Charm City
1136 E Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach
THE BIG SLOPPY
The original Charm City was conceived as a sandwich shop, a take-out joint where you could grab a beer and some grub for a good price. But when the line started backing up with burger orders, owner and chef team Evan David and Mike Saperstein gave the menu a quick overhaul, became South Florida’s own burger heaven, and now serve up to 1,000 burgers a day. It’s where you go to cram six ounces of specialty-blended meat down your throat. According to Saperstein, there are a few criteria for the perfect burger. First, the meat: a fresh-grind of 100 percent Black Angus beef, his own blend of chuck, short rib and brisket. Second, preparation: each six-ounce patty seasoned with a special house blend of spices, then cooked over a piping-hot, 900-degree charbroil grill. Last, the bread, a recipe crafted by Saperstein himself, both sweet and dense enough to hold even the juiciest of burgers. Of course, you could argue that secret Charm sauce is essential, a classic ketchup and mayo blend with a few added ingredients to make it wantonly addictive. With these factors in place, it’s hard to fail. Here, the Big and Sloppy steals the show. Intended as a late night hangover cure, David recalls taking his breakfast McDonald’s hash browns and slapping them on a burger along with a fried egg, a massive amount of bacon and melted cheese. In no time it went from the specials board to cult classic.
