James
605 Carlton Avenue (@St. Marks Avenue)
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 942-4255
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 4/5
Notes:
- Burger: James grills up juicy, nicely flavored patties that are definitely more than a mouthful. Not that we’re complaining.
- Bun: A hardy brioche that got better as it soaked up the burger’s juice – and as it warmed up. Besides being slightly chilled, the bun was nicely sized for the burger and held together until the last few bites.
- Garnish: Contrary to lore, James didn’t top the burger with cotswold – instead it’s covered with a tangy NY cheddar, which would have probably been better if we weren’t looking forward to cotswold and talking about it for the last few blocks of the walk from the subway.
Additionally, it’s garnished with a nice mixture of lettuces and thick slices of sour pickles and tomatoes.
- Mess factor: For such a large sandwich, the bun did an impressive job containing the mess, almost down to the end.
- Fries: Crispy fries deliciously flavored with garlic, salt, and herbs – even though they were served a little cold, they were still the standout of the evening.
- Price: $15 (with fries & cheese)
- Bordeaux: We ordered a bottle of Cotes du Rhone, Domaine de Monpertuis Cuvée Counoise 2006. The light, viney wine wasn’t smooth or bold enough for the intense flavor of the burger and fries.
- Atmosphere: You should take a girl there.
- Overall: In an intimate and calming dining room on a brownstone corner of Brooklyn, James serves up a burger to be proud of – a quality, tasty patty, grilled just right, well matched to the bun, thoughtfully garnished and served with killer fries. The room is dimly lit by Edison lights and filled with convivial dinner babble – overlaid with an enjoyably bizarre soundtrack of music that featured Pink Floyd, Laurie Anderson, and David Bowie – all before we’d finished our appetizers (which included a tasty cauliflower and smoked trout soup).
February 19th, 2009
jonas
Hundred Acres
38 Macdougal St (b/t Houston & Prince)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 475-7500
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 5/5
Notes:
- Burger: Hundred Acres serves a delicious patty of well-fed beef that’s seasoned nicely and wrapped with an excellent charred flavor. The texture was firm and meaty; moist but not juicy. Our burgers were cooked just as we ordered them – a nice and pink medium-rare.
- Bun: A fresh-baked white bun that held together nicely and was perfectly proportioned to the size of the burger.
- Garnish: The burger comes topped with a nice layer of melted, sharp cheddar cheese, thin slices of red onion, crunchy and tart pickle slices and is accompanied by enough Vidalia-onion mayonnaise to spread lightly on the sandwich and still have plenty for dipping the fries.
- Mess factor: A neat little package, well-contained without a drop of mess. The sandwich is perfectly sized – satisfying without being unmanageable.
- Fries: Crisp, thick, hot, and crunchy, lightly seasoned with salt, with a rich potato flavor. Delicious, especially with the onion spread.
- Price: $17 (with fries & cheese)
- Bordeaux: With half of our drinking duo a bit under the weather, we stuck to the limited list of wines by the glass. A merlot / malbec blend was fruity with a subtle earthy flavor that went well with the burger.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there – though you may want to request a table at the back of the restaurant, rather than the up front near the bar, especially if you want to hear each other.
- Overall: Hundred Acres’ burger lives up to the hype – the very tasty patty, cheese, garnish, and bun work together to create an excellent combination of flavors to really sink your teeth into. The restaurant is divided into two parts – an up-front convivial bar scene, filled with the sound of clinking barware, loud voices, and quiet indy rock in the background. The back offers a more adult atmosphere – still loud, but without the bar noise, nice art-house photos blown up on the wall, and a bit more room between you and the table next door.
January 10th, 2009
jonas
Black Iron Burger Shop
540 East 5th Street (b/t A & B)
New York, NY 10009
(212) 677-6067
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 3/5
Notes:
- Burger: Black Iron serves up a thin, slightly greasy, griddle-fried patty. The high-quality meat imparts a nice flavor to the sandwich, but the overall taste could have been enhanced by a bit of old-fashioned seasoning.
- Bun: Served upon a seeded white bun that didn’t add any excitement to the flavor or texture. However, it did manage to hold together – barely – until the last bite was pinched between a tiny shred of bread.
- Garnish: It says more about the patty than the garnish that the shredded lettuce piled atop of this burger provided the overwhelming flavor of the sandwich. In addition, the burger came with tomato and onion, and we added bacon and cheddar to that. Eventually, in an effort to boost the taste, we even piled on some onion rings, which ended up being a good call.
- Mess factor: As the bun wore down, the mess grew a little, but for a greasy griddle-fried patty, this one was pretty well contained.
- Fries: Crispy, fresh, hot and thin cut fries that were great, especially when topped off with a little salt. The onion rings also had a nice crunch but were light on seasoning.
- Price: $12 (with bacon & cheese)
- Bordeaux: With ten beers on tap and not a wine list in sight, Black Iron is a good place to grab a brew alongside the burger. We got the point, and tried the 6-Points and the Blue Point, both of which paired nicely with our sandwiches.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there, especially if she likes to drink.
- Overall: The best way to avoid disappointment at Black Iron Burger is to not think of it as an excellent burger joint that happens to have a bar. Among the dozens of burger stands have opened in the city in the past couple of years, this one doesn’t really stand out for its food. However, if you consider that you are going to great bar that happens to equipped to serve a decent burger while you’re drinking, you’ll be delighted.
October 5th, 2008
jonas
Belcourt
84 East 4th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 979-2034
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 4/5
Notes:
- Burger: A thick, densely packed lamb patty. Cooked as ordered and a bit on the lean side.
- Bun: The house made, white bun is one of the strong suits of this burger.
- Garnish: Almost, but not quite, too much goat cheese along with zippy zucchini pickles and thin red onion slices on the side. A ramekin of Belcourt’s secret catchup is also served on request.
- Mess factor: Juicy, but contained by the well designed bun.
- Fries: Fries are crispy and tasty, but just a tad over salted.
- Price: $16
- Bordeaux: Château Pascaud Bordeaux Superieur 2005…
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.
- Overall: Lamb is a nice departure from the beef burgers we normally consume. This is not to say that we are tired of eating cow. Belcourt’s corner location feels somewhat Parisian complete with sidewalk tables. Perfect for watching the passing streetlife, and traffic–after all, we’re not in Paris. Inside, the tiled dining room’s cozy, worn-in atmosphere belies its age. Business is brisk during East Village prime times, but other evenings (e.g. Sunday) are much more relaxed. If you are in the mood for lamb in patty form, Belcourt is a great place to be.
September 14th, 2008
JP Reardon
Pamplona
37 East 28th Street
New York, NY 10016
(212) 213-2328
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 3.5/5
Notes:
- Burger: Pamplona’s tapas menu offers a pair of slider-sized burgers made of a tasty mixture of ground beef and chorizo. The sausage imparted a smoky flavor into the neatly packed miniature patties, which arrived perfectly medium rare – slightly charred on the outside and a nice pinkish red hue inside.
- Bun: These little snack burgers are served on a white bread bun that holds together nicely, in part because the patties are so lean.
- Garnish: Garnished with leaf lettuce, a thin cut of tasty tomato, and a hearty slice of white onion that went perfectly with the sausage-flavored burger.
- Mess factor: These sliders are so small and the meat so spare that there’s nothing messy to speak of at all.
- Fries: The fries were thick and crunchy, but unfortunately without any flavor.
- Price: $14, with the fries.
- Bordeaux: We selected a 2001 Coto de Imaz Rioja Riserva with rich tones of berries and vanilla. The wine was the highlight of our evening – low on the tannins, highly drinkable, very smooth with a clean finish.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.
- Overall: Pamplona has an international vibe, with world music and a medley of languages filling the air. They maintain a low-key profile tucked away on a side street above Madison Square Park. The comfortably modern and simple décor consists of dark wood tones, high ceilings, and large round white light shades. The menu is straight-up tapas – we were equal parts surprised and excited when we heard they included a burger. Unfortunately, the little sandwiches don’t stand up to some of the other small plates they offer – the dates wrapped in smoky, crisp bacon easily outshone them. Plus, the burgers are too small to settle for just a couple – if you’re hungry, like we always are when it’s burger night, you should probably order 4 of these babies.
September 4th, 2008
jonas
Nice Matin
201 West 79th St (@ Amsterdam)
New York, NY 10024
(212) 873-6423
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 3/5
Notes:
- Burger: Nice Matin’s famous Five Napkin Burger might not quite live up to it’s name, but it’s definitely enormous, decidedly juicy, has a great meaty flavor, and an even, crumbly texture. And, it was cooked just right.
- Bun: With a burger this juicy, finding a bun that can hold it together is a real challenge. Unfortunately, they’ve chosen a soft, seeded brioche that is no match for the juice that spurts from the first bite of this burger.
- Garnish: Garnished with a sharp, crispy radicchio, a thick slice of beautiful, red tomato, hardly discernable comte cheese, and an overwhelming mound of sautéed, caramelized onions that contributed more to the mess than they did to the flavor.
- Mess factor: Testimony to the juiciness of this burger, after the explosive first bite, the waiter swooped back in and replaced my plate with a dry one. Despite the name, they don’t deliver a quintet of serviettes with this burger and we both ended up with one very fully-used cloth napkin.
- Fries: The fries were the standout here – deliciously flavored with garlic and rosemary and cooked to the perfect level of crispiness.
- Price: $17.50
- Bordeaux: The wine list at Nice Matin is surprisingly extensive – it isn’t the kind of place where we expected a sommelier to rush over to help us choose the right wine to pair with our hamburgers. We declined her assistance and selected a Cousino Macul Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon from 2006. It had a nice, rich fruity flavor that went great with the burger and fries and opened up nicely over the course of the evening.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there, if you knew her pretty well.
- Overall: With the recent unveiling of the Five Napkin Burger restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen, we decided to try the original sandwich that inspired it. Unfortunately, we were a little disappointed. The patty itself is as tasty and juicy as we hoped, but the overall experience suffers from too many faults – most pointedly, the messy mass of onions, the flavorless cheese, and the soggy bun. The décor is like an American bistro that has forsaken the traditional bistro trappings – instead of a tile floor or faux-vintage mirrors, Nice Matin is decked out in patterned wallpaper and tall light fixtures that look like giant flat-top mushrooms with light bulbs. The space is light and airy with nice large windows overlooking the corner of 79th and Amsterdam.
June 29th, 2008
jonas
Seymour Burton
511 East 5th St (b/t A & B)
New York, NY 10009
(212) 260-1333
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 3/5
Notes:
- Burger: Seymour Burton’s burger has a lot going for it: a delicious char-grilled flavor, a nice and juicy interior, and a thin layer of sharp white cheddar cheese on top. Unfortunately, none of this can quite make up for the subtle seasonings and therefore subtly disappointing taste of the patty itself. Plus, we both ordered our hamburgers medium-rare, and both came a little overcooked, with not a hint of pink to be found.
- Bun: Served atop an English muffin that started out strong but started to fall apart towards the end – testimony to how juicy the burger was, and how good the bread was at capturing the juices.
- Garnish: Served with a thick slice of red onion, the aforementioned white cheddar cheese, and a slightly garlicky aioli.
- Mess factor: The mess factor increased the further along we got – but all in all, a pretty manageable experience.
- Fries: The burger comes with thin cut, nicely salted fries that were just shy of crispy.
- Price: $13
- Bordeaux: Seymour Burton has a limited wine list that didn’t feature a Bordeaux the night we visited. We opted for a 2004 Cachagua Cabernet from Heller Estates, which had a very hearty fruit flavor and hints of licorice and anisette in the aroma. It was very easy to drink and paired well with the burger and fries.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.
- Overall: Given the positive marks that Seymour Burton consistently receives for their food, we went with high expectations. While the appetizers delivered, we were somewhat underwhelmed by the burger. The restaurant itself has a charming “under construction” kind of appeal, with exposed wood, electrical conduit in plane sight, and the night we visited, actual construction going on above the open kitchen. The menu is written on a huge, wall-sized chalkboard, requiring diners in the far corners of the small restaurant to get up to fully view the offerings. The tables are small and cramped – except for the long community table at the center, which seems like they’ve just thrown in the towel and admitted they couldn’t get two small tables any closer, so they might as well seat everyone together.
June 10th, 2008
jonas
The Smith
53 Third Ave (b/t 10th & 11th Street)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 420-9800
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 3/5
Notes:
- Burger: Unfortunately, The Smith’s burger disappoints in the flavor department – it’s a lackluster patty without an inherently delicious meaty taste or the seasonings to improve upon it.
- Bun: A homemade white bread bun that holds the sandwich together without getting in the way of the burger experience. This would have been more appreciated had the burger delivered a little more zest.
- Garnish: Served with lettuce, thin slices of red onion, white cheddar cheese, a dubious “special sauce” and a delicious layer of smoky, crisp, salty bacon.
- Mess factor: There’s plenty of juice in this burger, but very little mess.
- Fries: The burger comes with a massive pile of thin, crispy fries. Like the burger, unfortunately, they were underwhelmingly seasoned.
- Price: $13 (with everything)
- Bordeaux: The Smith doesn’t serve a Bordeaux, though they do offer a small selection of wines by the carafe and half-carafe, listed on a chalk board behind the bar. Wines are served in a juice glass, and we went with the cabernet, which was satisfying enough to wash down the sandwich and fries.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.
- Overall: The Smith is a rock and roll restaurant, with a combo of indy-label music and classic 80s pop (including Cure and Romeo Void) blaring in the background. The dining room is large and airy, with a wall of windows overlooking 3rd Avenue. The brushed stainless steel bar, milk glass lamps, and wood plank ceiling add a nice touch to the décor. We had a delicious braised bacon and egg appetizer, so there’s no reason to believe that more effort went into the ambiance than the food. However, if we had just had the burgers, we might have left believing just the opposite.
April 28th, 2008
jonas
Westville East
173 Avenue A (@ East 11th Street)
New York, NY 10009
(212) 741-7971
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 4/5
Notes:
- Burger: Westville East’s patty is firm, juicy, and well seasoned – a delicious mouthful that bursts with flavor on the first bite.
- Bun: The sandwich is served on a Portuguese muffin that’s toasted on the grill. This was one of the most impressive buns we’ve seen for holding up to – and holding on to – a juicy burger.
- Garnish: Served with lettuce, tomato, a thick round of white onion and sweet pickle slices. We ordered our burgers with cheddar cheese, which came as a hearty layer of melted goodness.
- Mess factor: There’s plenty of juice in this burger, but the bun really minimizes the mess.
- Fries: The burger is served with a generous pile of thin cut fries that were lightly seasoned and deliciously crispy. An optional salad can be ordered instead of the fries, though we can’t vouch for that.
- Price: $10 (with cheese)
- Bordeaux: Westville’s wine list is printed on a laminated card on the table, isn’t divided into regions, and doesn’t specify the vintage of the wines on offer. Of the four reds listed, none were from Bordeaux. We ordered a California Pinot Noir from Heron, which was too young and light to match the hearty burger and salty fries, but was very drinkable nonetheless.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.
- Overall: Westville East serves pleasant comfort food in a casual setting. The white walls and large windows overlooking Avenue A give the space an open and airy feeling, and the small, candle-lit tables make it intimate. The vibe is Friday night pre-party, even late on a Monday evening, with the Beach Boys looping around in the background. Overall, this is a nice place to stop in for a respectable burger, but not necessarily worth a trip if you aren’t already in the hood.
March 31st, 2008
jonas
The Spotted Pig
314 West 11th Street (@ Greenwich St.)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 620-0393
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 5/5
Notes:
- Burger: A damn good patty. Cooked to the ordered temperature and sized just right for the bun.
- Bun: The soft, brioche bun is grilled on both sides, which adds a nice crunch.
- Garnish: N/A
- Mess factor: Astoundingly little mess given the juiciness and liberal portion of gooey roquefort.
- Fries: These fries define shoestring: Thin, crispy and well seasoned with a touch of garlic. The fresh rosemary is also a nice touch. The Spotted Pig is not stingy with the fries, you’ll have plenty to share with your neighbor or pile on your burger.
- Price: $17 (stock presentation includes Roquefort cheese)
- Bordeaux: The bordeaux on offer were well beyond our price threshold. Instead, we chose a 2005 Zinfandel from Ridge “Three Valleys”. A drinkable wine–slightly upstaged by the roquefort. Those not dead-set on drinking wine may be better served by pairing this burger with one of the many fine beers available.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.
- Overall: Don’t let these laconic notes lead you to believe that this burger isn’t worthy of more ink–it certainly is. But, the no-bullshit presentation of this burger deserves a similar writeup. Any establishment that sends their burger out sans garnish is confident that the sandwich can stand on its own. In this case, that confidence is well founded. Both the first and second floor dining areas are cozy and, well, publike. The Spotted Pig is no secret. This coupled with its no-reservations policy leads to multiple-hour waits. If, however, you sneak in early (before 6) or late (they serve until 2 nightly), you should be rewarded with a table rather quickly.
March 13th, 2008
JP Reardon
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