Olio's "House Burger" - Excellent in Springdale

In my constant search for great burgers in Fairfield County I found myself heading to Stamford to sample the new lunch menu at Olio that includes the Olio House Burger. And I am glad I did. Olio recently began serving lunch and it is slowly turning into the go-to location for many locals. The lunch menu includes a soup a few salads, and several sandwiches from chicken salad to steak, plus a pasta and sautéed shrimp. But I was there for the burger.

The Olio House Burger is a unique combination of flavors and ingredients. It starts with a thick all-beef patty topped with Tasso ham, melted Manchego cheese, caramelized Cipollini onions, with a schmear of roasted tomato aioli, all encased in a Brioche roll from Eli’s. It is served with thick steak fries and a side of ketchup.

The burger is excellent. The meat was lightly formed with the grind of the meat still present. Although it was cooked a little past my requested medium rare, it was still this side of medium, a nice pink interior. The substitution of the Tasso ham for a traditional smoked bacon added a significant level of pepperiness and the mild Manchego cheese added a nice creaminess. The star of this combination was the caramelized Cipollini onions, they were fantastic, creamy, sweet, just a great addition. The roll added a good buttery complement.

The steak fries were perfectly prepared and finished with pepper and truffle salt. They were crispy on the exterior and moist and soft on the interior. The truffle salt added an earthy complement to the flavor. I am a purist on fries and would have been equally satisfied with just salt and a little pepper.

Overall the Olio House Burger is definitely a go-to burger and is one of the best in Stamford. Chef/Owner Steve Costanzo and his business partner Moira Hyland do an outstanding job at dinner and I anticipate that once word travels that lunch is available, the lunch crowd will equal the packed dinner crowd.