In the midst of a 10-course dinner with friends at Spread I ordered the “Cheeseburger.” I’ve enjoyed Executive Chef Carlos Baez’s version in the past and wanted to see if there was any update to his interpretation to one of my favorite dishes.

Chef Carlos starts his rendition with an 8-ounce patty of grass fed Kobe beef. He tops the patty with pickles, melted Cheddar cheese with the option of bacon or Jalapeño peppers, with a swath of spicy mayo encased in a sesame seed bun. Since spicy mayo was already included I asked for the bacon but not the peppers.

The meat was outstanding. It was cooked perfectly to my requested medium-rare, and the kitchen was delicate when they formed the patty, it maintained a wonderful loose grind. The flavor was deep and rich from the grass feeding and was juicy, but not overwhelming. The bread and butter pickles added a great sour component and the bacon was perfectly cooked and a smoky-salty balance. The spicy mayo was a little too spicy for me, detracting from the other great flavors, but that is a personal preference. The bun added a nice buttery complement. The fries were excellent, fresh, hand cut with just a touch of salt.

Chef Carlos is hitting it out of the park with his cuisine and the burger was just one great example.