Roscoe Village Burgerfest sees 14 Chicago chefs compete for top honors

July 12, 2013 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- The Roscoe Village Burgerfest is going on all weekend with 14 different restaurants competing for both a critic's choice, as well as a people's choice. ABC7's food reporter visited last year's people's choice winner to see what they have planned this weekend.

The beef is ground and seasoned, while the grills are operating at full capacity, as the cooks at Rockit Burger Bar tweak this year's entry in the Roscoe Village Burgerfest. Last year, they went with mushrooms, truffle crème fraiche and gruyere cheese, and wound up with the People's Choice Award. This year, same game plan.

"Plan is again to bring something off our menu that is quite popular as it is but something a little bit different," said Amanda Downing, the Chef at Rockit Burger Bar.

That means in addition to their standard Black Angus beef, with a ratio of 80 percent beef to 20 percent fat, they're going to offer a creation called "The LOCAVORE."

"So we're using a bun from Labriola baking, Nueske's bacon in our aioli, a smoked goat cheddar which is from Nordic Creamery in Wisconsin and then Goose Island beer of course for the beer-battered onion rings," she said.

Since demand is high and there's only so much stomach space, Rockit will sell a mini version of The LOCAVORE, which isn't quite as daunting.

"Expect to do 3,000 burgers, that's about what we did last year so we're gonna plan for at least three to four thousand. Have the product ready to go," said Downing. Now Rockit took home the People's Choice last year, but Cortland's Garage in Bucktown took home the Critic's Choice. Game plan this year: exactly the same, hoping for the repeat. That is, an eight ounce, hand-ground patty; applewood-smoked bacon, white cheddar, avocado, fried onions, romaine lettuce, tomato and mayo on a handmade bun. If ain't broke, don't fix it.

Roscoe Village Burgerfest
July 13 and 14
11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. both days. The gate donation is $7.
Proceeds benefit the Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce. www.chicagoevents.com
773-868-3010

This year's burger vendors are (which includes six new participants):
Banh Mi & Company (NEW)
River North's The Burger Joint (NEW)
Lincoln Park's Butcher & the Burger
Bucktown's Cortland's Garage
Goose Island Brewpubs
Andersonville's Hamburger Mary's
Lakeview's Indie Burger (NEW)
West Irving Park's Leader Bar Drafthouse & Eatery (NEW)
North Center's Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro
Wrigleyville's Rockit Burger Bar
Lakeview's Select Cut Steakhouse
Lincoln Park's Stanley's Kitchen & Tap
West Belmont's Square Bar & Grill (NEW)
River North's Twenty Five Degrees (NEW)

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