Tonight we checked out a new place in our neighborhood: Butcher and the Burger. Suzanne heard about it on the “This Week in Food” podcast (also available on iTunes). On a whim we decided to drop in for dinner on our way to Whole Foods.

This is one of the latest of the build your own burger places. Except, as opposed to places like Custom Burger and Epic Burger, Butcher and the Burger is upscale, with patties like elk, grass fed beef, shrimp and elk.

The deal is simple, pick a patty, pick a seasoning, pick a burger, add toppings: some included (lettuce, tomato, pickles, etc), and some for an additional cost (such as avocado, grilled onions, fried egg, fois fras).

Behold the menu (also available at their site):

I got the house blend beef with Chicago steakhouse spice blend on a pretzel bun with swiss, dijon, and grilled onions.

Suzanne attacked hers so I didn’t have a chance to snap a picture. She went with the pork patty with the Umami glaze and avocado, wasabi mayo, lettuce and tomato. I sampled, and it was delicious as well.

We shared an order of fries, which was plenty for the two of us.  The fries were incredibly good.

One cute touch was the presentation: everything was served on cutting boards (which are available for purchase). Also we casually commented about sharing the order of fries and they served them on a separate board for easier sharing.

The staff was friendly and helpful. It’s only a few blocks from us and we’re certain to be back.