To the earnest epicurean, a gourmet burger must seem like a gastronomical parody, an affront to the meticulous demands of haute cuisine. With its unromantic layout (beef between a bun) and brutish practicality, it always seemed suited to, say, the no-nonsense American palate. But the wily burger has been making a new name for itself recently, making its way onto the menus of fashionable restaurants all over the world. Why, in recent years, the gourmet burger has become de rigueur among Parisian patrons, famously some of the most discriminating diners in the world.

When Deli Works, a cosy delicatessen located in the Sovereign Centre, recently advertised a taste testing for “the finest burgers in Kingston”, of course, our interest was piqued.

Could this be a satisfying entry point for the gourmet burger revolution in Kingston?

To be sure, there are a few places in town where one can splurge on an expensive hamburger. A number of restaurants carry “burger” on the menu, but one gets the impression of having just spent far too much on an oversized minced beef burger that should be on a value menu. Deli Works promises to present the gourmet burger as a specialty, not an afterthought.

It’s an intimate setting inside the walls of Deli Works. Only a dozen or so guests are on hand — “a handful of loyal customers and some close friends”, says Michael Hall, who owns the restaurant.

When Thursday Food arrived, the guests were already ploughing into their burgers. It’s a modest but exciting menu — eight burgers in all, ranging from Mediterranean-inspired (The Jazz ‘n’ Blue) to the robust New Orleans style (The Cajun). The fan favourite was the Jazz ‘n’ Blue, a Mediterranean- inspired burger that mixes pungent blue cheese and crispy onion with the traditional beef-and-lettuce compostion.

“It’s delicious!” croons Stacey Jureidini, a long-time customer. “The blue cheese goes really well with the meat. And the meat is so tender.”

Heather Williams, another ardent customer, agrees.

“It was my favourite. From the presentation to the eating. It was so exciting. Just excellent.”

At the same table, Heather’s friend, Jane Ziadia, stuck up for her favourite.

“The ‘Mighty Crown’. Definitely. It was really nice… sweet. And it went really well with my jumbo malt.”

After hearing all these praises, it was time to sink our own teeth into some of these succulent offerings. We first tried the crowd favourite – the ‘Jazz ‘n Blue’. It was an enticing presentation, a flawless layout of the basic components — red onions, layered on wide-brimmed tomato atop a bed of lettuce set to one side, and the open burger set to another, with the blue cheese and straw onions brimming at the edges of what seems like a boulder of beef patty. It was exquisite. The pungency of the blue merges with the delicate flavour of the beef to create a most memorable meal.

— Kedon Willis

Captions

(Photos: Jermaine Barnaby)

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Husband-and-wife team Stacey Jureidini and Duane Channer chow down on their burgers.

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Deli Works owners Michael and Colleen Hall display some staples from the gourmet burger menu.

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Michael Hall, owner of Deli Works, chats it up with some satisfied patrons.

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The piece le resistence: The robust ‘Jazz ‘n Blue, brimming with blue cheese and crispy straw onions

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The spicy “Ring the Alarm”. Note the slices of scotch bonnet pepper to the side.

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For the vegetarian-inclined, don’t fret: There’s a delectable fish burger just for you.

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Smile! The hardworking staff of Deli Works.