A Burger A Week – Island House Tap & Grill
A unique burger cooking method makes this one standout!
πSous vide (/suΛΛviΛd/; French for ‘under vacuum’) is a method of cooking in which food is placed in a plastic pouch or a glass jar and cooked in a water bath for longer than usual cooking times (usually 1 to 7 hours, and up to 72 or more hours in some cases) at a precisely regulated temperature. – Wikipedia
Let’s be clear about something. This cooking method IS NOT the way that most places cook their burgers. In fact, it’s the only spot I’m aware of (at least in Sarasota) that cooks their burgers this way.
Cooking things this way takes a LONG time. But it does have one very distinct advantage over griddling or charbroiling. It seals in all of the natural juices. And allows you to have precise control of the cooking temperature. After the burgers are sous vide, they are finished on the flattop grill, plated, and served.
Island House Tap & Grill has been cooking their burgers this way since they quietly opened their doors in October 2018. They used to call themselves the “Best Kept Secret” on Siesta Key. I can assure you that is no longer the case! π
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Davidson’s Plaza in Siesta Key Village is a “local” place. Like a lot of spots, it’s been a few things before the Island House banner was raised. SeΓ±or Siesta, Cevi Chela, Taste of Asia, and even Anna’s Deli have all called this little out-of-the-way storefront home.
Locals love it for the tacos, crispy Brussels, the duck fat fries, and, yes, their half-pound Black Angus Beef burgers. Oh, and one more thing, they have one heck of a craft beer selection to help wash all of that delicious food down! πΊ
OK, we came, we ate. Let’s talk about our Island House burger experience…
RESTAURANT: ISLAND HOUSE TAP & GRILL (5110 Ocean Blvd. (941) 487-8116)
DATE OF VISIT: SEPTEMBER 7, 2022
STOP #: 8 OF 52
BURGER TASTED: THE STEAKHOUSE BURGER
π OUR TASTING NOTES
π This burger is served as listed on the menu: Point Reyes blue cheese, slab bacon, bourbon onions, tomato confit, Island House steak sauce ($19)
OK, we’ve got a few notes for you. As you will see, this is a good size burger (listed on the menu as Β½ lb). You WILL NOT leave hungry. π
The bourbon onions were the standout topping for me. These were caramelized just right and had that sweet tang you would expect.
It tasted like a burger should taste: meaty. The toppings didn’t overwhelm the flavor of the patty like I was expecting when I initially read through what was loaded on it. A nice surprise.
The slab bacon is thick-cut. So, when you bite into it, you know it’s there. You get the texture difference between the bacon and the burger. Oh, and all that great smoky flavor. π₯
This burger is not for the dainty. It’s a good-sized sandwich. Don’t be intimidated, just dive right in. You may need a napkin or two. Good news is, they’ve got ’em!
The blue cheese wasn’t as up front as in Knick’s Chipotle Crumbled Bleu Cheese Burger. The toned-down subtleness of this particular cheese makes it an excellent choice for someone who might not like things so blue cheese forward. The real benefit of that is it makes a perfect match with the bourbon onions.
The atmosphere at Island House is perfect if you’re looking for that more laid-back casual dining experience. It can be busy during season. But their staff handles that extra crowd effortlessly. My server, Macy, provided just the right touch of service for the type of place that this is.
So, I’m sure you’re ready to check out how all of this looked…
BURGER TAKEAWAYS: It’s a BIG, delicious burger β’ Loved those bourbon onions! β’ The thick slab bacon stands up nicely to the hefty burger β’ Fantastic island atmosphere β’ One of the best craft beer selections in Siesta Village β’ Lots of parking (A big + during season!)
π SNEAK PEEK: We’re taking our Sarasota burger project to the north side of Fruitville Avenue. It’s a trip to a place that has become one of the anchors to that part of town.
π₯ONE LAST THING β The Island House Tap & Grill is giving three of our readers the chance to have a burger tasting on them! THANKS! We’ve got three gift cards to give away that will cover the cost of your burger. Here’s a link to enter. Let us know why you’d like to be treated to an Island House burger. ENTER HERE! β
We want to hear about your Sarasota burger experience. So much so, in fact, that we’ve started up a special Facebook Group just for this A Burger A Week series. So, feel free to share your Sarasota burger experiences, photos, and anything else burger related you’d like others to know about.
JOIN SARASOTA’S BEST BURGERS FACEBOOK GROUP HERE!
β Did you miss a week? No worries. Here’s a link to our A BURGER A WEEK SERIES ARCHIVE!π
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