First Look: Farm Burger
Chef Terry Koval stands by my table, points to my half-eaten burger and says, “That was a good cow.”
I suddenly have an image of Bessie being led by the ring in her nose right into a meat grinder.
Koval continues. “This one is so juicy and has such a good flavor. Much better than that first cow we had.” He sighs. “Of course, I never thought we’d already be onto our second cow by now. But we’ve been so busy.”
You want farm to table? We got you some farm to table right here. Call it cow to bun.
The process of sourcing meat at Decatur’s new and phenomenally busy Farm Burger goes something like this:
The kitchen sources a grass-fed cow from one of several local farms. Koval mentioned a North Carolina farm for this one and says he works with Charlotte and Wes Swancy of Riverview Farms in Ranger to build a network of suppliers. The marked beast is sent to Happy Valley Processing in Dearing to be humanely killed (whatever that means), and the trimmed meat ages up to three weeks before shipping it off to Farm Burger to be ground. Some premium cuts, such as the tenderloins, are sent off to the restaurant’s sister establishment, Farm 255 in Athens.
- Burger with caramelized onions, gruyère cheese and arugula
Koval and owner George Frangos have devised an appealing menu of burgers ($6) with gourmet mix-and-match toppings. Side dishes straddle an attractive line between homey Southern (pickled eggs, fried chicken livers, braised greens) and greasy diner (fries, onion rings, floats). There’s also a small selection of beer and wine.
I really enjoyed this burger, which came cooked to a juicy medium and had that kind of honest beefy flavor you recognize as soon it hits your palate. I added gruyère cheese, arugula and caramelized onions (an additional $4) as well as a side of the FB sauce (kind of a spicy Thousand Island dressing). Other intriguing options include oxtail marmalade, a fried egg, bone marrow, pimento cheese and house-cured bacon. The roster of cheese sound more like the types you’d find on a cheese trolley than in a burger joint.
The burgers are a good size: bigger than those at Flip, but not one of those pub monsters.
- Salad with “farm goddess” dressing (background) and house-cured pickles
We also enjoyed this salad of flavorful bitter greens, pickled onions and dried cranberries in a tarragon-spiked “farm goddess” dressing ($4). The house-cured pickles ($2) are exceptionally sharp and vinegary. I felt like my internal pH changed after a couple of those cauliflower florets.
A basket of rings and fries ($4) came with a smoked paprika mayo. The rings sport a crunchy batter in which you can really taste beer. (That’s what I thought, at least.) The dark fries arrived crisp and turned soggy as the meal went on. But it takes a new restaurant more than a couple of weeks to get its fries down. That’s one of the trickiest projects in any kitchen.
One word of advice: The line to order at Farm Burger can be daunting — like Taqueria del Sol across the street, but in a much smaller space. Go for an early lunch or dinner if you don’t want to wait. We hit it right at 11:30 a.m. By noon: packed.
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60 comments Add your comment
DCamp
May 5th, 2010
7:03 pm
Kenneth, maybe you should be reading “Omnivore’s Dilemma” or “In Denfense of Food” by Michael Pollan. That should help you understand clearly the implications of grass-fed, pastured beef vs. everything else. It is up to you to educate yourself; NOT a food critic–seriously!! Andy Floyd, I think you mean Temple Grandin–google is out there for a reason, use it!
Kenneth Braunstein
May 6th, 2010
10:01 am
To D Camp, yesterday on NPR’s All Things Considered a Duke University behavioral economist reported his study that showed that nutrition information, which is displayed at restaurants as is required in the new health care bill, does not alter the eating habits of patrons of the restaurant. It is ineffective and a waste of time and money per him. Once the decision is made to eat at a particular restaurant, the rest apparently just falls into place. Reviews by food critics and restaurant critics are the usual means by which the choice is made whether or not to try a new or untried restaurant besides just spontaneous whims and word of mouth. My point is that those reviews should include the information that consumers, like you, need to have to make an educated selection of where they elect to dine, if nutrition enters into their considerations. Otherwise, per the Duke investigator’s work, they eat whatever is offered at the restaurant.
Kenneth Braunstein
May 6th, 2010
10:56 am
The interview to which I referred was on Marketplace on NPR which follows All Things Considered and it was with Professor Dan Ariely of Duke University. The full transcript is on Marketplace’s website.
HT
May 7th, 2010
1:20 am
Love the concept..
The burger itself was great and perfectly cooked.
The $2 for the chili on the burger was a total ripoff, I got no more then 5 beans and probley 1 heaping tablespoon of chili total..
The Sweet potato fries were also completely soggie and needs more salt or seasoning..
I am sure they will continue to improve with practice.
H
Carrie Neal Walden
May 8th, 2010
2:49 pm
John, Kudos on handling this entire thread with class and dignity, and keeping it on topic while acknowledging additional points. Well done. (And I’m not going to stop reading, though the same thought crossed my mind as one or more folks noted due to the malcontent’s contributions; I’ll just scroll past such drivel!)
DCist
May 9th, 2010
10:08 am
I don’t understand why, if your food isn’t cooked the way you ordered it, you don’t send it back. Any good restaurant, as this one is, if they are taking your money, they will listen to how you want your meal.
Elizabeth
May 10th, 2010
10:01 am
Raw milk cheeses are not restricted due to bovine TB but because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria is a bacteria sometimes found in unpasteurized cheeses which is most harmful to persons with immunocompromised systems and pregnant women.
ESA
May 10th, 2010
12:46 pm
The problem with speaking up today is that someone may actually dig a little deeper. From his posts we know that Kenneth Braunstein is well spoken, a diabetic, knowledgeable about illnesses caused by dietary excess and concerned about nutrition.
One phrase he used in particular that was only tangentially relevant to the article piqued my interest: “E. Coli induced hemolytic uremic syndrome”. (That’s a disease of the blood by the way.)
If you had to pick one group of people who would throw that phrase around in casual conversation who would it be? Maybe a doctor? Maybe a doctor who specializes in disorders of the blood? What type of doctors specialize in disorders of the blood? Hematologists.
A quick google search of Kenneth Braunstein reveals a Dr. Kenneth Braunstein here in Atlanta. And wonder of wonders, he practices hematology.
You can see a picture of Dr. Braunstein here: http://www.cmaga.com/Members/mbrPages/Braunstein,%20Kenneth%20MD.htm
CHECK OUT THAT CHIN. How many six ounce burgers with gruyere and bone marrow do you think it took to fill that out?
Dr. Braunstein: You hold a medical degree and have practiced as a physician for decades. You are fully informed of the risks of overeating and yet judging by your picture you probably weigh 270 and have brought Type II diabetes on yourself. Your problem is a result of your actions and a food critic had absolutely nothing to do with it. Kessler reviews burgers weekly because many healthy people eat burgers weekly. Kessler is open and candid about his efforts to balance his health and his job as a restaurant critic and food journalist. He is discerning in what he chooses to eat or not eat. At least one review, chronicled his decision not to eat a burger he was served because it was of unknown origins.
Your comments here are uninteresting. You have all the knowledge you need to make healthy lifestyle choices and yet you have completely failed to maintain your own health. I’m not interested in your views on health, diet, or food choices because you have demonstrated that you have no ability to maintain your health, eat a health diet or choose healthy food.
Frankly, you lack the self-control to eat a burger or read a food blog. Your comments here are as useful as those of a recovering alcoholic in Wine Spectator.
For you I would recommend the “Rabbit Diet”. Get a live rabbit. Prepare two identical meals. One for yourself and one for the rabbit. You can eat as much as you want of whatever you want but only if the rabbit eats it first. See it’s very simple. Of course the challenge for you will be to avoid eating the rabbit.
Scott
May 12th, 2010
3:54 pm
Utterly uncouth and uncalled for response, ESA.
joelle: the price of good food is that it’s often inconsistent in how it tastes, which doesn’t necessarily speak to its quality. A homogenized taste doesn’t make sense if you’re not getting industrially processed beef.
Graham
June 26th, 2010
6:07 pm
ESA…spot on!!!