Lackluster Liverwurst
EU
235 East 4th Street (B’twn Aves. A & B)
New York, NY 10002
(212) 254-2900
[map] [subway directions]
Rating: 3.5/5
Notes:
- Burger: The best thing about the German burger is the smoky, salty flavor of the black forest bacon. The patty itself is no match for its fantastic flavor – and unfortunately, the same is true of the liverwurst or the cheese. This ends up being more of a great bacon sandwich than a great burger.
- Bun: Served on a brioche with a little crunch in the top and enough dough in the middle to absorb the juice of the burger without falling apart.
- Garnish: The only garnish is a small ramekin of “brown sauce” – essentially HP sauce mixed with mayo. No vegetables get in the way of this triple-meat extravaganza.
- Mess factor: The first bite of this burger explodes with juice, but beyond that, the brioche contains this burger well.
- Fries: Nice, crunchy, golden fries, generously salted to compliment the bacon.
- Price: $15
- Bordeaux: We enjoyed a 2001 Quinta Do Carmo, a rich and fruity wine from a Rothschild vineyard in Portugal. It was served slightly chilled, perfect for a hot summer night. The full fruit flavor was highly drinkable and a pleasant contrast to the seasoning of the burger and fries. At $48, not necessarily a bargain, but certainly not a disappointment.
- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there. In fact, we took two.
- Overall:
Monique joined us to celebrate the launch of the fantastic new design she created for our site (THANK YOU!!!). She ordered the English burger, which lacked the delicious bacon that we enjoyed, but still seemed to come up a little heavy on the salt and too light on other flavors – even without smoked pork to steal the show. The German burger deserves a few enhancements to really show off the bacon – the unfulfilled potential of this burger weighs down the score as much as actual flaws in the delivery.
The décor at EU is warm and comfortable – plenty of glass and wood, 20-foot high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows that open over Fourth street, and classic rock on the play list. Each burger is delivered with a one-ounce mini-bottle of ketchup, which adds a nice touch. Overall, a very fine evening with great company and glimpses of grandeur in the sandwich.
Add comment July 24th, 2007