The barrage of burgers continues unabated. Two more Five Guys are
poised to proffer their patties to the public -- one in the old Dogma
space at Washington Ave. and 15th Street in South Beach, the other in
Aventura Mall. But a bigger burger banner headline is that Govind
Armstrong and the folks who set Table 8 are bringing their 8 oz. Burger Bar from Melrose to South Beach -- specifically, the former Novecento spot on Alton Road.
The signature 8 oz. burger is comprised of hormone-free, humanely
raised Black Angus sirloin, tri-tip, short rib and chuck. The meat is
ground in-house and stored in a locker lined with "Himalayan salt
tiles". Then it gets grilled on "live oak".
Other burgers include those made from grass-fed Estancia beef and free
range turkey. House-cured bacon, house-pickled pickles, hothouse
cucumber relish and homemade heirloom tomato ketchup are among the long
list of cool accouterments; lots of cheeses to choose from too. Burgers
range $8 to $10.
You can also expect small snacks such as mini Kobe corn dogs and fried
chorizo-stuffed olives; salads; sandwiches; shakes; root beer floats;
and a hip bar scene featuring specialty beers. The Melrose specialty is
the suds and slider sampler, a trio of five-ounce beers matched with a
slider apiece of prime beef, wild boar, and Niman Ranch lamb. Sign me
up.
In related news, there have been rumored sightings of chef Thomas
Keller hawking knishes on the Coney Island boardwalk in Brooklyn.