A burger blend of ground sirloin and chuck steak has Hamiltonians whispering about Delirious Burger Co.
There is a third style of meat that will remain a trade secret, said owner Ben Greco.
Ben Greco grills up a burger.
The burger joint opened July 4 and is gaining fans in Westdale at its King Street West location.
“After 10 years living in the city (Toronto), I wanted to move back with my wife and I found a location in Westdale,” said Greco, who grew up in Waterdown. “When I came home one night and told her I was going to start up a restaurant, the first thing out of her mouth was, ‘You must be delirious,’ which is where the name came from.”
His quest to find the best burger in town led to the opening of his own restaurant.
“I made a big issue of finding something that was primarily unique,” he said. “What I came across was a lot of the processed, fast food quality burgers. The burger was either frozen, had fillers, or the fries were also frozen, and it took away from the quality of the products produced.”
At Delirious, Greco aims to produce an American-style burger, cooked on a flattop grill rather than a griddle. The juices in the burger remain locked in the burger when cooked on a flattop. Greco tested for four months with the help of another chef to find the best.
“We did a variety of test kitchens where we had multiple chefs test out the burger,” said Greco. “We worked really closely with the (local) butchers as well – it’s about combining a handful of products to get the taste we’re looking for.”
The burgers are made fresh and are never frozen. Fries are also hand cut daily.
“It’s important to us that we produce the best quality burger that’s available,” he said. “The general consensus during the tests is what we’re serving today.”
Delirious Burger Co. offers regular cheeseburgers to the bacon cheeseburger, as well as specialty burgers that will slowly be released. The vegetarian option is stuffed Portobello, double breaded and stuffed with aged cheddar that gives it a sharp taste.
Prior to cooking up a storm in the kitchen, he worked in marketing with a large automotive manufacturer in Toronto.
“We really want to be part of the community and it’s one of my goals to give back to the west-end area,” said Greco. “In the future you’ll see us get involved with the local art community and see us sponsor some charitable events eventually to show our appreciation of the warm welcome we’ve received.”
Delirious Burger will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, July 13 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Originally posted in Your Hamilton Biz.
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