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Burgers...from the odd to the exotic
8/1/06 |
Mindlessly slapping
ordinary ground beef patties onto trite buns simply won’t cut it
for certain burger-slingers in this city. These innovative minds turn
the simple task of eating a hamburger into a beguiling gastronomic experience.
It appears there are only two ways to get kinky with a burger in this city:
you must either be odd or exotic. Most choose the latter, but Mulligan’s (630
E. Lake Dr. Decatur Tel: 404.377.0108) doesn’t fear taking the
odd route. That’s evident the moment you enter the building; its daunting
appearance is likely to chase you off long before you ever catch your first
glimpse of a creepy “Hamdog,” a hot dog wrapped by a beef patty
that’s deep fried, covered with artery-clogging chili, cheese and onions
and served on a hoagie roll. It’s then topped off with a fried egg for
good measure. Schedule a colonoscopy, like, now.
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The "Luther Burger" at Mulligan's
in Oakhurst |
I wasn’t in the market for grim-sounding “The Hamdog” but
still, my good friend Oscar grimaced when I told him I was driving over
to the popular Oakhurst dump to eat the famous “Luther Burger” — a
bizarre hamburger whose bun is a slightly charred Krispy Kreme donut.
“That’s just wrong!” he replied, holding his
stomach as if there were a pint of blistering hot grease burning a hole
through his large intestine.
Admittedly, I, too, winced abruptly when I first heard the grisly
tales of the “Luther Burger.” Though, utterly repulsed by images
of bloody, grease-drenched, honey-glazed donuts, I couldn’t resist.
And I must say, the sugary donut bun actually works unexpectedly well
with the drippings from meat. The melty glaze coats itself brilliantly
across the bacon’s outer surface, and with so much happening, I
totally forget about the standard-issue American cheese.
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Mulligan’s (630
E. Lake Dr. Decatur Tel: 404.377.0108)
Muss & Turner’s (1675 Cumberland Pkwy, Suite 309 Tel: 770.434.1114)
5 Seasons Brewing (5600 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, Tel: 404.255.5911)
Star Provisions (1198 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, Tel: 404.365.0410) |
Lore has it that
the “Luther Burger” was invented by R&B legend Luther Vandross
when he ran out of ordinary buns one day and employed a Krispy Kreme
donut instead.
I’ll fess up to not being tough enough to finish my “Luther
Burger” without flinching, but in my defense, there was a disturbing
once-bitten “Hamdog” staring me down.
“Would you like a deep-fried Twinkie?” asks owner Chandler Goff
with a straight face as he clears my plate.
Oh, my. Isn’t he the slightest bit concerned?
Muss & Turner’s (1675 Cumberland Pkwy, Suite 309 Tel: 770.434.1114)
takes the exotic path, serving a health-minded, locally raised (Riverview
Farms) grass-fed burger. It’s a nice change of pace after contending
with the colon-wrenching “Luther Burger.”
Lately, I’m into the whole grass-fed beef thing. I actually
prefer its delicate, lighter texture and more complex flavor to that
of grain-finished beef. The added bonus is that it doesn’t bog
you down like the latter.
Some researchers have determined that grass-fed beef contains more omega-3
fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, both of which are believed
to help fight cancer. Also, there are significantly fewer omega-6 fatty
acids, which are suspected of contributing to heart disease.
I get my grass-fed burger on at Muss & Turner’s, topped with a
mildly piquant roasted poblano pepper, melted Grafton cheddar and red onions,
then slathered with creamy house-made cilantro mayo.
Wash it down with a sublime Saison Dupont or Highland Gaelic Ale. Muss & Turner’s
has taken a firm stance against bad, but very popular beer. Sorry, Bud
fans.
Speaking of craft beer, 5 Seasons Brewing (5600 Roswell Rd.,
Atlanta, Tel: 404.255.5911) has emerged as a gastro-pub. Priced at only
$9, the Kobe burger remains the best deal in town. The burger is larger
than a man’s hand and is complemented with four fistfuls of pommes
frites. My only lament is that it’s overcooked more times than not.
Despite its wonderfully rich flavor, some have argued Kobe burgers
to be a waste. After all, some over-indulged cow had spent its life like
a Hollywood celebrity (habitually intoxicated and over-massaged) only
to end up as a hamburger. But I wholeheartedly disagree. This beautifully
marbled beef leaves you with a velvety mouthfeel and supreme flavor,
even when served as a lowly hamburger.
Nothing complements your burger like a craft beer. And you won’t
find better locallybrewed beer than that of the beer brewed at The
5. Brewmaster Glen Sprouse routinely rotates his offerings, but keep
a lookout for Me262 Maibock, Kartoon Brune, West Mall Tripel and Pheonix
Pils.
The sexiest burger in the city is sold at Star Provisions (1198
Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, Tel: 404.365.0410) as a raw retail item for
only $6. A mega-bargain considering it’s composed of rich Kobe and
succulent Harris Ranch Natural beef scraps, ground in-house and then
studded with foie gras and black truffles.
Grab a freshly baked brioche bun from the bakery for only $2, and you are
armed with all of the major ingredients you need to make Atlanta’s
most exotic hamburger. Remember, you still
have to take it home and cook it yourself, and I recommend that
you heavily butter your brioche before toasting it.
Be careful not to burn this beauty, as the fat content of Kobe tends
to melt away quickly. Imagine, melt-in-your-mouth high-quality beef,
buttery foie gras and earthy black truffles all on a lightly griddled,
overly buttered brioche bun. Can you say food
porn?
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Contact Tom: tom@atlantacuisine.com |
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