When restaurant rebranded as Gov’t. Cheeseburger, the following for these burgers grew
In the first two years after it opened in downtown Cary in late 2017, Postmaster earned a strong reputation for its seasonally changing menu of brashly inventive dishes like honeycomb oysters and gnocchi’d grits.
But it was chef Chris Lopez’s take on the humble cheeseburger that developed an almost cult-like following. No wonder. The burgers are made with patties of pasture-raised ground chuck from Brasstown Beef in western North Carolina, and the buns are baked by Union Special, one of the Triangle’s premier bakeries.
But it’s the cheese — made with premium cheddar that, according to owner Tyler Watt, “We science up a little bit with seasoning and chef tricks” that earns the Gov’t. Cheeseburger its tongue-in-cheek name. Make no mistake, though: this cheese is a far cry from so-called government cheese, a processed blend that was first served to the military during World War II and has been used in schools since the 1950s.
Initially, the burger was offered as a weekly special, but it was so popular that Lopez added it to the regular menu in March.
Then the coronavirus pandemic blew into town, and restaurants had to close their dining rooms. Like many other restaurants, Postmaster’s response was to pivot to contact-free takeout. The only problem: most of the menu didn’t translate well to takeout.
The solution: sell a streamlined menu of food that travels well — burgers, sandwiches and a handful of salads and snacks. To signal the change in concept, the restaurant was rebranded as Gov’t. Cheeseburger.
The Classic — two patties, cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles, onion and “special sauce” (think McDonald’s) on a sesame bun — was so good the first time I had it that I had to go back a few weeks later for seconds. (Both times, the process was smooth, from online ordering to pickup.)
My wife, a patty melt aficionado, gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to Gov’t. Cheeseburger’s take on the sandwich, which raises the ante on the classic with sautéed mushrooms and “Funyun sour cream” on top of two beef patties and melted Swiss, all crammed between thick slices of buttered and grilled Union Special bread.
The first night’s haul also included a shareable salad of fresh local greens, generously sprinkled with candied pecans and manchego cheese, with a bright scallion vinaigrette in a separate container. The second time around, we discovered why the online menu describes the lemon pepper wings as a staff favorite.
With local tomato season getting underway, I’ve got my eye on the Ol’ School Tomato Sammie, with Duke’s mayo on white bread. And, since the restaurant’s namesake cheese was first developed by chef Lopez and his sous chef, John Kleinert, for a grilled cheese pop-up, I owe it to myself to try their take on a grilled cheese sandwich.
You can bet I’ll always check out the Drive-Thru Classics section of the menu, which features a collaboration with another local restaurant, with proceeds going to a worthy cause. The feature changes every couple of weeks or so, and the Beef ’n’ Cheddar I scored that second night — a cheeky riff on an Arby’s sandwich featuring Longleaf Swine’s house-smoked and cured pastrami and horseradish sauce — is no longer available.
Past collaborations have included the likes of Oakwood Pizza Box (meatball, red sauce, mozzarella and basil on a seeded bun) and Lawrence BBQ (Cheerwine sauce-glazed ribs, bread and butter pickles, and pork rinds on a hoagie bun), though, so ‘nuff said.
Watt is cautiously gearing up for the reopening of Postmaster. He recently opened up 25 tables on the patio, and Lopez is preparing to gradually expand the menu. They’re also looking to bring back the craft cocktails that were another Postmaster strong suit.
But the dining room will remain closed, Watt says, “at least until we feel comfortable about the safety of our staff and guests.” In the meantime, you’ll find savory consolation in Gov’t. Cheeseburger.
Gov’t. Cheeseburger
160 E. Cedar St., Suite 100, Cary
919-378-9493
govtcheeseburger.com or facebook.com/govt.cheeseburger/
Takeout Tales
Readers have been sharing their restaurant delivery and curbside pickup and experiences. Just email me at ggcox55@gmail.com, with a description of your experience. I’ll publish as many as I can (edited as needed for brevity and clarity) in this space.
Irregardless Cafe
Cantina 18
18restaurantgroup.com/curbside
Debra D. seconds my thumbs-up review of a contact-free curbside takeout experience at Irregardless Cafe, and is happy to learn that they sell their signature lemon tahini dressing by the bottle. She also gives a shout out to Cantina 18 in Cameron Village, where owner/chef Jason Smith is now supplementing the regular menu with a few favorites from 18 Seaboard, his flagship restaurant that closed last year.
“Oh, my — that lemon tahini — I know, right? I didn’t know I could buy a pint. It’s now on my list. My favorite is the Venetian Pasta, but it feels silly to order something I should be able to make myself. I’ll have to get that beef barbacoa dish you enjoyed. It sounds fabulous.
“Jason Smith at Cantina 18 has also got 18 Seaboard favorites now, which is very smart of him! And yesterday, attached to my Chicken Tortilla Soup order, was a flyer saying thank you and how many of his staff he is able to keep on because of me and others who are buying takeout. Also very smart!
Scratch Kitchen and Taproom
Martha M. tells about a special Mother’s Day experience provided by Scratch Kitchen & Taproom in Apex.
“I wanted to mention a great takeout experience we had this past week. My husband and I usually plan date night once a week and enjoy eating at different restaurants each week. During this quarantine, we have modified our date night to be ‘take out, in.’
“On Mother’s Day, we ordered from Scratch Kitchen and Taproom in downtown Apex. We ordered online for a specific time, and it was ready right on time, and the food was nice and hot. Servers all wore masks and gloves and brought the to-go bag of food out in plastic bins so customers could lift the bag with handles right out of the bin and view the receipt stapled to the outside of the bag. I ordered the bibimbap bowl, and my husband got a barbecue burger and fries. Everything was as ordered and so delicious.”
This story was originally published July 4, 2020 at 3:15 PM with the headline "When restaurant rebranded as Gov’t. Cheeseburger, the following for these burgers grew."