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Feb 2012  |  By Julie Chernoff  |  Comments

Everest Burger: Take Two!

Last year I wrote a review of the then new Everest Burger in Glencoe that was not entirely positive.

Margarita Challenger, the chef and owner of both Everest Burger and Guanajuato, took those criticisms to heart, and has retooled the restaurant in a very positive way.

Prices have been adjusted, new ingredients have been resourced, and the menu expanded. Counter service has given way to table service. It’s basically a rebirth, and the execution now matches the original intention.

First of all, the burger to bun ratio is vastly improved. The bun was tender and just the right size for the burger, which has changed from an overly lean Piemontese beef to a 85/15 mix of lean, grass-fed American beef to fat. The now five-ounce burger (rather than four) is a juicy and delicious specimen, well seasoned and tasty.

We tried two of the beef burgers (all beef, veggie, chicken and turkey burgers combos are $9.95) on offer: the Choriburger, a beef and spicy chorizo blend topped with pepper Jack cheese, grilled onions, tomato, cilantro and chipotle mayo; and the Glencoe Cheeseburger, a beer-marinated and grilled with avocado spread, arugula, lettuce, tomato and olive oil mayo. Both were hits.

The homemade coleslaw, laced with cilantro, is creamy and fresh; the Cajun chips were thin and perfectly crispy. The sweet potato fries were limp, perhaps needing a blanching in the oil and a double fry, or maybe simply hotter oil.

The Chimichurri Salmon Burger ($12.95; there’s a $3 upcharge for the salmon) was even better than I remembered, the fresh wild Alaskan salmon ground on site and mixed with onion, cilantro and oregano, topped with shredded cabbage and chimichurri sauce. It was moist and oh-so flavorful.

Large entrée salads ($9.95) are also available, as are daily soups (including the brothy Black Bean and Sirloin Chili we enjoyed). Desserts are featured in the big pastry case in the dining room, including a number of gluten-free options. We were amazed at the enormous size of a “slice” of Tres Leches cake that passed by our table. Sharing a must with that one! The house-made frozen yogurt is still tart and creamy and sure to please.

Everest is also serving a full breakfast now, including fluffy omelets, healthy pancakes and waffles as well as a Mexican breakfast burrito with eggs and chorizo.

Our second trek to Everest Burger got us well past base camp. I can now recommend it whole-heartedly.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Everest Burger
91 Green Bay Rd., Glencoe
847-242-0909