Mighty Meaty

Resto
111 East 29th Street (B’twn Lex & PAS)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 685-5585

[map] [subway directions]

Rating: 5/5

Notes:

- Burger: Wow, this patty packs flavor. The kitchen cooks them only one way, medium, but this coarsely ground and loosely packed burger does not disappoint. This is not the typical ground sirloin and the result is a delicious, steaky burger. Think of a really, really good cheesesteak, without the wiz.

- Bun: A soft, white bread bun that doesn’t distract from the flavor of the burger and does a pretty good job of holding the sandwich together.

- Garnish: Passendale cheese, pickle, thin, thin red onion slices and mayo.

- Mess factor: The patty produces almost no juice, which reduces the mess factor substantially. However, the patty is also really loosely packed, which can get a little sloppy, especially with the slippery layer of mayonnaise. Here’s where a heartier bun might be warranted.

- Fries: Fat, Belgian style frites cooked and seasoned they way they should be. Try some of the flavored mayonnaise on offer for $1 each. The lime pickle mayo was especially interesting.

- Price: $13

- Bordeaux: As is often the case, the Bordeaux on the menu were pricier (>$50) than we wanted to spend, so we went for what looked like the best value on the list. We chose a 2003 Herencia Tempranillo that was slightly tannic with nice cherry and blackberry tones. It was a good accompaniment to an excellent burger — but at $45, not really a bargain.

- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.

- Overall: That this burger is worthy of a “5″ does not come as a huge surprise. In Resto’s short history, it has garnered very favorable reviews. The house-ground burger is an interesting mixture of meat that makes for a steaky flavor not found in most burgers. The standard, white-bread bun that might have been a disappointment in other restaurants works well here. This sandwich is about the meat, not the bread. The fries were made more interesting by the flavored mayonnaises. We sampled the sweet chili and pickle lime flavors. The sweet chili had an artificial flavor of some sort that didn’t seem to complement the fries. On the other hand, the pickle lime mayo was very tasty. As for the dining room, it felt very new and will probably feel more cozy with some wear and tear. The bar dominates the front half of the room but the rear feels a bit empty as it is devoid of any wall decorations beyond the sconces. The wood floor, spare walls and tin ceiling amplify the din of wine-imbibing diners diving into their moules frites. Add to this a steady soundtrack of indie rock and it can be challenging to carry on a quiet conversation. The small plates on the menu are also quite tempting. We sampled the deviled egg (served on pork toasts) and bitter ballen.Both were very, very tasty.

2 comments June 3rd, 2007