Fair Burger

Fairway Café/Steakhouse
2127 Broadway (B’twn 74th & 75th)
New York, NY 10023
(212) 595-1888

[map] [subway directions]

Rating: 3/5

Notes:

- Burger: Fat and juicy. The light seasoning is just enough to bring out the flavor of the beef.

- Bun: Standard, somewhat doughy white bread. Comes dangerously close to being outsized by the patty, but hits the spot.

- Garnish: Bibb lettuce, tomato and red onion. Nothing special, its all about the burger here.

- Mess factor: Surprisingly manageable given the patty to bun ratio.

- Fries: Non-shoestring variety fries with a bit of potato skin left on. Cooked somewhat crispy and modestly seasoned.

- Price: Plain: $8, Cheddar: $9, Bacon & Cheddar: $10

- Bordeaux: 2006 Cloudline Cellars Pinot Noir. This young Pinot had a red fruity flavor that complemented the burger nicely. All this at a nice price.

- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there, perhaps.

- Overall: Dining at Fairway Café is not entirely unlike dining in the natural foods section of a supermarket–without the florescent lights. Even so, they do a good job of cordoning off the dining area from the shopping area. The open kitchen can contribute to the noise level when busy, but not so much that diners can’t carry on a conversation. Fairway could do much to improve the evening atmosphere by dimming the lights just a touch. They were quite busy when we arrived around eight o’clock on a Saturday night. Even so, we were seated immediately. As we were enjoying our burgers and wine, the dining area slowly emptied. So, if one wants to avoid the rush, showing up later isn’t such a bad idea. Anyone who has visited a Burgers & Cupcakes outpost will find the burger at the café very similar if not exactly the same but for the presentation. If you are craving a burger while in the neighborhood, this is a good place to stop. Be aware that weekend days at Fairway Café can be busy, so you might be forced to shop for legumes in the bulk foods section while waiting for a table.

Add comment October 27th, 2007

AOK

AOC
314 Bleecker Street (corner of Bleecker & Grove St)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 925-9975

[map] [subway directions]

Rating: 4/5

Notes:

- Burger: AOC serves a mouthwatering, charred patty made of high quality ground beef that they’ve seasoned nicely with salt and pepper.

- Bun: A fresh baked bun that was crusty and dusted with flour on the outside and toasted on the inside. It had all the craggy benefits of an English muffin, so that by the end of the sandwich, the bread had nicely captured the flavor of the juicy burger.

- Garnish: We ordered ours with Swiss cheese and bacon, both of which added a nice flavor to the already tasty sandwich. Red onion slices, tomato wedges, and a green salad accompany the burger.

- Mess factor: Thanks to an outstanding bun, there wasn’t a bit of mess to this burger.

- Fries: The fries were a bit of a letdown, especially given how nice they looked. These were thin cut, fried to a golden brown, but too mildly flavored and lacking any crispy crunch.

- Price: $13 (with bacon and cheese)

- Bordeaux: We had a 2003 St. Emillion that was served by the glass. It was a delicious wine to pair with the burger, with a dry, fruity finish that did a good job of standing up to the high stakes of the tasty sandwich.

- Atmosphere: You could take a girl there.

- Overall:

AOC is a tasteful bistro in the heart of the village, with large windows overlooking the corner of Bleecker and Grove. It was pleasantly quiet and we had no difficulty getting a table right away (especially since it was a warm Wednesday evening and we opted to sit indoors instead of their back garden, where most people headed). They had a groovy soundtrack, played low enough to not interfere with conversation. While falling short of a great rating, they served a burger they can be proud of on one of the best buns we’ve encountered.

Add comment October 10th, 2007