DINING REVIEW: Bingo Burger in Pueblo

PUEBLO • The burger is a trickier dish than most people think.

Leave it to teenagers flipping prefab frozen parts and it risks losing its hand-made soul. Try to doll it up too fancy, with a cloth napkin and an arugula sprig and it risks losing its working-class heart. To find the perfect balance, go to Pueblo.

In the surprisingly ungritty heart of the Steel City sits Bingo Burger, the latest venture by Pueblo’s first epicurean couple, Mary Oreskovich and Richard Warner. Bingo Burger does not look so different from a classic burger joint. You order at the counter, the goods come in a little plastic basket or a bag to go.

It’s what’s inside that counts. Each burger is made fresh from local grass-fed beef and served with hand-cut fries made from San Luis Valley potatoes. Shakes are blended from homemade ice cream. The menu isn’t fancy; it’s just plain old delicious.

Of course, nothing but excellence is expected when Oreskovich and Warner are involved. The couple trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, then, in 1999, opened Steel City Diner — an intimate white-tablecloth spot serving American classics crafted from organic, local ingredients. It was an instant hit, but a scuffle with the landlord forced them to close in 2006. They opened the wildly popular Hopscotch Bakery, serving cakes, pastries and sandwiches a short time later. They unveiled Bingo Burger in 2009.

With the State Fair in full swing, now is a great time to duck in and see for yourself.

The Bingo menu is simple: Four burgers (beef, chicken, lamb, veggie), fries, and shakes. For 50 cents or a buck extra you can get toppings including goat cheese, avocado, bacon or an egg. You can also get a beer, and sticking to the local theme, they’re all tasty Front Range mircobrews.

The signature Bingo Burger ($6.25) is the best. It comes laced with that most-Pueblo-of-all ingredients, roasted green chilies. They are finely diced and mixed with the meat so the whole burger is infused with that complex, smoky heat. Anyone who shies away from spice can opt for the plain Berry Burger ($5.75), though if you do, other diners will know you’re not from around here.

Both burgers have their flavor vaulted by grass-fed beef, which tends to be leaner, ever so slightly gamey, and has more omega-3 “good fat” and less saturated fat than grain-fed beef. The result is a supremely beefy burger that all others should aspire to.

Just as flavorful is the lamb burger ($6.75), Bingo’s only nod toward yuppy-dom. It would be delicious just for the mild, local lamb, but it is elevated by a homemade lemon and rosemary aioli (i.e. mayo) that is simply phenomenal.

The fries (sweet potato and standard) are a fitting accompaniment for such fine burgers. They are thick and substantial, with lots of fresh potato taste and flecked with large-grain kosher salt. Though I have to admit that McDonald’s still is my favorite fry, these local stars, with no mysterious natural flavorings, certainly offer more peace of mind.

The Bingo dining area betrays no hint that the burgers are a stark departure from the norm. The motif is classic fast food with small tables and a few booths, plus a great patio with generous umbrellas for protection from the hot Pueblo sun.

Dessert, though, once again lets you know that looks can be deceiving. The ice cream in Bingo’s shakes ($3.75-$5.50) is handmade at neighboring Hopscotch Bakery. And you can taste the difference in the chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or caramel shakes as soon as you start to slurp. The ice cream is rich and fresh, the real ingredients shine through, and since it does not have some of the stabilizers of industrial ice creams, it is much more straw-friendly.

The only thing I’ve heard people complain about at Bingo is the price. After all, get a Bingo burger with bacon, cheese, fries, a soda and a small shake and you are looking at $15 — quite a bit more than your standard value meal.

But this is not standard food. It is the perfect burger made from the best ingredients. You absolutely get what you pay for.

My only gripe is that Bingo does not have any current plans to open a restaurant in Colorado Springs.

BINGO BURGER
3 STARS out of 5
(lifting the burger to new heights)
Address: 101 Central Plaza, Pueblo
Contact: 1-719-225-8363, bingoburger.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays
Entrees: $5.75-$6.75
Vegetarian: Yes
Alcohol: Beer and wine
Credit cards: Yes