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.