Here's the beef (and the sushi)

617-375-2277

www.5napkinburger.com

It’s no longer a surprise to find sushi on the menus of Korean and Chinese restaurants. It doesn’t really make sense, what with sushi being from Japan and all, but it’s become accepted.

New to me, and to Boston, is sushi at a restaurant that specializes in burgers. 5 Napkin Burger opened last week in the Prudential Center, in the space that used to be Daily Grill. It’s an import from New York, where there are Manhattan and Queens branches. Executive chef Andy D’Amico got his start working locally, at the Parker House. The restaurant is decorated in bistro style, with tiled walls and a well-stocked bar.

It will come as no surprise that 5 Napkin Burgers is best known for its burgers. There are nine versions available, priced from $7.95-$12.95 (no $20 nonsense here). The original 5 Napkin Burger is 10 ounces of chuck topped with Gruyere, caramelized onions, and rosemary aioli. You’ll also find bacon cheddar, tuna, lamb, and veggie burgers.

But wait, there’s more. Appetizers run the gamut: onion rings, deep-fried pickles and pastrami, pork taquitos, matzoh ball soup, and more. Entrees include hot dogs, fish tacos, mac and cheese, and lobster roll sliders. There are black-and-white malteds and salted caramel shakes. And, yes, there are sushi rolls.

But the real buzz surrounds the award-winning burgers — generously sized, tantalizingly topped, and apparently juicy enough to require five napkins.