Designer patties tricked out with everything from good ol’ LTO to foie gras and applewood-smoked bacon are being dished up by the latest entry in our local Burger Wars, Boca Burger Bar (200 S. Federal Hwy., 561/362-6434).
The restaurant is the creation of the husband-and-wife team of Michael and Nectaria Alamo and brother Anthony, who took over the cozy space just off Palmetto Park Road once home The Lodge, where the only thing worse than the quality of the burgers was the surliness of the staff.
At the Burger Bar, though, Nectaria Alamo says the intent was to create a more “family friendly” meatery, keeping some of The Lodge’s wood-heavy, rustic feel but lightening and brightening the ambiance with soft white, red and brown accents.
From a restaurant family that operated eateries in New York and St. Petersburg, the Alamos’ burgers are 10 ounces of Angus or Kobe beef, plus turkey and portobello mushroom. Nectaria says the partners “spent a lot of time” developing the concept, and it shows in the burgers, which can be gilded with not only the previously mentioned foie and bacon but garlic butter-infused lobster, goat cheese and quince jam, and prosciutto, fried egg and brie.
The rest of the menu is simple and straightforward: fries, onion rings, smashed potatoes and a couple of salads. Prices range from $9.99 for the basic burger to $19.99 for the foie-bacon-Gruyere patty.
Of course, where there’s burgers, there’s beer—12 craft brews on tap, including two of my favorites, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Lagunitas IPA, as well as a handful of bottled beers and wines. Boca Burger Bar is open Monday through Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
