Au Cheval: Burger Perfection

A Brief Memorial

I find myself following in the footsteps of a culinary giant. Of the many that have left us for the stainless-steel kitchen in the sky, a few names spring to mind; Paul Bocuse, Joel Robuchon. Of those that have passed on, one has weighed particularly heavily on my heart.

Credit: Unknown

Anthony Bourdain was loved by many for his care-free, fuck-you attitude. His persona has dominated the food and travel scene for as long as I can remember. His series No Reservations served as an inspiration to go out and try the weird and wonderful, before putting pen to paper and documenting it all. So, if you hate what I’m doing here, which is, incidentally fine, blame him.

I recently visited a couple of great friends of mine in Chicago. Bourdain documented his travels in Chicago a number of times; these are well documented in his Layover and Parts Unknown. On this trip, my third journey to this mecca of all thing mid-western, I hit up pretty much all of his recommendations.

Part I

Au Cheval

I’m finding it evermore impossible to be objective about this place because I honestly think it is so good. The burger is the best in the city, and by a long way. Bourdain cites Kuma’s on his list but it really doesn’t hold much of a candle to this joint. It’s probably the best in America. In fact, I think I remember it being voted the best in America at one point. If it was, it is, by extension, the best burger in the world. I don’t normally care for the fancy burgers you find elsewhere. You see “Youtubers”, whoever the hell they are, reviewing burgers with lobster, gold leaf, caviar, truffle etc. Money can’t really make a burger better.

This burger… she’s a juicy Lucy. The patty is medium rare but well-charred on the outside. The bun is so structurally sound that when said juices start running, it holds together impeccably. There’s no involuntary disassembly that happens with a lesser burger.

Credit: Katie Cahnmann

Their formula is simple. Aforementioned bun. Two patties (a single burger has two patties; a double has three). Cheese. American Cheese. Thick cut bacon covered in a neutral syrup and black pepper. It’s three quarters of an inch thick and delicious. Optional off-menu cheap-grade Foie Gras (which to my mind isn’t optional as it’s an umami hand grenade that brings everything together with its nutty, golden goodness). The burger is $12.95. The optional extras of bacon and Foie take it to a still-justifiable $25.

You press down, probably firmer than you’d be comfortable with in a Shake Shack or, God forbid, a Five-Guys. The juice may overflow and run down the sides. This is perfectly natural and a great sauce to mop up at the end of the meal if you have any bun left. Which you won’t.

The first bite, on a single at least, should fit in your mouth comfortably. If it doesn’t, press down harder still. At this point, some larger pieces of Foie may rupture, and that’s a good thing. This burger is rich and has a deep, guttural earthiness from the bacon and Foie which should be cut with an intermittent bite of pickle.

I’ll admit, the pickle isn’t great. I’ve eaten here maybe seven or eight times now and it’s always been a bit of a let-down. It’s too watery; the pickling liquor is a bit bland and washes away the burger’s flavour, but I guess that’s what it’s for. No one is looking for a super-rich pickle, but I just expect a mind-blowing pickle from a mind-blowing burger.

Completing this burger often feels like some sort of achievement, at least it did the first few times I did. The richness gives your arteries a loving embrace and your heart a good workout for the next few days. It’s not one for the faint of heart, nor those with a history of hereditary heart disease. Will there be a better burger out there? Possibly. Will I be willing to test it and find out? Sure; I’m always looking for the next culinary fix. But what is for certain about this burger is that it’s addictive. I mean, really addictive. As someone who has had it twice a week (when prorated for time spent in Chicago, of course) over the past two years, I should know. My cardiovascular system certainly does.