• That the all-American burger has gone from humble to haute is about as newsworthy as gravity, but now even Checkers Drive-In Restaurants have hopped on the "gourmet" burger bandwagon. Eighteen of the chain's local eateries are now offering the "Flavor Built Menu," six upscale burgers garnished with everything from garlic Parmesan butter, grilled onions, cheddar cheese, and A1 steak sauce to crispy jalapeños, fried onion rings, grilled onions, and cheddar cheese sauce. The burgers can also be had with one, two, or three patties, in case both you and your tapeworm are really, really hungry.
• It's the celebrity-chef shuffle at Cielo, the view-rich eatery
at the plush Boca Raton Resort & Club. Gordon Ramsay associate
Angela Hartnett is gone, replaced by Michela Larson, whose Rocca
Kitchen & Bar is a big name on the Boston dining scene. Larson has
given Cielo's menu a rustic-elegant Mediterranean theme, but if you
want to sample it, you'll either have to shell out major buckage to
join the club or book a room for an overnight stay.
• If you just can't decide what wine to drink with your steak, Capital Grille is
making it easy for you. The yupscale meateries have brought back their
"Master Wine Tasting Event," a tasting of up to 11 wines from around
the world, all chosen by Master Sommelier George Miliotes. The tasting
runs from June through September and costs $25 per person.