MEATIER SHOWER
National Burger Month in Orlando is astronomical
Maybe my iron's low, but when I found out May was National Burger Month, I had to get on the beef train to Burgertown. (And channel Guy Fieri, apparently.) Good burgers aren't that hard to find, truth be told. And they don't have to be the social media monstrosities we most often see these days. But they are fun to look at, if not the easiest to consume. Some of them, like chef Kevin Brune's Bayou Smashburger, incorporate what's special about them in a way that doesn't require 16 additional napkins.
“When we decided to do a burger, I felt it couldn't be ‘just a burger,'” says Brune, whose NOLA brings New Orleans flavor to the Marketplace at Avalon Park. “It needed to have that Louisiana twist to it. I sat down with my awesome team and we brainstormed a bit.”
One idea was to thinly slice Andouille sausage for a bacon-like presentation. But it didn't feel special enough for the Big Easy native.
“We decided to put the sausage in the patty by grinding it up and mixing it in with the ground beef. What a difference! We season the mixture the way I remember my mom doing it when I was a kid and the Bayou Smashburger was born.”
Who dat?
It's the first entry on this roster of beefy offerings from around Orlando. Get your cardiologist on speed dial and then get you some.
Wine Burgers, NOLA Avalon Park
Welcome to a wine experience that welcomes everyone from kids to designated drivers and was born of Orlando Weekly's Burger Week, when NOLA offered a Red Wine Cheddar Burger that was a smash hit. As such, and in solidarity with the Marketplace at Avalon Park's new Sunset Soiree event, chef Brune and the team will be trotting out new versions every week.
“Live music on the patio, happy hour beer and wine,
a new wine burger every week and kids eat free on Wednesdays,” he notes. “We'd love to see folks come out to our really cool food hall and start a new Hump Day tradition. Why not start that tradition during National Burger Month?”
NOLA Avalon Park: 3801 Avalon Park E. Blvd. in Orlando; nola-avalonpark. com
The Grattin Burger, Grattin Dog
If you're going to hang your entire operation's name on one dish, you better be confident about it. And the ladies who greeted me at this tiny, well-appointed
gas station stand didn't hesitate, immediately recommending the Grattin Burger as the top choice amid their highly Instagrammable, potato stick-studded treats. And if that last bit didn't give it away, this fast food is Colombian.
The Grattin Burger, like all the offerings, is made to be photographed. Probably by someone with more talent. But even I couldn't make the thing look unsexy. Comprised of Angus beef with a crispy, griddled texture about the edges, it features American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet onions, ketchup, mayo and three house sauces including a pineapple offering that melds beautifully with sweet, fried onions. A gorgeous, melty slice of provolone garnishes the bun and a fried egg ties it all together. As do they, with an excellent wrap job that helps you hold it all together. ($10.49). Grattin Dog: 1006 E. Altamonte Drive in Altamonte Springs, 407-951-7267; grattindog. com
Brisket Smash Burger, Genuine Bistro & Lounge
In a recent write-up, I told readers all about this cute, little DeBary outfit that's amid transition. Come July, it will be known as The Salted Goat, and while I was there sampling farm-centric fare that's exceedingly local, I had an outstanding experience building my own burger. The Brisket Smash Burger, however, was crafted by the chef Stopher Condry and was so popular when offered as a special that they put it on the menu. Its foundation is an 80⁄20 blend from Florida's HM Cattle Co. with cole slaw ridiculously tender, smokysweet brisket that's made right here and a hefty dose of Cheddar that melts out onto the flat top to achieve a three-state status showcasing all the ways in which cheese can make everything better. House BBQ and a brioche bun complete the picture. It's yours for $15 and I definitely recommend the $3 upcharge for onion rings.
Genuine Bistro & Lounge: 2 Charles Richard Beall Blvd. in DeBary; genuinebistro.com
Throw a Damn Dart, Bad As’s Burgers
Okay, I know that's not really the precise recommendation folks long for, but really, you're grownups. You know what you like. And I assure you: whatever it is, John Collazo has it.
“Pigging out on a delicious burger can really make you happier,” says the jovial chef, who seems to make the point by simply existing. After years of success slinging Bad As's
Sandwiches in Orlando's Milk District neighborhood, the chef turned toward beefier goals. One hundred percent Australian Wagyu-beefier. Which is pretty darn beefy. Also a little pricy, but hey — you get what you pay for, right?
Right. Except when you get to pay less.
On May 28 (National Burger Day) and all through Memorial Day Weekend, you can get a quarter-pound cheeseburger for $7 (that's basically half-price!) in celebration of this noble handheld's honorary day and month. And your mental health.
“Packed with plenty of ‘make me happy' calories, a burger can actually improve your psychological and emotional well-being,” says Collazo.
It is a comfort food, after all.
Bad As’s Burgers: 4205 Curry Ford Road in Orlando, 407-601-4363; badassburgersfl.com