Blue Ribbon, and how!
Blue Ribbon Bakery
35 Downing Street (Downing and Bedford)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 337-0404
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 5/5
Notes:
- Burger: Blue Ribbon’s super-tasty burger came lightly seasoned, char-grilled and cooked as ordered. The patty was the just the right size – large enough to sink your teeth into, but not so big that you couldn’t get your mouth around it. From the first bite, this juicy burger tasted of quality.
- Bun: An excellent, hardy, white bun that was dusted with sesame seeds and toasted to a light crunch. The bun was absorbent enough to capture most the burger’s juice while not falling apart. The combination of the crispy top and the juice-laden bottom really added to the texture and flavor of the sandwich.
- Garnish: Crispy iceberg lettuce, ripe tomato slices and plenty of thinly sliced red onion made for a classic garnish. This was accompanied by a nice pickle wedge.
- Mess factor: This sandwich was slightly messy, but totally worth it. Thankfully, the hardy bun helped contain the juices and held the burger together nicely.
- Fries: Classic shoestring fries with a light dusting of salt. This batch might have been cooked a bit past their prime, but they were still quite good.
- Price: $13.50
- Bordeaux: We were priced out of the Bordeaux region – there wasn’t a bottle on the list for under $70, which is more than we like to spend for wine when we’re pairing it with a burger. In fact, the wine list at Blue Ribbon doesn’t feature many wines under that price. We settled on a 2001 Abando Rioja ($45) that was dry and peppery and played very well off the juices of the burger. This was a smooth wine that was enjoyable to drink.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.
- Overall: We were excited about this one from the first bite. Our search for a “5″ seemed to be over. Although most of the other burgers we had visited before had certain outstanding qualities, they fell short of perfection in other aspects. This was certainly not the case at Blue Ribbon Bakery, where the whole experience was quality. The bun is probably the best sampled thus far. It was most notable for its ability to absorb burger juice like a sponge. Also of note was the use of iceberg lettuce in the garnish, we have rarely seen this in the places we have visited. While iceberg might have little in the flavor department and the nutritional value of sawdust, it really does work well on a hamburger. The atmosphere at Blue Ribbon Bakery is also quite nice. The ground floor dining room is dominated by large windows that afford a great corner view of Downing and Bedford. The well bricked downstairs is a bit more intimate and includes a working bakery (hence the name). One should know that the wine list is lacking in affordable wines. Unless you’re in the mood for a high-dollar wine, this might be a good place to accompany your burger with a beer rather than a Bordeaux. If you are going to go that way, we recommend the Jever.
Add comment September 25th, 2006