The Knack

The Knack is a 21st century quick-eats shack that features burgers with chili aioli and house-made pickles. Being on Cape Cod, it serves lobster and clam rolls and, of course, ice cream. Place your order and wait for the pager to summon you to collect your food. The digs are simple. It’s right off of the road, with a parking lot on one side and covered picnic tables on the other.

The double cheeseburger is gorgeous, garnished with ripe, bright red tomato and emerald-green Bibb lettuce. The burger — local beef grilled to a deep char — is the thick, juicy sort that tends to get messy in a soft potato bun, its sogginess detracting from overall edibility. Next time, we’ll get a single patty, which should even things out. Our one real gripe is the unmelted, processed cheese draped thoughtlessly over the patties to finish. It’s a missing piece on an otherwise highly detailed cheeseburger.

The Knack’s mustard dog is what we want to return for. It is an all-beef dogs split and grilled to a nice char and enhanced by house-made pickles, flaky onion rings, and a whole-grain beer mustard. The onion rings are good enough to make us want a whole basket. The dog is a beautiful match for a cold can of beer, of which there is a nice selection available.

On both the burger and the hot dog, house made pickles are a star. Unusually crisp and fresh, they look like wet cucumbers, but unlike unlike half-sours, they are tart and spicy.

Lobster roll flourishes include lemon-scented mayo, Bibb lettuce, and chives, but generally it’s a pretty standard Maine-style roll. It fits the bill for lobster cravings, but there are better, more seafood-centric places on Cape Cod. On a normal day, we will stick to the Knack’s excellent burgers and hot dogs. But if you’ve got the appetite, this lobster roll and a juicy burger make a convincing surf and turf luncheon.