Chile Relleno Burger

Review of the Chile Relleno Burger at Border Grill in Los Angeles, owned by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (Two Hot Tamales), from Damon Gambuto, http://aht.seriouseats.com/.

The burger on Border Grill's lunch menu is the Chile Relleno burger ($14.50). No surprise what the star topping is, but the (very clever) addition of a cheese-stuffed pepper to this burger fiesta is just the beginning of why this is such an excellent riff on the American standard. The patty is six beautiful ounces of an 80/20 chuck and brisket blend that is all natural and antibiotic-free Angus beef from Meyers Ranch. The pepper is a roasted poblano stuffed with manchego, panela, and cotija cheeses, and is accompanied by a little Romaine lettuce and a splash of salsa. The bun is Rockenwagner's brioche, which—as we've seen before—is very good and not so much like a traditional brioche. It gets a hit of chipotle Thousand Island.

The first bite was a revelation. The ridiculously rich and flavorful beef had a fantastic char from the grill that stood tall against the cheese and pepper. The chile relleno, which I worried might overpower the patty, was much less the bully than I'd feared. Rather, the beautiful crunch from the frying gave wave to a perfect ooze of creaminess to match the char. This burger managed to overwhelm me and comfort me all at once. Its powerful combination of flavors and textures betrayed the balance that is a mark of a great chef (or two in this case). All the Mexican flavors, rather than distracting, makes this a burger—and its cultural blend—all the more American.

The brioche bun was able to hold all of the beef and toppings together. It's so much more pliable than its name would suggest; this is a brioche that makes this burger all the better.

Recipe for Chili Rellenos