122 NW 10th Ave., 274-9008, littlebigburger.com. 11 am-10 pm nightly.
Micah Camden, the seemingly tireless chef who has in the past five years had a hand in the openings of Yakuza, Naomi Pomeroy’s Beast, DOC and Fats, is often described as having a “restaurant empire.” The string of eateries along Northeast 30th Avenue is really more of a fiefdom, but with Little Big Burger, Camden and co-owner Katie Poppe have their sights set on world domination. The restaurant, which opened in September and already has two more locations in the works, has only six items on the menu: fries, floats, soda and burgers, with or without cheese or meat. There are no plates on the shiny red-and-white counter; all orders are delivered in paper bags. The burgers cost $3.25, $3.75 with cheddar, Swiss, chèvre or blue; fries are $2.75. They are very good fries; crisp and sweet and adequately salted, with maybe just a tad too much truffle flavoring. The burger is also very good, with a quarter-pound patty of first-rate cow flesh, seasoned with restraint, cooked medium and slathered with Camden’s own sriracha-spiked ketchup (you can take a bottle home, if you like). The bun is sturdy, but quite small, leading some Yelpers to whine that the burger is an overpriced slider. Don’t let yourself be fooled—I’d guess this is a 500-calorie burger; eating two for lunch would be unwise. BW.
Pro: A really good lunch in the Pearl for $6.50!
Con: You may have to wait through your break to get it, as lines have been reported spilling out onto the sidewalk.