11/2/09- Jerry's Cafe:
Someone once told me you can't make bad pizza. Well, you can make a bad burger, and this place serves one in an old fashioned diner. On a side note- what kind of old fashioned diner themed location has NO SHAKES????
The burger was served with a side of fries and the sesame seed bun was soggy and falling apart. The burger itself was overcooked for all three participants at this lunch (Dan, Alex and myself). The result of the overcooked burger was a dried out hockey puck with no real flavor. Even the additions at $1 each couldn't save this burger, although the additional hickory smoked bacon for $1 was well worth the extra.
The burgers left us so unfulfilled that I even order a signature "Jerry's Mac & Cheese" and that wasn't so spectacular either.
I am sure that Alex will think I am being too hard on this review but as soon as he saw that the menu had "truffle" fries on it, he was in love. I think Alex's obsession with all things truffled is an indication of a deeper issue that may be better served by a psychiatrist's couch than by a burger blog. That said, Jerry's moves to the bottom of the list as fast as you can say "truffled Alex."
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Zaitzeff
10/16/09
Current Rank: 3
This burger spot Downtown was a pleasant suprise. We had a full compliment of burger hunters with us for this friday afternoon lunch(4 straight days of Burgers). In addition, we had a guest burger hunter with us, Nick. Nick was good enough to write a review and I will let that review speak for itself:
My trip to Zaitzeff with the NY burger hunt team was quite the experience. While I have observed Cory in social situations on several occasions he always manages to surprise me with both his actions and words.
Now on to the burger. I love the Zaitzeff burger. You have to go with the kobe, as I have found the regular sirloin to be bland. As great as the kobe is, it is not Carmelo Anthony, which unfortunately is not on the menu.
The kobe burger is always juicy. It isn't seasoned but has the right amount of fat to create a really nice, rich flavor. The burger comes with a choice of cheese. I would strongly recommend the cheddar. Unlike most burger cheeses, you can actually taste the cheddar. It is wonderfully sharp and adds to the flavor of the burger. I also love the sauteed onions which also come standard. They add a nice flavor and almost act as seasoning for the beef itself. The burger is served on a toasted English muffin, another nice touch.
It probably isn't the best in the City, but I strongly believe that it is entirely underrated by many of the burger ranking guides. Oh, and Cory ran across Broadway on our walk back to the office and just missed getting hit by a bus. He did this so as not to have to walk with us. Thank you Cory.
Thanks to Nick for his review. I will say that the review is right on target as the burgers were a treat. Everyone else had the 1/4 pound Kobe burgers but I opted for the 1/2 pound Kobe. The onions were great and the cheese was so good that I asked what kind it was. (Aged Vermont Cheddar). This burger paired perfectly with a Spaten Beer.
The sweet Potato Fries add a nice option to the menu and the serving size was huge.
Finally, don't tell Nick, but I liked the bun so much that I asked about it and found out that it was not an English muffin but instead a Portuguese Muffin. (Like a cross between an English muffin and a potato roll). This Bun basically soaked up the grease, onions, and melted cheese and made sure that none of the flavor was lost.
The only negative I could come up with is that the cheapest burger (1/4 sirloin is $8.75) and my 1/2 pound kobe burger was $15.50 without any sides. After adding toppings, fries and a beer, a typical lunch will cost close to $25.00. You don't have to be named Dan to find that a little on the pricey side. That said, I will be going back as it is close to my office and the burger was great.
Finally- Cory did partcipate in this lunch so I hope that he posts a comment.
Current Rank: 3
This burger spot Downtown was a pleasant suprise. We had a full compliment of burger hunters with us for this friday afternoon lunch(4 straight days of Burgers). In addition, we had a guest burger hunter with us, Nick. Nick was good enough to write a review and I will let that review speak for itself:
My trip to Zaitzeff with the NY burger hunt team was quite the experience. While I have observed Cory in social situations on several occasions he always manages to surprise me with both his actions and words.
Now on to the burger. I love the Zaitzeff burger. You have to go with the kobe, as I have found the regular sirloin to be bland. As great as the kobe is, it is not Carmelo Anthony, which unfortunately is not on the menu.
The kobe burger is always juicy. It isn't seasoned but has the right amount of fat to create a really nice, rich flavor. The burger comes with a choice of cheese. I would strongly recommend the cheddar. Unlike most burger cheeses, you can actually taste the cheddar. It is wonderfully sharp and adds to the flavor of the burger. I also love the sauteed onions which also come standard. They add a nice flavor and almost act as seasoning for the beef itself. The burger is served on a toasted English muffin, another nice touch.
It probably isn't the best in the City, but I strongly believe that it is entirely underrated by many of the burger ranking guides. Oh, and Cory ran across Broadway on our walk back to the office and just missed getting hit by a bus. He did this so as not to have to walk with us. Thank you Cory.
Thanks to Nick for his review. I will say that the review is right on target as the burgers were a treat. Everyone else had the 1/4 pound Kobe burgers but I opted for the 1/2 pound Kobe. The onions were great and the cheese was so good that I asked what kind it was. (Aged Vermont Cheddar). This burger paired perfectly with a Spaten Beer.
The sweet Potato Fries add a nice option to the menu and the serving size was huge.
Finally, don't tell Nick, but I liked the bun so much that I asked about it and found out that it was not an English muffin but instead a Portuguese Muffin. (Like a cross between an English muffin and a potato roll). This Bun basically soaked up the grease, onions, and melted cheese and made sure that none of the flavor was lost.
The only negative I could come up with is that the cheapest burger (1/4 sirloin is $8.75) and my 1/2 pound kobe burger was $15.50 without any sides. After adding toppings, fries and a beer, a typical lunch will cost close to $25.00. You don't have to be named Dan to find that a little on the pricey side. That said, I will be going back as it is close to my office and the burger was great.
Finally- Cory did partcipate in this lunch so I hope that he posts a comment.
Burger Burger
10/15/09
Current Rank: 5
The bun was really good. That is about the only positive I could come up with. Maybe it was because I had the burger delivered instead of eating it there- Whatever the reason, "Burger Burger" was just "Bad Bad."
As you can see from the prior posts, today is three straight days of burgers and this morning, Alex flat out refused to eat a burger. Instead, he declared that lunch today would be chicken and asparagus as he could not take three days of burgers in a row. Dan also declared that his tuna salad sandwich wrapped in a fancy napkin meant that there would be no burger splurge for him today. As such, I had to take matters into my own hands and order two bacon cheeseburgers delivered to the office with a chocolate shake. Why two?- I knew that Alex would not be able to say no once the burgers arrived (and even if he did, I knew that I could eat both myself).
The burger itself was juicy, (Angus is not Kobe, but it is clearly a step above your run of the mill chuck) but it was too well done for both Alex and Myself. The fries were good and the shake was average. For now, this place is not at the top of our list. Perhaps the delivery time took something away from the quality. For the sake of fairness, I will visit Burger Burger and eat there- sort of a second chance. I will bring Cory, however, so Burger Burger better bring their A- Game. They should also lower their urinals 6 inches or Cory will give them a bad review.
Current Rank: 5
The bun was really good. That is about the only positive I could come up with. Maybe it was because I had the burger delivered instead of eating it there- Whatever the reason, "Burger Burger" was just "Bad Bad."
As you can see from the prior posts, today is three straight days of burgers and this morning, Alex flat out refused to eat a burger. Instead, he declared that lunch today would be chicken and asparagus as he could not take three days of burgers in a row. Dan also declared that his tuna salad sandwich wrapped in a fancy napkin meant that there would be no burger splurge for him today. As such, I had to take matters into my own hands and order two bacon cheeseburgers delivered to the office with a chocolate shake. Why two?- I knew that Alex would not be able to say no once the burgers arrived (and even if he did, I knew that I could eat both myself).
The burger itself was juicy, (Angus is not Kobe, but it is clearly a step above your run of the mill chuck) but it was too well done for both Alex and Myself. The fries were good and the shake was average. For now, this place is not at the top of our list. Perhaps the delivery time took something away from the quality. For the sake of fairness, I will visit Burger Burger and eat there- sort of a second chance. I will bring Cory, however, so Burger Burger better bring their A- Game. They should also lower their urinals 6 inches or Cory will give them a bad review.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Wall Street Burger Shoppe
10/14/09
Current Rank: 1
This one was a bit of a surprise. We had all heard so much about the Burger Joint (see 10/13), and enjoyed yesterday's burgers so much that it was a total shock that across the board, our burger hunters selected the Wall Street Burger Shoppe Burger as the better burger. My personal order was the Real Deal, which consists of two burgers, a half and half order(half fries, half onion rings) and a chocolate shake. The burgers were "merger" burgers which is the Wall Street Burger Shoppe way of saying a Double cheese burger.
If you read nothing else, read this- the Applewood Smoked Bacon is worth every penny of the $2.00 charge.
The burgers are a little on the small size, but since I had doubles, it was the perfect amount of meat. The burgers were seasoned well and may have been the juiciest burgers I have ever had. Skip the gimmicky $175.00 Kobe Burger with Truffles and just get your self the regular cheeseburger- you won't be disappointed.
In addition to a top notch burger, the onion rings are beer battered and the fries are hand cut and delicious.
On the negative side, the shake was nothing special and definitely not worth the $5.00 price tag. In addition, the service was about as bad as it gets. We had 6 people with us for lunch and our food was not served until 45 minutes after we ordered. Michele, one of our guest eaters, ordered the portobello mushroom burger and a salad on the side. When we asked the server what was taking so long, we were actually told that we were waiting for the salad. So, it took 45 minutes and the thing that was holding everything up was the only item that did not need to be cooked??- It may just be me, but I think our waitress was being as truthful as Mike usually is.
Another negative is that you should expect to pay at least 15-20 dollars for lunch as the real deal should be ordered. While the hefty price tag moved this place up a notch in Alex's eyes, not everyone was thrilled by the prices. The restaurant is a decent trip from our office so we took a train to lunch. On the way back, Dan walked so far ahead of us, so fast that when we got on the train, he was not with us. We wondered why he chose to walk back and about an hour later I figured it out. Specifically, I noticed that Dan had a band-aid on his arm and he was looking a little pale. As it turns out, Dan stopped on the way back to the office to sell his blood so he could pay for his lunch. If that is what it takes, so be it, because in my humble opinion, the burger was worth it.
Another positive was that we did not get one complaint from Cory. (He wasn't there).
You know the food is good when you have to wait 45 minutes to eat and you still leave the restaurant satisfied and eager to return. I hope that next time the service/wait time is a little better. In addition, we ate in the upstairs dining area which has a rustic saloon feel to it. The downstairs area looks like a diner out of the 50's. Maybe next time we will try the downstairs area.
We will have to go back again to make sure that this place consistently delivers but based on our experience there, it will be tough to knock this place from the top spot.
Current Rank: 1
This one was a bit of a surprise. We had all heard so much about the Burger Joint (see 10/13), and enjoyed yesterday's burgers so much that it was a total shock that across the board, our burger hunters selected the Wall Street Burger Shoppe Burger as the better burger. My personal order was the Real Deal, which consists of two burgers, a half and half order(half fries, half onion rings) and a chocolate shake. The burgers were "merger" burgers which is the Wall Street Burger Shoppe way of saying a Double cheese burger.
If you read nothing else, read this- the Applewood Smoked Bacon is worth every penny of the $2.00 charge.
The burgers are a little on the small size, but since I had doubles, it was the perfect amount of meat. The burgers were seasoned well and may have been the juiciest burgers I have ever had. Skip the gimmicky $175.00 Kobe Burger with Truffles and just get your self the regular cheeseburger- you won't be disappointed.
In addition to a top notch burger, the onion rings are beer battered and the fries are hand cut and delicious.
On the negative side, the shake was nothing special and definitely not worth the $5.00 price tag. In addition, the service was about as bad as it gets. We had 6 people with us for lunch and our food was not served until 45 minutes after we ordered. Michele, one of our guest eaters, ordered the portobello mushroom burger and a salad on the side. When we asked the server what was taking so long, we were actually told that we were waiting for the salad. So, it took 45 minutes and the thing that was holding everything up was the only item that did not need to be cooked??- It may just be me, but I think our waitress was being as truthful as Mike usually is.
Another negative is that you should expect to pay at least 15-20 dollars for lunch as the real deal should be ordered. While the hefty price tag moved this place up a notch in Alex's eyes, not everyone was thrilled by the prices. The restaurant is a decent trip from our office so we took a train to lunch. On the way back, Dan walked so far ahead of us, so fast that when we got on the train, he was not with us. We wondered why he chose to walk back and about an hour later I figured it out. Specifically, I noticed that Dan had a band-aid on his arm and he was looking a little pale. As it turns out, Dan stopped on the way back to the office to sell his blood so he could pay for his lunch. If that is what it takes, so be it, because in my humble opinion, the burger was worth it.
Another positive was that we did not get one complaint from Cory. (He wasn't there).
You know the food is good when you have to wait 45 minutes to eat and you still leave the restaurant satisfied and eager to return. I hope that next time the service/wait time is a little better. In addition, we ate in the upstairs dining area which has a rustic saloon feel to it. The downstairs area looks like a diner out of the 50's. Maybe next time we will try the downstairs area.
We will have to go back again to make sure that this place consistently delivers but based on our experience there, it will be tough to knock this place from the top spot.
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Burger Joint
10/13/09
Current Rank: 2
The Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien was an easy pick for our hunt. This burger is consistently in the top 5 of just about every burger ranking we could find. As such, it made sense for us to try the burger and use it as a measuring stick for future burgers to compare to.
At the outset, I must take a moment to comment on the location and atmosphere. A trip here is like a trip to a speakeasy. Not everyone knows about it and it is tucked away so that if you aren't looking for it, you could walk right by without even knowing it was there. In fact, behind the curtain, there is no sign, and nothing to draw attention to the Joint. Instead, a simple neon burger lights the way. (Oh, and the smell of burger is unavoidable if you get within 20 feet of the restaurant). Once you find it, you are presented with a menu and ordering directions that were drawn with colored markers. The walls are covered with celebrity pictures and autographs marking their visits to this hidden gem. The walls appear to be for celebrities only, however, as a sign warns "We don't spit in your food, so don't write on our walls."
The burger was excellent and at $7.35, it did not break the bank. (I personally had three cheeseburgers, fries and a shake so my wallet did take a hit). The burger is not a steakhouse burger, but it did not lack flavor. In addition, you order it the way you like(with an option for "the works" of course). Lets be honest, if you are looking for a kobe burger to knock your socks off, this is not the place for you. It is far from gourmet dining. You are not getting artwork on artisinal bread. In fact, the bun is the same Arnold's bun that you probably use for your own backyard barbeques. (I am Serious). That said, the burger is juicy and delicious and good enough for me to go back and get a third.
You can skip the fries as they are nothing special, but the three of us that made the trip unanimously recommend the chocolate shake. When I got my third burger I tried to buy a second shake but they told me that the blender was broken. This made me very sad.
Finally, this place gets a big thumbs up because the menu had enough lower priced options that Dan could enjoy himself, but at the same time had a certain snob factor associated with it that Alex could tell his city friends about it this weekend when he goes to an overpriced brunch.
Unfortunately, Cory did not make the trip so we have very few complaints to post about the Burger Joint.
Let us know if you agree or disagree and thanks for reading.
Current Rank: 2
The Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien was an easy pick for our hunt. This burger is consistently in the top 5 of just about every burger ranking we could find. As such, it made sense for us to try the burger and use it as a measuring stick for future burgers to compare to.
At the outset, I must take a moment to comment on the location and atmosphere. A trip here is like a trip to a speakeasy. Not everyone knows about it and it is tucked away so that if you aren't looking for it, you could walk right by without even knowing it was there. In fact, behind the curtain, there is no sign, and nothing to draw attention to the Joint. Instead, a simple neon burger lights the way. (Oh, and the smell of burger is unavoidable if you get within 20 feet of the restaurant). Once you find it, you are presented with a menu and ordering directions that were drawn with colored markers. The walls are covered with celebrity pictures and autographs marking their visits to this hidden gem. The walls appear to be for celebrities only, however, as a sign warns "We don't spit in your food, so don't write on our walls."
The burger was excellent and at $7.35, it did not break the bank. (I personally had three cheeseburgers, fries and a shake so my wallet did take a hit). The burger is not a steakhouse burger, but it did not lack flavor. In addition, you order it the way you like(with an option for "the works" of course). Lets be honest, if you are looking for a kobe burger to knock your socks off, this is not the place for you. It is far from gourmet dining. You are not getting artwork on artisinal bread. In fact, the bun is the same Arnold's bun that you probably use for your own backyard barbeques. (I am Serious). That said, the burger is juicy and delicious and good enough for me to go back and get a third.
You can skip the fries as they are nothing special, but the three of us that made the trip unanimously recommend the chocolate shake. When I got my third burger I tried to buy a second shake but they told me that the blender was broken. This made me very sad.
Finally, this place gets a big thumbs up because the menu had enough lower priced options that Dan could enjoy himself, but at the same time had a certain snob factor associated with it that Alex could tell his city friends about it this weekend when he goes to an overpriced brunch.
Unfortunately, Cory did not make the trip so we have very few complaints to post about the Burger Joint.
Let us know if you agree or disagree and thanks for reading.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Bobby Van's
9/25/09:
Current Rank: 3
Before we get to Bobby Van's I would like to thank everyone for the comments. As always, Cory adds humor and wit while at the same time taking a shot at Alex. I am going to keep the Bobby Van's Review short as Cory did a very good job of analysis in his comment. (See comment by 'Z' to the previous post). Anyway, here goes:
Bobby Van's gets kudos for ambiance as the grill is set in J.P. Morgan and Co.'s original bank vault which makes for a unique dining experience. In addition, the burger is a full 12 oz of meat. Unfortunately, however, that is where the positive review ends. The Burger costs $14.95 and those of us that added bacon and cheese were hit with another $2.00 surcharge.
The Burger itself was flavorful and comprised of a high quality, well seasoned beef. My burger was juicy and served medium rare as ordered. Many of our burger hunters ordered their burgers medium and for some reason, all of them were cooked differently. Of the four mediums ordered, two were cooked through(I would call them well done), and two were red/pink and close to rare. This is not what we expected from Bobby Van's given the price of the burger.
The most common comment heard at our table was regarding the bun. Everyone of us agreed that the bun was dry and too big for the burger. In fact, the bun managed to overpower the burger, making it seem like there was not enough meat. (this burger was 12oz, but the bun just made it seem smaller). In all, the burger was tasty, but nothing special.
For now, the burger is our highest ranked burger since it was our first. This ranking, however, will not last.
We would love to hear if you had a similar experience at Bobby Van's or even if you disagree with our take. Thanks again for reading.
PS: If you do hit Bobby Van's, whether to prove us wrong or to check out the urinal that Cory needed a step-stool to use, our entire group agreed that the Hash Browns were so good that they more than made up for the burgers. No matter what you are ordering, no trip to Bobby Van's is complete without an order or two of the Hash Browns.
Current Rank: 3
Before we get to Bobby Van's I would like to thank everyone for the comments. As always, Cory adds humor and wit while at the same time taking a shot at Alex. I am going to keep the Bobby Van's Review short as Cory did a very good job of analysis in his comment. (See comment by 'Z' to the previous post). Anyway, here goes:
Bobby Van's gets kudos for ambiance as the grill is set in J.P. Morgan and Co.'s original bank vault which makes for a unique dining experience. In addition, the burger is a full 12 oz of meat. Unfortunately, however, that is where the positive review ends. The Burger costs $14.95 and those of us that added bacon and cheese were hit with another $2.00 surcharge.
The Burger itself was flavorful and comprised of a high quality, well seasoned beef. My burger was juicy and served medium rare as ordered. Many of our burger hunters ordered their burgers medium and for some reason, all of them were cooked differently. Of the four mediums ordered, two were cooked through(I would call them well done), and two were red/pink and close to rare. This is not what we expected from Bobby Van's given the price of the burger.
The most common comment heard at our table was regarding the bun. Everyone of us agreed that the bun was dry and too big for the burger. In fact, the bun managed to overpower the burger, making it seem like there was not enough meat. (this burger was 12oz, but the bun just made it seem smaller). In all, the burger was tasty, but nothing special.
For now, the burger is our highest ranked burger since it was our first. This ranking, however, will not last.
We would love to hear if you had a similar experience at Bobby Van's or even if you disagree with our take. Thanks again for reading.
PS: If you do hit Bobby Van's, whether to prove us wrong or to check out the urinal that Cory needed a step-stool to use, our entire group agreed that the Hash Browns were so good that they more than made up for the burgers. No matter what you are ordering, no trip to Bobby Van's is complete without an order or two of the Hash Browns.
THE BEGINNING
9/25/09:
As this is the first entry, it will be slightly longer than future entries as I feel the need to explain the journey we are about to embark on and how it began. Hopefully you will join us and enjoy the stories that unfold as we hunt for the best burger in New York.
Our story begins in September of 2009 when an internet search revealed a top ten list for burgers in New York. As you would expect, the list drew as many raised eyebrows as it did statements like "I had that burger, it is great." With such a dichotomy of reactions, it was only natural for the conversation at lunch to turn to each person's own individual burger favorite. One person actually suggested the Angus Burger at McDonald's. (Rest assured, that individual was summarily thrown out of our hunt and he will not be participating in future burger tasting events).
It was from this simple conversation that our hunt was born. Our goal is simple: to Hunt For The Best Burger in New York. Of course, what sounds simple, usually is anything but, and as you will see, our hunt takes us to some places that have never appeared on anyone's list. That was the point of the whole exercise as anyone can go to Peter Luger's and order a burger. Our mission was to find that place that is not on anyone's top ten list and let you know if the burger holds its own against the steakhouse burgers. Trust me when I tell you that such places exist and we will tell you about them.
Any endeavor such as this requires some ground rules. Our one rule is easy- whenever possible, a half pound burger with bacon and cheese must be ordered. Not only is this the proper way to eat a burger, but it will allow for continuity in the rankings whenever possible.
Finally, I would like to introduce you to our Members/Hunters:
Alex: This hunter found the original top ten list online and therefore I credit him with starting our hunt. As you read on, it will become readily apparent that Alex is in love with Manhattan. This adds two aspects to our hunt: 1) Alex protests when I suggest visiting a burger location in a borough not named Manhattan; and 2) He usually suggests the higher end burger locations. Since he started the hunt, I let Alex choose our first stop on the burger hunt and he selected Bobby Van's Steakhouse Downtown. (See next entry). Finally, as our group's metrosexual, Alex has no interest in pairing his burger with beer and as such, his reviews may include a description of how a burger pairs with an apple martini.
Dan: This hunter adds an important counterbalance to Alex. Specifically, Dan does not live in Manhattan and as such, he is not as wowed by the big names as Alex is. In fact, Dan brings his lunch with him on a daily basis so I almost have to drag him to our burger events. Dan's biggest contribution is relevant given the current economic climate. Specifically, while he will never come out and say it, I believe that Dan's goal is to find a $5.00 burger that can compete with the big boys.
Mike: This newcomer has only worked with us for a month and yet we had to include him in our hunt. Why?- Because Mike is the single biggest exaggerator walking this planet. Sometimes it takes 20-30 minutes for our burgers to be cooked and Mike is there to entertain us. Like the time he told us that he ate three and a half pizza pies in one sitting, or the time he was physically removed from a movie theater for laughing too loud during a showing of the movie "Old School."
Andrew: This burger hunter is fun because he follows some kosher rules but not all. How he chooses which ones to follow is beyond me. I always thought that being kosher was an all or nothing thing, kind of like being pregnant- either you are or you aren't. To each his own I guess.. That said, Andrew's rankings have to be taken with a grain of salt as he does not get his burgers with cheese or bacon. In fact, in my opinion, if you don't eat bacon, you should not be taken seriously anyway so you can pretty much ignore Andrew. That said, Andrew does add a fun dynamic to the group. Specifically, the rest of us are always trying to find ways to leave him at the office when we go on the burger hunt. For example, this week, it just so happened that we left for our burgers at the exact moment when Andrew was temporarly indisposed, so he was unable to join us. On the plus side, just looking at Andrew makes it clear that he is an eater and as such, his ratings should be taken seriously.
Cory: He is the elder statesman of our group and it shows. I have known Cory for over a decade and I have never seen him order directly from a menu. Instead, Cory has to add something, or take something away, making his food a "special order" every single time. I have no doubt that a majority of the humor during this hunt will come from Cory as the Seinfeld character George Costanza was based on his life. Describing Cory is easy- think of a man that is tall, dark and handsome, with great hair and Cory is that man's total opposite.
Myself: As a former fat guy (on my way back there thanks to this endeavor), I consider myself the perfect person to tell you the story of our hunt for the best burger. I welcome your comments and suggestions. In fact, if enough people suggest a specific location, we will have no choice but to try it out and tell you what we thought.
We welcome your comments and suggestions and hope that you enjoy the hunt.
First Stop- Bobby Van's.
As this is the first entry, it will be slightly longer than future entries as I feel the need to explain the journey we are about to embark on and how it began. Hopefully you will join us and enjoy the stories that unfold as we hunt for the best burger in New York.
Our story begins in September of 2009 when an internet search revealed a top ten list for burgers in New York. As you would expect, the list drew as many raised eyebrows as it did statements like "I had that burger, it is great." With such a dichotomy of reactions, it was only natural for the conversation at lunch to turn to each person's own individual burger favorite. One person actually suggested the Angus Burger at McDonald's. (Rest assured, that individual was summarily thrown out of our hunt and he will not be participating in future burger tasting events).
It was from this simple conversation that our hunt was born. Our goal is simple: to Hunt For The Best Burger in New York. Of course, what sounds simple, usually is anything but, and as you will see, our hunt takes us to some places that have never appeared on anyone's list. That was the point of the whole exercise as anyone can go to Peter Luger's and order a burger. Our mission was to find that place that is not on anyone's top ten list and let you know if the burger holds its own against the steakhouse burgers. Trust me when I tell you that such places exist and we will tell you about them.
Any endeavor such as this requires some ground rules. Our one rule is easy- whenever possible, a half pound burger with bacon and cheese must be ordered. Not only is this the proper way to eat a burger, but it will allow for continuity in the rankings whenever possible.
Finally, I would like to introduce you to our Members/Hunters:
Alex: This hunter found the original top ten list online and therefore I credit him with starting our hunt. As you read on, it will become readily apparent that Alex is in love with Manhattan. This adds two aspects to our hunt: 1) Alex protests when I suggest visiting a burger location in a borough not named Manhattan; and 2) He usually suggests the higher end burger locations. Since he started the hunt, I let Alex choose our first stop on the burger hunt and he selected Bobby Van's Steakhouse Downtown. (See next entry). Finally, as our group's metrosexual, Alex has no interest in pairing his burger with beer and as such, his reviews may include a description of how a burger pairs with an apple martini.
Dan: This hunter adds an important counterbalance to Alex. Specifically, Dan does not live in Manhattan and as such, he is not as wowed by the big names as Alex is. In fact, Dan brings his lunch with him on a daily basis so I almost have to drag him to our burger events. Dan's biggest contribution is relevant given the current economic climate. Specifically, while he will never come out and say it, I believe that Dan's goal is to find a $5.00 burger that can compete with the big boys.
Mike: This newcomer has only worked with us for a month and yet we had to include him in our hunt. Why?- Because Mike is the single biggest exaggerator walking this planet. Sometimes it takes 20-30 minutes for our burgers to be cooked and Mike is there to entertain us. Like the time he told us that he ate three and a half pizza pies in one sitting, or the time he was physically removed from a movie theater for laughing too loud during a showing of the movie "Old School."
Andrew: This burger hunter is fun because he follows some kosher rules but not all. How he chooses which ones to follow is beyond me. I always thought that being kosher was an all or nothing thing, kind of like being pregnant- either you are or you aren't. To each his own I guess.. That said, Andrew's rankings have to be taken with a grain of salt as he does not get his burgers with cheese or bacon. In fact, in my opinion, if you don't eat bacon, you should not be taken seriously anyway so you can pretty much ignore Andrew. That said, Andrew does add a fun dynamic to the group. Specifically, the rest of us are always trying to find ways to leave him at the office when we go on the burger hunt. For example, this week, it just so happened that we left for our burgers at the exact moment when Andrew was temporarly indisposed, so he was unable to join us. On the plus side, just looking at Andrew makes it clear that he is an eater and as such, his ratings should be taken seriously.
Cory: He is the elder statesman of our group and it shows. I have known Cory for over a decade and I have never seen him order directly from a menu. Instead, Cory has to add something, or take something away, making his food a "special order" every single time. I have no doubt that a majority of the humor during this hunt will come from Cory as the Seinfeld character George Costanza was based on his life. Describing Cory is easy- think of a man that is tall, dark and handsome, with great hair and Cory is that man's total opposite.
Myself: As a former fat guy (on my way back there thanks to this endeavor), I consider myself the perfect person to tell you the story of our hunt for the best burger. I welcome your comments and suggestions. In fact, if enough people suggest a specific location, we will have no choice but to try it out and tell you what we thought.
We welcome your comments and suggestions and hope that you enjoy the hunt.
First Stop- Bobby Van's.
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