“We'll start with the brass tacks, the burger's heart and soul—its ground beef. At Five Guys, they grind and hand-pack the meat every morning, guaranteeing a fresh patty. Unfortunately, they will only serve their burgers well-done, which is fantastic if you’re a fan of eating hockey pucks. While Five Guys locations in College Point, Queens, and Philly have defied the odds, burgers at the Brooklyn Heights location were both tough and dry. All is not lost though, as the location is new and a burger is more than just meat."
There's a nice photo slide show to go with it, which Matty shot ("The new lens I'm using is nice," he says).
In other Five Guys news, Jason Perlow of Off the Broiler alerts us to the fact that there's a Five Guys clone in Fairfiew, New Jersey. When he IMed me about this, I was like, "Yeah, yeah, Jason." But clicking through to his post, the similarities are striking. From the interior design scheme to the menus to the burgers, the place looks like a straight-up Five Guys rip-off. But ...
But ... Burger Boys does onion rings, and Perlow says they're actually good: "Good onion rings though — this is one deficiency at Five Guys that Burger Boys actually remedied."
The other major difference is that Burger Boys uses canola oil instead of peanut oil for its fries, resulting in a less crisp product, Perlow says. But at least the peanut-allergic can eat there.
Interesting essay from a branding-marketing standpoint on the nature of user interface as brand identity. (Think iPod — the clickwheel interface and white headphones are instantly recognizable without the need for the Apple logo on the product's face.) Carry that through to food, as the folks at Information Architects did, and you have the McDonald's cheeseburger:
... The cheeseburger has the easiest food interface one could think of. No forks, no knives, no spoons, no plates, no chopsticks. Like a sandwich, but softer and sweeter and above all: Standardized. No alarms and no surprises when eating a cheeseburger.
The standardization makes the cheeseburger’s interface a branded one. Only a McDonald’s cheeseburger looks like a a McDonald’s cheeseburger. I unwrap it and look at the bread and the meat and the ketchup mustard color pattern: McDonald’s cheeseburger it is.
New York Times food critic Frank Bruni made the schlep from the Times's Times Square HQ to Houston's and reports on the burger. Like us, he had heard that the upscale chain served a respectable sandwich and wanted to investigate, along with a couple of coworkers. And, oh yeah, we were pleasantly surprised to see him mention AHT:
We didn’t have a lot of time and didn’t feel like quibbling, so we forged ahead. And even with this unwanted condiment, the burgers, made with eight ounces of ground chuck, were extremely satisfying: slightly charred, very juicy, cradled by a fluffy bun, cooked precisely to the requested medium-rare doneness.
There’s a very good description of the Houston’s burger on the enjoyable Web site “A Hamburger Today.” I more or less agree with it in its entirety.
If we were Eater, we'd ask for tips as to who the anonymous coworkers were.
Mr. Bruni also hit up Nice Matin on Manhattan's Upper West Side:
The “five napkin burger” is enormous, and it’s definitely for fans of oversized burgers, not for fans of thinner, crisper patties that truly share the stage with their condiments. It’s made from 10 ounces of ground chuck, which is grilled and served on a floppy brioche roll with Comte cheese, caramelized onions, a rosemary aioli, tomato and radicchio.
And it’s a happy mess. Its considerable juices and the onions won’t stay in their places, dripping onto the plate and onto points beyond the plate. Its name is in fact a fitting piece of advice — a warning, really. I brought fewer than five napkins to the endeavor of eating it; I should have brought a raincoat. Yet another of my button-down shirts was sacrificed to my job. And yet again, I didn’t mind.
News is trickling in about Tom Colicchio's new restaurant, Craftsteak. There's plenty of good news from Thrillist, The Strong Buzz and Eater. At first there was no real news about a burger. Then, at the end of a report from a tipster at Eater, we see:
Also, word has it that a hamburger will grace the lunch menu.
Well, well, well. It's not much, but it's enough to get me excited. Then I opened up my email this morning and almost choked on my coffee while reading Thrillist's report:
As if all this weren't enough, Colicchio's dropped mysterious hints of a gourmet make-your-own burger bar, to be unveiled in the near future -- so if you want your hamburgers reinvigorated along with your steaks, you can do it your damn self.
My mind was just blown. Thankfully, we should know tomorrow if there will be a burger on the menu at Craftsteak, because I need something to tide me over until we hear more about this burger bar.
Some men have grilled hamburgers all their lives. I imagine some have cooked tens of thousands of burgers and could probably flip a burger at the perfect moment while finishing the tie-breaking game of a best-of-seven chess match with Bobby Fischer. Unfortunately for our nameless hero, his skills are for naught without the right meat. A lump of day-old ground chuck will never compare to the prime beef used at Peter Luger.
For the last 22 years, Peter Luger has been named the top New York steakhouse, and I've got to agree. A year and a half ago, I went for the first time and shared a huge cut of prime-aged porterhouse. To this day, I can still taste the steak as well as Luger's orgasm-inducing bacon. The thought of the porterhouse in burger form was nearly too much for me. All of that delicious meat, nicely ground, broiled, and placed between a sesame-seed bun sounded like heaven, and I didn't want to tarnish my vision. Two weeks ago, I decided to chance it and turn my dream into reality.
Going for a burger at Peter Luger can be a challenge, as it is only served on the lunch menu (lunch served until 3 p.m.). Thankfully, Luger's serves the full lunch menu on weekends, so I didn't need to take a day off work to visit. Peter Luger Steakhouse has been around since 1887, and I don't think they've done much decorating since. The rooms are covered in wood and have a rustic flavor—perfect for enjoying a piece of meat. There are no exotic floral arrangements or architectural flourishes to distract from your mission. It's just you, your friends, an uncovered wood table, and your meat of choice.
My girlfriend and I both ordered our burgers with American cheese and cooked medium-rare. They arrived ten minutes later with a slice of raw onion and a side of fries. I was immediately excited by the sesame-seed bun—crispy on the outside but fluffy and soft in the middle, my ideal burger delivery device. The raw onions aren't something I'd typically put on a burger, but I imagined myself as a famished working-class Brooklynite visiting Peter Luger in the late-nineteenth century and knew my fictional self wouldn't throw aside a ring of raw onion.
Finally, it was time to taste the burger. Thus far, my dream of the perfect burger was in line with reality. Then, I took a bite. First contact was delicious. The meat had a strong flavor and a smooth texture despite the coarse grind. I took a few more bites and approached the center. Uh oh. The middle of my burger was bright red and nowhere near the pink I was hoping to see. In the dead center it was nearly raw.
Like so many others, I had discovered the downfall of the Luger burger—the chefs don't know how to properly cook a hamburger. Frank Bruni discovered this in February of 2005, Andrea Strong in October of last year, and Josh "Mister Cutlets" Ozersky mentioned this phenomenon before anything else when I mentioned my visit to him.
Well, did this ruin the burger? For me, no. About 80 percent of my burger was cooked to my liking and tasted divine. Yes, the middle was undercooked and lacked all flavor as a result, but I was able to overlook this. My concern is that Peter Luger's inconsistency could be much worse. Bruni wrote:
None of the burgers hit their marks. Mine arrived medium to medium-well. The one that was supposed to be medium was much more done than that. The one that was supposed to be rare verged on raw. Its center was scarily cold.
This type of inconsistency makes it tough to say this is a top burger in the city. The meat is top notch, the accoutrements were perfect, and the ambiance is spot-on, but the possibility of getting a raw, cold center is not acceptible. Of course, if the joint could iron out the inconsistencies in the kitchen, this could possibly be the best burger in the city, which is why I think it's worth giving it a shot. Just don't say we didn't warn you.
PETER LUGER STEAKHOUSE Website:www.peterluger.com Phone: 718-387-7400 Location: 178 Broadway, Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY 11211 [map] Price: $7.95 for a burger (cheese is $1.50, fries are $1.95, and bacon is $2.50)
While wandering Rush Street and Michigan Avenue in Chicago last weekend, I decided I needed a little pick-me-up. Seeing as this is a burger site, that meant sliders. I happened upon Luxbar, which is a fancy-schmancy bar/restaurant from the group that built Gibson's and Hugo's. Like so many other upscale restaurants, they have four different sliders to choose from.
I got a couple burger sliders, one with cheese and one without. The waitress did some recon for me and found out that they use organic ground chuck (20 percent fat) for the patties and that they bake their own sesame seed buns. She explained that the chef tried to use organic products whenever possible. Unfortunately, it didn't result in a spectacular slider. Although it was fairly juicy, it lacked any real flavor, which is even more disappointing in a slider. Restaurants that rely on condiments to provide taste is a growing pet peeve of mine.
Then again, I'm probably being a bit harsh. I finished both sliders quickly and would probably get another if I was there. But that doesn't mean these burgers were memorable, which is my usual litmus test. If I'm still thinking about it a week later, it must be a good burger.
Note: Sometimes doing a full review isn't necessary and sometimes we're just lazy. This is why we've introduced Quick Bites. We want to get you information on as many burger joints as possible and the new format should make that easier. Enjoy.
Posted by Matt Jacobs, February 8, 2006 at 2:39 PM
I can't help but be skeptical when I enter a chain restaurant. The food is built with efficiency, not quality, in mind. The interior design is generic at best. The staff has a script when speaking with the customer. It's just hard to believe that something of high quality could result. Of course, there are exceptions. In-n-Out makes an exceptional burger and people rave about Five Guys. With this in mind, Adam and I decided to try Houston's, an upscale national restaurant chain.
To me, Houston's is like a fancy Bennigan's. Their menu isn't very adventurous, and you can just feel the chaininess of it all. Thankfully, the similarities end there. The inside of the restaurant we visited, in Midtown Manhattan, was tastefully decorated, and the quality of the food was far superior to anything served at Bennigan's or Applebee's or any of those chain-monsters. As a word of warning, with high quality comes high prices.
We sat down in a cushy booth and both ordered cheeseburgers. Houston's burgers are made with half a poud of ground chuck roast and served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheddar on a bun as cushy as our booth. The whole package was a bit larger than I like to push into my piehole, but you could squish it down enough to suffice. Upon first glance, the burger looked great but the patty was a little too circular. Yes, I'm being picky, but I like my burger to have some personality. The sandwich had the goods but was a little too perfect. I was growing concerned as even a chain that is up-upscale could overlook the importance of a hand-crafted burger.
I threw caution to the wind and took a bite. Our sources hadn't lied—this was definitely a good burger. The meat was tender and juicy, the condiments played off each other well. The experience was consistent, which is a good sign for me. Oftentimes I'll find myself two-thirds of the way through a burger and I'll just get bored. Either the meat is flavorless or it's too sloppy or any of a few dozen reasons, but it just doesn't work. When I made it to the last bite of the burger, I was still enjoying myself.
Houston's will win no points for originality, but they used top-shelf ingredients and cooked them as requested. It seems simple, but few are able to accomplish this task. This is why I am happy to recommend Houston's as a burger destination. Should you step away from the keyboard and flock to the nearest location? Nah. But it is most definitely a tasty burger.
HOUSTON'S Location: 153 East 53rd Street (at 3rd Ave.), Midtown, NYC (other NYC location) Phone: 212-888-3828 Cost: $14 for cheesburger and fries
Posted by Matt Jacobs, February 1, 2006 at 9:10 AM
At some point in November I heard about a burger that was unusual, but had potential, and was laden with cholesterol. It sounded up my alley. The fact that we've tended to stay on the straight and narrow here at A Hamburger Today convinced me I had to try something new. I'll admit, my favorite burgers are those that stick to the basics, but there are so many other options and I'm determined to bring a few of these to you.
Our first venture into the world of crazyburgers, is the Mo Burger from Mo Pitkin's in New York City's East Village. The Mo Burger is a half-pound beef burger topped with fried onions, a fried egg and chopped chicken liver (see? lot's of cholesterol). Mo Pitkin's describes it's cooking as Judeo-Latino, but this sandwich falls heavy on the Judeo side. That being said, I don't know too many young Jews who like chopped liver. Since I'm part of that minority, I was excited to give this burger a try.
As you can see from the picture, the burger looks great. The meat was slightly pink in the center, as requested, and the onions and egg were cooked perfectly. My only concern was the amount of chopped liver smeared on the bun. Liver is incredibly rich and I tend to be careful with my portions, but I slapped the top of bun on and put my faith in the chef.
I loved the mix of the egg, fried onion and ground beef. Both the textures and the tastes compliment each other well. Unfortunately, the chopped liver was a disappointing addition to the burger experience. The saltiness of the recipe combined with the quantity of chopped liver was very distracting. More importantly, the meat was just average. I couldn't confirm the fat content of the beef, but it tasted lean and a little flavorless. You're probably thinking, "How could you know how it tasted? It was covered in egg and chicken liver?" Well, I brought Adam along and he stuck with his stand-by, the cheeseburger.
Neither of us loved our burgers. Mine was an interesting mix of textures and a valiant effort in adding chopped liver to the burger lexicon, but it came up a little flat. Adam said his cheddar-burger was in the good-but-not-great category. We agreed on the texture and flavor of the meat. Despite being cooked properly, it wasn't very juicy, which tends to be a sign of missing flavor.
Am I telling you to skip Mo Pitkin's in your search for the perfect burger? Well, yes, but I don't think you should skip the place all together. Their other fare tends to work well and their stable of live performances are even better. If you end up here and are dying for a burger, you'll be fine ordering one. You can skip the Mo Burger unless you are completely nuts for chopped liver.
It seems our first attempt at a crazyburger wasn't quite a success, but I'm not discouraged. I know that I will at some point come across an unusual combination that will blow me away. If you have any suggestions or experiences of your own, feel free to share them in the comments.
MO PITKIN'S Location:34 Avenue A (btwn. 2nd and 3rd), East Village, NYC Phone: 212-777-5660 Cost: $9 for a cheeseburger, $11 for the Mo Burger (both include fries)
Posted by Matt Jacobs, October 14, 2005 at 7:14 PM
Tomorrow, I hop on a plane for two weeks in Hong Kong and Japan. Why should you care? I will be on a mission for a decent burger. The Far East is not known for its burgers, but there's gotta be something good, right?
I'll definitely be hitting up Mos Burger and trying the recently announced Shrimp Burger from McDonalds. (For the record, yes, I am a little scared to try a shrimp burger from McDonalds.) Unfortunately, nothing good has shown up for Hong Kong in my pre-trip scouting.
So, if anyone out there has any suggestions or anything burger-related they'd like to see me consume, knock out a few sentences in the comments. I'll have internet access while abroad, so I'll be sure to check out what you have to say.
My trip to Seattle was a rousing success. It would have been fabulous whether or not I had consumed a few burgers, but Two Bells Tavern added something special to my trip. Two Bells is, appropriately, in the Belltown area of Seattle. Eager to check out the Seattle burger scene, I popped by on my first night in town. Despite the rainy night, the place was pretty full. Then again, most nights are rainy nights in Seattle.
A large portion of the restaurant is monopolized by the bar, but it's obvious that people stop in for more than a couple brewskis. My uncle, girlfriend and I grabbed a table and perused the menu. Karen, my ex-Seattlite friend, had warned me that there would be no fries, but it was still odd to not even have them as option. In the end it didn't matter as they had some kick-ass baked beans. The oddities continued when I found out the burger was served on a baguette and the meat was a combination of brisket and round (similar to Shake Shack) mixed with garlic and olive oil. Not your typical burger, but it was certainly enticing.
The burger arrived and, as usual, I ripped off the top bun to see what's under the hood. The patty wasn't round, which makes sense as the baguette isn't either, and the cheddar cheese was melted perfectly over the meat. I assembled my burger with the lettuce and tomato on the side and took a bite. On first reaction, I was put off by the baguette. The quality was fine, but a bread this rigid isn't suitable for burger consumption; it's too difficult to focus on the real good. Once I overcame the bread situation, things took a very positive turn. The burger was succulent and overflowed with flavor. The brisket was prominent, but the garlic added a subtle kick that made the taste truly unique. Unsurprisingly, the burger's short life ended quickly that night.
Aside from the bun, my only regret was not ordering the baked beans. I went with the chili, which was good, but the beans were excellent. Make sure to grab those if you get a chance to make it to Two Bells. Also, make sure to stop by Top Pot Donuts when you're done for some darn-tasty treats.
The food at Two Bells was all very reasonably priced, possibly because Belltown used to be a somewhat seedy/artsy neighborhood, which you can tell by the current clientele (more artsy than seedy). In the end, this was a great recommendation by friends and readers alike. So far, AHT fans are 1 for 1.
Two Bells Tavern Location:2313 4th Ave. in Belltown Phone: 206-441-3050 Hours: 11am - 2am What's Cookin': The unorthodox but delicious meat mix and the baked beans
This weekend, I will be in Seattle for a long weekend (thank you, Jewish holiday of Shavuot!). Aside from the typical trips to Pike Place Market and the Experience Music Project, I will most definitely be hitting up some burger joints. We like to take full advantage of vacations here at AHT.
Thus far, I know to try to check out Dick's and Burgermaster, but I'm hoping that our dear readers will be able to offer some other possibilities. So, what's good in Seattle?
It's unlikely I'll be able to attend all your suggestions, but I'll do my best. Thanks in advance, AHT readers!
Schnäck brings back fond memories. My first tiny burger experience occurred here only two years ago. From that point on, I was changed. I could no longer live in a regular-sized burger world; I needed diversity. I'll always love a full-sized burger, but the combination of cuteness and burger is too much to pass up. But I digress.
Schnäck sits on a quiet block in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, surrounded mostly by residences. When you get inside, the decor is kitschy, but not over the top—silly enough to be entertaining while still feeling quite homey. Unlike the other tiny-burger restaurants we've reviewed this week, Schnäck is a sit-down restaurant (if you're in a hurry, you can do delivery or take-out, though). Once you find your table, the staff, especially co-owner and manager Harry, are quick to crack jokes and make you feel at ease.
Aside from Harry, the other two owners are Alan and Jim. This duo is responsible for a number of other popular Brooklyn eateries, including Patois, Uncle Pho, the Red Rail, and the Gowanus Yacht Club. They seem to have found a couple hits in there, but Schnäck will always be my favorite.
The tiny burgers, Schnäckies, are a dollar a piece, with cheese costing an extra $0.50 (kraut or onions are free). All Schnäckies are served with Schnäck Sauce, which is a version of thousand island, like most secret sauces. Although I recommend the singles, you can get doubles, triples, or quads, which are just more patties on one bun. My one complaint about this place is that the double costs $2.50 while a single is a dollar. That just doesn't make sense.
Unlike Sassy's Sliders, Schnäck prefers to serve its burgers without too much in the way. The buns are simple, and the sauce is complimentary. This works because the meat is actually quite tasty. If you look at the photos above, you'll see that they cook the burgers pretty thoroughly, which seems to add flavor. It doesn't seem that Schnäck adds anything special to the beef, but I wouldn't be surprised if the place used some salt and pepper. Bottom line, the burgers are flavorful considering how tiny they are.
Like Shake Shack or Blue 9, I highly recommend you grab some fries and a shake to compliment your burger. I would come for the shakes, fries, or burgers alone, which is what makes this place so dangerous. On top of the typical burger and hot dog fare, Schnäck's menu features quite a few options that would satisfy your non-burger-loving friends. Although, if your friends don't love burgers, you should really question your relationship.
As an aside, Schnäck is holding its inaugural hot dog eating contest on Memorial Day. Unlike other food-eating competitions, this one is for amateurs and it's about speed, not quantity. The first to finish a 30-inch-long custom-made Stahl-Meyer hot dog wins. The contest will take place at 1 p.m., and, if you arrive between 11a.m. and 1p.m., you'll get a free hot dog. Because of the potential hilarity and free food, I'll most likely be in attendance. If you can't make it, feel free to follow along on Schnäck's blog.
SCHNÄCK Location: 122 Union St. (between Columbia and Hicks), Brooklyn, NY Phone: 718-855-2879 Cost: $1 for a single Short Order: These tiny burgers are heaven sent. Great with anything.
There are few benefits to working on the Upper East Side. Obviously, we've got some rockin' museums and Central Park, but take those away and all you have is about a million strollers. Thankfully, there are a few above-average burger joints in the hood. We'll discuss the others in the future, but since it's tiny hamburger week we've set our sights on Sassy's Sliders.
Sassy's, along with Schnäck, are the two big shots in the tiny hamburger scene of NYC (which is why we'll be putting these two head-to-head tomorrow, after the full Schnäck review). The styles of each restaurant are quite different, in terms of both burger and decor. Sassy's, as their website explains, is shooting for a 50's aesthetic and focuses on freshly prepared food. They are set up for counter service and the dining area is quite small, which means you aren't likely to get a seat during a busy lunch hour. That being said, I've always managed to grab one of the seats while there.
Although we only came for the burger, Sassy's also offers sliders in veggie, turkey, chicken parm and bbq chicken varieties. The burger is made with 100% freshly ground sirloin and served with browned onions, pickles & ketchup. The buns are steamed. If you don't want anything on top be sure to tell your server, but I would recommend sticking with their setup as it adds significantly to the burger.
While ordering, we realized that Sassy's is a pretty good deal. For $5.79 you get four sliders of any combination you like, a regular-sized soda and an order of fries. It's $0.12 extra for cheese or $0.30 extra for cajun, garlic or sweet potato fries. It's not dirt cheap, but compared to Stanton Social or my other options on the UES, I'm not complaining.
The burgers themselves aren't terribly flavorful, but the quality of the meat is good. Eaten alone, the burger is nothing particularly special. Tasty, but not memorable. When you add the toppings, the sandwich comes to life. Michael Ronis and Herb Goldberg, the cofounders of Sassy's, seem to have found a winning combination. The steamed bun is an interesting touch, as it gives it a working-class feel, but it aids in blending the flavors together. Maybe it's a bad thing that I remember the flavors of the bun, pickles, ketchup and onion the most, but that doesn't mean it's a bad sandwich. Sassy's has put the focus on the flavor of the condiments, which actually makes sense for a mini-burger as the amount of meat usually isn't enough to get it sufficiently juicy.
While tasting, I also tried out a cheeseburger -- it was just as good, so add the american cheese if you're in the mood -- and a veggie burger, which had an atrocious honey mustard sauce on top. I could only eat a couple bites. The fries at Sassy's are quite good too, if you're in need of fried carbs.
Sassy's did not disappoint. It's far from froufrou and that's how I like it. The ingredients are fresh and the flavors are right, which is why I grab lunch here about once a month. If you decide to have your own mini-burger week, day, month or whatever, Sassy's Sliders is worth a visit. It's also a worthy stop for the NYC burger lover.
SASSY'S SLIDERS Location: 1530 3rd Ave. (at 86th St.), New York, NY 10028 Phone: 212-828-6900 Cost: $0.99 a slider Short Order: The sliders are tasty and worth a visit, especially if you're in the neighborhood.
Reading HH's In-N-Out review reminded me of a tidbit that every self-respecting burger fan knows about: In-N-Out's secret menu.* When a simple cheeseburger isn't enough, you can try some of these ca-razy combinations:
"4-by-4" = four meat patties and four slices of cheese.
"2-by-4" = two meat patties and four slices of cheese.
*Note: You can get a burger with as many meat patties or cheese slices as you want. Just tell the In-N-Out Burger cashier how many meat patties and how much cheese you want and that is what you'll get! For instance, if you want 6 pieces of meat and 10 pieces of cheese tell them you want a "6-by-10."
"Animal Style" = the meat is cooked and fried with mustard and then pickles are added, extra spread and grilled onions are added.
"Flying Dutchman" = two meat patties, two slices of melted cheese and nothing else - not even a bun!
"Neapolitan" Shake = strawberry, vanilla and chocolate blended together.
Believe the hype. Said hype, which was reported on before, made the entire staff of AHT twitch with desire. The long lines held us off for only so long, but the staff gave in last week.
The burgers at Shake Shack, like Blue Nine, follow the west-coast style. What really separates them from the pack is their choice of meat. Instead of ground chuck or something similar, they use a mix of sirloin and brisket, which is freshly ground across the street at Danny Meyer's Eleven Madison Park. The unusual choice results in a higher fat content, which produces a fantastically tasty burger. Although it's fun to pile a burger high with condiments, this one can stand alone. My favorite part is that although the burger is juicy, the hot griddle seals it in so the juice gets in your belly and not on your plate.
Having been twice now, I tried both a plain burger and a Shack Burger, which includes their Shake Shack Sauce. The sauce is mayo-based, but the ingredients are secret. It was good, but not an essential part of the experience. I'm more of a mustard guy, anyhow. All of the other condiments—lettuce, tomato, bun—were tasty. The bun was very plain, but a perfect compliment for the flavorful burger.
The line is, as expected, long. From my local scouts, the line is still about half an hour during the peak lunch times (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.), but when I've visited at 2:30 p.m., I was ordering in about 10 minutes. When I visited for dinner —Shake Shack is now open until 9 p.m. for the rest of the summer—I hardly waited at all. Don't worry about grabbing a table right away as there are usually some available and turnover is quick if there aren't.
Shake Shack is an essential part of the NYC burger experience. It is not to be missed.
NEW YORK CITY Purists, be gone. If you're looking for a lump of meat between two pieces of bread, turn around and find another burger joint, because Island Burgers and Shakes is all about the toppings. Unlike Blue 9 Burger, where you have three choices on the whole menu, Island has over 63 burger combinations. In the last three hours, I've tried all of them. OK, not really, but my dining companion and I each had one, so that should get you started.
One could spend hours poring over all the options, deciding on the best concoction. Instead, I went with the first one that looked good. When you're hungry and there are hamburgers on the premises, time is of the essence. I chose the Tijuana burger, which is topped with bacon, Jack cheese, guacamole, and sautéed onion (with an optional hooker on the side). Jori, my dining partner and then some, had the Mike's Pool Hall, which is served on dark rye bread and comes with Jack cheese and onion.
The whole affair is served open face, which is a nice touch. It lets me piece together my burger without having to pry the top bun from the cheese. Once assembled, the burger was quite tall. Tall enough that I wished I could unhinge my jaw. Since I cannot, I applied the smashing technique, which is exactly as it sounds. The guacanike serving was plentiful, which meant I had a green goatee after my first bite. The mix of toppings was tasty. I definitely made a good choice.
The meat was pretty good quality. Nothing special, but it was fresh, juicy, and actually medium-rare, as I had ordered it. The flavor was difficult to decipher, as the burger was smothered in avacado-y goodness. I'm fairly certain it was cooked on a flame, but even that was difficult to tell. The fire was likely a bit too hot though; one side of my burger was a bit overcooked.
Unlike my favorites in the city (Shake Shack, Soup Burg), I walked away from Island Burgers a little unimpressed. Everything tasted good going down, and the presentation was nice, but the burger itself just wasn't anything special. Good, but not great. Still, it beats the pants off Silver Spurs, which is also known for its plethora of burger combinations.
If you're in Hell's Kitchen and looking for a fun burger spot, this is a good pick. If you're in from out of town and hitting up the best burger joints in New York, you can leave this Island unexplored.
File this entry under things that will either make you preemptively nauseous or salivate with delight. Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pennsylvania, is now serving a 15-pound burger, the Beer Barrel Belly Buster, which comes with 11.5 pounds of meat, 25 slices of cheese, a head of lettuce, three tomatoes, two onions, and more. It can be yours for only $30.
The round mound of ground made its debut on the Today Show this morning. I didn't get a chance to witness it, but based on this photo, people seemed amused.
Denny's Beer Barrel Pub had offered a six-pound burger, with five pounds of toppings.
In February, a 100-pound female college student became the first to eat the burger within the three-hour time limit. One month later, a New Jersey diner introduced a 12.5-pound burger.
Denny's Beer Barrel Pub responded with the Belly Buster, which costs $30 retail.
Over the weekend, four men took the challenge but couldn't get through the entire burger.
There was no word on what happened to the burger after its TV appearance.
According to an Austalian news service, the British restaurant Zuma is serving a $134 hamburger. I have yet to confirm if this is U.S. or Australian dollars, but it's still a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a ground beef sandwich.
A restaurant spokeswoman said: "Our wagyu beef comes from New Zealand, where the cows are reared on beer and massaged until they weigh three-quarters of a tonne, more than double the weight of an average cow."
Big whoop, I say. One person who won't be happy to hear this is restaurateur Daniel Boulud. In early 2003, we experienced the great burger wars with Boulud's burger finally winning out at $50. Trumping his own $29 burger and the Old Homestead's $41 Kobe beef burger, Boulud's sirloin burger includes regular truffles, braised short ribs, foie gras and fresh black truffles. Today, the burger goes for $59 or $99 for the double truffle version.
Boulud is not one to be bested, so we're bound to see some new concoction relatively soon. Don't be surprised if you can soon order a burger stuffed with caviar and wagyu beef from cattle massaged by Boulud's own hands.
Oh, and if anyone wants to sponsor a trip to London to try the most expensive burger, I would be willing to make the sacrifice and go.
In New York City, the title of best burger changes every fifteen minutes. Danny Meyer's Shake Shack seems to be the king of the mountain these days. After officially opening on July 1st last year, people flocked to try all of the delicious creations, but everyone came away raving about the burger. Thanks to some serious buzz and being named best burger by New York Magazine, Shake Shack has been completely packed since reopening on April 4th.
Liao Yusheng, whom I just linked to, reported waiting 40 minutes for food and folks on this eGullet thread reports anywhere from 20-55 minutes. But what do they think of the burgers? The reactions seem to be mixed, with a lot of folks being underwhelmed. Still, hype has to start out somewhere, so there must be a few burger lovers out there who dig Shake Shack's west-coast style burger.
All of this indecision means the best burger crown isn't quite ready to settle upon the Shack just yet. It's just as well, as I'd rather be surprised by an un-hyped burger than disappointed by one that's universally lauded. That, and I have no intention of using up my full lunch hour in line. I guess I'll have to wait until May when they start staying open until 11pm, instead of just lunch, before I give it a shot.
AHT founding editor "Hamburger Matty" Jacobs appears in an article on Metromix New York in which he visits the new Five Guys location in Brooklyn Heights:
Tomorrow, I hop on a plane for two weeks in Hong Kong and Japan. Why should you care? I will be on a mission for a decent burger. The Far East is not known for its burgers, but there's gotta be something good, right?
The burger arrived and, as usual, I ripped off the top bun to see what's under the hood. The patty wasn't round, which makes sense as the baguette isn't either, and the cheddar cheese was melted perfectly over the meat. I assembled my burger with the lettuce and tomato on the side and took a bite. On first reaction, I was put off by the baguette. The quality was fine, but a bread this rigid isn't suitable for burger consumption; it's too difficult to focus on the real good. Once I overcame the bread situation, things took a very positive turn. The burger was succulent and overflowed with flavor. The brisket was prominent, but the garlic added a subtle kick that made the taste truly unique. Unsurprisingly, the burger's short life ended quickly that night.
This weekend, I will be in Seattle for a long weekend (thank you, Jewish holiday of Shavuot!). Aside from the typical trips to 
Schnäck sits on a quiet block in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, surrounded mostly by residences. When you get inside, the decor is kitschy, but not over the top—silly enough to be entertaining while still feeling quite homey. Unlike the other tiny-burger restaurants we've reviewed this week, Schnäck is a sit-down restaurant (if you're in a hurry, you can do delivery or take-out, though). Once you find your table, the staff, especially co-owner and manager Harry, are quick to crack jokes and make you feel at ease. 
The burgers themselves aren't terribly flavorful, but the quality of the meat is good. Eaten alone, the burger is nothing particularly special. Tasty, but not memorable. When you add the toppings, the sandwich comes to life. Michael Ronis and Herb Goldberg, the cofounders of Sassy's, seem to have found a winning combination. The steamed bun is an interesting touch, as it gives it a working-class feel, but it aids in blending the flavors together. Maybe it's a bad thing that I remember the flavors of the bun, pickles, ketchup and onion the most, but that doesn't mean it's a bad sandwich. Sassy's has put the focus on the flavor of the condiments, which actually makes sense for a mini-burger as the amount of meat usually isn't enough to get it sufficiently juicy.
Reading HH's 
The burgers at 
Having been twice now, I tried both a plain burger and a Shack Burger, which includes their Shake Shack Sauce. The sauce is mayo-based, but the ingredients are secret. It was good, but not an essential part of the experience. I'm more of a mustard guy, anyhow. All of the other condiments—lettuce, tomato, bun—were tasty. The bun was very plain, but a perfect compliment for the flavorful burger.
Purists, be gone. If you're looking for a lump of meat between two pieces of bread, turn around and find another burger joint, because 
The whole affair is served open face, which is a nice touch. It lets me piece together my burger without having to pry the top bun from the cheese. Once assembled, the burger was quite tall. Tall enough that I wished I could unhinge my jaw. Since I cannot, I applied the smashing technique, which is exactly as it sounds. The guacanike serving was plentiful, which meant I had a green goatee after my first bite. The mix of toppings was tasty. I definitely made a good choice.
Unlike my favorites in the city (Shake Shack, Soup Burg), I walked away from Island Burgers a little unimpressed. Everything tasted good going down, and the presentation was nice, but the burger itself just wasn't anything special. Good, but not great. Still, it beats the pants off 
File this entry under things that will either make you preemptively nauseous or salivate with delight. 
In New York City, the title of best burger changes every fifteen minutes. Danny Meyer's 
