Brooklyn Burger Battles

The burger scene in Downtown Brooklyn is changing by the day, and the chain restaurants are taking over. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Shake Shack's announcement that they'd be coming to Brooklyn, right in the middle of Borough Hall, anchoring the Fulton Street Mall has seemingly set off a burger arms race in the area, and with Shake Shack is taking its sweet time, in the meantime, two other niche burger chains, Jake's Wayback Burgers and Smashburger, have seized the momentum.

On opening day a few weeks ago, I went to Jake's Wayback for an early lunch, ordering a Jake Cheeseburger with fries. Burgers are ordered much like at Five Guys, where you can pick from a list of free toppings. I added pickles and onions (and possibly jalapenos). 

I had zero expectations. In fact, since this chain is based on Long Island chain, I was even more suspicious. Yet the burger was surprisingly good, reminiscent of Steak & Shake, which I'm pretty sure is the effect they were going for, and the two patties had developed a nice crust without losing too much juiciness. The fries were well seasoned, but that's probably the only good thing I can say about them. I'd go back, but not after Shake Shack opens.

Smashburger after the jump.

Things I'm Addicted To: Pistachio Nougat

For me, Sahadi's has become a crucial lunch spot for a temporary escape from the high stress of the Kings County court system. A pita and hummus, along with one of their many salads makes for a great light lunch.

However, if not for the pistachio nougat, I doubt I'd be there as often. I'm a huge fan of pistachio desserts, especially when they're not too sweet. At Sahadi's, you can get the nougats by the pound (which goes a long way, and will run you around $6.50). I order them by the handful and eat them faster than seems possible.

"Things I'm Addicted To" seems like an good idea for a column, but may get uncomfortably personal. Let's find out together!