Last night, Coral Gables hosted a burger bash and people went crazy for it. The third annual Burgerliscious featured 20 of the surrounding area's best restaurants.
Who eats 20 burgers? Apparently a lot of people -- including us.
See also: Burgerliscious Burger Bash: Tomorrow Night in Coral Gables
General admission ticket holders got six burgers and two beers, while VIP was the golden ticket to a bottomless pit of burger and booze.
Participating restaurants included Bread + Butter, Books & Books, Pincho Factory, The Bar, Tarpon Bend, Swine Southern Table & Bar, Sushi Maki, Shula's 347, Shake Shack, and more.
Judges had the difficult task of tasting all 20 carnivorous creations and choosing the best. Wearing a stuffed burger hat, mayor Jim Cason was the leader of the pack. Tongue & Cheek's Jamie De Rosa, Johnny Carrascal of Burger Overload, Nick Pena of the Food-e, and Chat Chow TV's Giovanny Gutierrez were also judges.
What follows are some of the highlights of the night.
Sushi Maki went surf and turf. Their burger paired scallops, Kobe beef, kimchee, and spicy mayo between a Hawaiian sweet bun.
Books & Books took things lightly. They served a Greek turkey burger with feta and parmesan sauce in a pita bread. It was absolutely delicious.
Coral Gables' favorite Swine Southern Table & Bar proffered a short rib, brisket, and smoked pork blend patty. It was coupled with homemade dill pickles and special sauce. They won the people's choice award.
Tarpon Bend knows that a fried egg takes a burger from good to great. And bacon, too. And Sam Adams mayo.
Before the sun went down, defending champion Shula's was ready to go. Their meaty concoction, dubbed the chimichurri burger, pairs Spanish chorizo with a summer ale-chimichurri-cilantro aioli. It was delectable.
The 305 burger blended Mexican chorizo with angus beef, caramelized onions, swiss cheese, and secret sauce over a brioche bun. Throw your hands up for the 305.
Shake Shack showcased their pretty little buns better than anyone else. Perfectly stacked and plated, it's the kind of burger all menu photos want to look like. And it tastes as good as it looks. There's nothing crazy about it -- just 100 percent all-natural beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and shack sauce.
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