The Downwind Restaurant is a hidden gem located inside the Dekalb–Peachtree Airport on Clairmont Road. This family-owned restaurant just celebrated its 25th anniversary. The menu offers some of the best fresh fish and seafood for the money in the area, an oven-baked turkey breast sandwich or club, and more. Also famous for its burgers, the restaurant’s latest addition is the Wild Caught Salmon Burger on a Greek yogurt whole grain bun.
The Downwind has three seating areas: Inside has a full bar, two televisions, and live music every Friday night; the “atrium” is a glassed-in room with A/C and ceiling fans with an ideal view of the runways; and an outside deck puts you right where the airplanes take off and land. Frorm Friday night “date nghts” to an aviation-themed playground right outside, the restaurant is sure to please everyone.
Brewed with toasted caramel malt and finished with beechwood, Budweiser Black Crown is an ideal pairing for Downwind’s Wild Caught Salmon Burgers.
Ingredients
(makes 5 burgers)
2.5 pounds wild-caught salmon
2 lemons
4 cloves fresh garlic
6 Tbsp Thai basil or regular basil
3/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
3/4 Tbsp soy sauce
3/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp season salt
1/4 tsp Sriracha
1 egg
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Cut skin off salmon and cut into small pieces (4 oz). Rinse salmon in sink and squeeze lemons over salmon. In a food processor, add garlic, basil, worcestershire, soy, Sriracha, black pepper, season salt, and egg and puree until smooth. Put in a separate container.
Work in batches adding about 6 pieces of salmon into the food processor, about a third of the panko, parmesan, and then wet mixture. Pulse about three times, then check consistency. The salmon should be flaky and coarsely chopped. Take out and put in bowl and continue with the rest. Do not handle mixture too much because it will make the salmon tough.
Hand-patty the salmon burgers into 8-oz burgers and grill on a flattop grill. When done, place on a whole grain bun and top with tzatziki (yogurt-cucumber-dill sauce), lettuce, tomato, and onion.
