Blended Burger Project allows DFW chefs to get creative

In late April, a trio of Dallas chefs stood inside Smoke Dallas, before a small knot of food writers and representatives from the James Beard Foundation and the Mushroom Council, to talk about the “blended” burgers we were all about to consume.

The event was convened to help announce the second annual Blended Burger Project, a nationwide contest that kicks off Monday and continues through July 31. Chefs across the country will compete for votes from consumers — votes can be cast at jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject — for a chance to cook their blended burger this fall at the James Beard House in New York City.

The three Dallas chefs on hand — Smoke’s Tim Byres, the Theodore’s Scott Romano and the Front Room’s Taylor Kearney — showcased the special burgers they’ll have on their menus beginning next week (UPDATED May 30: Other North Texas restaurants competing in the Blended Burger Project include Fort Worth’s Ellerbe Fine Foods, as well as Getting Saucy, Cafe Momentum and Braindead Brewing, all in Dallas).

The burgers: While the Blended Burger Project, which involves the addition of mushrooms to the meat blends (about 25 percent is recommended, per the Mushroom Council, to avoid drying out the burger), might seem like a healthy gambit. The three burgers sampled at the April event were downright luxurious. Byres’ burger was a blend of buffalo meat and shiitake mushrooms, while Romano fused mushroom duxelles and beef, and Kearney elected to use maitake mushrooms and beef.

The patties: Across the board, the patties were surprisingly flavorful and juicy. The variety of mushrooms employed enhanced the taste of the buffalo and beef, giving them an addictive depth.

The buns: None of the three buns really stood out, although all three burgers did not suffer any catastrophic breaches.

The toppings: Byres topped his burger with even more ’shrooms (pickled beach mushrooms, to be exact) and a banana-pepper mustard that packed a startling kick. For his burger, Romano used caramelized porcini ham, oven-dried tomato and an eggless bernaise that provided a rich flavor profile, while Kearney relied on a mushroom ketchup, a truffle aioli, sharp white cheddar and romaine lettuce to round out his burger.

The verdict: These burgers are full-flavored, somewhat healthy (the inclusion of mushrooms helps make the burgers a little less fatty) and ready to go bun-to-bun with their competition across the country. Take advantage of the Blended Burger Project and sample some of the most creative burgers we’ve tasted lately in North Texas.

Smoke: 901 Fort Worth Ave., Dallas, 214-393-4141, http://smokerestaurant.com (also in Plano). The Theodore: Inside NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expressway, No. 1804, Dallas, 469-232-9771, http://thetheodore.com. Front Room Tavern: 6101 Hillcrest Ave., Dallas, 214-219-8282, http://frontroomdallas.com

This story was originally published May 26, 2016 at 4:28 PM with the headline "Blended Burger Project allows DFW chefs to get creative."