Bourbon Steak makes burgers grown-up

Bourbon Steak (Credit: Courtesy Bourbon Steak)

By Megan Finnerty
Metromix

Bourbon Steak, at the Scottsdale Fairmont, doesn't feel like the kind of place one orders a burger, fries and a shake.

In fact, with dark leather couches, speakeasy-low lighting and rustic finishes, the bar is very consciously designed to feel like the kind of place one has a dinner during which things are devoured: graphically bloody rare steaks, multi-national companies, hearts.

But in the bar, executive chef Sean Griffin, who runs the Scottsdale outpost of this Michael Mina brand, would like guests to order as they would at a McDonald's, sort of.

The restaurant has recently launched a menu of five signature burgers served on pain au lait buns ($14 to $18 each) only available in the bar, along with three sides (all $5 each) and three kinds of “adult” milkshakes (all $11 each).

As a cocktail critic, I will address the milkshakes first. The milkshakes are like giant, pilsner glasses of love, particularly the Bourbon Malt. The alcohol comes from Jim Beam bourbon and the magic comes from the salted caramel drizzled. The Grasshopper tastes like everything you've ever wanted to do to a Shamrock Shake, namely, adding chocolate liqueur and crème de menthe. And the Rum Raisin is tasty, made with Appleton Estate Jamaica rum,  and plumped raisins and more than a little cinnamon.

All that said, they are all so spectacularly rich and indulgent, I cannot fathom even finishing one of these, let alone sipping it with a trio of duck-fat fries or a burger. But perhaps that's just the calorie-counter in me.

Of the burgers, the best is the Heritage Turkey, a spicy, robustly flavorful burger topped with jack cheese, harissa aioli, roasted red peppers and mixed greens. The lightness of the meat is balanced by the intense flavors that top it.  and eating it makes one re-think why he or she doesn't eat turkey burgers all the time. (Answer: no one puts this much work into making them this good.)

The second-most-awesome burger is the Salmon Steak, served in Vietnamese “banh mi” style, topped with a vinegary mélange of cilantro, carrots and jalapeños, as well as lettuce and mayo. It's light and tangy, and the chef says he's thinking about bumping up the spice, which would probably make it the first-most-awesome.

The Vegetarian Falafel version is unusual, as the “falafel” patty is made with Mina's mom's recipe, using fava beans and peas rather than chickpeas. It's topped with tahini, which has a richness only slightly cut by the freshness of the tomatoes and parsley. It is a dense dining experience.

The Lamburger is topped with cucumber and yogurt raita sauce, feta, tomato and arugula, making it something like a particularly juicy, Americanized gyro. It's unbelievably rich, and even with a yogurt sauce, it still tastes decadent. This is one to split.

Lastly, there's the All-Beef, made from Kobe mixed with dry-aged prime New York strip, topped with cheddar, lettuce, balsamic onions and a “secret” sauce. This one might best be enjoyed by a person who knows he or she likes dry-aged meats. If not a meat aficionado, the diner ends up feeling as though they ought to be liking it more, as though they lack some intelligence of palate.

Bourbon Steak's bar is not the kind of place for which one makes reservations, so just show up, preferably dressed as though one would for a day at the (very natty) office, or for a day to impressing others. Or, framed another way, If the kitchen bothers to dress the fries, shakes and burgers so thoughtfully, guests would do well to lavish similar attention on themselves.