I have always enjoyed the sort of simple but upscale menu at Blatt (I especially like their kale Caesar with Indian spiced chicken, if I’m sharing favorites here.)
But their trio of burgers — the Backyard burger, inspired by summer barbecues; the Border burger, topped with queso and crispy poblanos; and the one I tried here, the Blatt burger, with its Guinness-braised onions and parmesan-peppercorn sauce — each have small touches that make them memorable.
I met a friend for lunch at the north downtown location last week, and highly recommend visiting on a nice day, when the restaurant rolls up their garage door-style windows and you can dine indoors but it feels like you’re on a patio.
The Blatt burgers we both had start with an Angus patty cooked medium (I so appreciate the trend to cook burgers less than well done brown) on a soft brioche bun (another trend I love: brioche buns.) The patties here are thicker, but not as thick as what most of us make at home. They land somewhere between a homemade Nebraska patty and the trendier double smash patties.
Boston lettuce and tomato come stabbed on a stick on top of the bun; you can add them if you wish.
But the standouts are both already on top of the patty: a smear of a peppery Parmesan aioli and a spoonful of caramelized Guinness beer braised onions. Together, these two toppings elevate what would otherwise be fairly basic, and add a sweet-spicy-peppery vibe that is worth a try.
Blatt is currently in a contentious match with Benson’s Bärchen; a worthy contender, to be sure. We’ll see which one makes it to the Sweet 16 next week.