Behind the the walls of a currently unassuming brick-faced building on Sansom Street is Center City Philadelphia’s latest burger joint. 500º opens today and features handcrafted burgers and fries using only the highest quality ingredients. Owners Rob and Maggie Wasserman, found inspiration for the restaurant and its menu from the their taste of success with the burger at, Rouge. At the Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival in 2009, Rouge offered a mini version of the burger, with the same ingredients at a much more affordable price. After quickly selling out that day, and the following explosion of demand for burgers in Philadelphia in recent months, the Wassermans set out on their latest concept.

Yesterday, we were granted the opportunity to check out the food and space before the official opening. The summation in three words: precision in simplicity. That precision is indicated in their name, drawn from the operating temperature of the grill. The burger initiative at 500º is being spearheaded by Rouge Executive Chef, Matt Zagorski. He’s told us that 500º will be using 5.5oz Certified Hereford Beef burgers from Ashley Foods with the same proprietary blend from that has made the Rouge burger a national success. The meat is ground thickly to ensure that a texture is retained even when cooked at rare temperatures. All burgers are served on fresh challah rolls from Wild Flour Bakery, from which they’ll be receiving deliveries twice daily. All burgers will also be made to order according to guests’ preferences, fine-tuned to meet the temperature of perfection according to their order (from rare to well-done).

Our favorite burger was “The 500″ with bibb lettuce, tomato, cheddar, bacon and a special house sauce. This sauce isn’t the typical thousand island dressing by any means, it was sweet, mildly tangy and resembled a smooth dijon mustard in color and texture. Chef Zagorski wouldn’t give up any details to its ingredients, with the exception of noting that cloves were used for its aromatic flavor. All five of their burgers can be ordered individually for under $6 or as combos ranging fro $9 to $12.50. Upon opening guests will have access to the entire menu, with a selection of cheeses includes domestic Swiss, provolone, cheddar and American. Along the lines of toppings, pickles, bacon, mushrooms, jalapenos and grilled red onions can be added to any of the burgers. We certainly can’t forget the amazing hand-cut fries that came with our burger. They’re available plain, with spicy seasoning or dressed with truffle oil. Complementing the burgers and fries are fountain sodas and milkshakes (chocolate, vanilla or black & white) made from locally-owned and sourced Bassetts Ice Cream.

We’re sure 500º is likely to be a Center City staple for years to come for those in search of a great quality burger, fast and don’t necessarily want to people watch at Rittenhouse Square. It opens today with various promotions starting at 11:00 am. The first 100 people will be given a free burger of their choice. After that, until 3pm, bring a friend and split the bill with a buy-1-get-1. From 5-7pm enjoy free soda and fries with the purchase of any burger. And then finally, from 11pm until their yet-undetermined closing time, enjoy free fries with any purchase.

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500º
1504 Sansom St. – Philadelphia, PA, 19102 (Google Map)
(215) 568-5000
Twitter: @500_Degrees

Tria is known as a destination for wine, beer and cheese, but Executive Chef Jenny Harris has crafted a sandwich menu that offers gourmet ingredients with the same dedication to quality as their fermented fare.  Look no further than the bread for proof.  Tria uses three different bakeries to source each of its breads: ciabatta from Le Bus; baguettes from Bakery Perrier and brioche from Wild Flour Bakery.  Working with vendors such as the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative ensures that ingredients are fresh, local and seasonal.

Tria’s philosophy of making great products affordable and accessible is expressed in its sandwiches, like the smoked chicken with truffle oil, Lancaster cheddar, piquillo peppers, tomatoes and arugula on ciabatta.  Or the grilled artichoke panino with spicy Tuscan pepper, white beans and Bulgarian feta, that brings together a range of textures: crisp bread, bits of melted salty feta, and tender artichokes and peppers.

The smoked salmon sandwich, Chef Harris’ personal favorite, features Alaskan wild smoked salmon with a bright mustard-chive vinaigrette, roasted mushrooms, sweet caramelized onions, arugula and tomato on a soft and chewy fresh ciabatta.

Tria also offers a selection of decadent dessert sandwiches on grilled brioche with chocolate, fruit and mascarpone.  The banana and sweet mascarpone sandwich with goat’s milk caramel sauce is both crispy and moist, gooey and bursting with flavor.  The caramel sauce seeps through the grilled bread and creates a layer of sweet crust that compels you to take another bite.

We asked Chef Harris to describe what makes a great sandwich.  Start with really good bread and focus on one or two featured ingredients; the rest of the fillings are there to complement and enhance those central flavors.  With meat, try a bolder, saltier cheese; with vegetables, go for a lighter, softer texture.  Chef Harris encourages people to try new cheeses on their sandwiches, like fontina or caciocavallo, similar to aged provolone.  And she recommends a wheat beer with most sandwiches, or potentially red wine with something earthy like the Wild Mushroom panino.

When she’s off-duty, Chef Harris enjoys a sandwich on pita or flatbread with turkey and hummus, or perhaps some aioli.  She also likes the grilled chicken sandwich at Bitar’s and just about any sandwich at Tuscany Café.

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Tria
123 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (Google Map)