The Cheeseburger bill has yet to be passed, so if you feel like McDonald’s Big Macs are the catalyst for your back fat, go ahead and sue Ol’ Ronald Mc. Or you can abandon the drive-thrus altogether for your meat-on-bread needs and have a bite at the 8 Oz. Burger Bar, celebrity chef Govind Armstrong’s latest addition to the SoBe culinary scene. Don’t let the chi-chi factor of his Ocean Drive resto, Table 8, scare you away from this low-key, laid-back spot. From 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, the cheerful din in the cafeteria-ish dining room lets you know that you’re in a place where burping is quite alright — as long as the table of hot models in the corner booth don’t hear you.

At this neighborhood joint, moderately priced foodstuffs get grilled up using some high-falutin’ ingredients, such as Niman Ranch Lamb, Mini Kobe Corndogs, and the main event — Himalayan salt-cured beef that you can top with anything from avocado to red onion marmalade. And thankfully, there are no ketchup packets in sight. Even more good news, for the entire month of March, diners will receive a 12-ounce beer with each burger. So slide a quarter into the jukebox, shoot a game of pool, or just get belligerent at the bar with an “adult” milkshake.
Fri., March 20, 2009