“The Blended Burger Project™” at Boiler Nine
I love a good burger…really love a good burger. If I am going to spend some of my daily calories on a burger, it needs to be amazing and unique, and last week I found just that. Boiler Nine is one of three Austin restaurants participating in the James Beard Foundation Blended Burger Competition. This nationwide competition goes on through July 31. The challenge is to make a unique and flavorful burger by blending at least 25 percent fresh and chopped cultivated mushrooms into the burger patty.
First, Boiler Nine is a “newer” restaurant in the Seaholm area down by the City Power Plant off Cesar Chavez and Seaholm drive. It is from the same restaurant group that brought us Second Bar + Kitchen. Boiler Nine features wood fire dishes, 70’s inspired cocktails, and great views from their rooftop lounge. All of that said, I was here for the burger.
Second, The James Beard Foundation (JBF) and their awards are no strangers to Austin. We’ve had semifinalists in the past years to include Bryce Gilmore for Barley Swine and Laura Sawicki for Launderette. We’ve also had winners - Aaron Franklin in 2015, Paul Qui in 2012, and Tyson Cole in 2011. The mission of JBF, as stated on their website, is to “celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.” So as I was catching up on some food news, a mention about James Beard Blended Burger Project caught my attention!
And now, the burger. Simply put, this burger was fantastic. For the Blended Burger Project™, the primary requirement was to create a burger by blending at least 25 percent fresh and chopped mushrooms into the burger patty. Boiler Nine’s creation consists of lamb, cremini mushrooms, and chorizo patty topped with chimichurri, pickled onions, jalapeños, mustard seed aioli, and raclette. Pair this with an order of their steak fries, and you cannot go wrong. Flavors, juiciness, and the presentation…I highly recommend this burger.
On a closing note, one additional thing that impressed me was seeing fresh cut herbs brought into the kitchen. As I found out, they have planters out front growing a variety of herbs including oregano, Mexican marigold, chives, Kaffir lime leaf, and Mexican plum trees. Just a nice added touch to the vibe here.
So try the Lamb, Cremini and Chorizo Burger at Boiler Nine and vote for them here: https://www.jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject/vote. You have until July 31 to do this. The burger itself may remain on the menu until the end of the summer and then be rotated out with another creation. Do not miss an opportunity to support a local Austin restaurant in this competition.
Sites to visit for additional information and background:
The James Beard Foundation: https://www.jamesbeard.org/
The Blended Burger Project: https://www.jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject
More about mushrooms and burger blends: http://www.mushroomsonthemenu.com/the-blend/
Todd White