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Grilled: Matty Jacobs

Posted by Adam Kuban, October 30, 2006 at 10:32 AM

Ladies and gentlemen, the subject of today's Grilled Q&A is someone who should be familiar to regular readers of this site. I'm never quite sure what to call Mr. Jacobs. When I met him, he was introduced to me as "Matty," but he's also known as "Matt." But his burger knowledge and indispensable advice soon led me to call him "Hamburger Matty." It's time you got to know him a little better, so without further ado, let's get Grillin' —Ed.

Name: "Hamburger" Matty Jacobs
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Occupation: Web development

How often do you eat burgers?
I try to keep it to one a week, but that rarely happens. My body may say otherwise, but my brain demands two a week.

Where did you eat your most recent one?
Viand Cafe on 62nd and Madison. I work on the Upper East Side and the burger situation is dire, especially with the recent departure
of Soup Burg. As I'm always looking for a solid burger, I took up a friend's recomendation and gave Viand a shot. While it wasn't remarkable, I would go back. It's tough to compete with a decent burger and an entertaining diner staff. Still, if I'm looking for the best burger, I'd go across the street and grab one from Tony Dragonas.

American, cheddar, other?
American. Before I began writing for AHT, I might have said cheddar, but the burger world has shown me the way. American just melts better.

Ketchup or mustard?
Ketchup. Mustard is for hot dogs.

Sesame seed or plain?
I like a little decoration, but I don't care much either way.

Grilled, griddled, or broiled?
The purist will say griddled, and in the end I'll agree, but I do love a grilled burger. Direct fire and ground beef make for a delicious combination.

And how would you like that done, sir?
Medium-rare. A little pink lets you taste the meat. Whoever says well-done must work for the FDA or have a personal injury lawyer in the family.

Would you do us the favor of describing your perfect burger? (Price and ingredients are no object.)
Before I begin, I should say that the experience is just as important as the burger itself. Therefore, I won't be using any wagyu-style beef or heirloom tomatoes. When it comes to the perfect burger, I want six to seven ounces of ground chuck sitting on a really hot, well-seasoned griddle (one with 25 years of burger-cooking history, please) until the meat is medium-rare. There's a piece of American cheese and a soft, squishy bun waiting on the side. The bun itself should have little to no flavor; it's there only for texture and retaining the juices. I'd also add very small doses of tomato, lettuce, onion, and ketchup. I'd like this served in a restaurant that's been around for more than 50 years.

What's your favorite fast-food burger?
About once a month I get a craving for a McDonald's cheeseburger. Truthfully, I don't even consider this a burger, since it barely resembles one. It should be classified separately. Getting to the point, I'm going to say In-N-Out, but it only barely edges out Five Guys (Checkers is a close third). Five Guys lets you do whatever you want to your burger out of the gate, and I don't think I like that. I want my burger chef to take some initiative and give me a recommended preparation.

What topping or condiment, in your opinion, should never grace a burger?
I'm open to most anything after eating a green-chile burger at the AHT QBQ this summer. Still, you shouldn't stack toppings so high that the meat gets lost. If I'm ever served a pineapple-mango-jicama-lamb burger on a pumpernickel pita, you can be sure I'll stand up and walk out the door.

What's the most unusual burger you've ever eaten? (Or most unusual burger experience you've had?)
I'm going back to the QBQ. The Guber Burger is an usual beast, but it is certainly tasty.

What's the most overrated burger you've tried?
Corner Bistro. Meh.

For some crazy reason, you're going vegetarian. Where do you go for your final burger?
I'd run over to Shake Shack and have a Shack Burger. When they're on, it's my favorite burger around.

BURGER JOINTS REFERENCED
Viand Café: 2130 Broadway, Manhattan NY 10023
Soup Burg: Formerly at 1150 Lexington Ave., Manhattan NY 10021
Tony Dragonas: Street cart, located at southwest corner of East 62nd Street and Madison Avenue, Manhattan NY 10021; A Guy in New York on Dragonas
McDonald's: Various locations worldwide; mcdonalds.com
In-N-Out Burger: Various locations in California, New Mexico, and Arizona; in-n-out.com
Five Guys: Various locations on the East Coast; fiveguys.com
Checkers: Various locations in the Southeast, Midwest, and West; checkers.com
Corner Bistro: 331 West 4th Street, New York City; cornerbistro.citysearch.com

FURTHER READING
Cap'n Design ["Hamburger" Matty's blog]
All AHT entries by 'Hamburger' Matty [AHT Archives]
Other Grilled interviews [AHT Archives]

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