Even with a place as reputable and praised in the area as Burger 21, an afternoon dining experience at this Westchase burger joint still managed to exceed expectations.
Burger 21, if you don't know, is a fast-casual burger joint that opened in this upscale, Tampa suburb just under a year ago. Think Five Guys with a modern, gourmet twist and prices not much higher than this burger brethren. Located in the immaculate Avenue at Westchase shopping center, Burger 21 boasts a near-futuristic interior rife in minimalist decor. It looks nice, like you'd have to make reservations to eat there or something.
Really, the prices are anything but. Burger 21 doesn't boast a value menu by any means, but most burgers hover in the $5-10 range and come packed with fixins and flavor combinations you'd expect from the most gourmet, forward-thinking eateries in the area. Aolis? Sauteed crimini mushrooms? Fontina cheese? At a fast-serve burger place? They're all there.
I opted for the Tex-Mex Haystack burger after reading the ingredients and nearly having to wipe the drool off my chin a la Homer Simpson. Packed with applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, smoked cheddar, guacamole, crispy onion strings and chipotle-jalapeño sauce, the Tex-Mex Haystack at Burger 21 was love at first sight.
Coming out to the table, this thing was a beauty; brioche bun glistening in the light, the menagerie of ingredients bursting from the sides, I almost felt bad biting into it. Almost.
Then I did and all was forgiven. There's such an awesome interplay of flavor in this thing, it's almost overwhelming; seasoned, juicy beef, onion straws bathing in the creamy mix of the chipotle-jalepeno and avocado, the cheese. Can't forget about the brioche bun either; lightly grilled on the interior, the brioche worked as a sweet, airy pillow for all the taste inside.
Fries were of the typical shoe-string variety, perfectly crisp and modestly portioned. The sauce bar, rife with ketchups and sauces like mango scotch bonnet ketchup, thai ketchup, toasted marshmellow sauce (for sweet potato fries), and chipotle mayo, makes for some interesting experimentation with your fries.
Burger 21 boasts other burger varieties including turkey, seafood, shrimp, veggie, and tiny slider burgers. All-beef hotdogs, salads, and shakes round out the menu to make this much more than a simple-minded burger joint.
They've really struck gold at Burger 21. Their concept is one that melds the best of high- and low-brow eating to make at least one burger that exceeds all expectations, price and taste wise. With a new location soon opening in Carrollwood and plans to franchise the concept, it's probably safe to say they'll be around for a while. Judging from this experience, that is a very good thing.
