Emeril Puts a Fresh Twist on a Plain Old Hamburger

The great thing about the Sands Casino is that if you ever get hungry, you’re already surrounded by restaurants.  And when two of those restaurants are owned by the famous “bam” chef Emeril Lagasse, how can you go wrong?

Having never been to either of Emeril’s restaurants, my friend and I were a little tight on money, so we opted for the more reasonably-priced of the two: Burgers and More by Emeril (instead of Emeril’s Chop House).

The atmosphere is fun – made to look like a retro diner, with neon lights around the bar seating, wooden bench booths, and a chrome kitchen where you can watch the cooks put the orders up.  Not to mention, there are metal caddies of burger condiments on each table and a large mosaic tile picture of Emeril that reminds me strangely of Elvis.

The menu is mainly sandwiches and appetizers, with a few salads listed.  There are burgers like The Creole (beef, Andouille sausage, Pepper Jack cheese, and spicy mustard) and the Portobello Mushroom (with Provolone cheese and smoked tomato sauce), or there’s the option to “Create a Burger,” where you can pick your bun, meat, cheese, and an assortment of toppings.  If you’re more in the mood for an appetizer, there are things like the Grilled Gulf Shrimp Cocktail, Crispy Button Mushrooms, or Fried Pennsylvania Chicken Lollipops (yes, lollipops).

To pair with your (probably) finger-food meal, there is a nice list of domestic and imported beers, wines, and specialty cocktails (like Emeril’s Signature Bloody Mary).

My meal:  The Grilled Pennsylvania Chicken Breast Sandwich (with avocado, cheddar cheese, and Chipotle mayo), which was awesome.  The bun is what made it.  It was soft and a little sweet.  And don’t worry – I made sure to try my friend’s burger, and it was delicious as well.  I have to give it a 5/5.

Details:  77 Sands Boulevard, Bethlehem
             484-777-7777
             Open Sun-Thurs 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fri-Sat 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.        Closed Tuesdays.

Price range:  $ ½ (the average sandwich is around $12, but the average appetizer is around $7)