A trip to 5 Napkin Burger - Finally!

This week I was finally able to indulge in 5 Napkin Burger!  After the failed lunch attempt and hearing all the great reviews, I was looking forward to having their burger and seeing how it stacks up to the competition.  They had been doing a lot of advertising in the area, including a contest where they looked for a Boston burger that would be included on their menu.  From what I could tell on Twitter alone, they got quiet a few creative entries.

The Original 5 Napkin Burger

After touring the Boston Public Library for a potential wedding venue, we headed down Huntington Avenue to the former Daily Grille location to see what all the talk was about.  They really opened up the space and created atmosphere that is part diner, part fine dining.  They have a tin ceiling and a maze of hanging light fixtures that are more urban/industrial than the modern/contemporary you typically see in newer restaurants.    

A view on the inside...

After a couple of long venue visit days, and all that comes with it - like sticker shock - my mom went straight for a pomegranate-berry cosmo that was great and not too sweet.

Martini!

Choosing to be healthier, my mom went with the peanut chicken salad, which has greens, daikon radish, cucumbers, celery, apples, onions, scallions, peanuts, honey-lime vinaigrette and peanut-ginger dressing.

The Salad

While not what you'd expect from this kind of restaurant, it was a great option for those who want something other than a burger.  My mom enjoyed it thoroughly.

Nick and I went with the more traditional 5 Napkin Burger menu.  For a side I chose the onion rings.

Onion Rings

The onion rings were great.  To me, the batter makes or breaks onion rings and this batter was nice and crispy - none of that mushy texture you can sometimes get. While there could have been a bit more seasoning in the batter, I was still a happy camper.

Nick went the french fry route, but with a Tuscan flair: golden fries with rosemary and parmesan sprinkled on top.

The Fries

The french fries were good but not the best.  The rosemary and Parmesan seasoning made them.

I decided to go for the original burger (pictured above), because I thought it would give the best idea of how they do their burger.  The burger is 10 oz. of fresh ground chuck (like all their burgers), Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and rosemary aioli on a soft white roll - lots of good toppings for their "basic" burger.  It came out cooked a perfect medium rare and was just a bunch of juicy goodness.  All in all, for a price point of $10.95, its a great deal.  The beef could have been seasoned a bit more, but still, delicious!

Nick went straight for the Boston Burger, the winner of the Boston contest, which is made with maple syrup-infused beef and topped with baked beans, smoked Gouda, tomato and relish.

The Boston Burger

Nick had thoughts similar to me: best burger in town for this price point.  He thought it all tasted great, although he didn't really get much of the maple flavor.

I definitely would recommend heading to 5 Napkin Burger when you have a chance - you will NOT be disappointed.  The variety of burgers and other options on their menu is incredible, and even the pickiest person will be satisfied.  I would definitely recommend making a reservation before heading over - they are (justifiably) busy!