25 Degrees of stinky happiness
25 degrees Fahrenheit is a bit cold for me, 25 degrees Celsius is the typical San Diego day that I miss so much, but as any Chef knows, 25 degrees as it applies to meat is the difference between a medium rare and well done burger.
A few days ago I had a mediocre burger at Lush Burger in Scottsdale so when my trusty pal “Mikey” suggested we drop in and have a burger at 25 Degrees in City North I was a bit reluctant. After spending some time at the bar with the menu and cheerful staff, I realized my reservations were unfounded.
Getting rite down to it, I ordered Bacon wrapped Dates ($8) as an appetizer and we all know my feelings vis a vis anything prepared with bacon and/or butter. Along came a plate of crispy bacon wrapped around sweet dates stuffed with both bleu and marscapone cheeses. Without the need of dipping sauces they were delicious, I could eat somewhere in the neighborhood of ten thousand of these little bits of sweet, salty, creamy tastiness!
So many burger joints get the fries wrong but not 25 Degrees, the 50/50 fries were on point! Skinny as fries should be, these hot little burger sidekicks shared a carton with their sweet potato brethren and arrived hot and full of flavor accompanied by garlic parmesan and spicy aioli’s (couldn’t get the Chef to tell me what was in it though I suspect red bell pepper and cayenne). The fries arrive before your burger so that you can judge them on their own merits.
25 Degrees’ raison d’être is the humble hamburger ordered either by number (as we Americans have been conditioned to do) or in combination with any of three meats, thirteen cheeses, fifteen extras (including jalapeno bacon and Hatch green chiles), and/or fifteen sauces. My order was ground sirloin prepared medium, topped with stinky Red Hawk triple cream cheese (from Cowgirl creamery), crisp bacon (again, my love of this salty culinary necessity is well documented), and Hatch green chiles.
Few things are better in my opinion, than a juicy, properly cooked burger. This one had great meaty texture and was quite frankly huge! One thing stood out, the Red hawk cheese is very fragrant but if you can get past the olfactory assault you will find a tangy, rich cheese with a creamy texture that ties the other toppings together superbly.
If your in North Phoenix and in the mood for a great burger, a cool atmosphere and a tall glass of Sonoran draft root-beer, make it a point to stop by, have a seat and ask for General manager Courtney Cowan. Tell her Tony sent you!
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Fun writing Guess I’m finally going to try this place out tomorrow! Have only lived right around the corner for the last year and a half.
Good to meet you IRL last week. Your writing style is fun, me likey.