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The hamburger: whether or not it was truly invented in America, a claim made by Louie’s Lunch in New Haven, few could argue that there is a food more distinctly American in existence.

Now that McDonald’s has successfully served over five gazillion of these tasty little guys worldwide, only a handful of poor souls on this planet are not aware of the burger (cultural imperialism at its finest). What this creates is an environment where everyone is a critic: it’s easy to compare burgers because there’s just so many different ones out there.

And for your benefit alone, I’ve taken up this task. For this week’s review, I ventured down to Norwalk to try out The Beach Burger.

Overlooking the harbor at 10 First St. in Norwalk, The Beach Burger has yet to reach its first anniversary. It is the product of local business owner Anthony Luciani and celebrity chef Marc Anthony Bynum.

The Beach Burger serves “Gourmet Burgers, Handcut Fries, Fish & Chips, Fried Oysters and Specialty Shakes.” Yes, surprisingly hamburgers can now be “gourmet.”

Recently, the burger has become the focus of many chefs. The old image of the teen flipping burgers is no longer the norm because burgers are considered a new canvas for chefs to work on, creating a happy marriage between the American classic and a new wave food.

This particular establishment emphasizes the fresh and local. All beef is 100% grass-fed organic, and as many local ingredients as possible are used.

The burgers are the focus of the menu, but it also consists of chicken tenders, salads and limited seafood items such as fish and chips. For dessert, they’ll be happy to fry some of your favorite snacks like Twinkies, Oreos and Snickers.

I opted for the “Surf and Turf,” a burger topped with fried oysters, arugula and a lemon chive aioli, while my dining companion got the more traditional “Norwalk” burger with caramelized onions, blue cheese and mushrooms. Both of us agreed that milkshakes and fries were the way to go for beverages and sides.

The “Surf and Turf” proved to be a good choice. The lemon chive aioli lightened up the burger, giving it a clean taste, while the fried oysters added a nice crunchiness. I couldn’t have asked more from my milkshake: cold, creamy and plentiful. The fries were satisfactory as well. My partner and I had nothing to complain about as we sat at the bar looking out into Norwalk Harbor…save one thing.

At first glance, the inside of The Beach Burger is clean and inviting. The restaurant looks brand new, with a spotless tile floor, granite counter top and white wood paneling on the wall to remind you of a beach house. Closer inspection revealed just how far they were pushing the “beach” vibe. The poles supporting the bar were wrapped in nautical rope, and by the soda vending machine were vibrantly colored beach chairs, sand pails and toy shovels. Ok, pushing it a little bit.

But then I noticed the true horror. At first, I thought it was a coincidence that “Margaritaville” was playing from the speakers. I soon realized it was very intentional. All of the songs played were “beach” music. I began to gag a little as the restaurant environment combined with the music and hit me right in the gut. I would expect this type of behavior from a tourist restaurant on South Beach, not an establishment presenting quality food.

My advice: go to The Beach Burger. Just call ahead to order, limit the amount of time you spend in there for your own sake or even get it to go (there’s not much seating anyway). This restaurant deserves a four out of five, but unfortunately I cannot condone the décor in good conscious, so it gets a three instead.

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