Chef Matt Young wants to change his menu with the seasons.
He spends hours poring over ideas for warm winter soups or fresh spring ingredients. He thinks locally, and looks to roll out new flavors as they ripen and peak.
That’s what he wants, really. But every time he considered pulling the burger from the menu in favor of something new …
“I just haven’t been able to take it away,” Young said with a laugh.
Even when the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro chef puts together a different burger — a lunch special — guests dip into their wallets, willing to pay a little more if he’d just head back to the kitchen and prepare the one from the dinner menu.
The appeal? Well, at first glance it would be difficult to explain. Until you take that first bite it looks every bit the simple, all-American patty.
Oh, but the blend of Angus and brisket oozes a resolute savor — rich and assured in character, yet at the same time rustic and unabashed. The plush fats soften this impression, lending a mellow nuttiness that seeps in behind the broad shouldered strut. A deft touch of salt and pepper add a little spark over the husky meat.
Yes, the burger comes with onion, tomato and cheese. But Young treats these as he would any focal point.
For example, he roasts the tomatoes with olive oil and garlic, creating a warm and earthy bite that is wonderful on its own. In the sandwich, however, the flavors seem to retreat into the patty, bolstering the rugged hew of the brisket. The cheese is a spreadable brie that picks up on the mellow fats basking in the burger.
And the onion, well, Young and the Saw Shop kitchen staff cook down red onions with applewood smoked bacon, rice wine vinegar, molasses and other ingredients.
That’s right — an onion-bacon jam, at once sweet and smoky. The raspy trace works into the patty, perking bittersweet char from the grill. The sweet note adds depth to the rich, nutty impression.
It’s a remarkable achievement. Unlike so many signature burgers stacked toweringly high or smothered in foie gras, poached egg and other stuff, every bit added to the Saw Shop burger makes the patty stand out even more.
“All of the flavors are good,” Young points out, “but none are overpowering.”
Oh, he has fended off more than a few people wanting to take home containers of the onion-bacon jam. But he said the kitchen crew already spends more than enough time cooking down relish for the popular burger.
He introduced this particular burger to the menu four months ago. Now it appears to be a fixture on Saw Shop’s otherwise seasonal list.
“Until we came up with this combination, we just had a burger,” Young said with a laugh.
Again, it appears to be a basic hamburger when placed on the table. There are no fried onion rings falling off the top, no trendy settings, nothing about artisanal brioche.
Just a burger. A perfectly balanced, absolutely mesmerizing burger.
It’s enough to make a chef dedicated to change see the need for a constant.
“You can’t go wrong with a good burger,” Young said.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
