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I'm not a restaurant critic. I am not a gourmand. However, I love to eat and I love to cook, and I'm always excited when I find a new restaurant that exceeds my expectations.
I recently enjoyed dinner at The Acme Burger Company in downtown Salt Lake City. One of my guests is a true gourmet diner and had been skeptical of my recommendation of the restaurant because he had hoped for something more than a 'burger joint.'
The Acme Burger Company is much, much more than a hamburger place! My guest discovered this quickly as he ordered the duck confit salad and relished his sesame-crusted Hawaiian Ahi that was served with mustard-braised red potatoes and field greens.
But, what about the burgers? There are nine burgers on the menu but none that resembles any you would get from fast food chains. There is an ostrich burger, a skillet roasted lamb burger, a three-bean veggie burger, a salmon burger and of course your great grass-fed beef burgers offered in three different sizes. I was intrigued when I saw a burger listed as the "Acme Breath-Enhancer Burger." Breath enhancer? I knew the chef had tongue firmly in cheek on this one as I read the ingredients: red onion, roasted garlic aloi on garden herb toast.
Alan Ireland is the operating partner of Acme Burger. He visited our table and saw that I had ordered some shoestring potatoes. He told me it was a good choice but that I should really try the Yukon Gold thick-cut fries. It was a wonderful suggestion. I also liked the idea that many menu items, like the fries, come in two different sizes: a generous individual portion and a larger size to share.
Alan brings a wealth of food and restaurant experience to this fine new addition to the Utah dining scene. Executive chef Adam Kreisel is a name synonymous with creative, innovative and undeniably memorable meals. I first met him when he was the executive chef at Sundance Resort. After his stint at Sundance he was co-owner of the Globe Cafe/By Moonlight Restaurant that was honored by Salt Lake Magazine.
Acme Burger Company is one of my new favorite restaurants.
