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BBQ Bacon Burger from The Fix

BBQ Bacon Burger from The Fix on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

With the summer season upon us, nothing screams more “Americana” to me than a big, juicy hamburger. However, we have all fallen victim to the bland standard of hamburger that we have become accustomed to at family cookouts…small, overcooked, flavorless hockey pucks wedged between two buns. However, when you do find a place where you can get a good burger (and I mean GOOD burger), you want to eat there all the time. That was how I felt after my trip to The Fix. Before I go off on a tangent about my main course, first things first. The Fix is located on Shrewsbury Street and takes the place of the old Mezcal, which used to occupy the same real estate. Unlike Mezcal, where it used to feel crowded and cramped, The Fix gives off a much more relaxed and open vibe, even with similar floor plans.

As we first began our culinary roller coaster, we obviously needed to order drinks. My drink of choice was called Shake It Up. This drink was a delightful concoction of rum with muddled raspberries, basil and rhubarb bitters. Being a large fan of rum, this drink was a perfect example of how simple, fresh ingredients combined the proper way can let all the ingredients shine in their own right with the natural sweetness and aromatics of the raspberries and basil, with the tanginess of the bitters taking a bit of the edge off of the rum.

I digress though (again)…as we perused the menu, I had predetermined that I was going to order a burger. The first one that caught my eye was the BBQ Bacon Burger. How could you go wrong with bacon??? To start my meal, I had to order the Bleu Cheese Polenta tater tots. These delicious little taters came out fried to a crispy, golden brown, but the interior was velvety and rich. The polenta blended well with the bleu cheese to take some of it’s notorious ‘funk’ out of the dish. The Sriracha aioli and ranch dipping sauces were also a great addition to cut the richness of the tot.

When my burger arrived at our table, the first thing that struck me was the sheer size of it! It was massive! The plate was crowded with handcut fries that were salty and crunchy. The burger was cooked medium (which is also a rarity, even at a decent burger joint). Nestled on it were 4 large strips of bacon, caressed by BBQ baked beans. The onion and lettuce gave the burger a nice texture and crunch to the dish. The smoked gouda cheese brought everything together on a dish that reminded you more of quality BBQ than a traditional burger. With everything that was consumed at The Fix, I left full and happy. For anyone who has a large appetite and a craving for a perfectly cooked burger, head on down to Shrewsbury Street and get your fix on!

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Lamb Burger

A peek inside of The Fix's Lamb Burger Special

Lamb Burger Special from The Fix on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

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). House made Gin and Tonic.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.”

A peek inside of The Fix's Lamb Burger Special