Venue: Bareburger
Location: 170 7th Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Date of Visit: Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Burger: Original Bareburger - Beef
Average Score: 5.7Burger: Original Bareburger - Beef
Price Range: $$$$$
Mike: When I first heard of this place, I have to admit I was intrigued. After all, I’m a health conscious, earth-loving individual and Bareburger prides itself on its organic, free-range, grass-fed meats, all natural cheeses, and organic vegetables and boasts the slogan, “A better burger for a better planet.” Hmm, I can dig that! Plus, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better tasting beef for a burger than that which is grass fed. Their menu dons seven different meats as well as two different vegetarian options. That, combined with the choice of five different buns and twelve signature burgers (14 if you include the lamb and portabella burgers), a burger enthusiast could eat here every day for over a year without repeating the same burger. This place could be promising to burger lovers everywhere, after all, Zagat rated it the #2 burger in NYC.
With our mission in mind, we each tried the “Original Bareburger” with beef (as the menu recommends). I ordered mine medium rare, the way grass-fed beef should be cooked, on a multi-grain roll. The “Original” comes dressed with co-jack, lettuce, tomato, raw red onion, and Bareburger “special” sauce. They give you the option of a number of sides with the choice of an individual portion or a basket, if you dine with company. We being three, the basket of fries made the most sense. Apparently the “side” of fries comes as an appetizer at this establishment because they arrived a good ten minutes before our burgers did. They also come with three different dipping sauces, a curry ketchup, a chipotle mayo, and the Bareburger “special” sauce. In my mind, they could replace the mayo and “special” sauce with two more servings of that curry ketchup…that stuff was amazing!
With our mission in mind, we each tried the “Original Bareburger” with beef (as the menu recommends). I ordered mine medium rare, the way grass-fed beef should be cooked, on a multi-grain roll. The “Original” comes dressed with co-jack, lettuce, tomato, raw red onion, and Bareburger “special” sauce. They give you the option of a number of sides with the choice of an individual portion or a basket, if you dine with company. We being three, the basket of fries made the most sense. Apparently the “side” of fries comes as an appetizer at this establishment because they arrived a good ten minutes before our burgers did. They also come with three different dipping sauces, a curry ketchup, a chipotle mayo, and the Bareburger “special” sauce. In my mind, they could replace the mayo and “special” sauce with two more servings of that curry ketchup…that stuff was amazing!
When my burger came out, the top bun was hanging halfway off the sandwich despite the six inch steel spike driven through it to keep it all together. The first thing I like to do is to cut the burger in half. Not because the thing was too much to handle, but to get a better look at what I’m dealing with. The 6oz patty was cooked to perfection and the toppings were crisp and fresh; though, I was disappointed to discover the iceberg lettuce when a crisp romaine would have been ideal. The menu says there was cheese on the sandwich, and if I hadn’t seen melted remnants on the outer edges of the patty, my taste buds would have screamed shenanigans! This burger really demands a more potent cheese; a sharp cheddar or blue cheese would have been divine. On the other hand, how does one expect to taste anything on this burger when it comes slathered in “special” sauce? This was definitely the “Original’s” downfall. The sauce was so overpowering and in such abundance, it dominated my flavor palette. I couldn’t taste the meat because of it, and the bun lost its integrity and became soggy soaking it all up. If a burger comes with sauce, it should go between the meat and toppings (not on the bun) or on the side, just sayin’. If I may also add, I don’t think this sauce is too much of a secret anyways. It tastes exactly like the sauces of a number of other restaurants' sauces, also dubbed “secret.” Looks like the secret is out, Bareburger, and so is the one about the "Original's" mediocrity!
Overall Rating: 5.5
Kenneth: When the Original Bare Burger arrived, it was beef patty between a brioche bun cooked perfectly at medium-well. The patty is served with Colby jack, lettuce, and tomatoes which seemed tasteless smothered in special sauce. However, the outside of the brioche bun was soft while the inside was light toasted and kept its integrity throughout meal while being smothered in special sauce. The meat was lightly seasoned, but it was hard to get a true assessment the taste of the grass feed beef in the presence of the overbearing sauce. This burger has a wonderful appearance, well put together but its follow though was not a there. If you order the fries, be sure to specify that you would like it to come with your burger and not as an appetizer. The fries were on the table 10 minutes before burgers arrived and it came with three sauces, curry ketchup, the special sauce and chipotle mayo. The curry ketchup is fantastic.
Overall rating 5.8
While the patty was probably one of the best “medium” prepared patties I’ve had anywhere, I couldn’t taste the flavor of the beef. It was juicy, perfect in texture, hot but not that burn your tongue hot. Maybe the beef was too clean, in that I’ve gotten used to the taste of conventional beef, but I don’t think that’s it. Maybe the flavor of the beef was overpowered because of the sauce cascading down upon it. Don’t get me wrong, I like sauces. Ketchup, mustard, liquid smoke and mayo, their application can either ruin or enhance a burger experience depending on the establishment which is why some things should be served on the side. In this case I would’ve preferred a little of the sauce placed directly on top of the burger as the patty wasn’t seasoned. A little pepper and salt can go along way. Then again, maybe the patty was seasoned but the cheese that I forgot was there neutralized it. Cheese for me is an accent for a burger and in this case something stronger would have been preferred because the colby jack cheese was too mild for something that lacked a strong flavor. With so much emphasis on grass fed beef, and no hormones used in their various meats a good red or green leaf lettuce would have been a nice option. What is it with iceberg lettuce and NY burger joints anyway?
I like that BareBurger offers hormone free and organic meats, and I may return to try the bison or elk. If I do, I know to order the fries with the burger. Their curry ketchup is a winner.
Over all rating: 5.8
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