Best of Boston

When Tony Maws’s celebra- ted Craigie on Main closed, taking with it the area’s most- buzzed-about burger, Central Square neighbor Little Donkey — from Beard-winning chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette — quickly refocused our attention as the experienced understudy for that part. Theirs is a more-playful interpretation of the role: a delightfully hot mess of melty-cheese-topped dry-aged beef stacked with spicy Buffalo pickles, “onion soup” mayo, crispy jalapeño chips, and a little luscious foie gras. And you know what? It’s a star, baby.