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Review content:
Okay, we've been a little slow here at Boston Burger Blog in 2010, yes there was The Burger Bash, which was amazing, but we haven't done a review since December. Meanwhile, my burger list grows every day, and it's not always easy to coordinate a burger time for two people (yes, Nick is real) even if I'd love to go once a week. In any case, we headed to The Cellar on Saturday night, not our first go around as we were there for the Burger Crawl, but that day was all about gluttony, not exactly a day spend on enjoying, tasting or analyzing the burger. One thing I did have in mind was the bun, as is always the case the bun is a major factor in my burger experience, and the wrong choice can really mess things up. I love brioche on its own, but rarely does it work in a burger for me, because there's just too much of it and it can be too rich in taste. The Cellar does its best attempt to make the most pretentious burger it can, using brioche, arugula, grass-fed beef, aioli, and truffle, in an otherwise non-pretentious atmosphere. If you haven't been, when they say The Cellar, they really mean it, but it's a great space regardless, perfect to meet friends for a drink or two and enjoy classic pub food done with a twist.
I do have to say, the truffle-rosemary fries are some of the best we've had, maybe the best, perfectly crispy, and infused with the wonderful aroma of rosemary and truffle. How they stay pale blond and still deliver the crunch is anyone's guess. The burger is very good, I have to admit, but that damn brioche just doesn't make any sense, would love an explanation from someone who prefers it because it doesn't work for me. The beef delivers, full of flavor but is not quite juicy enough. Not dry, just not juicy, although it is cooked just right. The Vermont cheddar, while melted for once, gets lost, as does the aioli, because the bun just soaks everything right up, the sandwich doesn't come into sync, it's either a big bite of all bread or all beef, but rarely everything together. And it's too bad, despite everything, individually, there is a ton of flavor, just not as a complete package. I guess part of me almost wants that classic, ketchup and pickle flavor, I don't know that I prefer aioli and arugula on a burger, but you never know, I'm open to change. The fries here really do steal the show, and for $10, you get a good burger, upper echelon for sure and I would certainly recommend this place, just not quite good enough for elite status.
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