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Only open for three months now, Formento's is already packing guests in and getting good reviews for their elevated take on classic "red sauce" Italian dishes. When tasked with creating a special for Eater's Burger Week, executive chef Tony Quartaro looked back to his time in New York for inspiration.
"There's a place in the East Village called Whitman's, [their] Juicy Lucy was the one that hooked me," Quartaro says.
Quartaro's "Juicy Lucy" features a burger patty stuffed with mozzarella (made in-house), 1-year aged provolone ("It has a nice bite to it. Nice, strong depth of flavor. Not stinky cheese strong, but more of a peppery finish."), garlic and neonata ("It's chili based, slightly acidic, kind of rich and oily. [It] will add some brightness and some heat.").
The burger also features caramelized onions with splashes of Lambrusco vinegar and a slice of that provolone. A pickled mustard seed spread that is also used on a mortadella hot dog at Nonna's, the sandwich shop next door (which will also feature the burger during lunch hours) is slathered on a potato bun.
Quartaro's Juicy Lucy is available during lunch hours at both Formento's and Nonna's through Friday.