Saluting one of Louisville's best burgers, the beast from Fat Lamb

The burger from Fat Lamb is delicious and guaranteed to give you the meat sweats.

If you ask a chef what they would order in their own restaurant, you take note of what they say. That’s how we came to try the cheeseburger at Fat Lamb. Boy, are we glad we did.

The upscale eatery has been open well over three years now, and features a number of mouth-watering entrees like seared duck breast, rosemary and garlic marinated lamb chops and seared curry rubbed salmon, but when I asked Fat Lamb owner and chef Dallas McGarity what he would order at his own restaurant, he told me the cheeseburger (as well as the fried oysters appetizer).

It’s worth noting that only 10 of the double cheeseburgers are made each evening during dinner service, so get there early if you have your heart set on one of them. And bring your appetite.

The burger isn’t complicated: a pair of smashed beef patties served on an egg-wash brioche bun, topped with two slices of American cheese, pickle slices and a layer of lemon garlic mayonnaise, served with French fries. With a side of ketchup. Upscale eating for the eight-year-old inside.

The double decker burger didn’t look all that daunting, but we took note that by the time we got halfway through, it seemed like the damn thing was getting bigger somehow. Not that we had any intentions of stopping, as the beef was perfectly cooked, juicy and flavorful, while the cheese played its small role and the mayo added just a hint of a welcome flavor distraction.

The ultra-thick pickle slices had a sweet-ish taste, so after a couple of bites, those came off the sandwich, making it even more reminiscent of a plain, meat-and-cheese burger from our youths.

By the time we got to the last couple of savory bites, we knew the proverbial wall was neaer. That’s when ourserver asked how the burger was. We responded positively and said out loud what already had become apparent – that a burger like that will, as he phrased it, “Put you to sleep.”

Cue meat sweats. And we’re not saying that in a negative way – you eat a burger like that, the meat sweats are part of the experience, along with a full and happy belly.

There a lot of good burgers in Louisville, and this one is among our favorites. If you haven’t tried it yet, be one of the first 10 to get to the restaurant some evening soon and give it a try. Thanks to a partnership with Copper & Kings, you can also get the burger at the distillery’s on-site lounge, Alex&nder.