Summertime calls for cool drinks and mouthwatering burgers, and boy do we love a good burger! What makes a great burger, you ask? The keyword is “fresh”: freshly ground beef that’s still juicy when cooked, freshly cut toppings (crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, onion etc.) and oh yeah, a great fresh bun to keep everything together. Now, being food experts and all, we know a good burger when we taste one and we know many restaurants like to add a bit of their own signature flair to one; that’s perfectly fine and when done successfully the results can be very rewarding!

So when we started noticing surf and turf burgers gaining more exposure, we had to wonder what people thought of this new trend. Now, if you’re not familiar with surf and turf food (aka surf  ‘n’ turf), it simply refers to cuisine that contains the combination of seafood (surf) and meat (turf). Still scratching your head about what exactly is a surf ‘n’ turf burger? We have noticed various combinations throughout our food expeditions; beef burgers with lobster, shrimp, scallops and even softshell crab!

Do you think the surf and turf burger combo is a match made in heaven, or do you believe burgers taste best unadulterated? You might want to try out some of the following surf and turf burgers before making a decision.

Joe’s Surf  ‘N Turf Burger @ Joe’s Crab Shack: “A big, juicy peppercorn burger topped with crunchy popcorn shrimp, crispy onion strings and our own spicy sriracha remoulade sauce. You can’t get this baby at a drive-thru.”

Surf ‘N Turf Burger @ Smithfield in NYC: “Ground Black Angus, sweet Maine lobster, poached asparagus.”

Bacon Wrapped Scallop Burger @ Umami Burger San Francisco: “Scallop patty topped with crispy pork belly, sweet chili sauce and yuzu-garlic aioli.”

Surf & Turf Burger @ EAT in Honolulu: “Our Kauai Beef Patty topped with a Whole Crispy Softshell Crab, Fresh Avacado, our Specialty Sauce”

 

What’s more pleasing than a mouthwatering burger with all the fixings? When you think about it, hamburgers are truly timeless and have become an American culinary icon for decades. Burgers are so popular that most Americans need only drive 5 minutes to the nearest burger joint drive-thru window to satisfy their meaty craving. But these days, consumers have more choices than just a Big Mac from McDonald’s or a Whopper from Burger King, which for a while had become a somewhat “boring” standard.

In today’s restaurant landscape, it is apparent that there’s a resurgence in the interest of the burger. Innovative restaurants such as “The Counter” feature a “Build your Own Burger” menu made from 100% natural angus beef, and “M Burger” goes back to basics focusing on no-frills and big taste with a simple menu similar to In-n-Out’s.

On my latest eating mission, I headed out to the Chicago to take a tour of M Burger. This is a popular new concept by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (with about 70 restaurants under their umbrella) has a small footprint but huge traffic.  This progressive restaurant group is known for creating restaurants with theatrical flair and good value and M Buger is surely no exception.

It’s clear that the love for the burger will continually fuel great new concepts such as M Burger for years to come.

Burger bonus!

For all you burger lovers who’d like to stay in for dinner but would still like a fancy burger, check out the following recipes from PlateOnline.com

Burger Breakthrough

Who can resist the smell of burgers on the grill? Even if you’re not running a beer-and-burger joint, you can still flip a few patties with upscale options like lobster, lamb and truffles. Get your buns to work on these and other great burger recipes.

Mini cheese burgers with truffle oil

Chef Kerry Sear, Cascadia Restaurant, Seattle

Chicken burger with sage and roasted red pepper mayonnaise

Chef John Lupi, Appalachia Restaurant, Marble Hill Ga.

Lola’s lamb burger

Chef-Owner Tom Douglas, Lola, Seattle

Lobster burger

Chef John Kekalos, The Falls, New York

Char-grilled pulled pork hamburger

Chef-Partner Dean Small, Synergy Consulting, Laguna Beach Calif.

Search for these and more than 2,000 other professional chef recipes at www.PlateOnline.com!