Unbreaded

Noble: An American Cookery Burger

Chef Steven Cameron’s work at Blue in Surf City, NJ earned him national acclaim and semi-finalist rankings in 2008 and 2009 for the James Beard Foundation Awards: Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic.  The Kansas-raised transplant to Philadelphia brings a farm-fresh mentality and earnestness to the city, turning to the vast agriculture of PA and NJ to source Noble’s produce, meats and dairy.  (Fish is sourced through local fishermen with a hawkish eye towards sustainability and not over-harvesting.)  He personally visits the farms and plans a few weeks ahead for what’s coming next. Chef Cameron’s menu emphasizes seasonal changes and he described his cooking as “more artisan than artist… like a cabinet maker.”  It is that simple, straightforward approach and flawless execution that place Noble: An American Cookery squarely in what Cameron calls “a revolution” in New American cuisine; a shift towards local food and fresh, seasonal ingredients that he hopes will transform restaurant culture.

The 100+ seat restaurant has a rustic-meets-modern décor featuring luscious reclaimed woods and sleek panes of glass. Even the staff, outfitted in plaid shirts and designer jeans, reflect the new-rustic feel . The large café windows and skylights give the restaurant an open feel with lots of natural light, and Noble will soon be offering selections from its own rooftop herb garden.  Chef Cameron hinted at a sandwich-rich lunch menu later this year, but for now, the only sandwiches are a burger and veggie burger from bar menu (which is available throughout the restaurant.)

The 7oz burger is served on a toasted brioche bun with Lancaster cheddar, shredded lettuce, a roasted thinly sliced beet and “special sauce,” aka, sauce gribiche: a homemade egg mayo with cornichons, capers, tarragon and chervil.  A fried, chopped, dredged and re-fried bacon wafer is available as a burger topper for possibly the best spent dollar of your life.  The burger has a bright flavor and a soft but firm, giving texture.  The meat intensifies the flavor of the cheddar, with the beet offering a refreshing hint of sweetness.  Served with hand-cut fries and a brilliant homemade ketchup made from beets, red peppers, tomato and olive oil.

The veggie burger tries to emulate the regular burger in every way.  Served with all the same accoutrements, the veggie burger is a dense patty of lentils, roasted eggplant, tons of spices and a bit of pumpernickel bread so that it even looks like a traditional hamburger.  The veggie burger had a hearty and rich, meaty flavor and a texture that held together pretty well to the bite.  The patty did overflow the brioche a little, but nothing we couldn’t work through.

Chef Cameron, who can appreciate a “pocket sandwich” as much as anyone, will take a deli sandwich for any meal of the day – with mayo, of course.  He’s “a picnic guy” whose favorite foods are eaten with his hands and not silverware, and thinks a cold roast pork sandwich is just about the best there is. If and when Noble adds sandwiches at lunch, you can bet we’ll be dying to get a taste at what Chef Cameron has in store.

Noble An American Cookery
2025 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Google Map)