Here are five reasons why you should make Au Cheval your next stop for a burger:
1) The Toast
Courtesy of Au Cheval
We’ll start off simply with the toast. Au Cheval does it right with thick bread that’s buttered and served at the perfect crispness. Their toast is thick, meaning you get a nice buttery crunch on the outside mixed with soft fluffiness on the inside. Long story short: get something that comes with toast. You won’t regret it.
2) Adventurous Food
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The buttery toast served as the foundation for a very adventurous dish (at least for me): roasted bone marrow and beef cheek marmalade. The marrow struck me as similar to butter; it gave the toast a rich, creamy taste complimented perfectly by the slightly sharper, sweeter beef cheek marmalade. This was my first time experiencing bone marrow, and I can safely say I’m fully on board and will most certainly order it when I have the chance. (And I will have the chance, since I plan on returning to Au Cheval again.)
3) Brilliantly Executed Staples
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The adventurous eater will most certainly love Au Cheval, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get absolutely topnotch “basic” food. The burger here is everything that a burger should be: simple, straightforward and decadent. I went for the double cheeseburger, which comes with two layers of perfectly melted cheese sandwiched between three patties and topped with thinly sliced pickles. It was heavenly. The three patties were juicy, and the burger literally melted in my mouth. The sharpness of the pickles perfectly complimented the rich meat and creamy cheese. The sturdy bun was certainly up to the task of holding together the burger (which is more rare than you would think).
4) Bacon Done Right
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The bacon here is incredible. When they say “thick-cut” on the menu, they mean thick-cut. The bacon came out and it was a solid half-inch thick, three inches wide and four inches long. This bacon means business, and I wholly recommend that you swing by and try it.
5) Great Atmosphere
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This French-style bar and diner is very cozy with its comfortable booths and warm, relaxed atmosphere. That said, there was a steady bass beat in the background, and there was a sort of quiet energy about the place. The personable waitress gave us knowledgeable advice about the menu and established a good rapport with our table. Overall, this place is as perfect as it gets with its unique environment and food you will be talking about for weeks to come. Get here early, though (around 5 to 5:30, or else you won’t be seated until 9 or so).
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3. m. henry