If fresh is best, then Grind Burger (5604 Wilson Mills Rd., 216-761-5145, grind-burger.com) is well on its way to providing one of the best-tasting burgers around. In the pursuit of patty perfection, owners Craig and Michelle Ozan decided that it was essential that all beef be ground fresh daily on site. What’s more, it’s done in plain sight behind glass.
“Once you grind beef it starts to deteriorate, and over a relatively short period of time the flavor can really change,” explains Craig. “By grinding it ourselves on site, we’re getting the freshest, most juicy and flavorful burgers that you can possibly get.”
The Ozans start with Certified Angus Beef chuck roll from Blue Ribbon Meats. The double-ground beef ends up with a lean-to-fat ratio of 75/25. The half-pound patties are cooked on a flat-top to the diner’s desired temperature. They’re tucked into soft buns baked by Davis Bakery. “The patty hits the hot griddle and it just locks in all the flavor,” adds Craig.
In the rear of the restaurant, right next to the open kitchen, is a large window exposing the walk-in cooler. It’s there that the house butcher grinds the beef.
“We chose an exhibition walk-in cooler so that everything we make is visible to the diner,” says Michelle. “It’s clean, it’s fresh and it’s organized.” Of course, not everybody wants to see the whole process unfold, she admits, that’s why it’s tucked in the back.
There are a dozen burgers, ranging from the Easy Peazy ($8), with just lettuce, tomato and onion, up to the Triple Truffle ($12), a truffle salt-seasoned patty topped with Pecorino, sautéed mushrooms and truffle aioli. That burger, eaten during a preview lunch, easily ranks up there with Cleveland’s best-tasting burgers. It’s messy, but as the restaurant motto says, “Perfection is messy.”
Starters include sauerkraut balls made with C.A.B. sausage, grilled artichokes with sea salt and garlic aioli, and hot dog sliders, a trio of 3-inch beef weenies topped separately with mac and cheese, chili, and Stadium Mustard and relish. There also are salads, sandwiches, milkshakes and fries, made right using a two-stage cooking process.
The restaurant is located in a portion of the former Catalano’s grocery store in Highland Heights. The upscale interior seats 140 in booths, at tables, at the bar, or in a soft seating area with full service. An oversize black and white photo depicts a turn-of-the-century butcher shop. A large glass garage door behind the bar opens up to a patio that will seat an additional 50 guests. The bar offers 20 draft beers plus more in bottles along with cocktails and red and white wine by the glass and bottle.
At $8 to $12 per burger, Grind hamburgers rank up there as some of the richest in town, a fact not lost on the owners. “We understand that we’re probably one of the most expensive around, but I think if you show diners why, and you provide a good experience and good value, then you’ll get people to come back,” explains Michelle.
There also is no shortage of burger restaurants in town, but given the unique concept and quality of the finished product, the owners are confident they’ll make a splash.
“There are a lot of great burger places in Cleveland, but by grinding the meat in-house, we think we’re providing something different to the market,” notes Craig, who most recently worked in management with Fox Restaurant Concepts in Phoenix.
“Burgers and fries aren’t going away; they’ve been around since the ‘50s,” adds Michelle. “But we’re entering the next level of burgers, where the focus is on doing it right. Let’s make it as local, visible and fresh as possible.”
Assuming all goes well in Highland Heights, diners in other areas of Greater Cleveland might soon see a Grind Burger in their neck of the woods, says Craig. “We would love to open multiple locations, but it all starts with number one right here.”
Try it for yourself starting next Wednesday, October 29.
This article appears in Oct 22-28, 2014.
Unfortunately, pathogen bacterial prevention is challenging in restaurants for a variety of reasons. Many restaurants grind their own ground beef in back of the house kitchens. Often times grinding is taking place in temperatures way over 40°F because of the close proximity to ovens, grills and fryers. Also using the same walk-in cooler that they have other food items like Produce fruits and beer which cause insects that carry viruses and other bactiria that will affect the meat.
A high risk of cross-contamination can also occur in restaurants cramped for space where fish, chicken, pork and beef prep are sometimes done in the same area, on the same table, and possibly with the same knives. Sometimes meat is stored in the same cooler as dairy and produce and the door is continually opening throughout the day increasing the cooler temperature to over 40°F. Many times meat is stored near the cooler door where the highest variation of temperature occurs.
It is important for restaurants to know that boxed beef is not pathogen tested at the packing plant. Deadly pathogens such as, E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Campylobacter Jejuni, if present, may exist on the exterior surface of the meat with no warning signs.
Ground beef and burgers are quite a different story and a much greater risk. If deadly pathogens are present on the exterior surface of meat being used they will get mixed up and mixed in during the grinding process. If the ground beef or burgers then are not cooked to 160° (well done) completely through, then the possibility for customer illness occurs when pathogens are present giving you liability exposure.
How many of you or your customers order burgers well done? How many of us like our burgers a little pink on the inside? How many people do you know like to order their burgers “mooing”?
Obviously you have never been to the west side market where ground beef is processed, and sold on a continual basis. I really don’t think that there will be too much of a problem, if the beef is ground and then immediately cooked.. the only issue I see in your post is the possibility of contamination if the grinders is left with meat still in the blades, and uncovered in the walk in for a great length of time.