Executive Chef Carlos Baez assumed the helm of The Spread in SONO a year ago and the menu now completely reflects his vision of flavor and textural combinations. After a movie we decided to enjoy some of his light bites, and when they asked if I would like to try his new burger combination, I quickly agreed.
Chef Baez's "CHEESEBURGER" starts his fantastic combination with a large patty of grass-fed Kobe beef. He melts a few slices of a mild white Cheddar cheese over the patty and then tops the cheese-covered patty with house-made pickled jalapeño peppers, a few slices of crispy bacon, a little shreaded lettuce, a swath of spicy mayo, all encased in a sesame seed bun. The meat was loosely compressed to maintain its medium grind, and the cheese was a delightfully smooth addition. These two ingredients, alone, would have created a fantastic cheeseburger, but Chef Baez elevated the flavors and achieved a perfect balance of salty-spicy-sour with the pickled jalapeño peppers complemented by the bacon. The addition of the spicy mayo was a great finish. The bun was mild in flavor and did not fight with any of the other flavors. This was one great burger.