The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 11 - Prune Restaurant

Last Thursday, I finally had a chance to get downtown during lunchtime and check out the burger on offering at Prune. Those of you who follow food websites like Eater and Grub Street are aware that chef/owner Gabrielle Hamilton has a memoir titled Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef being released on March 1. For an excerpt, check out this link. You can also pre-order your copy of the book here.

Plain and simple, the burger ($12 and only available during lunch service) was waaaay too greasy. The English muffin (which they use instead of a traditional bun) was saturated with butter as was the patty, which is a mixture of lamb and beef (which is similarly done at M. Wells). The lamb flavor does come out and definitely gives the burger depth in flavor.

Here's the burger when it arrives (which took a bit longer than expected):



Now here's a crosscut:





As evidenced in the photo, there's serious fat drippings on the plate (not to be confused with patty juice, which there was none - though the burger wasn't dry, due to it swimming in a pool of butter). I mean, don't get me wrong...I love butter and unctuous burgers, but this was overkill. Not only that, the burger itself was bland. Concurrently, the fries (of the Mcdick's variety) were well seasoned and perfectly crisp.

Unfortunately lunch was sub-par, but I'm glad to have finally tried their burger. On that note, I would most definitely recommend stopping by for dinner service.

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 10 - Blarney Stone (3rd Ave)

I used to go to Blarney Stone for liquid lunches back in the day. Nowadays, I would never do something like that. However, I would stop by for some eats and a few days ago, I did just that.

Walking by the dram shop almost everyday, their signs advertising cheap pub grub (fish and chips, sliders, meatloaf, etc.) have always enticed me. Further, Midtown Lunch wrote a generally positive review of their burgers a few years back...so I thought it was time to revisit the joint and give it a good ole contemporary review.

For what it's worth, it wasn't terrible. At $7.00 for a cheeseburger and o-rings, the price point straddles the not-too-expensive and not-too-cheap-and-shit-quality line.




Nestled between your average roll (which was too much bread), the burger had a nice charred-flavor from the grill. Also, for the size of the burger, they're generous with the American cheese. Some places might give you only one slice, whereas Blarney Stone doles out at least three. As for the bread, one suggestion I'd like to extend is to change from the hard roll to a nice sesame seeded hamburger bun. I don't think the price of the bread would be that much more, but the overall awesomeness of the burger would be multiplied by 4.2.



Unbeknownst to me, you can order your burger at whatever temperature you want (or so I'm led to believe). Without any request, they gave it to me pretty much medium/well done. So have it your way, or so the saying goes.

Blarney Stone isn't my first recommendation for a tasty burger, however, if someone's looking for a pub with decent and cheap grub in the area, it would definitely be at the top of the list.

710 3rd Ave
(between 44th St & 45th St)
New York, NY 10017
(212) 490-0457

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 8 - #1 Burger (29th & 2nd)

A few weeks back, I was perusing Seamless Web looking for some delivery grub and came across #1 Burger. Trying to do some due diligence before forking over my hard earned cash, I couldn't find anything about this joint on the internet. So, I did what every reviewer does (or should do), and took one for the team.

The first thing that caught my eye was that under the #1 Burger link on the main restaurant listing page, it stated that their "delicious beef burgers are sourced directly from Pat La Frieda". Understandably, that piqued my interest, as La Frieda meats are highly regarded, especially in the burger-world. After clicking the link and arriving at their menu, I next noticed how competitively priced #1 Burger sold their ish. Things were looking good and my mouth was getting watery.

About a half hour later, my cheeseburger combo arrived.



Packaged in a neat little to-go box, things were looking promising. Here's what the burger looked like when I unwrapped it:




This is where you cue the sad trombone sound. Expectations weren't even really that high, and yet the burger failed to meet them. First off, the cheese tasted like the cheese you get on your nachos. (Those are nachos.) Second, the bottom half of the bun was super thin and was pretty much soaked through, especially where you held the burger. Check it out:



As for the meat itself, I really don't think the patty was fresh. I could be mistaken, but it had that frozen patty quality to it - where the shape and consistency was too hockey puck-like.

It's unfortunate, as the place had a lot going for it...like tater tots and Dr. Brown's soda and dollar Arizona iced teas. I'm open to giving it another chance, as the place is still relatively new. I just hope I don't get neckboned again.

#1 Burger
228 East 29th Street
New York, NY 10016
212-448-1129

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 7 - Recipe (Upper West Side)

An "intimate neighborhood restaurant featuring rustic new American cuisine inspired by fresh, local ingredients", Recipe, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, serves up a lunch menu that's really easy on the pockets, and big on flavor and value. Small restaurant, small overhead...right? Quaint is definitely a word that comes to mind when describing the place. Also, they must have one of the most complicated faucets in their restroom. Seriously...you need directions. Thankfully, they provide it.




Recipe's burger has been on my radar for a while (which my sister can attest to) and I finally made my way to the UWS during lunch hours last Friday. For starters, I had the pumpkin gnocchi with short ribs and garden root vegetables($2 supplement), and I've got to say...it was tasty. I love short ribs...and the gnocchis were delectable. It was crisped up on the outside, and still chewy on the inside. I would definitely order it again.

As for the burger, here it is in all its glory:



Here's a sexy cross-cut:



Ordered medium-rare, it definitely was more rare than medium-rare. I didn't mind, as I like a rare burger once in awhile...but for those that are averse to blood, I'd make sure to have it the way you want it. The meat itself was super flavorful, but the grill marks were too prominent, creating too much char where the burger rested on the grill. I love char, but it was too much.

The accompanying house made potato chips were just aight. As the meal was for lunch, it's probably better I didn't get fries. It's also most likely a reason as to how the lunch deal is so affordable, considering chips utilize significantly less potatoes than fries (of course depending on how many chips or fries the restaurant portions). You know what I'm trying to say...

In short, the burger at Recipe didn't disappoint. If I lived in the hood, I could definitely imagine having a few meals here, and they do deliver, so I'd probably take advantage of that too. As a side note, my dining companion had the crispy duck leg confit which I thought was really good...which makes me want to try their other offerings. So all in all, I'd say to definitely check out the spot, especially during lunch. I've heard the wait can get rather long for dinner and brunch, as they can only seat 26 at one time.

452 Amsterdam Ave
(between 81st St & 82nd St)
New York, NY 10024
(212) 501-7755

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 6 - Five Guys Burger and Fries

So, a Five Guys Burgers and Fries just opened up around the block from my office. I've generally read decent things about Five Guys...but you know there's only one way to assess a true opinion.

If you want to beat the lunchtime crowd, get there as close to noon as possible. I got there five minutes before noon, and it took about six minutes for me to get my food after ordering. I got a cheeseburger with grilled onions and an order of regular fries. Did I forget that a cheeseburger was actually two patties? Yes.

One thing that's very evident is the sheer number of people working the line. There were at least fifteen people behind the counter, with each person tasked with one specific job.



Well, onto the review of the burger. It was way too well done, which resulted in a severely dry patty. Also, there was a serious lack of seasoning. This led to a lack in crust around the patty, which I generally prefer in a burger this size. I'm going to chalk this up as an error on whoever's job it is was to season the patties on this day (obviously). I'd wager that on some days the patties are well seasoned, and other times it'll be over or under-seasoned...which adds a nice human element to the burger making process at Five Guys (I guess). As for the bun, it was almost too doughy which makes for it to be too chewy. And because the patty was dry, the bun wasn't an integral part in sopping up burger juice.

Here's what the burger looks like upon unwrapping the tinfoil:



Here's a picture after a few bites:





You can see how well done the burger is.

As for the fries, they're fresh cut, and on this day they were Shelley Idaho potatoes. The regular sized fries are put into a styrofoam cup, which I wish they didn't used...after which, they dump more fries into the bag containing your burger and cup of fries. Here's a pic of the bag after taking out the aforementioned burger and cup:



I think it's kind of unnecessary...but I'm sure a lot of people will think it adds better value to your french fry order.

I would probably return, but will definitely get a little cheeseburger next time. An added bonus at Five Guys is that they have a plethora of toppings, like jalapeno peppers, grilled mushrooms and grilled onions, that you can pile on for free. As it's so close to my office, I'm sure I'll be back. If I could only ask them to make my patties medium rare, I'd give it two enthusiastic thumbs up. As for now, it gets one.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries
690 Third Avenue (b/t 43rd and 44th St)
New York, NY 10017
646-783-5060

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 5 - Black Shack Burger

It's been a long, long time since I've reviewed a burger. It's not that I haven't been eating burgers, but I guess I just didn't feel inclined to write about anything I had.

Well, there's a new burger joint that just opened in my hood and I thought I'd give it a good ole review. They could use the press too. I mentioned that I hadn't read about the place anywhere to the cashier. Her response was that they wanted to build the place organically...through word of mouth. I guess. It's 2009. There are a lot of places for NY'ers to eat. How the shit is someone gonna hear about a random burger spot in the middle of northern Murray Hill if not for press? You don't have to be anti-marketing, you know. Do they have the luxury to sit on a near-empty restaurant while paying for all their expenses? Seriously though, who owns the joint - Ray Kinsella?

So anyway, the joint's called Black Shack Burger. Not Black Iron Burger. Not Shake Shack. But Black Shack. The facade of the place is black. It's dark inside. And the tables look cheap. But these matters are all inconsequential when compared with the food they're serving.

I got the Black Shack Burger unadorned, and a side of fries. If I wanted to wrap up a review of what I had succinctly, I'd say the burger greatly resembled a Whopper and the fries were of the same cut as McDonald's. Maybe they should've named the place McKing. Truth be told, it is a tasty burger. Here's a picture of a half-eaten one:



If you take a look at their menu, you see they've got a couple of other options as well...like a chicken sandwich, a caesar salad or a tofu sandwich. I was just about to hate on the tofu, but I actually mentioned to someone the other day how tofu is actually an awesome product and is versatile in the way it can be prepared. So until I actually try it, I'll reserve judgment. Oh, and they've got five dollar milkshakes, too.




So bottom line - I like it. The price point's okay. It's the best burger (I'm looking at you, Rare) in a 5 block radius from my place. And so, it's a great addition to the nabe. I wish the place much success.

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 4 - Rare Bar & Grill

Yeah, it's been a few since I've last written, but that doesn't mean I've been sitting around idly with my thumb up my arse. Rather, it's been one whirlwind event after another. Among these alcohol-infused escapades, I managed to have lunch with a good friend the other day at Rare Bar & Grill.

As it was my first time, I went with the "Rare" Classic. A downside is that their burgers are not served with any sides, so $9 may seem like a good deal at first glance, but the bill moves ever so upwards when you need to get your potatoes fixings on (fyi, I got the cottage fries). And, if you're in the mood for some toppings, it'll set you back anywhere from $1.50 for various cheeses and vegetables to $5 for the truffle butter or the red wine poached foie gras.



As you can see, the patty is a healthy-sized portion - almost too diesel. The bun was nothing special, but the bottom piece was effective in soaking up the copious amount of juice that flowed out of the burger when bitten into.

Here's a crosscut of the burger:



You can see how juicy the burger is by how much flavah is seen on the plate. And don't ask me why there's raw onions as well as grilled on the burger.

As the place is right around the corner from my apartment, I can imagine ordering a take-out burger when the mood strikes. It's a decent burger and gets an okay in my book.

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 3 - Petey's Burger

It's been a few days/weeks since I've last written. Things have been a bit hectic, especially with my move and all...but I'm still trying to stay committed to this burger thing I've got going.

The next place I hit up was Petey's Burger, located in Astoria, Queens (30-17 30th Avenue), right off the N/W line.

Here's the facade, courtesy of Serious Eats:




Here's the menu for the joint:





The place gets a solid "A" for its burger and fries. I ordered the #2, and my friend got the Petey's Melt. We got it delivered to his apartment, and the service was prompt. The burgers were still warm and the fries were still crisp. Honestly, I think I prefer these fries over Shake Shack's. I don't know what it is, but the krinkle fries at Shake Shack have been going down in quality, at least in my mind.

In any case, I was fucking marvin', so I didn't have a chance to snap any pics. Again, courtesy of SE, here's a pic of the burger I ate:





If you're not into raw onions, make sure to order without.

Some people compare it to In-N-Out. I don't. Petey's FTW. Maybe it's the California sun, or maybe it's something in our water, but I much prefer Petey's.

So in closing, I give Petey's 4 thumbs up. It might even be worth a trip into an outer borough.

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - Pt. 2 - Daddy-O

So somewhere between Second Avenue Deli and dinnertime, I got really, really, really drunk. But it's okay, because I was going for a garbage plate, and I don't know about you, but 99.5% of the time that I consumed a plate, I was tanked. The other .5%, I was unconscious.

Without deviating away from the plot, we (Cheese and I) made sure to order a burger. Long story short, the plate was not of the Rochester kind, and I didn't eat the burger until the next morning.

Apparently, we ordered 2 plates, a burger with tots, and a frankfuter...and a couple of Jameson's and PBR's to wash it all down.

This is what the table looked like after our order came (btw, we definitely did not order 2 plates, as we were going to share it, but somehow the waiter thought we did):




If you know your garbage plates, you know it don't look like that. All I can say is that I had one bite of it and did not have anymore. There was some type of bbq sauce slathered all over it. Wrong! It was pretty gross. I remember having a few tots, and those were great. I wish I had some right now. As for the burger, I woke up the next morning, and half a burger was in the fridge. It wasn't bad for a cold morning burger. I can't say how it tastes right out of the kitchen, but it did the trick the following morning after a serious drink-a-thon. Here's a close-up of it that was shot at the restaurant:



That's what it looks like when you're really, really drunk.

To wrap up another awesome review, this place does not make proper garbage plates. They're lying if they say do. As for the burger, I can't say. I guess the tots are a nice compliment. I was so dejected from the plate fiasco, I don't even give a shit about their burgers.

Next up on the Burger List Review Mania - Petey's Burger in Astoria.




Daddy-O
44 Bedford Street
New York, NY 10014-4498
(212) 414-8884
44 Bedford Street New York, NY 10014-4498 - (212) 414-8884

The Master Burger List Review Bonanza - The Inception - Second Avenue Deli

Last Thursday, February 12, the New York City Burger Tour commenced. One could describe it as starting off with a whimper, or rather, an inauspicious starting point to a truly noble endeavor for mankind. I have no idea what the fuck I'm rambling about. Let's just get to the reviews.

The first stop on the burger tour is probably not a place you'd think of getting a hamburger - with good reason. It just happened that we (Chuckie Cheese and I) were in the vicinity of Second Avenue Deli, so of course we were going to grab lunch there. Well, they have hamburgers on the menu, and though I've never gotten one in the many years I've been going, I felt like it was my job to order one, eat it, and review it...as I had just undertaken a burger list review mania. In other words, I took one for the team. You can thank me in bottles of Jameson later.

For those of yous who've never had the 2nd Ave experience, when you sit, you promptly get this with your water with lemon:















Then we order chopped liver because there was no fucking way we weren't going to order it. If it wasn't so unhealthy, I'd eat it every other day. Here's what it looked like right before it was finished off:
















And now, booyahkasha, the burger:




Looks like the burger pattie got dropped into the deep fat fryer, right? That's because it probably was. I asked our kind waitress what kind of meat was used and how it was prepared...and she looked at me like I was a korean in a kosher restaurant. I got no reply. Suffice to say, it wasn't good.






Close-up:































Here's a crosscut:















Aftermath:














With that said, who cares how it was dressed or what kind of bun it was served on. The moral to this first burger review is - you don't go to Second Avenue Deli for a burger. There's no need to describe what it tasted like - you just don't order a burger at Second Ave. You also don't go there for lean brisket or dairy products. Oh, and the fries were okay. I'm gonna go ahead and say they were Russet potatoes.

So yeah, you can see how this start to the burger review tour didn't pop off with a home run. It was more like a swing-and-a-miss at a balk. Fail all around. (Ohhh, what a smooth transition to a baseball analogy. Can't wait until the start of the season.)

Well, that's the first place on the list I can cross off. That evening, Cheese and I hit up another restaurant under the auspice of getting garbage plates in NYC with the intention of supplementing it with a burger. If you don't know what a garbage plate is, sorry. Or maybe, lucky. Either way, I'm a (true a la Rochester-stylee) garbage plate fan. Stay tuned for the hilarious report/review coming shortly.