Dinner: Ink & Elm

Update: Sadly, Ink and Elm has closed.

I’d never heard of Ink and Elm when friend B.D. asked us to join him there for dinner … but, for all the right reasons, I won’t soon forget our pleasant evening there.

Here’s how we got started:

Clyde and split this platter — a splendid sampler of four kinds of raw oysters. At $30.00, it was definitely a bit of an indulgence (not the kind of thing you’d order every Tuesday night, for sure). That said: my six oysters were meaty and fresh … some of the best I’ve had in Atlanta.

I wish I could show you a photo of the star attraction: the I & E cheeseburger. Strictly speaking, it’s from the Tavern (or “Ink”) menu, not the Dinner menu (from the more refined “Elm” dining room). But here’s what really matters: this is the elusive “best burger in Atlanta” that everyone’s always looking for.

But I can’t show you a photo of my burger because, from the moment it arrived at our table, it captured my full attention. Frankly, I was half-way through the thing before photographing it even occurred to me.

First, there’s the patty: one third ground chuck, one third grass-fed beef, and one third ground bacon. Yes, that’s right: ground bacon. You’ve had plenty of burgers topped with bacon, right? Listen: that can’t compare to the explosion of pure pork pleasure you get when the bacon’s baked right in.

Then, there’s the topping: Velveeta fondue. To make it, you take one part Velveeta, one part cheddar, and one part potato puree … melt it down … and whip it all up. And don’t wrinkle your nose at the V-word: once you taste this concoction, you’ll understand the role Kraft’s synthetic cheese product was meant to play on this earth.

Pop all this on a soft bun with peppery arugula and Worcestershire aioli, and you’ve got The King of All Cheeseburgers on a plate. I’m serious: there’s not a burger anywhere that can compete with this overlooked gem.

We did manage to split a dessert:

With honeysuckle gelato, maple- and vanilla-glazed pineapple chunks, and banana caramel, this is not your dime-store banana split! One is plenty for two people to split (especially after downing The World’s Best Cheeseburger).

Ink and Elm’s pricing places the joint solidly in the “splurge and special occasion” category … but I might be tempted to forego a few app and ebook purchases just to feast on the cheeseburger again next month. Recommended!