Radius Burger Test

Last night Nick and I headed to the Financial District for a birthday party.  Knowing that the party started a bit later, we capitalized on the location and headed to Radius for a burger test.  Radius' burger has popped up on a bunch of "best of" lists (including mine) so we were eager for the excuse to check it out.

The Burger

Since it was a Saturday night we thought there would be no problem getting a seat at the bar - I mean who actually goes to that area on a Saturday night?  Of course we walk in and there were no available seats!  Turns out we stumbled upon half-price burger night!!!  We were so excited - that sort of stuff NEVER happens to me.  Radius is doing this promotion on Saturday nights through January, but since it has been so big, they may extend it through February as well.  Regardless, try to hit the half price night, such a good deal.

Onto the meal....

Like I said, it was busy when we got there so we had to stand for a bit.  What was really nice, though, was that Radius had bartenders circulating through the bar area to help out people like us.  There was no need to try and cram in at the bar to get a drink, making for a much more relaxed environment.  For our first drinks, we went pretty basic: Grey Goose and tonic for me and a Dark and Stormy for Nick (shocking right?!)  Nick said the ginger beer in the dark and stormy had a strong flavor, more so that others he has had.  By the time we finished our first drink, a table opened up for us. 

Knowing we were getting half priced burgers, we indulged on our second drinks as well.  This time we went with the cocktail menu because it had a couple of great options for both of us - vodka for me, gin for Nick.  I settled on the Havisham's Dream, which is Absolut Citron, pear liqueur, rose water and a splash of bubbles- where the bubbles come from, I do not know.

Havisham's Dream

The drink is nicely garnished with a purple orchid.  It doesn't get more girly than that!  Overall the drink was nice and easy to drink, not at all too sweet like some martini's can get.  None of the flavors overpowered the others.  Nick stuck with the ginger beer and got the Fezziwig's Punch, which had new amsterdam gin, pimm's cup, orange blossom water, and ginger beer.

Fezziwig's Punch

At first I was worried that we may be ordering another drink quickly as Nick's first sip was all gin!  However, after he mixed it up a bit, the rest of the flavors came together.  The orange blossom was really fragrant.  By the end, Nick was completely on board with the drink.  So, note here: make sure you stir!

When it came time to order food, there was no thought needed, and we both ordered the burger.

The Burger - from another angle

This burger has a large beef pattie that is topped with a horseradish sauce and onion strings that were actually between the bun!  In the picture, that is actually the sauce spilling out, not cheese.  I must admit I am not a maynoaise fan at all so this horseradish sauce worried me.  When the burgers came, they were cooked to perfection - when you order rare and medium rare, this is a big deal.

A look inside...

The burger itself was a great size, and the bun did not overshadow it in the least.  Since the bun is a fluffly artisan bread, the meat had its work cut out for it.  The onion strings in the burger were a great addition and added some salty, crunchy flavor and texture.  Now, the sauce Nick loved, but it was too much for me.  I think if I were to order it again, I would ask for only a little of the horseradish sauce, which would make a big difference for me.  The onion strings and sauce really do make this burger different from most and that I really appreciate.  Its hard to take something so standard and make it more special while remembering that the beef should be the star.

This burger quickly climbed the ranks of Nick's favorites, beating out Back Bay Social Club and a close second to Sel de la Terre.  For me however, Moo... and Back Bay Social Club still are tops.
 
Between the drinks, the food, and the warm atmosphere, Radius is worth the trip.  If you are a horseradish fan, the burger would be right up your alley.