Have It Their Way

by Lisa Intrabattola

The battle for "best burger" bragging rights usually is waged by fast-food chains and backyard barbecuers. Upscale restaurants are not expected to enter the fray.

But New Brunswick's Stage Left has been flame-broiling the competition since late last millennium when they created "The Best Cheeseburger in the World." The entree calls for 11 ounces of certified Angus beef wood-grilled to customer specifications and topped with three-year-aged Vermont Cheddar cheese, tomato, and red onion. It comes with a whopper of a price tag--$15.95--but according to an article in the May issue of New Jersey Life, the burger more than lives up to its name.

"It's a very simple thing, but it's got to be executed properly," says Stage Left Executive Chef Anthony Bucco. "It's huge. We sell anywhere from 60 to 80 a week."