Burger-O-Rama Part II: Wiggle me fancy, there's Stilton! (Fine Dining)

Fine dining burgers. It just sounds like an oxymoron, but I suppose this is a realm where world class chefs can take the quintessential food icon of Americana and turn it on a dime into something spectacular and fantastic. There is, of course, a fine line between elevating the symbolic dish and lambasting it with ten too many expensive ingredients. When this assignment came rolling around, I wasn't really entirely sure where to park my caboose. Honestly, when was the last time I actually decided to go for a burger at a high end establishment? A long time. So, when I saw Back Bay Grill offering its rarely seen, legendary burger for one week only in February, I jumped at the opportunity. Back Bay Grill falls under the category of restaurants that I have frequented more than once, documented essentially every meal, and yet returned to my humble abode daunted by the task of doing proper justice in regaling all (who care to read) about my incredible experience. 555 is the only restaurant that I've ever talked about and that was when I first moved to Portland in April 2008. So naïve and excited, was I. So, suffice it to say, as much as I have loved every dinner I've had at Back Bay Grill, this review will be my first about the place, albeit a burger review. Ah well, let's get right to it!

The night before a business trip at the end of the week, I decided to drop in on Adrian Stratton, general manager of BBG, and his crew Wednesday night for a bite. One of the greatest reasons to sit at the bar is for the full view of the kitchen with Executive Chef Larry Matthews and his staff. With my order ticket safely tucked in, I found that I not only received the same amuse bouche as the rest of the dining guests, but also enjoyed a special treat choice of truffled popcorn or curry popcorn as a bar guest. If you had to use truffle oil for something, using it to pop some corn kernels is an incredibly aromatic way to do it! The amuse bouche, a little square of house made ricotta with a frisee leaf and aged balsamic vinegar, opened up my palate and made me even more anxious for my burger to arrive. I watched as Larry tossed the burger patty onto the grill, while the bun was placed on a cast iron skillet. Soon, the plate was presented – a grilled burger on a brioche bun with shredded romaine in a Stilton blue cheese and creamy garlic dressing and a generous cone of potato chips.

In our last round of burger reviews, we note that many of us on the O-Rama team ordered a medium rare burger, only to find a patty pink or even worse, bordering on brown/gray in the center. So, as I split the burger in half, I was surprised to find the patty with a nice exterior crunch from the grill while maintaining a properly warm red center. Why this should be surprising to us these days seems silly, but it was obvious that Larry was checking the temperature before he pulled the burger off the grill. It's a welcome shock nonetheless. The house made patty was a semi-coarse grind, just slightly crumbly as I bit in. The patty was seasoned simply, but nicely, and the most enjoyable part about the patty was the subtle sweetness of the beef that can really only be tasted if correctly cooked. The brioche bun was a wonderful, evenly proportioned pairing – the bread was deliciously buttery and crisp from the cast iron skillet. The shredded romaine offered a tangy crunch with every bite. The potato chips were a welcome change from the disappointing accompaniment at Becky's. These chips were well done – crisp throughout without absorbing too much oil, lightly salted to avoid overpowering the burger. With every bite, the meat juices mingled with the Stilton dressing, dripping down my hand. And I was eager to catch each drop or dip a chip in the collective juices.



I asked Adrian about the history of BBG's burger and learned that it only shows up from time to time, but it's very happily received when it does come back. At $15, I enjoyed every moment, from the savory burger to the welcoming, relaxing atmosphere. The slight sweetness of the beef was probably the most surprising and rewarding part of the dish, complementing so well with the tanginess of the shredded romaine. I mentioned earlier that the best part about sitting at the bar was watching the kitchen. Sometimes you're not the only one watching though. As I sat in my chair, wiggling with delight (as I normally do with mouthwatering foods), I heard a man ask from behind, “So, how's the burger?” Turning left to the voice and expecting Adrian or another server, I found myself facing Larry himself, grinning from behind the kitchen bar as he caught me, wide-eyed and mid-wiggle with burger in hand. Larry Matthews has definitely managed to take this popular American favorite and create something spectacular with just a few unexpected, but flavorful ingredients and the perfect cooking technique. It certainly doesn't hurt to give Back Bay Grill a ring and check in to see when the burger will be revived again.