FLIP BURGER BOUTIQUE

He says:
I didn’t think it could live up to the hype. I really didn’t. Soon after Richard Blais’s fabled run on Top Chef, the buzz surrounding his latest Atlanta project, Flip, reached hysterical proportions. When it finally opened in December of ‘08, the crowds were ready, and they were crazy. One of my coworkers had to drive over three times before she could even get a seat. Another stood in the parking lot for over 2 hours to get inside. And all this for a “glamburger”? Speaking from personal experience, gourmet hamburgers don’t usually hold a candle to greasy, old-school ones. They are too refined when they should be primal, too complex when they should be bold. Do I really want olive tapenade on my lamburger when a slice of bacon on a Five Guys Burger will do the trick?

As it turns out, yes, I do.

Flip is the real deal … a fun, trendy, and most important, delicious place to eat. It starts with the all white decor – white booths, white tables, white floors, white walls. Hell, even the TVs behind the bar are framed in white. Right off the bat, you know this place is not your usual burger bar. This place is different. And not in a zany, self-indulgent manner that afflicts restaurants like Two Urban Licks. It’s a good type of difference, one that suggests post-modernity, the deconstruction of the hamburger, and its reassembly at the hands of a sous vide ninja. Belying this stark minimalism though, Flip throbs with energy. Lively chatter bounces from the walls. Music videos blare from the TVs. The open kitchen bustles. This is a seriously fun place to eat.

She says:
Our adventure began with the liquid nitrogen milkshakes. The wacky flavors, ranging from krispy kreme to fois gras, reflect chef Blais’s imaginative bent on food. We appreciated his work early on at Element, where items like liquid nitrogen margaritas and carbonized octopus were the norm. I was definitely sad to see Element go. Happily, with Flip, Blais is still pushing the boundaries of fine dining.

The spicy chocolate mole milkshake is a rich and satisfying treat, the quality of the chocolate coming through with every slurp. The mole leaves the subtlest tickle in the back of your throat. As chocolate milkshakes go, it’s about as good as it gets. The nutella and burnt marshmallow milkshake is on another level. The sweet hazelnut chocolate ice cream is outstanding, particularly when coupled with the taste of a perfectly roasted marshmallow. (You know what I’m talking about… when the exterior is just barely burnt while the inside is soft and gooey?) A whole pile of torched marshmallows sit atop the shake like Marie Antoinette’s wig.

He says:
Indeed, the milkshakes began to undermine my tenet that simplicity rules in burger joints. My belief was fully shaken when I bit into the lamburger. So often lamb is overcooked and loses its flavor. Not this burger. Grilled medium-rare, the “lambiness” comes through loud and clear. Its fatty juices are balanced by the minced olive relish and fresh mint, which is in turn cut by the sweet raisin ketchup spread over the buttered brioche bun. Rich, salty, and sweet in perfect proportion, this is the finest glamburger I’ve ever had. It’s complex all right, and it works beautifully.

By the time I got to the fries with two dipping sauces, I was converted. Why dip such terrific spuds in plain old ketchup? Good God, man! Such simplicity is blasphemy! Instead, pair those golden brown fries with the smoky mayo for one of the best side dishes in Atlanta.

She says:
The tempura fried butternut squash are equally amazing. Like the fries, the squash is beautifully fried to get that satisfying crunch, plus it has the whole sweet/salty thing going on. The shrimp po boyger is executed more effectively than any real shrimp po boy I’ve had. The shrimp are chopped up and adhered together to form a dense patty that achieves a thick, burgery texture while maintaining the flavor of fresh shrimp. A slice of fried lemon and a slathering of mayo and Tabasco round out the dish.

The only thing that could possibly make this meal more perfect would be a sighting of the culinary wizard himself. You know, to brag to our friends about.

And then there he was, in a red t-shirt and his trademark spiky hair, delivering a plate of starters to the next table over. As soon as we saw him, Downtown Boy and I caught each other’s eye in excitement. A delicious meal and a celebrity sighting all in one lunch – does it get any better?

We say:
Believe the hype. It’s glamburger time.




Flip
1587 Howell Mill Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318-7648
www.flipburgerboutique.com