Making a burger is easy. Ground beef, vaguely puck-like, cooked — no problem. Making a great burger, however, takes a little more thought.

The beef comes first, good quality and ground with enough fat to keep the final product moist and rich. Then you have to think about shaping the patty. Cram the meat together nice and tight — or stuff it into one of those infomercial burger presses — and you'll end up with a burger that's dense and tough. Use a lighter touch, keep just this side of falling apart and you'll be blessed with a lighter, more tender burger. Finally, seasoning. You can wrap that beef around aged gouda, mix in a handful of herbs and feta, or coat the outside in blackening seasoning if you want, but simple perfection comes strictly from a salt shaker. More than you think you'll need. Maybe pepper, too, if that's your thing.

Almost done, so bear with me a little longer — you still have to cook the thing. Griddle or grill, doesn't matter. You just want the heat high enough to caramelize the outside of the patty before the inside finishes cooking. We're not talking blowtorch hot, unless you like your burger bloody rare, but hot enough. Weight, squeeze or push the patty at your own risk — that hiss may be satisfying, but it signals the loss of precious, delicious moisture. Slap it on a bun, your choice, and top to your personal preferences. I like cheddar and pickles, and ketchup or mayo. Sometimes both.

There are a few steps in there, but it should be easy for any chef to put together a great burger at will, right? Somehow, though, I rarely expect a great burger from your average restaurant — enough salt and cooked right is all I usually plan on. When it comes to a burger specialist, however, I expect all those juicy ducks to be lined up and served to me on a plate with a side of fries. I expect a great burger.

Which is how I entered Burger Monger — a newish fast-casual restaurant in Carrollwood. I expected a great burger, with a few extras that would either make it an excellent full-service stop, or make me more likely to order two burgers and stay away from the sides.

This article appears in Sep 9-15, 2010.