Archive for Deerfield Beach

Get Infused At GIMME A BURGER In Deerfield Beach, Florida

The Northeast corner of Broward is heating up, burger-wise. Specifically, the northeast corner of Deerfield Beach, which, as anyone familiar with mouth watering comfort food will instantly recognize, is the home turf of multi-award winning Charm City Burger Company. Until recently, they (and their trophies) were the sole occupants of this patch of Broward, the undisputed masters of their domain.

But no longer. Burger Belle hears tell that Five Guys Burgers is moving in just across the way. And there’s already a new kid in town, one that’s accumulated some impressive awards, and it goes by the name of GIMME A BURGER. Just 150 paces east (we measured), GIMME A BURGER has staked their claim on the Broward Burger Biz with a unique perspective and some secret ingredients. Well, they were secret, until Burger Belle dropped in!

Burger Belle pops in to taste their award winning infusion burgers.

Burger Belle pops in to taste their award winning infusion burgers.

I first heard about GIMME A BURGER when they were awarded 2nd Place by the Boca Burger Battle judges last summer. Then last month they won the Best Entree trophy at Bacon Fest. Soon, they’ll be in another shootout, as the newest contender accepted into the upcoming Riverwalk Burger Battle™. Respectable accomplishments for an established restaurant, let alone one just out of the gate. So I popped in Friday afternoon and sat down with GM Craig Marcy to get his take on what makes GIMME A BURGER special.

Bacon Fest Trophy

First Place Trophy for Best Entree at Bacon Fest 2013

With years of management experience, ranging from fine dining restaurants to bar and grilles, and chef training on top of that, Marcy was emphatic about the need for two things: quality of ingredients, and creativity in flavors. Prime Certified Angus Beef, crispy green lettuce, juicy, ripe tomatoes, fresh-daily challah buns. All necessities to satisfy his demand for quality. When it comes to creativity, Marcy has a secret weapon. The owners of GIMME A BURGER, Yasmin and Serhad Oktay, are Turkish, with family still in the old country. That means when it comes to exotic spice blends, they have the hook up.

Register

Working together, they’ve incorporated, or as they refer to it, infused, their special spices into their burger recipes for an end result you won’t find anywhere else. Asked for his recommendation, Marcy suggested ordering their two award winning burgers, the Bacon, Coffee, Brown Sugar Infusion Burger and the WOW Infusion Burger.

Burger Belle discovered their secret… or should we say secrets:
❖Infused Spice Blends ❖A Smokin’ Hot Griddle ❖Prime Certified Angus Beef®

Bacon, Coffee, Brown Sugar Infusion Burger

Bacon, Coffee, Brown Sugar Infusion Burger

First up was the Bacon, Coffee, Brown Sugar Infusion Burger, the Bacon Fest champ. To be honest, this had me at the Bacon. Add coffee and brown sugar and a “burger nirvana” moment occurred. I was served this piping hot burger on a fresh buttered bun and all the juiciness exploded upon the first bite. A slight crunch from the caramelized brown sugar, and the smokiness of the bacon combined with the added richness provided by the coffee yielded a wonderful depth of flavor. I did not need to add anything! The secret: all the flavors are infused right into the Angus Beef, seared on a 400 degree griddle and served with melted cheese (choose your favorite from American, Cheddar, Provolone, Swiss, Gorgonzola or Pepper Jack), lettuce and tomato.

WOW Infusion Burger

WOW Infusion Burger

Next up was the WOW Infusion Burger featuring Prime Certified Angus Beef infused with Soujouk, a dried, cured Turkish beef sausage mixed with one of their proprietary imported Turkish spice blends. It is the combination of all three which really give the WOW burger its unique, exotic flavor. Add crispy Bacon, Pepper Jack Cheese, a fried egg and a drizzle of their Howlin’ Wolf sauce on top, all served on a very fresh grilled challah bun … WOW is the perfect namesake for this creation. Be warned. If you fall in love with the one-of-a-kind WOW burger, there’s only one place to get it. So make your peace with frequent runs to Gimme A Burger!

The Sides

The Sides

The first thing I noticed about the three side dishes was how fresh they looked and tasted. No greasiness, just crisp flavors. The French Fries had the skin on and were cooked to a golden color. The Sweet Potato Waffle Fries were hot, light and properly salted. The Beer Battered Onion Rings had the perfect amount of batter and were served piping hot.

French Fries |  Sweet Potato Waffle Fries | Beer Battered Onion Rings

Sweet Potato Waffle Fries | French Fries | Beer Battered Onion Rings

Lucky for us burger lovers, GIMME A BURGER is not your average burger joint. The new kid in town has brought a passion for preparing fresh, healthy ingredients in a super clean and trendy store. Meals are prepared to order, not pre-cooked. Their well rounded menu has a variety of unique burgers, from traditional to innovative, including two vegetarian options: The Veganator, a homemade white bean burger with sriracha and The Falafel Burger made with chickpeas and spices. And, if for some reason you’re not looking for a burger (???), chicken and hot dogs as well.

French Onion Infusion Burger

French Onion Infusion Burger

So next time you are in the mood for a fresh, unique burger with tasty sides… give GIMME A BURGER a try. And should you not be in their neck of the woods, you may be in luck. With their plans to expand, GIMME A BURGER may soon be in yours!

GIMME A BURGER
Facebook: Gimme A Burger
Twitter: @GimmeABurger
1200 East Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach
954-708-2553

As for Burger Belle, I can’t wait to taste what they will be preparing for the upcoming Riverwalk Burger Battle™ on May 31st.

About Burger Belle: Let me tell you about my style. I am on the quest for Burger (and other comfort food) Nirvana. I spend a few weeks researching and getting to know about the establishment I plan to review. I make several visits, some known and some not. I do make an effort to meet the owners to understand their vision, so I can write a comprehensive review about my experience. I do not rate, instead I offer up an inside look into what makes the best comfort food in South Florida. At times, I may be comped all or part of a meal, but this does not in any way influence the outcome of my review. Got it? Good, now we can get back to having fun and spreading the good word about all the Burger Nirvanas yet to be discovered! Stay on the path, pilgrims, and remember, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey!

Gimme A Burger on Urbanspoon

Direct From Philly in Deerfield Beach, Florida

Tucked away inside of a Chevron you can find Direct from Philly serving up some righteous Cheese Steaks in Deerfield Beach. These 1/2 pound 9 inchers are not anything like one of those unfulfilling chain subs. They’re using Amoroso’s Rolls which are baked in Philly to add more authenticity (aka flavor) to their sandwiches.

Philly w/White American

Direct from Philly also has Wings (available in 10,20 & 50) and Fries (1/2 or 3/4 pound size) on the Menu with the usual variety of Sauces and toppings.

If you’re unsure as to how to have your sandwich, ordering it Pat’s or Geno’s style takes the hard work out of it for you. Pat’s and Geno’s refers to the 2 most popular steak joints in Philly who’ve been duking it out right across the street from each other for over 45 years.

Philly w/Whiz

I had 2 Steak Sandwiches (One with Cheese Whiz and the other with White American Cheese) and both with onions. I’ve had Phillys with Whiz before but I preferred the White American version way more this time around. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of the Whiz but I mean who isn’t?

 

Direct From Philly
Facebook: Direct From Philly
1201 South Military Trail (inside the Chevron)
Deerfield Beach FL 33442
954-428-7035

Direct From Philly on Urbanspoon

El Jefe Luchador – Hardcore Mexican Food Deerfield Beach

When Mike Saperstein and Evan David (owners of one of South Florida’s best Burger joints Charm City Burger Company) announced El Jefe Luchador earlier this year I was ecstatic for a couple of reasons. Over the course of the last couple of years I’ve become a giant fan of authentic Mexican food and I’ve been a fan of wrestling as long as I can remember. My grandfather wrestled under a mask in South America and Cuba but that’s a story for another day.

The first thing that I noticed when I walked in was the wall of Mexican Wrestling Masks on the wall:

Wall of Mexican Wrestling Masks

Followed by the wallpaper on both sides of the place:

Once I reached the front I took a good look over the menu. You have the option to choose your protein from Carnitas, Al Pastor (from an actual spit), Pollo Asada, Carne Asada, Barbacoa, Chorizo and Hongos y Name. There are also combos with “Compinches/Sidekicks” and a drink. My wife chose the combo with a Mexican Bottle Drink (Mexican Coke or Jarritos).

Menu Board

Before we took our seats we checked out the Salsa Bar and took some Salsa Roja, Salsa Verde and a couple of limes. Both had some heat so if you’re on the wimpy side I would steer clear.

Salsa Bar

I’ve had plenty of Mexi-Corns over the last few months and this one is tops. The Cotija Aioli on it was so good that my wife housed the corn. I was only able to get in a couple of bites but I’m definitely coming back for that. We also had an order of El Nacho Libre w/ Chorizo which came with some of the best Crema I’ve ever tried, some good stuff.

Roasted Corn

El Nacho Libre w/ Chorizo

I opted to not create my own tacos and went with El Santo and Mistico tacos. El Santo (carne asada, corn, cojita cheese, pico de gallo) and Mistico (barbacoa, mushrooms, oaxaca cheese, mole negro, caramelized onion, and truffle crema) were my opponents. They didn’t stand a chance. I liked El Santo he was a good competitor but Mistico took the cake for me. Just when I thought the Crema couldn’t get any better they do it up with Truffle. I could easily put down 3 of these and I probably should have.

Santo & Mistico Tacos

Last but not least we have Vampiro who used to be one of my Mexican wrestling faves. In this incarnation he’s a Torta. A Torta is Mexico’s version of a sandwich and I find it’s success depends a lot of times on the bread used. Vampiro (pollo asado, salsa roja, oaxaca cheese, jalapeños, guacamole, refried beans and lettuce) was nicely toasted and could have easily made a great home for whatever combination you can come up with. I was stuffed at this point and really only took about 2 bites of it. My ride home was a bit long and the first thing I thought of when I arrived was Vampiro.

Vampiro

Vampiro (closeup)

I removed the lettuce (not a fan) and reheated it on my press. I was good to go till I thought about Mistico again. If that wasn’t bad enough I started planning what I’m gonna have next time. Ultimo Dragon (carnitas, hoisen salsa, and kimchee slaw) and El Jefe Luchador (al pastor, grilled pineapple, fried sweet potato, queso blanco and salsa verde) are at the top of that list but that could change like with any good wrestling match.

El Jefe Luchador
27 South Federal Hwy
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
954-246-5333

Lil’ Ole Caboose In Deerfield Beach, Florida

It didn’t take much to convince my friend Ed to eat at Lil’ Ole Caboose. He’s from New York and the thought of a good Slider cemented the deal. I’ve driven past here a few times and wanted to stop just because it stands out like a sore thumb amongst the surroundings. It is after all a red train caboose in the middle of nowhere. The one thing that caught our eye as we were walking towards Lil’ Ole Caboose was the “If You Like White Castle You’ll Love Boxcar Burgers”(including the use of the White Castle font). My thoughts on that later. I like the look of the place inside but it could do with some cleaning.

There is a mini train track running all the top the area we were sitting in but again, it was caked in dust. There’s also a sign about Boxcar Burgers claiming “Take Home & Simply Microwave!”

Ed and I looked at each other (not in a loving way) and thought “Oh no”.  Also, for those of you searching for that elusive Birch Beer (and Diet) they have it on tap here.

Ed ordered 3 Boxcar Cheeseburgers and 1 Chicago dog.

I ordered 1 Double Boxcar Cheeseburger and a Chili Cheese Dog.

We also ordered some Chili Cheese Fries. We both go for the Hot Dog and we both thought the exact same thing (whoa! we are one) . There’s no way this is a Sabrett Hot Dog but that’s surely Hormel chili. The Chili Cheese Fries were also a disappointment. The Fries taste as if they have been fried a second time to warm them. They were bad, Ed only ate one fry. It’s a shame because they were the Nathan’s style thick cut Fries.

“If You Like White Castle You’ll Love Boxcar Burgers”, now that would be untrue. The sign about “Take Home & Simply Microwave!” said it all. There is no doubt in our minds that these Boxcar Burgers were microwaved. The bread was soggy just like the microwaved White Castle Slyders get. They were very bland and this caboose should never have left the station (I know, that was a bad one).

Go Back in Time:

Lil’ Ole Caboose
Facebook: Lil’ Ole Caboose
204 S. Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach, FL
954-428-1597

Charm City Burger Company In Deerfield Beach, Florida

Charm City Burger Company is a good hour from where I live in Miami. I originally checked them out when I happened to be in Sunrise one day and convinced a friend of mine to make the extra 20 minute or so drive from there to Charm City Burger Company. There is a front door but I always enter through the back door (please save the jokes for another time).

Couple of cool things to start with: 1) They serve Fountain Coke & Mexican Coke (believe it or not this is very important to me 2) Awesome mural, reminds me of McDonaldland for some reason

Wall Mural

and 3) Something cool is always playing on the TV, on the this occasion, Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods. Also, they recently underwent a renovation that expanded the seating a bit and made service function much smoother and added some craft beers on draft too.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you look over the menu for the first time. Most folks can’t seem to decide, so they end up ordering either of the 2 first burgers on the menu (Good Ole: Straight up regular burger with or without Cheese or Cowboy Style: Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms & Onions). My original inclination on my first visit was to get The Big Sloppy and I did. The Big Sloppy, besides being a great name for a professional wrestler is Double Meat, Double Cheese, Double Bacon, Hash Brown and a Fried Egg. Only order if you are hungry, if not you will end up stuffed.

The Big Sloppy

Sides include Tater Tots (someone who is longing for his grade school days usually orders these), Beer Battered Onion Rings (what a real man orders) and Hand Cut Fries. Everyone knows that Hand Cut Fries are just what the doctor ordered.

Tater Tots

Beer Battered Onion Rings

Hand Cut Fries

For the experienced Charm City eater you know that the Emperor is the way to go. The Emperor is an American Kobe Patty Melt with Sauteed Mushrooms, Cave Aged Gruyere Cheese and Truffled Aioli. If you’re a little more adventurous you can add Foie Gras to it. We asked for our burgers to be cooked Under (their lingo is a little different), and that’s just what we got. Take a look at the beautiful Emperor, he should be in a Burger Museum.

The Emperor

You must pace yourself because there is plenty of good eats to be found here and multiple visits or one with a bunch of friends is really the only way to try out everything effectively.

On the menu, it says “Garlic Herb Marinated , Slow Roasted and Flash Fried” about the wings, as my father would say “I believe it” . While writing this, my mouth is beginning to water (no joke). The Mahogany Soy although good was bested by the Volcano which I liked best out of the 3 (the other being Smokey BBQ). The meat was practically falling off the bone.

Smokey BBQ Wings

One of the newest additions is my friend the All Natural Hot Dog. The Hot Dog can be ordered up Grilled or Ripper style (Deep Fried) with an option of making it “Dirty”. Dirty means you’ll get Bacon, Cheese and Onions and it’s a great choice if you like a loaded up dog.

Hot Dog served up Dirty

If your palate loves spicy then you might want to try out the Volcano Style Burger (Pepper Jack Cheese, Volcano Sauce and Jalapeños) or El Diablo Chicken Sandwich (Grilled or Country Buttermilk Fried w/Volcano Sauce, Pepper Jack Cheese, Pickled Jalapeños and Garlic Sauce.

Volcano Style Burger

The Cheffy Chicken Sandwich (Candied Bacon Strips, Grilled Onions, Bleu Cheese Spread & Sweet Chili Sauce) is another must order item. The Candied Bacon Strips and Sweet Chili Sauce is just absolutely and unequivocally killer.

The Cheffy Country Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich

Most folks don’t know this but you can order a side of their Thick Cut Peppered Bacon and that would be a good move if you ask me.

Side of Bacon

And just when you think you’re done eating you’re faced with a decision, do I get a shake? The Shakes are made with Blue Bell Ice Cream and are thick, creamy and great (we’re talking shakes here). The faux Cinnamon Bun is the best, have that and you’ll be in sugar heaven but you won’t go wrong with even just the Chocolate Shake. I saw the syrup they use and I’ve been sworn to secrecy but it’s no surprise why it’s so good.

Chocolate Shake

Charm City Burger Company is worth the drive. Come hungry, bring friends and whatever you do convince someone else to drive back. You’ll thank me when you’re in your food coma relaxing.

Charm City Burger Company has won several BurgerBeast.Com Burgie Awards:

Best Burger – People’s Choice: 2009

Best Burger – Broward County: 2010

Best Fries: 2011

I suggest you check them out:

Charm City Burger Company  
Facebook: Charm City Burger Company
Twitter: @CharmCityBurger  
1136 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL
954-531-0300