Ill-Timed Roadtrips: New Haven, Connecticut

Occasionally, despite overwhelming outward confidence, I can be a little too bold for the sake of a good meal. For a week we had planned a short day trip to New Haven, but the forecast incomprehensibly predicted snow. "Snow?" I scoffed. If Hurricane Irene was overrated, then certainly this snowfall would, at most, consist of a few flurries falling on overeager weathermen.

Not so. Amidst the pouring rain, we picked up our rental car, which was armed with suspiciously weak headlights, for what was supposed to be a fairly short drive. I'll avoid describing our first stop, Cannelle Patisserie, for the sake of narrative consistency. Suffice to say, everything I tried out of the $30 worth of pastries Melissa and Emily purchased was pretty damn good.

By this time, the freezing rain had turned into heavy snow as we headed north on I 95. As the self-designated driver, I was determined to show off my hardcore driving skills, but before we reached New Haven, I had to pee. Also, we needed gas.

Luckily, Colony Grill in Stamford was only an exit away. Stepping out of the car, I sunk to my ankles in slush. We scattered and ran inside, sliding into a long booth, hoping in vain to dry off. The bar style pizzas here are only $8.50, plus $1.50 a topping. Resolved to pace ourselves, we ordered one pie with hot oil, which is the draw.

True to its reputation, the hot oil had a slow burn, but the ripper did not. It had a quick, intense burn. The thin crust was nice, but not better than Star Tavern, the gold standard in bar pizza. Good pizza, but I'd probably hyped it up a bit too much in my mind. Slightly disappointed, we trudged out of the bar and sprinted to the car, continuing our journey.

Colony Grill
172 Myrtle Avenue
Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 359-2184

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.

The Burger at The Little Owl

Full coverage is important, I thought, as I slipped into a seat at the four person bar for an innocuous lunch at The Little Owl in the West Village. I was here to belatedly try the most raved about burger of 2009, an act which reeked of obligation, especially since I'd deviated from my earlier plans to eat at the Spotted Pig.

The burger had been dubbed the "best in the world" by a London Observer columnist who seems to have never visited any of the places in his article. Slightly more respectable outlets such as Saveur declared it the best burger in the city and New York Magazine was similarly gushing in its praise. Still, I'd never bothered.

In retrospect, I'm not sure why I had negative (or merely muted) expectations. I now regret my omission, since The Little Owl makes a damn good burger.

The Spotted Pig: Go Often, But Go Early

To call The Spotted Pig "popular" would be a gross understatement. Ever since opening in 2004, this West Village gastropub has been perpetually packed to the gills with hungry diners. Backed by an array of music industry titans, Chef April Bloomfield and her business partner Ken Friedman, lay claim to one of Manhattan's more popular restaurants-- and most sought after stools. Boasting an impressive beer selection and Bloomfield's refined approach to English pub grub, one would be wise to visit the Spotted Pig during off hours or risk hour-plus waits. But while dinner may indeed be worth the wait, multiple visits have taught me that the best option is weekday lunch.

Zaitzeff: Last in the Alphabet and Last in My Heart

I first tried Zaitzeff in 2008 and didn't like it. Almost three years later, after starting a food blog and with a whole mess of NYC's finest burgers under my belt, a few weeks ago I found myself again walking by Zaitzeff's Lower Manhattan location around lunchtime. My curiosity (and masochism) got the better of me (as it tends to do).

A few minutes later I'd dropped almost $18 on a burger and fries.

RUB: The Gargiulo Burger

It's been too long since I've had a RUB burger. Last night, I finally made it back with a large group of friends. We tried everything from burnt ends to smoked Sichuan duck and ribs, but as always, it was the burger that stood out.

Behold the "Gargiulo Burger," inspired by the burger served at Brennan & Carr. Between a kaiser roll is RUB's fantastic patty topped with roast beef, sauteed onions and cheese sauce. Finally, the whole burger is dipped in beef jus.

Oddly sensual, and dripping with meaty juices, the burger was much easier to eat than it looked, even when split in half. I shared one with Steve (along with a RUB burger). The cheese sauce was subtle, but the onions and roast beef highlighted the patty.

Of course, now I have to try the Brennan & Carr original.

Damn You (Walt) Whitmans

I really want to like Whitmans, and I actually kind of do. The problem is, despite the fact that "like" is the strongest positive reinforcement you can give on Facebook, in real life and in NYC, "like" simply isn't good enough any more (especially with so many great burger options).

For example, if I were in the area for lunch and craving a burger (a typical occurrence), I'd choose Brindle Room in an instant. When placed side by side with Whitman's dry-aged burger (pictured below), there's no comparison.

What's the best way to ruin a dry-aged burger? Add horseradish sauce, which completely masked the flavor of the dry-aged beef. I've never been much of a fan of cheddar on my burgers either. However, I do have to give them credit for using what looks to be Martin's "Big Marty" sesame seed rolls-- a personal favorite of mine.

Atlanta: "The Burger" at Holeman & Finch Public House

Spending a long weekend in Atlanta, the burger at Holeman & Finch was the one thing I had to try. Long on my "Official List of Burger Anticipation," (the OLBA is accepting 2011 submissions...) the H&F burger is a griddled, two patty monstrosity with everything except the American cheese and red onions made in house. Exactly my kind of burger.

There are two ways to get this burger: either fight through the hoards of people clamoring to get one of a handful of burgers at 10 PM exactly, or go for brunch, when the burger is on the regular menu. We ended up going for brunch after first failing miserably on a Friday night, when my buddy's girlfriend was nastily quoted a four hour wait. We sure showed them by showing up on Sunday morning shortly before their 11:30 AM opening and getting in line...

Bold Burgers at Brindle Room

Most everything in NYC was closed the day after the Great Blizzard of 2010. Frantically calling restaurants around town, phones just rang endlessly, disappointing me at every turn ("uh, can you accomodate a group of 9?"), but Brindle Room came through in the clutch. I guess it's not surprising, since chef and owner Jeremy Spector apparently lives above his cozy East Village spot. Lucky for us, and we each eventually fought through the snow (and public transportation hell) to fill nearly half of the narrow restaurant.

Steve accidentally called it "The Bindle Room," which sounds like a secret hobo hangout, but it's actually very nice inside. Dark wood dominates, with two rows of hightops leading up to a long bar in the back of the restaurant.

That day the burgers were very good. Sure, there were some minor issues, but for obvious reasons I was in a forgiving mood. Even so, I was floored by how much complex, dry aged flavor was packed into the beef, which dominated in a way that seemed even more pure than the infamous Minetta Tavern Black Label Burger (and at $12, for half the price). However, I had some minor issues with the cheese selection (no American?) and the fries were nothing special.

Obtaining My Weekly Meat Injection at Minetta Tavern

A few weeks ago, my meat intake had reached a critical mass. I'd overloaded on Brooklyn deli fare, burgers and other meat-centric foods too numerous to name (I'll stop there, since any itemized list of such intake is bound to make me depressed). In short, I needed a break from these meaty gastronomic pleasures.

Knowing that Steve and I would soon stuff ourselves like kings (or Keith McNally) at Minetta Tavern, I vowed to not eat meat from that Monday until our meal the following Saturday night.

I mostly succeeded.

Living around West Indians, many of whom consider vegan eating to be a way of life, certainly helped-- as did frequent trips to Sahadi's on Atlantic Avenue for a satisfying mix of salads, pita and hummus. And I would also be negligent not to mention how key peanut butter & jelly sandwiches were that week. Sure, I guess I must confess to inadvertently eating a stray chicken nugget while drunk the night before my big dinner-- but other than that (and by my standards), Noah's Mostly Vegetarian Week of 2010 was an utter success.

...A success that was almost completely undone by our meal at Minetta Tavern.

Shorless Acres Serious Food: A Burger From My Past

Despite there being many great burgers in New York City (Burger Joint, J. G. Melon and Shake Shack just to name a few), you'll have to travel all the way to Livonia, New York to find my favorite. A converted rail car, Serious Food (formerly known as Hots to Trot), is located on the southeastern tip of Conesus Lake. Only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Serious Food is busy serving up burgers and hots to the many families who escape to the lake during the summer months, and while the restaurant's owners could most certainly capitalize on its popularity and stay open year round, they refuse, choosing instead to retire to their house in Jamaica each winter. So on a holiday weekend trip back home you can be sure I was bound to stop by for a burger...or two.

Obligatory RUB Burger Post

Hey so sue me, I wanted to watch the US Open and catch some of the Jets/Ravens game after work. It just conveniently happened to be the Monday night when RUB BBQ serves their burger. It was also only a 15 minute subway ride. Really, I had no choice.

Tonight's special was the fried green tomato burger served with arugula, red onions, remoulade and munster cheese.

Even with the arugula, it needed more bite (swap one of those fried tomatoes with a fried pickle and I'm sold). The fried tomatoes were awesome though, with the crust clinging perfectly to the firm fruit (yeah- that's right). Not sure about the munster-- always the most inoffensive of cheeses. Solid, but no bearnaise burger (the very thought of which still causes me to salivate uncontrollably).

On a slight tangent, I tried the burger at Molly's Shebeen for the first time on Friday night. All I can say is that it's a fair burger far overrated by the one-of-a-kind pub atmosphere. Truly a great place to get housed on Magner's for no good reason.

Banh Mi Burger at RUB

I told myself I was just going to make a simple, light dinner last night, but the siren call of RUB's Monday burger special proved to much to overcome (as usual). After a few phone calls, and one extreme cop-out (you know who you are), The Quaker and I met at RUB at 7 to partake in this week's special burger: a banh mi burger.

After our usual order of chili cheese fries, our impressive looking banh mi burger arrived.

The sandwich contained all the typical accompaniments to a banh mi: cilantro, pickled daikon and carrots, a tasty (but slightly under-funky) housemade paté on top of a crusty bread. The bread itself was more akin to the bread used in the Momofuku banh mi-- slightly crustier and a little thicker. I had no problem with this, since a typical rice flour baguette probably would have collapsed under the circumstances.

The patty, besides having the normally excellent sear, contained shallots, garlic, fish sauce, peanuts and coconut milk. Taken together, it tasted quite faithful to an actual banh mi. Unfortunately, it was missing the final ingredient that would have taken this sandwich (wouldn't call it a burger) over the top: heat. I wanted at least a few fresh, sliced jalapeno or birds' eye chiles, or even the less authentic sriracha, in order to hit every flavor note imaginable.

Regardless, I would order this again (if that were possible). The Quaker suggested making one myself, but I think it would be easier to make my own patty then head to Banh Mi Saigon and slap it between a number 1...

Bonus picture of the original RUB Burger after the jump.

Did I Mention I Like to Eat Burgers? Shake Shack UES, J.G. Melon & Bill's Bar & Burger

Late Summer in the Upper East Side smells mainly of dog piss (with the occasional, surprise whiff of crap exciting the senses). Really, not to get graphic, but as I'm typing outside in the East 80's it smells like a dog is pissing in my nostrils.

Lately, however, the powerful smell of cooking burgers has replaced the official scent of the UES along a busy stretch of East 86th Street. Of course I'm talking about the new Shake Shack. With the opening of the fourth Manhattan branch earlier this month (and more on the way), the Shack has assured its near total domination of the NYC burger scene. Yet, like I said in my previous post discussing Shake Shack ad naseum, this is not a bad thing-- as it has forced others to up their game, competing in an ever intensifying burger arms race which can only result in MAD, or Mutually Assured Deliciousness. (A terrible Cold War reference/joke, I know.)

I'd rather not speculate as to how many times we've used this picture.

Left Coast Vacation 2010: Day 5 - In-N-Out Burger

Growing up in New York, I've heard the praises of In-N-Out Burger my whole life. Far and away considered to be the pinnacle of fast food, I've longed for the day I could finally sink my teeth into a Double-Double "Animal Style." Fast forward to April 1, 2010 when multiple New York blogs initially reported breaking news that In-N-Out Burger would be coming to Manhattan later that summer. Near hysteria threatened to erupt as it was later revealed to be a clever, albeit cruel, April fool's prank. But as fate would have it, I would have the last laugh and enjoyed my first In-N-Out Burger two months later.

A Real Life Advertisement For Shake Shack

I finally made it out to the new Theater District Shake Shack in the Intercontinental Hotel for lunch on Saturday to satisfy a vicious craving for a burger and ice cream on an oppressively hot July afternoon. The line was nothing compared to the original location, stopping right at the door to the long, narrow space. A blast of AC hit me in the face as an awkward employee handed me a menu and attempted to explain the Shake Shack concept. I turned up my iPod and ignored him. (I know we've posted on Shake Shack multiple times here and here, but this is a new location, surely making it worthy of yet another post.)

Photo courtesy of Eater

I ordered and received my food all within 20 minutes-- much more efficient than Madison Square Park already. To satisfy my burger craving I got a double Shackburger (I think the cheese in the stuffed mushroom overwhelms everything else in the Shack Attack). It had by far the best sear of any Shake Shack burger I'd ever eaten, but as a result was completely cooked through with only a light schmear of shack sauce. Oh well. Minor quibbles, since there's still plenty of flavor in the beef. Craving definitely satisfied (for now).

Across the Burger Spectrum

Before getting to the good stuff, I'm going to tell you about a bad burger I ate recently. In my zeal to try all the burgers in Midtown East, I had my first really awful burger from a Greek diner called Townhouse-something-or-other in the East 30's (I really don't even care about this place enough to look up the real name).

Seeing that the only two options for cheese were cheddar or feta should have been my first red flag, but I rolled with it and decided for feta. It was a Greek diner so it seemed right (and I've never liked cheddar on burgers). When the burger arrived at my apartment in little over 30 minutes, I immediately noticed the soggy, grease flavored fries and all around sad appearance.

The burger itself was an overly charred, preformed patty with a melted spitball of feta placed between the limp bun and soggy, browning lettuce and tomatoes. Yet, having spent twelve bucks, this was my dinner whether I liked it or not. I picked off the rabbit food and went for the burger. All I tasted was charred beef and salty feta... maybe not the worst burger but absolutely not something I would spend money on again.

I got through about three quarters of the burger before deciding I'd had enough. I started to feel slightly sick to my stomach almost immediately (although it could have been psychosomatic). A fruit cup also came with the burger and I stupidly figured it would be palatable (and healthy). I had four pieces of bland, wet fruit before seeing a crushed mosquito chilling on a grape. A second wave of disgust hit me, and my stomach felt even worse. At this point, I was determined to not let this burger pass through my system, so I decided to do the unthinkable.

I've never actually "made" myself throw up. Admittedly while lying in bed, curled up a fetal position and clutching my stomach after a long night of drinking-- I've given up the struggle and dragged myself into the bathroom. But sticking-fingers-into-throat to make myself throw up-- never.

Hell, I'm an adventurous guy who is willing to try new things, so I might as well make the attempt. A few tentative pokes activated my gag reflex, but nothing happened besides some weak spit. Now I was pissed. If a college Freshman girl can do this, surely I can make it happen? I jammed two fingers into the back of my throat, sending a shock of pain down to my Adam's apple, but now all that came out was acidic stomach juice. I tried in vain a few more times, but my stomach only got angrier and  my throat throbbed harder. I finally gave up, collapsing onto my couch with an overwhelming feeling of failure.

So now that I've disgusted everyone with my tale of burger and personal failure (and if you're still reading), let me describe a far better burger experience last week on a return trip to The Breslin. My first meal was a letdown, but I had not tried the burger, one of the most popular options on the menu.

I Am the Mayor of Midtown East Burgers!

Through sheer coincidence, recently I've happened to eat a lot of burgers near my apartment in Midtown East. After this week's samplings, I've eaten most every burger in my quaint neighborhood, so I figured that gives me some kind of expertise (in theory). I won't talk about every burger, since some are not worth discussing, but here's a small sampling.

Photo Courtesy of Digiart2001

"For The Cheap, Fat Bastard"
Blarney Stone is a total dive, but has a humongous, dirt cheap burger and is a Midtown Lunch favorite. Places like the Blarney Stone are too rare in NY these days (just watch for mice running around on the floors after-hours). The burger is a monster, and $6 with onion rings, fries or a salad (add 25 cents for cheese).

Blarney Stone cheeseburger.

It's cooked close to medium by default, which is fine with me (due to the obvious hygienic issues I've mentioned). But the burger is good enough that I don't really care, as are the other items on a menu full of American classics. They also have a wide selection of cheap beers so you can get sloshed with the regulars at all hours of the day. When I last ate here, I added dijon mustard and homemade salted chiles for an awesome lunch.

"Guaranteed Food Coma"
Five Guys on 3rd Avenue is probably not going to win the award for best location in the fast-growing franchise, but it does serve it's purpose for greasy, fast food. The burger itself tastes like a done-up Wendy's cheeseburger, but with thicker patties. They come tightly wrapped, so tight in fact that upon opening the foil, the burger is usually a condensed ball with all of your free toppings mashed together. My order of choice is the double cheeseburger (or regular) with bacon, mustard, grilled onions and mushrooms and jalapenos (fresh, not pickled for some reason). Just unhinge your jaw, make sucking noises and eat.

Shake Shack: A Burger Worth Waiting For

It seems that some restaurateurs become so entrenched in a particular neighborhood in Manhattan that they inevitably become synonymous with it. An example of this analogy might read: Batali is to Greenwich Village as David Chang is to the East Village. Another would be Danny Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group's (USHG) association with the Gramercy area. Although Meyer's reach has expanded into into Queens (Citi Field) and will eventually become international (Dubai), Madison Square Park remains home to some of his most iconic restaurants. From basmati (Tabla) to BBQ (Blue Smoke), Meyer has found success with multiple cuisines. Yet a simple burger "shack" may be the most popular of them all. Since its inception in 2004, Shake Shack's popularity can be traced to Meyer's ability to deliver a gourmet version of a beloved food. Though it holds itself out as a "fast food" joint, rest assured, Shake Shack is anything but your average McDonald's.

For the uninitiated, Shake Shack's line is a sight to behold. A phalanx of hungry New Yorkers perpetually feeding a never-ending beast that often spills onto the nearby sidewalk during peak times. The line is so notorious that the Shake Shack website features a Shack Cam, allowing viewers to see "real-time" images of the line so they may plan their trip accordingly. Additionally, there is even an iphone application aptly called, "The Shackdown," which allows users to share this important information to their burger-loving friends. Clearly, Shake Shack is anything but "fast" food. Shake Shack's popularity may inadvertently be its own undoing. Whenever anyone mentions Shake Shack the conversation inevitably shifts to whether it's worth the wait; a topic TheChief lamented about in a post that you can read here. Coincidentally, while standing in-line on a recent visit I was approached by a tourist who asked me, "is the burger worth it?" Obviously referring to the long wait. I hesitated before replying, "it all depends." I felt bad that I couldn't give him better advice but to me, it all comes down to a subjective cost-benefit determination that may vary person-to-person. What one considers a reasonable wait may be irrational to another, and so on and so forth.

Another RUB Down

I can't stop thinking about the special RUB Burger I ate last night. I convinced The Quaker, who had already eaten a burger for lunch, to come with me to RUB (such is its pull) for the special of the week Bearnaise burger, which, as you might imagine, was doused in Bearnaise sauce.

No pictures this time, see here for more pictures from our previous visit.

I can still taste it right now. I've raved about the crust, whose flavor is accentuated by a small amount of aged meat, but the tarragon and vinegar in the Bearnaise (which I love with a good dry-aged steak), when mixed with the meat juice from the burger, were in perfect harmony. The Quaker was initially skeptical about the potential quality of the sauce, but we both agreed that it was delicious. We split the Bearnaise burger along with a RUB Burger and some chili cheese fries, which were made with crispy fries and a high quality chili, but cost $8.50. Regardless of the price ($7.50 for the Bearnaise Burger), I could have eaten three. Thinking of the sauce mixing with the burger juice makes me want to attempt Sauce Foyot, which is a Bearnaise with concentrated meat stock added.

I told the waiter how much I liked the burger as he was clearing our paper plates, he said: "I love the chef's Bearnaise." It sounded weird, but I have to agree with him.