All-American Burgers Get a French makeover at Santa Monica's Burgette

Lower than a yr after opening Santa Monica's fashionable Bar Monette, chef Sean MacDonald is able to debut his subsequent restaurant, Burgette. The French burger spot opens March 15 subsequent to Bar Monette on Santa Monica Boulevard.

The chance to open Burgette's got here when Bar Monette's close by restaurant, Stout, closed in 2023. Figuring out that the restaurant had good visitors, MacDonald bought the restaurant's lease and started envisioning a sister restaurant to Bar Cash. He determined to stay with a burger menu to protect Stout's regular stream of shoppers, however needed to supply an expertise and atmosphere extra consistent with Bar Monette's. “I used to be like, 'How can I make this sexier than simply burgers and beers?'” she says.

Reaching into reminiscences of previous journeys to Paris, MacDonald devised a plan for the previous Stout house that reminded him of the dimly lit eating places and bars he stumbled throughout whereas wandering the facet streets. He led the design course of, finishing an preliminary plan in simply three days. The re-conceptualized eating room options darkish wooden complemented by a wall of copper vessels hanging above a curved bar and deep crimson accents.

The Parisian inspiration continues on the menu the place traditional American burgers get the French remedy. Take La Burgette, which is MacDonald's model of the Large Mac. As a substitute of the anticipated American cheese and scorching Large Mac sauce, La Burgette is topped with grainy Dijon mustard, cornichons, Worcestershire sauce, and a mix of American and mimolette cheeses.

Along with La Burgette, discover La Viviane on the menu, named after MacDonald's grandmother and served with spiced tomato jam, bone marrow butter and French raclette. An Oklahoma-style salmon bacon burger comes with pickled turnips and gribiche sauce. For non-burger choices, look to MacDonald's tackle a Waldorf salad, a play on inexperienced bean almonds, and charcuterie platters with picks from the Beverly Hills Cheese Retailer. Throughout the menu, MacDonald plans to supply produce from the Santa Monica farmers market. As at Bar Monette, Jeff Whittaker will lead the kitchen as head chef and Halleluyah Wallcot would be the normal supervisor.

With the opening approaching, MacDonald is already dreaming of Burgette in motion. “I'm excited to stroll into the room and [have it] being animated and other people having enjoyable,” he says. “I believe that's what I used to be placed on this earth to do — to create experiences for folks.”

Burgette is positioned at 111 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Hours shall be midday to midnight, Wednesday via Sunday starting March 15. Reservation data shall be despatched to the restaurant. mailing checklist earlier than opening.