And I must apologize from the start for a lack of pictorial evidence – the aforementioned spontaneity yielded a forgotten camera and likewise the venue’s intimate atmosphere was a bit too dark for the ye’ old camera phone to work to the best of it’s ability. Since most visits are not arranged, at times the Fiend is not as prepared as he should be.
Now to the meat of the experience: the Fiend had been anxious to try a Naha burger for pretty much the entire summer, as a close friend was raving about it from a previous dining/tasting endeavor. And then the Chicago Magazine burger edition came out, ranking its burger within the top 10, again adding more charcoal to the fire.
There were two burgeresque options on the lounge menu to try from – the braised boneless beef short rib “burger” or the infamous NAHA half-pounder – and as appealing as the braised ribs sounded, this Fiend only had eyes for the patty.
Not to mention I was intrigued to taste the creation coming off the wood-burning grill, which always adds another layer of complexity to the final product…either for the better or for the worse.
I ordered the burger rare and with cheddar as my choice of cheese, however declined the stone ground mustard. Instead, the staff brought out a wonderfully creamy garlic aioli sauce, alongside the glazed onions, both wonderful complements and highly recommended.
The burger itself was extremely good. Extremely good indeed. I made an immediate statement via my Facebook feed that it was probably one of the top five burgers I’ve tasted in recent memory, and by my personal standards alone I’m going to have to stand behind that claim. And I’m okay with being bold.
As soon as the plate was placed on the table, my senses were immediately inundated with the smokiness of the beef, which was a little alarming at first because I feared it would overpower the natural taste of the meat. However this was not the case by any means, and the smokiness if anything rounded out the overall taste of the other ingredients, completely in concert together.
I originally guessed that perhaps the beef was a proprietary blend, however during conversation with the knowledgeable staff, the Fiend was told the burger was 80/20 Prime – which could absolutely be detected in the rich taste and velvety texture of the beef itself.
As I’ve stated before, bun selection can also make or break a burger and should carefully be chosen based on the final product – not only taste, but also size and ingredients. In this instance, the sea salt crusted ciabatta couldn’t be a more perfect sidekick to the sweetness of the onions and aioli toppings.
I do have to admit in all fairness to my faithful Fiend brethren that the burger is a bit pricey at $19.00 (includes fries), however if you have the cash and are on the hunt for a gourmet selection, then definitely put Naha towards the top of your list. You’ll thank me – and your sound judgment – afterwards.
Naha
500 North Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312.321.6242
www.naha-chicago.com
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