When Al Menchaca opened Old World Tavern in downtown Lakeport, he thought hard about a menu item that might set his kitchen apart.
“We wanted some sort of signature dish,” he said.
And why not? America identifies with the accoutrements that mark a place or person. Mario Batali wears orange Crocs. Pharrell Williams is known for his goofy hat. Billy “White Shoes” Johnson”s knee-knocking antics practically invented the touchdown dance.
Besides, just about every destination restaurant around the country serves at least one coveted dish, from Kent Rathbun”s lobster shooters in Dallas to the smoked salmon crisps Thomas Keller created for Napa”s famous French Laundry.
What Menchaca and his son, Quentin, came up with was the “Euro Burger.”
OK, so it”s not as elegant as the others. In fact, it sounds surprising simple, just a combination of grass fed beef, pancetta and salami, served on a rectangular telera roll.
The beauty of this arrangement may not become apparent at first bite. It looks, after all, like any other burger—and the eye can toy with your palate. Soon, however, the saline bite of cured meat strides forward. Just at the point at which your senses begin to recoil from the rush of salt, a rich and soothing savor calms things. In the lull, gamy, grassy, lush sensations emerge.
This is one interesting burger. But it did not come as easy as it might seem.
“We played with the combination until we got it right,” Quentin Menchaca explained.
The addition of cured meats posed a problem. Some versions overwhelmed the burger. Others drenched it with salt. Yet leaving it out of the mix made for an all too common flavor profile. When they found the right balance, they started to work on the bun, drawing out the earthier qualities by toasting the fluffy, ciabata-style bread with garlic butter, which hones in on the husky nature of ground beef, adding a faint bitter exclamation—and just a bit more richness to the mouthfeel. What really sets the Euro Burger apart, however, is its kinship with the regular old tavern version served at just about every joint in the state.
You see, too many kitchens overburden the sandwich with this, that and the other, until the meat curls up into a corner, waving a white flag. Signature burgers have become so large they often require building permits. This is just an American classic dressed up, made by hand and served with nothing more than the usual condiments. You can even pick it up with one hand.
It becomes distinct after that first bite. And people are beginning to notice.
“On a Friday and Saturday night it”s really popular,” Quentin Menchaca said.
Contact Dave Faries at 900-2016.
