Whopper of a price for luxury burger
$50 menu item may be new spot’s signature entree
Selby’s, a swanky new Silicon Valley restaurant styled after Old Hollywood, opened Tuesday near the Atherton border at 3001 El Camino Real.
And while the scope of the project is headlineworthy — 10,000 square feet, 270 seats, multiple dining rooms — what might best reflect the restaurant’s ambitions is the $50 burger.
The Black Label Burger took chef Mark Sullivan six months to develop. Each order includes roughly 5 ounces of shaved Australian black truffles.
“I was really focused on the idea of a burger, but taking it to the next level in terms of quality and flavor. I wanted to make it this kind of luxurious dining experience,” said Sullivan.
He’s already made a name for himself at the Bacchus Management Group’s sister restaurants in San Francisco, Spruce and the Saratoga, both known for their burgers, which cost $21 and $16, respectively.
At Selby’s, Sullivan turned to Flannery Beef, a highend San Rafael supplier, where proprietor Bryan Flannery created a custom blend for the Selby’s patty. While Sullivan declined to provide the percentages of different beef cuts that are ground into the blend, he did say the patties contain a mixture of dryaged hanger steak,
short rib and chuck.
For seasoning, Sullivan said all that the burger gets is a sprinkling of salt and cracked black pepper before being seared over high heat. The chef said he doesn’t apply pressure to the patty as it cooks, instead letting it rest freely while the exterior caramelizes.
“The burger is best eaten rare or medium rare, right in that sweet spot,” Sullivan said. “The meat is so good you can eat it rare, honestly. But that taste with the caramelization, that added sweetness, is just what makes it great.”
The burger is served on a brioche bun from Oakland’s Firebrand breads, and comes with roughly 2 ounces of Époisses (a soft cheese made from cow’s milk from the Burgundy region of France), a slice of heirloom tomato and onions.
Charging $50 for a burger may make some hearts skip a beat, but it’s not unprecedented in the region. The Burger Bar in San Francisco’s Union Square earned some sizzle a few years ago for its Rossini burger made from Australian Wagyu beef, sauteed foie gras and shaved black truffles, which ranged in price but cost as much as $60 at one point.
Selby’s: 3001 El Camino Real, Redwood City. Dinner daily. Reservations available at www.selbysrestaurant.com.