BurgerFi (Pembroke Pines)
15910 Pines BoulevardFinally, a day I didn’t have to work from 9:00 AM to 12:30 AM. My Saturday was a little lighter. I only had to work 2:30 PM to 12:30 AM. It was almost a normal day but more importantly, a day I got to sleep in.
My co-worker needed to run back to Miami Beach to pick something up so he took the car in the morning and did that while I stayed in bed. He got back to the hotel in Pembroke Pines around 1:00 and started working on stuff for that evening. He asked if I wanted to take the car and go get something to eat.
We were staying in an area of Miami that was very commercialized. There was nothing really close to our hotel other than a Cracker Barrel so I hoped on I-75 South to go back to the next exit. There were plenty of choices there plus, I needed to stop at the Publix to pick up some cold medicine…I had been fighting a cough all week.
I noticed a burger place across from the Publix, so I went through the intersection to check it out. It’s a chain…but one we don’t have really close to us in Southwest Michigan, so I gave it a try.
BurgerFi is fast casual burger chain headquartered in Palm Beach. There over 105 locations in five countries. The only Michigan location is in Northville.
The Pembroke Pines location is in the Fountain Square shopping center on Pines Boulevard at West Fork Plaza Way. It takes up the corner of a large building anchored by Total Wine and More.
I found a pretty close parking spot but as I walked towards the door, I noticed a sign. Their Internet was done and they were only accepting cash. I had to walk to an ATM in the next building to get some money because I knew I didn’t have enough for both myself and my co-worker.
The restaurant is set up like most fast casual restaurants. There is an order counter at the back of the dining room with the menu boards on flat panel TV screens. There was a pretty good line in front of me so I had time to look it and over and text my co-worker about what he wanted.
I put in an order for a BurgerFi Bacon Cheeseburger, The CEO, two large orders of fries, a large Coke and a Chocolate shake. The bill was just a few cents over $40. I gave them my name then took a seat in the dining room which sort of carries an industrial look with metal chairs and tables contrasting a wood panel wall.
The shake came up first. I felt a little bad this would be slightly melted by the time I got back but it’s what my colleague wanted. I added the sprinkles and whipped cream because he deserved it 🙂
It took less than 10 minutes for my name to be called. I grabbed the bag and headed back to our hotel.
I started with the fries as soon as I got back. There was a lot of them and they are my absolute favorite kind of fries. They’re fresh cut and slightly greasy. They have a crispy, golden brown outside and are soft and steamy in the middle. I was happy I ordered the large because these are the type of fries I could make a meal out of.
I couldn’t wait to get to the burger after eating the fries.
The CEO is a two patty sandwich made with a combination of Waygu and brisket. It’s topped with homemade candied bacon, tomato jam, a truffle aioli, and Swiss cheese. This thing was as good as it sounded. It didn’t look like much when I took it out but the choice of quality beef jumped out on the first bite. I typically don’t like fancy sauces or jams on my burgers but I left these on because both sounded tasty. In truth, they blended in to the rest of the sandwich and were barely noticeable. They were there as background just to give a little bit of a “what’s that?” flavor to the sandwich.
BurgerFi’s main competitor would be something like Five Guys (and there was one just down the street). I’m a big Five Guys fan for the simplicity and deliciousness but BurgerFi is something else completely. The burger was so good and would be even better if they could cook them to more of a medium rare.,,,but as is, I would welcome a BurgerFi to Southwest Michigan and hope someday, they make their way here.
SW Michigan Dining 