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(Libby Volgyes/The Palm Beach Post)
As burger madness continues to sweep the land, there’s a new normal on the dining scene: the burger with more fashion accessories than a Kardashian wedding.
Once upon a time, our burger choices ranged from rare to well-done, cheese or no cheese, and minimal decisions regarding our toppings.
But these are the heady days of burger micro-management. We have a staggering amount of choices involving meat, cheese, accoutrements and sides. A pretty wonderful thing, if you ask me. The danger, of course, is that in this expanded landscape of gourmet burger joints, we may overlook one that’s truly unique.
The Gourmet Burger Company in Jupiter is one such spot. It has maintained a fairly low-key presence on U.S. 1 since opening quietly in February in the space once occupied by Vin 21. But inside the pleasant, yet unassuming eatery are burgers so fabulous they deserve a red carpet.
The cheeseburger I ordered on a recent night arrived – I kid not – with a cape. There it was, a half-pound, brisket-chuck patty stacked with sliced, sautéed mushrooms, chunky onion rings and a saucer-like sheet of cheddar that had been melted and draped over the entire affair (the burger was $15.20 with GBC’s “special” cheddar cheese). It was the Lady Gaga of burgers.
I have to admit I was afraid to pick it up at first. I studied it, nibbling on my side dishes: a batch of crispy fries and a lovely little wedge salad dressed in blue cheese. One can be suspect of a burger this jazzed up. But one bite proved this one lived up to the dramatics. (Granted, I had to cut it in half and remove the onion rings before I could take a proper bite.)
It was thick, juicy, delicious, flavored with just enough fat. And it was huge. Not as huge as the double-patty extravaganza that is the one-pound burger ($16.95), but certainly big enough to share or to split for leftovers.
The folks at GBC know this, so they offer the option to order half a burger ($9.95). The so-called “half-a half-a” is quite popular, says co-owner Alberto Guasch, the guy who opened the original Gourmet Burger Company in San Salvador’s upscale Zona Rosa district.
Why not just offer a quarter-pounder on the menu? Guasch says griddling the whole, thicker patty ensures a much juicier burger.
Keeping the burgers moist and juicy is a priority, he told me by phone after my visit. The beef is fresh-ground coarsely in the kitchen and sparingly handled.
“We really focus on the meat, how we grind it, how we form the patty – it’s a secret process,” Guasch said. Even the leaner beef burger, made of ground New York strip loin ($13.95), proved to be juicy, though not as rich and deeply flavored as the brisket-chuck mix.
But there’s more than a juicy burger involved in a meal at the Gourmet Burger Company, a sit-down establishment with indoor and outdoor seating, table service and a full bar. There’s a complete meal – one you construct in steps. You choose the components: the meat (choices include baby back ribs, fish, chicken, portobello), the cheese (including a nice, panko-breaded queso blanco), the sauce (among them a fragrant basil mayo) and two sides.
A couple of sides deserve special mention and, in fact, can be ordered as starters (from $2.95 to $5.95 for lobster mac-n-cheese). We enjoyed a dish of mussels in a flavorful but light chardonnay cream that seemed a delightful oddity for a burger joint. Ditto for the lobster mac-n-cheese. The GBC version is a welcome change from the rich-on-rich standard. It highlights the lobster with lightly spicy flavor notes that suggest a sofrito base or marinade. Side choices also include gnocchi, creamy corn and thick, sweet chili.
This build-a-meal concept not only takes the Gourmet Burger Company to another level, it promises enough options to keep things interesting on future visits.
It was this concept that inspired Jupiter couple Marinella and Richard Ganter to open the place here. They dined at Guasch’s eatery while visiting family in El Salvador. They were so impressed, they took a leap of faith into an unfamiliar business. With Guasch’s help, they’ve created a family-friendly restaurant where servers are gracious and knowledgeable on the menu.
My only quibble: Our server did not bring or offer clean small plates for sharing. But she was fantastic with the two young children in our party, checking in often as they gobbled their generously portioned dishes – a big bowl of macaroni and cheese and a hearty serving of chicken nuggets ($4.99 each dish) – from the kids menu.
Best of all, she volunteered a $10-off coupon when she brought the check. And she gave us a couple more for later. Gotta love that.
R E V I E W
Gourmet Burger Company
FOOD: B+
SERVICE: B+
ADDRESS: 251 S. U.S. 1, Jupiter
TELEPHONE: (561) 746-6200
INFO: Directions, invite friends, more
PRICE RANGE: Inexpensive to moderate
HOURS: Open weekdays for lunch from 12 to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m.
CREDIT CARDS: Most major
RESERVATIONS: Walk-ins welcome
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes, including restrooms
WHAT THE GRADES MEAN: A
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. IT never disaapoints. Truly brings the burger to a “whole new level”. Wonderful friendly staff……..upscale atmosphere…….. bar……….outstanding food……..a real “neighborhood joint” you can sink your teeth into.
So just a 1/2 pound burger alone is 15.20 and the pounder at 16.95 or do these include any sides? The article is unclear and doesn’t list them as complete meal prices. I can’t see people paying these high prices for a burger in today’s economy.
No doubt tasty but I think I could spend $15 worth of food money more wisely.
After you choose your burger, you get to choose from a bunch of side options that are included. Too many different combinations to easily describe really. I enjoyed my last visit, and will save my monthly burger limit for another. Keep up the good work GBC!
Liz – i dont know what your being paid to do this review – but you must have been a little intoxicated when you wrote this , by far the worst burger in town, drive by Gourmet burger any day and the parking lot is empty, does that scream good burger to you – if they were that good there would be patrons in the restaurant,if i drive by a restaurant and its busy, to me thats a good way to gauge how good the food is -
Actually a good way to gauge how good the food is, is to TRY THE FOOD. Do you realize how silly you sound by chastizing a food critic who actually tried the food. When you say you know how good it is by looking at the parking lot?? Wow.
i have tried the food – Actually that it is a great gauge – If you drive by a restaurant and the parking lot is full – what does that tell you – “it says people like it and the food must be great” i met the owner, he’s pretty nice but in no way does Gourmet burger stand up to the competition – I WOULD PUT MONEY ON IT……- perception is reality -
At $15 a burger they don’t need to be busy all of the time!
Agreed. We go ab out once a month.. would like to go more, but the calories are worth saving up for. On a Fri or Sat night.. the place is pretty crowded with a good many people at the bar and families and couples filling the dining room.
Dave– why don’t you TRY the food before commenting on it…!?!?
All of the ingredients are fresh and everything is freshly prepared and delicious. I think there should be a “BLIND” burger taste test and see who comes out on top. My money’s on GBC always.
I agree… Dave.. why don’t you try the food before commenting? We are not reviewing a parking lot.
I go to GBC once a month (I’d like to go more, but the decadence and calorie content are too much for more than that!!) and it’s pretty full on a Fri and Sat night. There’s always a good bar crowd and a dining room full of families and couples.
The ingredients are fresh and everything is made to order. Truly.. a masterpiece for the taste buds.
We ate there once. Way overpriced and not a very good burger. Won;t eat there again.
I must have eaten at another place than some of these reviews. Our family loves food like this but HATED GBC. The service was slow, the food tasteless, and the bill eye popping. No thanks.
Just what we need one more fattening burger joint. It seems fancy burgers are the answer to making money in the food business. The steak joints are all but closed. $15 for a burger? It wasn’t long ago you could have a 3 course steak dinner for $15 all over town. We had some very nice restaurants in Jupiter and the Gardens that have been shuttered and replaced by Pizza and Burger joints. Guess it’s just another sign of the times. I’ll stick to a occasional Big Mac for 2 bucks!