BLT Burger
470 Sixth Avenue (B’twn 11th and 12th)
New York, NY 10010
(212) 243-8226
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 4/5
Notes:
- Burger: Outstanding patty. They take their meat mixture seriously and it is evident in the flavor. The first bite is an explosion of taste and juice, and the flavor is so delicious that you don’t mind the drips running down your hands.
- Bun: Stock white-bread bun, fresh.
- Garnish: Crispy iceberg lettuce, a couple slices of tomato and some mayonnaise & catsup. We chose to top our burgers with applewood smoked bacon and Vermont cheddar which contributed to the already outstanding flavor of the sandwich. On the side: A nice dill pickle wedge and a small cup of coleslaw that we didn’t try because, well, we didn’t have any forks.
- Mess factor: Even though the patty isn’t that thick, it is very, very juicy. The white-bread bun just barely holds things together here, pushing this one into multiple napkin territory.
- Fries: Perfectly cooked, thin cut fries that were a little disappointing because they lacked the right amount of seasoning. They serve a massive portion of fries for $3, certainly enough for two. The onion rings are also worth trying.
- Price: Classic Burger = $7 (cheese adds $0.50, other toppings add $1.50)
- Bordeaux: There are a couple wines available by the glass, but this is not a wine place. Choose from one of several beers available on tap or in bottles (or cans). The milkshakes also looked tempting.
- Atmosphere: Dallas strip mall.
- Overall: BLT has nailed the classic burger. All of the ingredients are of high quality, fresh and the kitchen knows how to cook the burgers to the right temperature. Only the things surrounding the burger keep this one from scoring a “5.” First off, there are three televisions in the small bar area in front. This pretty much ensures that the half of the diners facing the bar are distracted. The overall atmosphere is purposefully raw and the decorators have leaned on the bovine motif just a bit too much. We expected more from the BLT empire. The dining room was also quite loud, but not from all the interesting conversations being had over tasty burgers. Those are all drowned out by 70’s era rock and what must be the loudest blender ever at the bar. Not that we dislike The Stones or Rod Stewart or frozen drinks. Just turn the tunes down a notch and get a quieter Hamilton Beach. Even if the atmosphere sort of falls down, BLT Burger is worth a try. If you go for the $62 Kobe Beef burger, let us know what you think…
November 24th, 2006
Cafe Luxembourg
200 West 70th Street (B’twn Amsterdam and West End)
New York, NY 10023
(212) 873-7411
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 4/5
Notes:
- Burger: The Luxemburger is a thick, juicy patty. The kitchen produced this burger at blazing speed and managed to cook it perfectly to the ordered temperature. Unfortunately, the patty itself seemed to lack much seasoning.
- Bun: A seeded bun that was similar to a brioche, but a little less delicate. The bun did an impressive job of soaking up the flavor of this juicy burger.
- Garnish: This burger was topped with crisp red onion that added a nice sharp flavor to the sandwich, very thin slices of tomato and an unimpressively wilted leaf of red lettuce. We also ordered cheddar cheese and bacon for our burgers, and they arrived with more cheese than we previously thought was possible to pile on a patty.
- Mess factor: Not bad at all. Surprising for a burger this thick.
- Fries: The fries were the real standout here. Good fries can seem quite simple, but many places foul them up somewhere along the line. Cafe Luxembourg gets fries and includes a very generous pile of salty, crispy goodness with their burger.
- Price: $18 (with cheese or bacon, additional toppings $1 each)
- Bordeaux: We chose a 2004 Coppola Claret as it was one of the few affordable wines on this list. Most wines here are above $50, which is more than we like to spend when pairing wine with hamburgers. The Claret was a nice, deep red wine with subtle fruit flavors that might have been a bit understated for a burger this big.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.
- Overall: Luxembourg, a fine example of a New York bistro, has been around for some time now and usually does a brisk business. This was certainly the case on this Friday night. There were no deuces to be had without reservation, period. The hostess recommended finding a couple seats at the bar. We were not too excited about the prospect, but decided to have a drink while we mulled over other options in the neighborhood. About halfway through our cocktails, we decided that eating at the bar was going to be more comfortable than it initially looked, so we settled in. In the end, we were glad to have sat at the bar. The bartender was great and we heard what was probably one of the worst botched blind date stories, ever.
Given the prices, expectations were high. Luxembourg generally delivered, but it comes up just shy of a “5″. There are many other burgers around town that are just as good or better that can be had at more affordable prices. However, if you don’t mind spending nearly 20 bucks for a hamburger, the Luxemburger is worth a try.
November 17th, 2006