Like most children I can recall McDonald’s being my first introduction to a hamburger. It was then that I realized I had unique taste; I recall ordering a hamburger without onions, tomatoes, or lettuce… and, upon unwrapping the paper like a Christmas gift, I would discard the bun and go for the meat. For me, it’s all about the meat. As I grew older, my father would make fat burgers using different store bought blends of meat. Since then, whenever I order a hamburger, I have always (wrongly) focused specifically on the meat. It wasn’t until visiting Holsteins in Las Vegas that I was first introduced to artisan burgers which, in turn, taught me to appreciate the dish as an entire work of art. Immediately after completing my meal at Holsteins, I was afraid that the best burgers could only be found on the West Coast (look at places like In-N-Out Burger or even Umami Burger). You could only imagine my excitement to hear that Niche Hospitality Group was transforming their Shrewsbury Street storefront into an artisan burger restaurant, The Fix Burger Bar.
The Fix‘s offers two meat blends: a butcher blend purveyed by Pat LaFrieda from NYC and a natural, loose burger grind made from meats that are from grass-fed, all natural sources. In addition, you can dress up your à la carte burger with add-ons classic and unique, like: sautéed shrooms, avocado, bacon, fried prosciutto, Sriracha aioli and even a truffle aioli. The buns are baked fresh by Rhode Island’s Calise & Sons Bakery (the pretzel roll is my favorite). 
In addition to the food, their bar menu (both soft drinks and “Remedies”) have been carefully crafted in house (try the gin and house-made tonic) and bottled/canned drinks are tall boy throwbacks. The soda fountain classics and milkshakes (spiked option available, obviously) are second only to their classic Old Fashion served with a scoop of ice cream.
I will admit, since The Fix opened four weeks ago, I’ve been able to try 3 different hamburgers and, during Worcester Foodies, I felt the immediate attraction to the chef’s special Lamb Burger. Whether it’s because I love lamb (as apparent by my previous review) or as a sucker for the economic principal of scarcity (Chef Muscarella informed me there was only one left), I knew the lamb burger, along with a side of sweet potato fries, would be mine. The fresh, domestic lamb patty’s tender texture and distinct flavor was complimented by Chef Muscarella’s choice of herb goat cheese (which tasted of a delicate blend of parsley, chives, thyme and a potent black pepper), a beautifully colored tomato, arugula, firm red onion, and an assertive sun dried tomato and artichoke spread. The ingredients masterfully came together on a milk bun—which aptly absorbed the flavors within its smooth body.
When most people think about exotic burgers, it’s a common trend to think about bison. The lamb, however, is an under utilized grind that yields an unique texture and flavor that can easily be complimented by equally flavorful sides—as demonstrated in this dish.
I would be lying if I were to tell you that I no longer “work around” onions and tomatoes in most of my meals, but, for the sake of Worcester Foodies, I trust in the time, thought, and effort that the Chef puts into their meals. I was pleasantly surprised that my trust wasn’t broken with this burger and look forward to returning soon to “trust the Chef.”
