By Reggie Ellis @Reggie_SGN
VISALIA – If less is more than Visalia’s newest burger joint has cornered the market with a box of sliders.
Burgerim, the newest concept in fast food burgers, offers gourmet sliders that can be purchased in single, double and triple orders, or even a box of 16 burgers, with a streamlined menu offering an endless combination of choices, “up to 40 million different ways to make your burger” according to their slogan. The restaurant offers in 2.8-ounce patties of gourmet beef such dry-aged or Wagyu but specializes in Merguez beef, a premium patty seasoned with cumin, chili pepper, garlic, paprika and roasted red pepper.
Visalia was the franchise’s 34th location in the United States when it opened in May. Photo by Paul Myers.
Visalia owner Rose Oganeysan said the smaller portions are what drew her to partner with Burgerim over other fast food franchises. She said the smaller size allowed her to enjoy a great burger without adding an extra half pound of meat to the meal.
“I like cooking and baking but I also like to watch what I eat,” she said. “These are just under 3 ounces and there are so many healthy options without giving up taste.”
Lean meat options include chicken breast, lamb, turkey and salmon, a patty with the consistency of a crab cake. There are also meatless options such as the veggie patty and the falafel, a Middle Eastern blend of ground chickpeas and spices, in this case serrano pepper, cilantro, parsley, and garlic.
“And if you don’t like burgers, we have great wings, too,” Oganeysan said.
Oganeysan said Burgerim is a different burger place, right on down to their fries. Instead of traditional length cut fries, Burgerim thinly slices real potato into chips that are then slightly friend for a crisp exterior and a soft inside. They also offer a variety of sauces for dripping burgers and dipping fries, such as garlic aioli, chipotle, tahini, habanero mayo and the house sauce.
“My personal favorite is garlic aioli fries,” Oganeysan said. “But a lot of people really like the house sauce too.”
Oganesyan said her Burgerim, 2226 S. Mooney Blvd. Suite A-5 in Visalia, was the 34th location in the United States when it opened on May 26. Since that time, 20 more locations have opened their doors with another 228 listed as “Coming Soon” throughout the country on the company’s web site, Burgerim.com. She originally wanted to franchise closer to home in Fresno but has been pleasantly surprised with the foodie following in Visalia. Oganeysan said she owns the franchisee rights for all of Visalia, Tulare, Hanford, Selma and Chowchilla, and is looking to open more locations soon.
“It’s been a great company to franchise for,” she said.
The Visalia location will roll out the red carpet for its grand opening on Friday, July 27. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and will include an actual red carpet and backdrop for photo opportunities with the mayor and local officers and firefighters. New Rock 104.1FM will be doing a live remote, there will be a Visalia Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting, and the first 300 people will get a free burger.
The unique concept is sure to be a great night stop for burgers and brews with two happy hours from 2 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m. daily where a glass of beer or wine is just $3. Burgerim offers seven beers on tap and five wines to pour and even offers a deal for $9.99 that includes a burger, fries and a beer.
Burgerim, which means “many burgers” in Hebrew, is owned by Israeli born Oren Loni, a food industry magnate who has launched other successful restaurant concepts including the Italian fast food chain Siciliano and the frozen yogurt chain Yogurtland. Loni purchased the original Burgerim in Israel in 2011 and opened the first store in the United States just three years ago after opening 50 location in just 18 months.
“I remember the first time I ate a meal at Burgerim, I immediately knew that this concept could be a huge success all around the world,” Loni states on the company’s web site.
For more information on Burgerim’s endless options, call 559-802-3028 in Visalia or visit www.burgerim.com.
