak fries, include popular selections such as the bacon cheeseburger, Banzai burger and veggie burger.
Other menu highlights include 3 Clucks (chicken tenders) with steak fries and Freckled lemonade (blend of Minute Maid lemonade and strawberries).
Once COVID-19 restrictions relating to large-scale events are lifted, Axiotis also plans to bring the truck to regional festivals such as the Allentown Fair, Bloomsburg Fair and Musikfest.
To stay up-to-date on the
Red Robin food truck’s upcoming stops, follow the business’ Facebook page, facebook.com/ RRPAFoodTruck.
More foodie finds
Burger businesses aren’t the only ones making moves these days. A couple of other restaurants have also debuted in recent weeks:
First, Kitchen of Carib, offering Caribbean and American soul food cuisine, opened a few weeks ago at 558 Broadway in south Bethlehem.
The 10-seat restaurant offers dinners (starting at $9) such as brown stew chicken, curry goat, steamed red snapper, honey jerk chicken, jerk pork and oxtail; such sides as collard greens, corn bread, fried plantains, potato salad and French fries; and seafood selections like fried whiting, fried jumbo shrimp and seafood platters (three whiting and seven shrimp with fries or salad).
“We cater to the community,” owner Otha Smallwood said. “So we have Caribbean food along with a variety of other dishes, including Southern staples such as fried chicken and macaroni and cheese.”
Other menu highlights include chicken wings, available plain or with your choice of five sauces; soups and sandwiches such as beef patties, chicken soup and chicken and waffle sandwiches; and such desserts as carrot cake, coconut
cake and traditional Caribbean “bun and cheese.”
Smallwood renovated the space, adding new counters, wall paint and more to the former Sabor Dominicano restaurant. Info: 610-419-1462; kitchenofcarib.com.
Second, Hot Plate Southern Kitchen, offering honey-dipped fried chicken, Cajun shrimp and other Southern fare, on Thursday held a soft opening of its second location at 163-165 Main St. in Phillipsburg.
The full-service restaurant supplements the business’ other area location, which opened in March at 37 S. Ninth St. in downtown Allentown.
Hot Plate favorites include “soul bites” (75 cents to $12) such as deep-fried cauliflower, salmon croquettes and mac and cheese soul rolls; main dishes (starting at $13.75 and including
two sides) like barbecue pork ribs, smothered turkey wings and stewed oxtails; seafood selections (starting at $13.75 and including two sides) such as Cajun snow crab legs, barbecue salmon and deep-fried lobster tails with Cajun shrimp; and such sides ($3-$5.75) as fried sweet plantains, sauteed string beans and yellow rice.
Other menu highlights include chicken and waffles (peach, sweet potato and plain), homemade juices and lemonades and desserts such as banana pudding, deep-fried apple hand pies and personal sweet potato pies.
Husband and wife T.R. and Mya Burns’ originally operated Hot Plate from December 2017 to August 2019 at 201 E. Third St. in south Bethlehem before briefly operating another now-closed location in Mont
clair, New Jersey, late last year.
Odd and ends
If you prefer making food over dining out, a new destination for Indian and Asian groceries is coming soon to Whitehall Township.
Aashirwad Supermarket, specializing in south Asian-imported groceries, is expected to open by the end of October at 2503 Mickley Ave., just off MacArthur Road, according to co-owner Ishan Patel.
The 12,150-square-foot building previously housed other businesses, including a longstanding Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection store, which moved across the street to the MacArthur Towne Center in 2018, and a Phantom Fireworks store, which operated for a few months in 2019.
Aashirwad is an offshoot of Bhavani Cash & Carry, a chain of Indian-Asian grocery stores, with locations in other states, including New Jersey and Ohio, Ishan said.
The first Aashirwad store will carry a wide array of items, including fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, canned goods and more. Lentils, spices and frozen food from popular Indian brands such as Deep and Swad will be available.
“Our items will be more niche,” Ishan said. “We’ll have a lot of items from the Indian subcontinent — Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese.”
Aashirwad will primarily sell food and drinks, but cooking utensils, cleaning supplies and other household items also will be available, Ishan said. Info: 484-221-8090.
Lastly, GingerBread House Gifts & Antiques, at 1045 Trexlertown Road in Upper Macungie Township, will close permanently after Christmas, according to a recent post on the business’ Facebook page.
The 7-year-old store, housed in a circa-1850 building, is filled with unique treasures from the past, including vintage pottery and housewares, along with collectibles like baskets and signs and handcrafted items such as holiday and seasonal decor.
“It’s been a blast and I care so much for all my customers however it’s been a very tough year and it’s time to move on,” owner Karin McIntyre wrote in the post. “Everything in the store is on sale so please stop in sometime in the next few months.”
Retail Watch, appearing every weekend, keeps track of retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Contact Ryan Kneller at 610-820-6597 or retailwatch@mcall.com.