Earlier this month I was invited to attend a early preview of the new ZinBurger Wine & Bruger Bar at the Streets at Southpoint Mall in Durham in advance of its Grand Opening on December 10th.
The sneak peek featured samples of most of their menu items including slider sized versions of their signature burgers as well as samples of their salads, fries, deserts, and cocktails. There were several other local bloggers in attendance that evening and I was lucky enough to run into and dine with my friend and fellow travel and foodie blogger The Wandering Sheppard.
Zinburger ~ Streets at Southpoint Mall in Durham
The Zinburger restaurant fills the space formerly occupied by the Rockfish Grill. They have updated the interior to have a casual yet modern and upbeat flare featuring rich wood and earth tones. There is also an interesting mural of cows grazing in a green pasture under a cloudy but blue sky along one wall of the dining area that provides a splash of bright color. The restaurant has 11 HD televisions located throughout the space features a nice open air patio with an outdoor fire pit with lounge seating and dining tables to enjoy during the warmer months.
El Diablo Burger
As you can imagine Zinburger is known for its gourmet burgers which range from $9-$15. Each is made with either Certified Angus Beef or American-style Kobe beef ground fresh twice a day right there at the restaurant. Their Signature burgers include the Zinburger with manchego cheese & zinfandel braised onions and the Kobe Burger with vermont cheddar & wild mushrooms. I enjoyed the El Diablo burger (pictured above) with its fire roasted jalapeños, pepperjack cheese, caramelized onions & chipotle mayo.
Napa Salad
If beef isn’t your thing they have other menu offerings like a veggie or turkey burger, ahi sandwich, and five different salads ranging in price from $5-$12. My favorite was the Napa Salad which has organic greens, dried fruit, marcona almonds & goat cheese vinaigrette. Chicken and ahi can be added to any salad for an additional charge.
Weekly Specials
One thing I always look for at restaurants is the weekly food and drink specials they offer. Zinburger has done a nice job of offering some great deals throughout the week. Wednesdays they offer half-price bottles of wine and “Happy Thursdays” provide an all day happy hour with $5 “Plain and Simple Burgers”, half-price sides and discounts on cocktails.
Kentuck Smash Cocktail
Zinburger has a full bar with cocktails, 17 beer selections including 8 on tap and a wine menu that includes 23 varieties priced from $5 to $15 a glass. I tried some of their sangria and a drink called the “Kentuck Smash” (pictured above) made with Jim Beam Bourbon, Mint, Angostura, Lemon. The drink was quite nice and went down smooth with just the right amount of sweetness. I did notice a few local beers on tap, and hope they consider adding a few more to feature additional local brewers.
Bar Area
In addition to the main entrees, side selections include hand-cut fries, sweet potato fries, zucchini fries, onion rings, coleslaw, cottage cheese and double truffle fries. I had the opportunity to try the regular and truffle fries. While tasty they were fairly typical of fries I have had at similar venues. The truffle fries were my favorite. The dessert menu features old fashioned, hand-dipped shakes, floats and malts as well as banana cream and chocolate cream pies. I had samples of each with my favorite being the salted caramel shake.
Outdoor Patio Seating
As mentioned above, there is a cool outdoor seating area complete with comfy chairs and fire pits to warm you on cool nights. I think Zinburger serves up a solid burger and is an excellent addition to the mall. They are open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 10 pm and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 11 pm. You can view their full menu here.
The Triangle Explorer 