Duchamp

Everyone gets to experience a little luck from time to time. And right now the Burger Fiend is on one hell of a streak. Happy New Year to me, that's for sure!

Coming off the heels of two excellent recent excursions, last week – after nearly a year of anticipation – the fiend finally got a chance to check out the burger he’s heard so much about from various people both inside and outside the culinary world.

And it has been determined that the extremely knowledgeable and affable Chef Michael Taus – proprietor of both Duchamp and the River North establishment Zealous – can make one doozey of a burger.

In an odd move for the Fiend (only child syndrome), it was previously decided that on this evening all dishes would be shared to taste the full spectrum of the menu. Therefore I had to compromise my typical “rare” order and up the doneness a little to “medium rare” to appease the masses (huge table: three people, including yours truly).

While all the food was very good indeed, especially the skirt steak, much to my delight it was unanimous amongst the group that the Havarti cheeseburger was the clear du-champion of the night.

Like any wonderful sandwich ever consumed in history, the toppings, meat and bread need to be in complete concert with each other without one single ingredient overpowering the other. When achieved, the symphony of taste and flavor that follows easily brings with it a chorus of mmmm’s, ooooh’s and ahhhh’s.

Regarding the burger of my desire this evening, most intriguing to me is the choice of Havarti cheese, which is a very atypical selection for a burger, the likes reserved mostly for the standard American, cheddar, Swiss or provolone offerings. However the aged qualities of Havarti helps not only amplify the umami of the meat, but it’s soft and buttery profile produces a rich and flavorful adventure that churns away from the aforementioned Big Four.

The fiend foresees more and more of these alternative cheese choices as a 2010 burger trend, a subtle yet effective way for a restaurant to take its rote blandness to the next level.

As for the meat itself, Chef Taus uses a proprietary blend of beef, which was absolutely evident in the quality and taste. Perfectly pink throughout at its medium-rare doneness, nutty, smooth and velvety were the effects on the palate, with a hint of smokiness being detected on the finely charred exterior.

Combined with the house-made tomato remoulade, and a touch of mayonnaise and ketchup on a toasted potato bun, it was the culinary equivalent of the finest John Williams score and Metallica’s S&M roar merging at once – both beautiful and strong to the senses.

Likewise, the freshly cut pomme frites (nearly pont neuf) rounded out the dish in a wonderfully starchy and gourmet fashion. After all, no amazing burger meal would be complete without its equally great potato sidekicks.

So if you’re not a gambling man and are looking for an insider tip…this Duchamp is a pretty easy bet. This ain’t no lady luck, mis amigos.

Duchamp

2118 North Damen Avenue

Chicago, IL 60647

(773) 235-6434

http://www.duchamp-chicago.com/