The Beach Haven Fishery, Long Beach Island, NJ

*Special Edition: "Lost Archive Burger"
Where: The Beach Haven Fishery, Long Beach Island, NJ

What:  The Muffaletta Burger

Build: 1/2 pound Black Angus Beef, 2 slices American cheese, roasted eggplant, diced onion, diced portobello mushroom, minced garlic, toasted Ciabatta roll. (I'm missing an ingredient, but at least I found the burger photos).

Comment: This was one of those burgers that got lost on my hard drive because of an extremely busy burger tasting week this summer. I do my best to keep things organized, but sometimes a burger review will go missing, not because it was bad, just because I've got waaaaaay too much going on (all the time).  Thankfully, I stumbled onto this great tasting burger again. I was told by Chef Pat back in August that he had been wanting to try this new idea for a burger and I was to be the test-palette.  I all but denied the offer when I heard the ingredients, they really didn't appeal to me at all, but I have to say, the flavor of the finished product taught me to once again, "keep an open mind".  I was surprised at how closely this burger resembled the flavor of a Muffaletta sandwich even with it's lack of olives and deli meats. The ingredients and spices that  were used, along with the heavy char of the meat all blended well and delivered a very nicely done pseudo-Muffaletta burger.  8/10.