Burger time: Rockit Bar & Grill

When I heard that Rockit, the ever-popular, ever-trendy River North bar and grill with a just-opened second location in Wrigleyville, was holding its annual Burgerfest this week, my heart soared. An entire festival dedicated to burgers? Brilliant!

But no sooner had I set out for this festival of burgers than I began to have doubts. Yes, Rockit likes to talk up the fact that the Rockit Burger has earned accolades from "Good Morning America." But a national morning show is hardly an authority on Chicago burgers. Moreover, Rockit’s signature burger comes with a hefty $19 price tag. What burger possibly could live up to such a showy asking price? Are these burgers really worthy of their own fest?

BURGERELLI’S BREAKDOWN

The burger: Thick, juicy and cooked precisely to order. Of course, it’s hard to go wrong when you’re using a half pound of kobe beef. The Great Burgerelli typically prefers more seasoning in a patty, but I shall give this oversight a pass because in this case, the quality of beef compensates.

The bun: Buttery, airy brioche that melted in my mouth. This bun was thick enough to absorb the juices of a medium-rare burger but light enough so as not to sit too heavily in my stomach. Delightful.

The fixings: A sophisticated smear of date jam and some thinly sliced fried shallots on the bottom, a hunk of melted brie on top. The sweet dates played well off the rich kobe and creamy brie, and I’ll always tip my hat to the choice of shallots over onions.

Everything else: The Rockit Burger is a great beast of a thing, so fries may seem like overkill. But I beg of you, do not skip Rockit’s thick-cut russets, with white truffle oil and parsley dancing over perfect crispiness. (And please, resist the temptation to replace them with sweet potato fries, which are often soggy and always dusted with cinnamon and sugar, an embellishment I just can’t get behind—especially when Rockit offers better ways, such as a Goose Island Root Beer float, to satisfy your sweet tooth.)

Burgerelli’s bottom line: Indeed, these burgers are cause for celebration.

The Great Burgerelli is a connoisseur of burgers. Send him suggestions at gburgerelli@tribune.com.

Add a comment