Justin Fox Burks
The components of Chef Dave Krog’s Interim Burger fill in a dinner plate like a culinary coat of arms: Romaine and pickles, roasted Roma tomato, an impressive Claybrook Farms beef burger, and two thick strips of bacon, crisscrossed in the center of softly melted cheddar. I approach eating the burger with a ritual that goes like this: First, I eat a couple of fries — skin on and seasoned. Next, I pile lettuce, pickle, and tomato (in that order) on the patty, spread garlic aioli on the bun, stack the bun on top, and give the burger a little squish. How the burger and its garnishes stay inside the bun is a mystery, but I suspect the flame-grilled patty’s uniform size plays a leading role.
Contender: Meatballs with Marinara and Shaved Grana Pandano
