What happened to Fat City Franks, the momentarily-hip weenie shop around the corner from Drago's? It merged into a new hamburger concept which opens today (Monday, January 13). The owners are Tommy Cvitanovich and his family, the owners of Drago's. The dogs are gone (except for one), replaced by the latest entry into the ever-growing market for upscale hamburgers. We can't seem to get enough of them.
One good thing about the advent of all these hamburger stands is that new ones have to come up with fresh ideas. At Fire House, the hamburgers are grilled in more or less the same way that Drago's original char-broiled oysters are: hot gas grill, garlic butter mixed with parmesan cheese and seasonings. That will indeed be different. Even more eccentric will be a cheeseburger made by enclosing the meat patty between two grilled-cheese sandwiches.
Given the name, it's likely that Tommy will bring his firetruck over for special occasions. Here are some of the specialty burgers. They make the sandwich just about any way you want, with buns from Leidenheimer's.
Fire House Double
Char-grilled double-patty, topped with garlic and cheese butter
Grilled Cheese Burger
Burger between two grilled cheese sandwiches
Inferno
Blackened burger, jalapeno, pepper jack cheese
Bacon Mushroom Swiss Burger
Black & Blue
Blackened burger, fried onions and blue cheese
Tex-Mex
Homemade chili, cheddar and crispy onions
Baja Burger
Guacamole, pepper jack and pico de gallo
Fire House Club Burger
Bacon, guacamole, American, Swiss, lettuce and tomato, triple-decker bun
Foot Long Hotdog
Chili, cheese and onions
Fire House Burgers
Metairie 2: Orleans Line To Houma Blvd: 3224 Edenborn Ave. 504-875-4600. www.FireHouse-Burgers.com.
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