A Burger A Week – Palm Avenue Deli
Can a NY-Style deli turn out a great burger?
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♥️ I LOVE a good Patty Melt!
And it takes me just a bit by surprise that after 46 Sarasota burger experiences, this is our first meet-up with this delicious burger adaptation. It certainly hasn’t been by design. It just happened that way.
🤔 Burger or Sandwich? Which is it? No, this isn’t quite as intense a debate as the long-simmering “Is a Hot Dog a Sandwich?” one. But it does make you stop and think…
It has two slices of bread. Just like a sandwich. It also has a nice juicy portion of ground meat. Just like a burger. So, with one foot firmly planted in the Burger Belt and the other in Sandwich Land, it’s up to you to decide. For now, let’s just call it a delicious Mash Up!
Wikipedia (the knower of some pretty weird stuff) calls it a burger “variant.” That sounds like the least appetizing way to describe anything, let alone one of my favorite handhelds.
For the purposes of this discussion, we’re going to just go with burger! I think it’ll make things easier for all of us. 😁
🍔 Does NY Style Deli = Delicious Patty Melt?
There are a million and one ways (probably more) to make a “traditional” burger. The formula for a Patty Melt, though, is WAY more specific. It basically goes like this.
Yes, sometimes you’ll run across a few embellishments that make it SO much more interesting (like today!), but that’s the basic construction method for this sandwich-like burger.
The Palm Avenue Deli was not on our original list for this great big burger adventure. In fact, I’d never really even considered it a “burger place.” And I still really don’t.
A few months back, I was enjoying one of Palm Ave’s delicious deli sandwiches with friends. My semi-consistent order is a Combo Sandwich and Matzo Ball Soup. Even though I’ve usually made up my mind before I hit the front door, I always take a quick spin through the menu (occupational habit).
They have their aptly named Palm Avenue Burger (double smash patties, pastrami, smoked gouda, horseradish aioli, crispy + caramelized onions, dill pickles, sesame bun). That DOES sound delicious!
But just above that is The Patty Melt. Mental note made. ✅
Let’s consider this for a moment. Delis are known for Reubens. And if a deli could make a great Rueben, a Patty Melt was going to be a no-brainer. The process is similar, right?
Same rye bread grilling technique. It’s grilled onion versus kraut. Both have melty cheese (Palm Avenue’s uses American instead of traditional Swiss). This particular Patty Melt shares one extra item with the Reuben. Thousand Island Dressing! I had a feeling this was going to be a home run! ⚾
Let’s talk about our Palm Avenue Deli burger experience…
RESTAURANT: PALM AVENUE DELI (1292 N. PALM AVE. (941) 263-3742)
DATE OF VISIT: FEBRUARY 6, 2023
STOP #: 46 OF 52
BURGER TASTED: THE PATTY MELT
📒 OUR TASTING NOTES
🍔 This burger is served as listed on the menu: Ground beef patty, American cheese, caramelized onions, Thousand Island ($18)
• The “deli atmosphere” will put you in the mood. (At least it does for me.) Busy, bright, and light. It has that deli sound. 🗣️ I have always loved the open kitchen concept.
• The rye bread was perfectly grilled, and the cheese melted just like you would expect. 📝 American turned out to be an excellent cheese selection! My Reuben theory is starting to come together nicely.
• The caramelized onions were a savory upgrade from the standard grilled yellow onions you usually get on a Patty Melt. And they didn’t overpower the other burger toppings. That was a little bit of a surprise.
• The Thousand Island dressing provided that tangy element that set it apart from an ordinary Patty Melt. Makes this burger very “Reubenesque.”
• This burger was just the right size. 📝 Remember one of the burger criteria from the last article? You aren’t going to wear this. Easy to eat!
• THE FRIES. These fries were super crispy. Not like in an overcooked way. Maybe they’re coated. But they had a great crunch to them. 🍟
Let’s check out how all of this looked when I ordered it…
BURGER TAKEAWAYS: This was a fantastic burger/sandwich • Sit at the counter for the full deli effect • This place is usually busy. But the service keeps things moving • The Palm Avenue Garage makes parking a breeze • This Patty Melt will make me re-think my Combo Sandwich decision next time back!
👀 SNEAK PEEK: OK, we’re getting close to the end. We’re constantly shuffling our lineup. Let’s just say that we don’t even know where burger #47 will be. Stay tuned…
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