Western Prime Burger in North Naples is good, but more variety would make it even better — JLB review

I wasn't sure about the ciabatta buns.

They arrived at my table speared with a knife and a tiny grape tomato, sandwiching Western Prime Burger's signature lamb patty — fragrantly sweet and savory at the same time. 

Perhaps they are the latest result of the craft-burger craze. Those crackled tops were still lightly coated with flour, their insides chewy and densely packed. They held together lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion and that thick-cut patty checkered with char marks.

But not for long.

I had my doubts about the square-shaped slices you often find grilled on a panini press, spread with pesto or drizzled with balsamic. I feared the dreaded "backslider effect" — when that tiny bottom bun disappears into burger oblivion. 

I hate it when I'm right.

I heard about Western Prime Burger's opening last month in the Mission Square retail center anchored by Noodles Italian Cafe & Sushi Bar. That's off Pine Ridge Road, just east of Goodlette-Frank Road in North Naples.

In the Know:Western Prime Burger launches in North Naples

It's owned and operated by a couple from Estonia, Aleksandr and Viktoria Davidjuk, which is ironic given the restaurant's over-the-top Western decor.

It's like walking into a time machine and popping out the other end into the wild, wild west. The place is all reclaimed woods and rustic metals, with artwork of horses and bison herds. Palettes strung with industrial-looking light bulbs hang from the ceiling. There are wagon wheels, boot lamps and old black-and-white Western movies playing on three televisions. Johnny Cash music comes through the speakers.

It's not a surprise then that their menu comes straight out of the wild west, too:

A New York strip flecked with seasonings and spices — simple, but just right.

A basket of onion rings fried until golden, when the onion inside turns slick and translucent.

A giant bowl of cowboy beans, just-al dente pinto beans that have stewed deliciously in a sweet barbecue sauce flavored by onions and bacon.

For the patties, the Davidjuks have handcrafted their own special prime blend. It's juicy and tender, fat and wide in the center, thinner and crisper on the edges where it sizzles on the flat top. On each of my visits to Western Prime Burger, they've always been cooked perfectly medium, just as I ordered them.

The couple from Estonia relocated to Naples from Colorado about a year ago. Before that, they operated a restaurant and cafe in Estonia, so they know what they're doing.

And it shows at Western Prime Burger. Service at their Naples eatery has always been quick and well-oiled on my visits, despite only having been open for a month and despite being short-staffed (at least three people arrived one mid-afternoon to fill out job applications).

And despite their European heritage, the Davidjuks have tackled all the classic American flavor combinations, the ones that get me salivating as soon as I read the menu. There's one burger with blue cheese. One with avocado and cilantro. One with a fried egg, its gooey yolk spilling out over the cheesy, bacon layers of the sunrise burger.

That lamb patty, though, is their best work, made even better with a glass of Cabernet. (All of the glasses of wine, by the way, are less than $10. Score!)

The bison patty, with basil, mozzarella and a tangy balsamic glaze, comes in at a close second.

Now back to the ciabattas.

Each of the burgers on the menu at Western Prime Burger is swaddled by those thick-crusted ciabatta buns. Besides its shape — something about a square bun on a round patty didn't make for the most structurally sound burger, hence the "backslide" — a ciabatta's downfall can also be its dryness.

With their delicately soft insides, ciabattas can be useful at sopping up all the juices and sauces that might pool from a burger.

But most of the burgers at Western Prime needed something — a smear of garlic aioli or a creamy Sriracha mayo to hold it all together as glue. I had to resort to the bottle of ketchup on the table at one point, and I don't like resorting to ketchup.

On the one hand, I love that earthen, toasted bread flavor. On the other, I need structure and, well, sauce. 

Maybe more variety, more options, would help. Think sesame or Brioche, potato or pretzel, different buns, different sides.

Every burger comes with potato wedges, which are salt-speckled and just fine. There are the beans, which come in a kettle-sized bowl and could almost serve as a meal on their own. How about some sweet potato fries? Some macaroni and cheese? Coleslaw?

Simplicity, when it's done well, is always something to strive for. But those few simple things must be mastered.

And I'm still not sure about the ciabatta buns.

Jean Le Boeuf is the pseudonym used by a local food lover who dines at restaurants anonymously and without warning, with meals paid for by The News-Press or Naples Daily News. Follow the critic at facebook.com/jeanleboeufswfl or @JeanLeBoeuf on Twitter and Instagram. 

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Western Prime Burger

1575 Pine Ridge Road, Suite 22, North Naples

• Food: ★★☆☆

• Atmosphere: ★★☆☆

• Service: ★★☆☆

• Price: $$-$$$

• Call: 239-963-9556

• Web: Find it on Facebook

• Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and closed Sundays

• Noise level: Low  

• Etc.: Wine and beer available 

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Sample Menu

Small plates

• Crispy shrimp, $10.99

• Chicken noodle soup, $5.99

• Grilled salmon salad, $12.99

Mains

• 6-ounce filet, $19.99

• Traditional cheeseburger, $12.99

• Bison burger, $14.99

What the symbols mean

★ - Fair

★★ - Good

★★★ - Excellent

★★★★ - Exceptional

$ - Average entree is under $10

$$ - $10-$15

$$$ - $15-$20

$$$$ - $20-$25

$$$$$ - $25 and up