What’s got prime beef, applewood-smoked bacon, fried onions, blue/jack cheese, tomato jam, Bibb lettuce, and a pretzel bun? Downtown Minneapolis’s best new burger, the BLT Jam Burger served at at…Macy’s Oak Grill!
Really? The Oak Grill? If you haven’t been to the clubby, wood-paneled 12th floor restaurant since Grandma treated you to popovers and pot pies a decade ago, Macy’s new signature burger, courtesy of the company’s executive chef, Tim Scott, is reason to go.
The burger’s not cheap, at $11.95, but it’s an expert marriage of two great tastes—burger + BLT sandwich—with every detail carefully thought through. Scott starts with a solid foundation of juicy beef patty on a soft, chewy pretzel bun. Then he loads it with toppings that seem to hit every possible flavor/texture option: rich, pungent cheese; salty crunch of bacon and fried onions; concentrated, sweet tomato; plus fresh crispness from the lettuce to cut through all that umami. The French fries in the cute paper cone are a worthy partner, served with ketchup or truffle-kissed mustard aioli.
The BLT Jam Burger is not available in the adjacent Skyroom, but it is served at Macy’s River Room in St. Paul and the Lakeshore Grills at Southdale and Ridgedale—it will be offered at both Lakeshores as a Buy One Get One free promotion on June 17 (if you’re looking for a place to treat Dad for Father’s Day, this would be my pick!). Chef Scott has several more new Macy’s burgers in development to debut later this summer, so stay tuned…
In the meantime, even if you don’t like burgers, here are a couple more reasons to put The Oak Grill on your radar: #1: Frango Mint chocolate ice cream pie and #2: a hip-but-modestly priced cocktail list tied to the current Brasil-themed flower show (Wild Hibiscus Mojito? St. Germain and sparkling wine? Yes, please!).
