2010 Burger Bash “Join the Fight, Take a Bite”

Photo Credit:  Kelli Kalish Photography (website: http://www.kellikalish.com/)

Perhaps it’s my remedial Spanish education, but when I was told I was going to be a judge at the Arboretum of South Barrington, my immediate assumption was that it was taking place at a nature conservatory with a focus on…trees. Perhaps that was just a remedial assumption in general, but I have to admit from conversations with others I was not alone in that manner of thinking.

But the Fiend was pleasantly surprised to find that The Arboretum was actually an expansive commercial shopping centre (preferred spelling) of shops and restaurants…NOT a mecca for ornithologists, herpetologists, botanists and tree specialists (arborists).

So with thoughts of giant Maples, twisting Cyprus’, happily chirping house wrens and frolicking black squirrels in mind, I actually drove right past the main entrance, laughing as I abruptly pulled into the back driveway.

The Fiend had landed. Chance of burger survival: less than 1 percent.

Upon reaching the destination, the Fiend had the distinct pleasure of judging alongside some great local food journalists in Deb Pankey of the Daily Herald, and Irv Leavitt of the Sun-Times/Pioneer Press.

The three judges were given their assignments, and then escorted across the vast Arboretum oasis of high-end retail, food and beverage. The mission was simple: taste five burgers from five of the finest restaurants in the campus (Nozumi, Cooper’s Hawk, Ruth’s Chris, L’Eiffel Bistrot and Pinstripes) and rate them based on presentation, creativity and overall taste.

Take no prisoners.

Upon tasting each of the five burgers, the Fiend was generally pleased with the overall quality and taste of each of the offerings. One would think this is probably assumed given the challenge, however I’ve masticated some massacred “gourmet” burgers in my day.

Photo Credit:  Kelli Kalish Photography (website: www.kellikalish.com)

The order of sampling started with the Japanese restaurant, Nozumi, who not surprisingly offered a wonderfully delectable Wagyu beef burger, served with grilled onions, shitaki mushrooms and a truffle demi spread. This would end up being my second favorite of the day with its beef being undeniably the best tasting of all the burgers sampled.

The second stop was at the restaurant/winery, Cooper’s Hawk, who put a twist on its burger offering by using its vineyard background to produce a Mini Zin Burger that featured red onions braised in its own signature Zinfindel. A fairly tasty burger, however it lacked some of the creativity and novelty that some of its peers embodied.

Directly adjacent was the third stop, the perennial steak/power-house, Ruth’s Chris. Generally speaking, The Fiend is a big advocate of steakhouse burgers, because you’re typically dealing with chefs that know how to handle their meat, and typically grind the proteins in house and use the trim of other cuts of meat in order to make a wonderful and extremely delicious burger blend. In this instance, The Ruth’s Chris Prime Bayou Burger was somewhat middle of the road in the Fiend’s opinion, largely due to a ton of seasonings that masked the taste. In addition, the consistency of the meat was something very different: very light, almost like a lighter protein such as chicken or ostrich. Not bad, but not great.

The fourth stop turned out to be the Fiend’s favorite, L’Eiffel Bistrot, which offered an extremely fresh and tasty Roquefort Burger. The freshness was indeed the point of difference for the Fiend, where everything from the cheese to the red wine reduction sauce to the lightly toasted bun tasted like it was sourced a minute before being served. Plus this burger offered the most original ingredient: a few little sprigs of watercress, which is a beautiful touch of creativity that only a Parisian could manifest.

The final stop was at Pinestripes, which was an impressive warehouse of mirth and culinary spirit. Nothing says fun like great bowling, bocce, burgers and beer - obviously one hell of a combo. The burger display was by far the most intensive of all the other venues, however it was very straightforward and the toppings were of your standard lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion & mustard variety. The burger itself was good, but the Fiend felt its plain Jack & Jane Americana might have been its downfall. Tasty, but too simple.

Overall it was a great experience for everyone that participated, especially for those who benefited the most from the proceeds, however now it’s time for a brief mention of how it all played out.

Drumroll…

People’s Choice Winner: Pinestripes
Judge’s Choice Winners: L’Eiffel Bistrot & Ruth’s Chris

Until the next time…keep up the good fight.