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.