Medium

Rare Bar & Grill
303 Lexington Ave. (@ 37th)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 481-1999

[map] [subway directions]

Rating: 3.5/5

Notes:

- Burger: We ordered the M & M Burger, which arrived a little less pink than preferred but beautifully presented and deliciously covered with caramelized shallots, cheddar cheese, and apple-smoked bacon. The patty itself wasn’t the star of the sandwich, but the tasty toppings certainly made that easier to overlook.

- Bun: The burger was served on an egg-coated sweet bun, almost like a brioche, which earned extra points for texture and flavor. The bun was a little small for the large and tall stack of goodness in the middle.

- Garnish: In addition to the shallots, cheddar, and bacon on the M&M Burger, Rare serves their sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles.

- Mess factor: Shortly after we ordered, the waiter dropped off a handful of extra napkins. We put them to good use.

- Fries: Shoestring fries that benefited from a little pick-me-up by the salt shaker.

- Price: $15

- Bordeaux: Rare has a good selection of California wines, but no Bordeaux. We ordered a 2005 Zinfandel from Ravenswood that was full bodied with mild flavors of cherry and spice. It was easy to drink and went well with the hearty sandwich.

- Atmosphere: A nice place to take a girl.

- Overall: What’s most rare about Rare is that it feels like a restaurant, not a hamburger stand. The dark wood and candle-lit tables are a nice contrast to the well-lit burger joints. But, Rare still has all the great benefits of a burger joint, including a large menu of topping combinations and a longer list of individual garnishes if you want to build your own. We had the good fortune of waiting for our table at the bar and sampling from their large beer selection. With so much going for it, and such great toppings heaped on their burgers, it’s too bad their patty doesn’t stand out more.

Add comment December 7th, 2007