Something’s Bru-ing at the Burger Bar

Sporting rave writeups from Esquire and
the Food Network, Bru brings national
cred to its newest home. The restaurant
offers well over a dozen gourmet burger
options with its patty mixture of brisket,
sirloin and chuck cooked to order; I’d
recommend maxing out at medium. And
if you’re bypassing burgers, there are
chicken, tuna, salmon, black bean, veggie,
cod, Portobello mushroom, pulled pork,
turkey, lamb and Impossible Burger
options.

That’s before a surplus of appetizers (soft
pretzels with sizable salt flakes and side
sauces are a hit) and a sextet of fresh
salads, all of which can be bumped out
to entrees by adding chicken, salmon or
shrimp. The Sriracha Caesar has just the
right drizzle of spice to enliven an eternal
staple. With various gluten-free and vegan
options, Bru also has a handle on dietary
restrictions. Pro tip: Try a side of vegan
mayo as a dip for your burger or Bru’s
hand-cut fries. You can’t go wrong with
the onion rings, either — deliciously crisp
but never brittle, and I could swear there’s
bacon grease in there somewhere as an
unexpected undertone.

I’ve had four different Bru burgers and
the hot chicken. The Bourbon Burger was
the heartiest, with bacon, a peppercornbourbon
glaze and horseradish Havarti
cheese. The Turkey Burger was the most
calorically sensible, boasting savory-sweet
flavor thanks to carrot-ginger slaw, peach
compote and curry mayonnaise. The
Provençal Burger was the messiest, with
a generous spread of herbed goat cheese
and basil aioli, along with a delicious
crunchy/soft combination of marinated
red onions and sautéed mushrooms. The
Mexicali BBQ Burger — including a combo
of white queso, guacamole and chipotle
barbecue sauce among its condiments —
was surprisingly stable in its engineering
and milder than expected, but still strong.

Stalwarts also suggest the Stilton Bleu
Cheese (pear-bacon jam, fried onions,
truffle aioli, spinach) and the Honey-
Chipotle BBQ Burger (which adds a
crown of pulled pork). Keep in mind:
That’s half of the hamburgers Bru has to
offer, and you’ll want to make plans to
master them all.