[Photographs: Damon Gambuto]

When I head to Arizona for a burger, there seems to be some major political upheaval going on. The last time I reviewed a burger in Phoenix, President Obama had just been inaugurated and I had the chance to tell a personal story from the home state of his rival. This time around we've got news of a state law that seems almost certainly unconstitutional and, moreover, an example of just how far we have to go to figure out where we draw our American lines.

I'm not jumping into a political discussion this go 'round, but suffice it to say, I don't think the authorities asking to see our papers seems like part of an American dream, immigrant or otherwise. What is all-American is a cheeseburger. I tried a new spot in Phoenix called Zinburger. Unfortunately, it wasn't so dreamy either.

The strip of Camelback Road (known as the Camelback corridor) in Phoenix has become a bit of a burgerer's row in recent years. It's the home of Delux Burger (the one I reviewed), and has seen the openings of Relish Burger Bistro, The Grind, a Smashburger, and a Culver's. Fox Restaurant Concepts is responsible for the newest addition to this burgeoning burger-mile with Zinburger.

It's a stylish and, in my view, truly lovely space. There's a ridiculous landscape that covers the back wall depicting cows in a pasture and, rather than being a goofy design element, it struck me as sort of beautiful. This art seems indicative of a Fox restaurant. The spaces are highly stylized and trendy-feeling.

At Blanco tacos and tequila get a dash of modernism; at Culinary Dropout the gastropub is played as a rebellious restaurant; at True Food sustainability is brand identity. They are all polished and professionally wrought. Unfortunately, the criticism that Fox puts style over substance seems the order of the day at Zinburger.

I tried the Zinburger and a Kobe Burger.

The Zinburger is a roughly eight-ounce patty covered in Manchego cheese and onions that are braised in, you guessed it, a Zinfadel wine. The bun is an odd hybrid between high-end burger bun and supermarket generic. It has the shape and look of a bespoke bun, but the flavor has a surprisingly commercial breadmaker's taste. Of course, I'm not against a great commercial bun, but this one isn't even good.

The patty itself, while properly cooked, was missing any note of seasoning. Perhaps the notion was to give the beef a backseat, with the cheese and onions taking the wheel, but they just weren't up to the job. It was a stylish looking burger, but alas, I was hoping for some substance.

The Kobe Burger gets a slice of Cheddar and some wild mushrooms added to the high-end beef. This patty had a more pronounced flavor which actually surprised me as I don't usually prefer a Wagyu grind. The seasoning was, like the Zinburger, lacking, but the added fat made this one the more passable of the two burgers. The mushrooms added a nice earthiness (and umami), but all in all, it was just a little more than ordinary. Considering the $14 price tag that seemed, well, extraordinarily overpriced.

I haven't given up all hope for Phoenix's burger boom. Smashburger still waits for me and, yes, I will be giving my take on The Heart Attack Grill in the not-too-distant future.

That said, Zinburger just didn't serve me anything near a delicious burger and cost me a good chunk of change to boot. Serving a great burger is about figuring out how to connect to people's desire. It takes some thought, commitment, and empathy. Serving up something that looks like it should work doesn't necessarily get the job done.