America is a country widely recognized for its’ abundant amount of outrageous achievements.
Some include: comedy classic Norbit, Hot Dog Eating Champion Joey Chestnut , iPhone chatty Siri and the invention of the cheeseburger.
Charles Kaelin claims to have invented the cheese-topped burger in 1934 but, nothing’s set in stone about the birth. Now, because it is after all-National Cheeseburger Month I thought I would share with you my favorite juicy, flavorful burger.
I just happened to stumble upon this scrumptious sandwich at Brickell’s most memorable spot, The Conrad hotel. After crossing through the luscious lobby landscape, I rode the elevator to the 25th floor only for one of their signature cocktails. However, once I sat down at the modernistic bar catching a glimpse of the sunset, my stomach was growling for something from their restaurant Atrio.
Something had to change.
Maureen and her Bloody Mary concoction
But, first thing’s first; The Bloody Mary I tasted at the hotel’s bar LvL 25 was hands down the best Bloody Mary I’ve ever had. Trust me, I’ve drank plenty of Bloody Mary’s in my lifetime, some grotesque, others grand. This one is very different from your overly spiced, dark red thick glass of chunk. Instead of using America’s favorite mixer Zing Zang, they actually craft my hangover remedy from scratch. The bartender Maureen smashes basil and crushed cherry tomatoes together followed with some Jalapeno vodka for an extra kick. Using basil adds such a refreshing hint and counter acts the lightly salted rim.
Once I finished my drink, I was greeted at Atrio and followed the kitchen aroma into the welcoming, romantic, dinning room. I love their decor, it’s themed with different shades of red giving it the right amount of sex appeal. It just screams date night. In addition to the restaurant is also a wine room where small parties can take advantage of the intimate setting. A party of 10 people maximum can wine and dine. I sat at a table by the window so I could finish admiring Brickell’s daylight.
Pork Belly Starter
My waiter Vishal was incredibly personable and lovely to chat up. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and explained his recommendations. I knew it was cheeseburger month and I was honestly, really craving one so I decided to celebrate. I even splurged and ordered the must-try pork belly appetizer. Since, I was eating red meat I obviously had to compliment my palate with some red vino.
Their house Pinot Noir had a tremendous amount of depth and a fabulous note of boldness. It paired perfectly with the pork belly that arrived shortly to my table. The piggy’s tummy was elegantly portioned and served crispy with a carbonara sauce and a soft poached egg. It never fails, every time I cut through a poached egg, I always get excited watching the yolk ooze out. I get happier than Amanda Bynes when she gets a twit pic like. My smile practically extended to the eastern end of China. The overall combination of the yolk, belly and creamy sauce made a strong impression. I was excited for more!
Celebrating in Style
As a giant cheeseburger was properly placed my eyes widened with an eagerness to eat. I sliced through the toasted bun, smoked bacon, portobello sharp cheddar, sweet pickle and Angus beef. I took an embarrassingly, large bite and loved every second of it. The smoked bacon ensured that I ate enough fat for a very long time. There’s nothing worse than a raw or overly cooked burger. Chef Johnathon Campo has his science down, my meat was perfectly pink inside. I tried not to eat it all but, I kind of did. I’ll inform you that I have no regrets. Oh, and the side of fries it came with? It tasted like crispy, golden heaven. Opps, they disappeared too. Next time, I visit I want to try the yuca fries!
Doughnut Bread Pudding
Somehow… just somehow, I managed to find a way to eat dessert. After all, I was in a very “hormonal” state. NO dad…nothing’s cooking in my stomach. I mean, it’s not like I could say no to doughnut, bread pudding. That would be classified as an illegal foodie move. Just as I expected, it tasted as good as it sounded. It was like the more I ate, the better it tasted. The cooling ice cream was thoughtful with the warm, cinnamon fluffy doughnut pudding. It truly was the perfect ending.
Do yourselves a favor and celebrate the rest of National Burger Month at Atrio in the Conrad Hotel for much more than a burger.
Thank you America for your delicious, ridiculous inventions.
No wonder we’re all fat.
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Stumble It! 
