Venue: Korzo
Location: 667 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Date of Visit: Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Burger: Original Korzo Burger
Average Score: 6.8Burger: Original Korzo Burger
Price Range: $$$$$
Mike: Having been a while since our last outing, we decided to jump back into it with a burger that has some critical acclaim, The Original Korzo Burger at Korzo Brooklyn. Korzo's location in Brooklyn is in South Slope; and their burger, in addition to being ranked among New York's best, has become a bit of a celebrity by being featured on the Travel Channel's "Burger Land."
Korzo's burgers are a Slovakian twist on a burger in which they are wrapped in dough and deep-fried to golden perfection. The "Original Korzo" is a freshly ground beef patty with apple-smoked bacon, Allgauer Emmentaller cheese, house-made mustard, and dill pickle slices. Not knowing how the temperature of the meat would affect the cooking of the outer layer of dough in a deep-fried process, I went with my instincts and ordered it medium-rare.
When the burgers arrived, I was pleased with the simplified presentation, but admittedly concerned whether or not the modest portion would satiate my hunger. The burger came bisected and placed atop a thin bed of greens, accompanied by three pickle slices and red cabbage slaw. The dough was a crisp with a golden hue, while the meat was cooked flawlessly, revealing a pink, mid-rare center. My first bite was a pleasure. Because of the pocket nature of the dough, there is nowhere for the juices from the meat to go. Each bite was a blast of flavor. The meat was savory, though it could have lacked a bit of seasoning. It was difficult to separate on the palate; there was a great deal of flavor melding going on, seeing as though the patty and the toppings were all cooked together within the dough. The cheese and house-made mustard were the most distinguishable among the toppings; and they were quite tasty. I didn't get much from the pickles, and if I didn't see it with my own eyes, I would have never guessed there was bacon on this burger.
I initially questioned the idea of the pocket burger; and it took some time before I could actually validate this as a burger. Jeff helped by explaining that it's a ground beef patty in some kind of bread product; so, that was good enough for me. As a matter of fact, the pocket proved to be better than a traditional bun in many ways. It was crisp on the outside for that crunch, and softer on the inside to help absorb the juices. The crispy outer layer also prevented the escape of any flavorful juices, eliminated soggy-bun syndrome, and left my hands free and clear of any mess. Additionally, the pocket prevents any of the ingredients to slip out like with a traditional bun.
Overall, I really enjoyed this burger. However, I wish it were larger or came with a side. If I am expected to pay $15 for a burger, I don't expect to be hungry afterwards. I also wish the bacon had more prominence in this burger. Perhaps this could be achieved by using a thicker cut, as the bacon here was awfully thin. This burger wasn't lacking imperfections, but it was a burger that I'd gladly try again, but maybe not for $15.
Overall Rating: 7.6
Kenny: It has been quite some time since we were able to enjoy a
burger together, so we planned to check out the Best Burger in NYC 2011, according to the Village Voice. The Korzo burger seemed like the perfect burger
to get us off the bench and back into burger tasting. The award winning burger is a deep fried
burger. Unlike my first fried burger, in which the patty was deep-fried, at Korzo, the whole burger is deep fried. Let me explain this a little more; the burger
is wrapped in dough and is then dropped in the deep fryer.
After a few German and Irish beers, we chose the Original, filled with a fresh ground beef
patty, apple-smoked bacon, Allgauer Emmentaller
cheese, house-made mustard, and dill pickle for $15. I ordered the burger medium and had another
beer. The burger later arrived cut in
half on a square plate with a small salad and side pickle. The waiter/bartender also brought out bottles of
homemade sauces and a little ketchup.
Looking at the burger, I was reminded of meat buns, but after hours of
watching “Hell’s Kitchen,” I realized this is the poor man’s beef wellington. Heading in for the first bite, I picked up on
the homemade mustard and thoroughly enjoyed the first mixture of flavors. The meat was quite juicy and flavorful, the
bacon was a bit amiss, but the mustard paired well with the meat. The burger seemed to vanish without a thought;
and it left me looking for more. On this
day, I wish I had forked over the 3 dollars for the fries that I normally never eat.
Over all, the burger was pretty
good. The flavors and everything paired well with each other. At $15, I
feel that I shouldn’t want or need fries; at least they could have included
fries and/or a real salad in the price.
The location is very remote, and people who do not live in the area need
to make a specific trip just to try this burger.
I would try another of their burgers if it was closer; and the sauces
were the boom.
Overall Rating 7.5
Jeff: I have heard of deep fried burgers. Up until now; however, I had only thought
about the patty being deep-fried and placed within a bun, not the patty and bun
being deep-fried as one. Low and behold, when the burger arrived cut in half
with a side of red cabbage and a few sad looking greens, it made for quite the
presentation. I didn’t know what to make of it at first. I jokingly referred to
it as a gourmet hot pocket. No disrespect was intended, it’s just what popped
into my mind.
I ordered the burger
medium rare and was surprised at how close to medium rare it came, considering
it was deep-fried. Although this burger was listed as having apple-smoked bacon,
it’s flavor was non-existent. I could barely see the bacon in between the patty
and breading. Whatever was there didn’t add much, if anything, to the burger. The
beef itself wasn’t salted or peppered, but it was very clean and light tasting.
That might not be what one would expect when they think of a deep fried burger,
but that was the case. I added some of the red cabbage to the burger and some
of the sauces that came on the side. I really should have asked what those
sauces were, exactly, because they added a lot of flavor. I recall one being
spicy (my favorite), and the other being comprised of beets. The cabbage provided
a nice texture but I would’ve liked it more had it been pickled. The Allgauer
Emmentaller cheese was a first for me, and I found its flavor a nice compliment
to the beef.
On to the bun. Gone was the toasted top and bottom bun of the burger; instead, the patty was inside an oddly crisp, yet soft, textured encasement. While the encasement made it easy to eat, it removed the thought that I was eating a burger. All I could think about was that I was eating a hot pocket that had been cut in half. I also had thoughts of stuffed crust pizza, but I didn’t share that with Mike and Kenny.
I still want to try a deep fried burger. Next time; however, it’ll come with a real bun.
On to the bun. Gone was the toasted top and bottom bun of the burger; instead, the patty was inside an oddly crisp, yet soft, textured encasement. While the encasement made it easy to eat, it removed the thought that I was eating a burger. All I could think about was that I was eating a hot pocket that had been cut in half. I also had thoughts of stuffed crust pizza, but I didn’t share that with Mike and Kenny.
I still want to try a deep fried burger. Next time; however, it’ll come with a real bun.
Overall score: 5.4
