It sounds great in theory – meet a friend for lunch or dinner – catch up over a juicy burger, enjoy the guilty pleasure of a slurped milkshake, share a few French fries together. But, I dare say, put a Charm City burger in front of me and I am down the road to monastic life and a solitary existence.

I like my friends, but at Charm City companions almost would be a distraction, taking my attention away from the towering monstrosity waiting for my full attention. I would be worried about smearing the Charm City sauce across my face, not relishing in the perfect bite. The concerns of ladylike eating might enter into my head – especially on a date! – when really, all I want to do is shove the juicy, fresh steak blend, the perfectly sautéed mushrooms, the chewy bacon and rip into a bite of baked sesame bun. And sharing fries? Pshaw. I don’t want to. I want them all myself. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen since perfectly cooked hand cut fries ($3.20) with a beautiful sprinkle of flaky sea salt. They’re properly browned on one side, long and elegant. If fries were poems, Charm City is their nom de plume.

Indeed, there’s almost an air of reverence inside Charm City and I puzzle over it before I am presented with my lunch. Busy yes, but not noisy. It’s almost quiet as patrons observantly photograph their burgers and posting their lunch for others to drool over. They indulge themselves with a microbrew – it’s been a while since I’ve seen that on a Tuesday.

But then I realize – two bites into my gorgeous beast (I’ve gone with the “Cowboy Style” – thick cut bacon, aged cheddar, sautéed ‘shrooms and grilled onions, $6.75) — this is the place to have a solitary moment. Woman (or man) and burger, zen achieved.

Charm City’s lure has crept far over the Broward line – I’ve heard of its greatness for months. But now I get it. With food like that – who needs companions?

Charm City Burger Company: 1136 E Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach; open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight; 954-531-0300; CharmCityBurgers.com.