Florida Agenda

ROK:BRGR
208 SW 2nd Street., Ft. Lauderdale, FL
954-525-7656

I first visited and reviewed Rok:Brgr about nine months ago when they were still a fairly new kid on the block and there was a lot of positive buzz about the new gastropub in Himmarshee. Since that visit, many other gourmet burger spots have burst onto the scene, and at times, it almost seems like a sort of “burger wars” has descended upon us. I decided to return to Rok:Brgr to find out whether my initial impression—which was excellent indeed—would be confirmed.

On a Sunday evening at about 7:30p.m., we arrived at Rok:Brgr to find the pub filled with people and lively conversation. There was not a seat to be had at the bar, but very quickly a young server came over and informed us she could put two small tables together for the four of us. If crowds are a testament to a restaurant’s quality, then Rok:Brgr has nothing to worry about!

We ordered cocktails and specialty beers from the menu’s impressive list and began to discuss our level of hunger. We all decided that a couple of starters were needed as it looked as though it would take us some time to read and to decide from the menu’s many burger options. Tempura Battered Zuchini ($6.00) and Fried Pickles ($5.00) were ordered as we settled in to sip our drinks and discuss our options. Our starters arrived in timely fashion, and the kitchen at Rok:Brgr knows how to handle deep frying. Neither of our choices were at all greasy; instead they were delightfully crunchy on the exterior and soft and juicy on the interior. The dips that accompanied each choice, a garlic aioli for the zucchini and a smoked ranch dip for the pickles, added a bit of cool zest to the crunchy goodies we had chosen. We liked both of them.

When it was time to order sandwiches, I opted for the Chicken Dance ($12.00), a ten-ounce chicken burger topped with provolone cheese, hickory smoked bacon, tomato, lettuce, and red onion on a sesame bun. When it arrived with its own little fryer basket of hand-cut French fries – which are superb– it was a sight to behold. I cut it in half so I could manage it better, and that was first sign that this was going to be good. The chicken burger was juicy, not at all dried out as can often be the case with poultry. Flavorful and juicy, it was messy to eat, but that’s part of the fun at Rok:Brgr. No pinkies up here! I particularly liked the mayo as an alternative to traditional catsup and mustard. It added flavor while not overpowering the chicken or the cheese.

The sudden quiet at the table let me know that everyone, not just me, was enjoying his selected sandwich. One friend built a burger from the Burger Bar side of the menu, starting with a certified Angus beef patty ($9.00) and then adding cave aged gruyere ($1.50), exotic mushrooms ($1.50), and avocado ($.50). He ordered it cooked medium, and it arrived perfectly grilled. He nodded “yes” when asked, indicating his delight in his personally built burger.

The boyfriend ordered a feature in honor of the holiday: a Thanksgiving burger ($12.00). A turkey burger was topped withcranberry cheddar cheese, stuffing, and the traditional toppings. He loved it and its texture and flavor combinations. The fourth in our party decided that Las Olas ($16.00) was calling his name.

This one offers a ten-ounce waygu kobe beef burger that is topped by cave-aged gruyere, caramelized onions, and garlic aioli on a brioche bun. Once again, it was grilled to perfectly pink medium.  He commented that the onions were the star as their sweetness offered a great flavor element to his sandwich.

So, am I still impressed with Rok:Brgr? Absolutely. It’s a fun, noisy, happening place with food that fits its funky pub atmosphere. Sometimes we all just need to put down the knives and forks and eat with our hands. That is exactly what Rok:Brgr invites you to do. No pretense, no ceremony – just darn good food and a fun vibe that almost dares you not to have a good time!

By TIM SLIVINSKI

Sometimes a craving hits you; it may not hit that often, but when it does, it begs to be satisfied. That defines my relationship with burgers. Truly, I don’t eat them often, but when that hankering for a burger hits, it hits hard. Not just any burger will do, however. And trust me, the burgers at ROK: BRGR are not in any way “just burgers”. This gastropub burst on the scene last fall, and it always seems to be packing the crowds in. One visit, one burger and you will understand why.

ROK:BRGR is a pub. But what sets a gastropub apart from a typical pub is the quality of food that graces its menu. It’s a place that’s filled with happy, laughing, satisfied people. It puts you in a good mood when you walk in. If you are in need of a cocktail before you select your burger, then the bar menu will tempt you with several unique libations. Being a bourbon fan, I was struck immediately by their signature cocktail: the ROK “Old Fashion.” Bacon infused Maker’s Mark is shaken with maple syrup, bitters and then garnished with an orange slice. Wow! I am not certain what I was expecting, but it was smoky, sweet and refreshing all at the same time. My dining partner is a nut for craft beers, and the long list at ROK:BRGR offered him several options. He first tried the Avery White Rascal and pronounced it delicious, before moving on to a Hawaiian Beer, the Kona Longboard. Because the glass emptied quickly, I knew it was a winner, too.

Before delving into the array of burgers, we decided to sample a couple items from the Snacks and Bar Bites menu. The Mini Kobe Hot Dogs were amazingly delicious, and this from someone who rarely eats hot dogs. Three “slider” sized hot dogs arrived on toast buns, smothered in chili and cheese. The mini dogs themselves were hanging outside the bun on both ends. Messy, but tasty. We also were intrigued by the Fried B&B Pickles. A rather large portion of tempura battered pickles arrived with a smoked ranch dip. Easily enough to share, they were tangy and crunchy good and not at all greasy.

It was time to enter burger heaven. ROK:BRGR offers several variations on the burger with an interesting choice of toppings. If, however, none of them seem to be exactly what you are looking for, they also offer a build your own burger option. I chose to go the construction worker path. It begins with choosing your meat. If you are not a beef eater, you have the option of choosing a chicken, turkey or ahi tuna burger. I opted for the certified Black Angus beef. You then have several bun options. From there, move on to cheese selections. After that, there are grilled items, such as sautéed mushrooms or caramelized onions. Various greens are offered to give your burger some veggie crunch. Now you are at “burger bling.” Select from such offerings as foie gras, a fried egg, an onion ring, truffle oil and more. Finally, it’s no mere mustard and catsup here, oh no. The list of sauces is extensive, each promising heat, smoke, garlic, spice and more. I had my burger on brioche with some horseradish cheddar, caramelized onions, arugula and spicy mayo. It was a two hand burger that was grilled to perfect medium rare doneness. It gave me a little heat, a little crunch, a little sweet and a mouthful of burger flavor to satisfy my craving.

My dining partner went outside the box a bit and ordered the Mediterranean Burger. Rather than beef, the meat was an 8oz. lamb burger. It was seasoned with Middle Eastern spices and complemented with arugula, tomato and onion. It c ame with

a cucumber mint sauce, much like tzatziki. He pronounced it purely Middle Eastern and purely delicious.

If for some reason you are not in a burger mood, then ROK:BRGR does offer some other entrée selections. Try Mom’s meatloaf or a flatiron steak, or perhaps Shepard’s Pie or a traditional BLT will hit the spot. Go for the Mac n’ Cheese or an order of Truffle Fries.

ROK:BRGR is a great place to satisfy a burger craving, but it’s also a lively, high energy, fun place to meet a friend or two and enjoy an evening. On weekends, you can even satisfy those late night hunger pangs, as the kitchen serves until 4 a.m. Crank up the car radio and rock and roll your way down to ROK:BRGR.

ROK:BRGR 208 SW 2nd StreetFort Lauderdale, FL Phone 954-525-7656