Gordon Ramsay BURGR Is A Blaze of FLAVR

Our culinary tag team braves Gordon Ramsay’s scowl for some exciting tastes…

I’ve said this before, and it continues to hold true – one of the best things about going to Vegas is the random conversations you strike up with strangers. It’s nearly impossible to rest yourself on a bar stool and NOT meet someone new and cool. Sometimes those spontaneous conversations lead you towards a new friendship, an exciting adventure or an experience that you might otherwise have missed….like Gordon Ramsay BURGR.

A few months back I was sitting at the bar inside Blondie’s of Miracle Mile Shops (see our Chief Editor’s review here) when a very young gentleman to my right engaged me in conversation. The topic steered towards food, and eventually to celebrity chefs…and Gordon Ramsay in particular. “I can’t stand that guy, ” I said. “His nasty attitude and crabby scowl are all over the city. Billboards, taxis, posters…he’s everywhere. I just can’t see myself patronizing a place helmed by somebody so angry-looking”.

As it turned out, I was about to be educated a bit on the real Gordon Ramsay, as I’d been conversing with the Chef de Cuisine of Gordon Ramsay BURGR. It is located mere minutes away from where we sat. This gentleman went to great lengths to tell me that Ramsay’s public persona is nothing like the real guy…that he’s actually quite a kind and considerate employer…and a gentleman.

The doubting look on my face must have been apparent, yet Chef Harold Donahue still invited me to set my prejudices aside and try a meal at BURGR. So with my usual tag-team dining companion (and Vegas On Two Wheels  author) Greg Bennett, we accepted the invitation to be guests of Chef Donahue…and “nice guy” Gordon Ramsay.

When Greg and I pair up for a restaurant review, it’s typical to take a two-perspective approach. I lean towards the “healthy guy” options and he (Mr. Biker Dude) goes “hog wild” on everything else. This time, however, Chef Harold had pre-selected an array of items from their menu, so we had to huddle for a slight revision to the usual plan.

Forgoing cocktails, we both decided to have iced tea ($4). I chose traditional brewed and Greg opted for raspberry sweet tea, which he absolutely loved. “This isn’t Lipton BRISK…they infused real raspberries in here. It’s delicious!”.

While I was momentarily tempted to tease Greg’s excitement over a glass of tea, it was fortunate that I held my joke, as it was me who suddenly became thrilled at the arrival of a Hummus appetizer ($10). While that healthy warm-up is standard fare just about everywhere, the presentation here is what made me smile. Colorful vegetable strips were stacked into a decorative structure with radishes, green onions and toasted pita wedges. The dip itself was smooth and appealing….just the right segue into what lie ahead.

Next up was a pair of Ahi Poke Sliders ($14) with sriracha mayo, shredded cabbage, crisp-fried onions and ponzu sauce on a furikake-seasoned mini roll. Oh, so good they were. A little on the small side for the price, but every bite was perfection.

The same can’t be said about Roasted Jalapeno Poppers ($12), only because they weren’t all created equal. You see, the six large poppers, breaded and filled with cheddar-bacon sauce before being placed into individual cups of cheddar ranch, have a little secret. One of the six peppers is filled with the fiery seeds of the other five, and there’s no way of knowing which one you’ll get. Eating them turned into a little game of Russian Roulette.

Greg was the winner…or loser? You can decide by watching below:

https://youtu.be/mvkwUKmDwk0

Other starters in the appetizer section of the menu include Pork Belly “Hot Pockets” ($12), Beer Battered Maui Onion Rings ($9) and Fury Chicken Wings ($14).

After Greg’s near-death-by-pepper experience, we were quite ready to move on to the main course. The GRB menu offers two entree salads, the Fish & Crisp sandwich ($17), a vegan portabella-based Earth Burger ($16) and two variations of the Devil Dawg, all-natural beef dogs grilled over apple and alder woods.

Of course, our server recommended that we try a few of their signature beef burgers. The specialty sandwiches we decided on were built around a three-meat patty of ground chuck, short rib, and brisket, grilled over that apple/alder hardwood open flame to a recommended medium temperature.

Having been spared the jalapeno ordeal, I chose the highly-recommended Hell’s Kitchen ($15), topped with jalapeno pesto aioli, asadero (a mild white Mexican cheese), oven-roasted tomatoes, avocado and more roasted jalapenos.

Greg gave his flaming mouth a little break with a towering Farm Burger ($15), made with sharp English cheddar and duck bacon, topped with a fried egg. We shared a little of each and gave the flavor edge to mine but agreed on one thing: both reminded us of the backyard barbecues of our childhood.

Our planned meal experience came with large cones of hand-cut Parmesan Truffle Fries ($11) and Sweet Potato Fries ($9) coupled with honey jalapeno mayo (they love jalapenos here) and a shaker of vanilla powdered sugar. BURGR uses the preferred Kennebec potatoes for their white fries. They also create their own chipotle and curry ketchups.

As we were oo-ing and ahh-ing between bites, Chef Donahue came over to check on us. He offered details on the care that goes into each ingredient. For instance, the roasted tomatoes on my sandwich were hand-sorted each day in their kitchen for ripeness, then washed and roasted. The same daily care goes into the jalapenos they use, which are peeled and prepared individually by hand. About 16 hours of preparation and manpower are allotted for the creation of some of their freshly-made toppings.

After our main course, the server was ready to have us try a few of their five specialty shakes ($9), which include a chocolate hazelnut pudding/praline cookie/coffee variety and coconut pudding/chocolate cookie/strawberry shake. Alas, we were filled to the gills and heading to a PH show that was about to start, so he sent us on our way with a pair of Push Up Pops ($2) filled with salted peanut ice cream. A great way to tame our excited and blazing palates.

After enjoying this flavorful and fun meal, I can understand why the lines are frequently long for Planet Hollywood‘s celebrity burger palace. Keep in mind that full-service bar seating is available, and advance reservations are easily made by clicking here. I recommend booth seating, as the chairs here are thickly padded and sink too low to be practical…unless you enjoy feeling like a child at the grown-ups table.

Coming away from this experience, I can’t say that my opinions of Ramsay’s persona are any different. But at least he wasn’t scowling down at me from the walls while I ate…and his staff definitely knows how to prepare and serve a delicious picnic-style hamburger.

I’m won over.

Gordon Ramsay BURGR is located off the Planet Hollywood casino floor. Hours of operations are Sunday through Thursday 11 am to midnight, Friday, and Saturday 11 am to 2 am.

Photos: [Sammasseur, Rayfield Johnson Jr. via Facebook]

sammasseur

A fitness buff and Vegas fan. Sam enjoys shows, bargains, and cheap healthy eats.