Buffalo 6.6

Venue: Crooked Knife

Location: 232 W. 14th St., New York, NY

Date of Visit: Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Burger: The Bison Burger

Average Score: 6.6
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike:  A little over a month ago, I was wandering around West 14^th Street when I passed the Crooked Knife. Out front, they had a sign posted that read “Try our Bison Burger, the best in the city!” Ok, so maybe I didn’t remember exactly what it said, but it was something to that effect. Now, I don’t know much about the Crooked Knife; but what I do know is a challenge when I see it! After discussing the matter with my Burgerler cohorts, the next destination was set with our sights firmly locked on the Bison Burger.

We were seated outside in the establishment’s new covered patio, equipped with four (perhaps six?) large, wooden picnic-style tables, suitable for all of your primitive, communal feeding needs. It happened to be raining that night, so the pitter-patter of rain drops on the tent overhead and the aroma of newly-cut timber really set the ambiance for dining on some fresh buffalkill. It was something straight out of Oregon Trail; the only thing missing was a warm fire and the smell of recently spent gunpowder. Fortunately, no one was dying of scurvy or dysentery on this trip.

The Crooked Knife serves up their bison on a pretzel brioche roll, topped with tomato, red onion, and romaine lettuce with a side of steak fries, a pickle, and a serving of ketchup. I must confess, when I saw the menu I was none too thrilled about the pairing of steak fries with the burger. Frankly, I don’t like to see steak fries paired with anything, but I’m not one to judge. Actually, that’s not true; but I digress.

I ordered my bison medium rare. The patty was fairly spot-on. It was cooked as ordered; maintaining the tenderness and subtle flavor that is characteristic of bison meat; and the size was more than sufficient in satisfying my expectations. The pretzel brioche was likely the best part of this sandwich, at least in the flavor department. It brought a unique essence to the burger without overpowering the nuances of the meat. While fresh and flavorful, the size of the brioche was a bit disproportionate to the patty and quickly lost integrity in its lower portion. This is most likely due to their failure to give it a light toasting, which usually will help prevent disintegration by over absorption. Might I add that a light toasting also adds a bit of crunch, which can go a long way. All of the condiments on this burger were fresh and crisp, but one cannot rely on the texture of crisp vegetables, alone, to drudge their way out of the trenches of the mundane.

I feel compelled to justify why the steak fries were a poor choice to accompany this burger, specifically. As one might gather from reading thus far, the burger, itself, was lacking in texture. An appropriate side item in this situation should offer something that the burger is devoid of; ergo, onion rings might have served better. The steak fries did not provide the much-needed respite from the lifeless sandwich that sat in front of me. The ratio of inner-potato to surface area of a steak fry is all wrong, making it virtually impossible to achieve the necessary crunch that this meal was missing.

Overall, this experience was rather forgettable. Thankfully, I take good notes! Though I walked away feeling satiated (a couple steak fries can make the hungriest person feel full), I’d be hard-pressed to recall an instance where I was more bored eating a hamburger. “Best bison burger in the city,” huh? I can neither confirm nor deny that statement; but if it’s the truth, I might as well call it quits right now.

Overall Rating: 6.6

Kenneth: Bison Burger? Yes! Juicy? Yes! The Crooked Knife served up a lightly seasoned Bison Burger on a pretzel brioche topped with romaine, red onions, tomato and pickles. Their unique burger construction placed the red onions under the patty, away from all the other toppings above the patty. The fresh toppings only added to the experience of my medium-well bison burger, which was lightly charred on each side and cooked to perfection while remaining consistent with every bite. The pretzel brioche performed well and maintained its strong support position by not falling apart from the bison juices and my thin coat of ketchup. Overall it was an average burger experience, but what could be worse than an average burger? An average burger accompanied by a weak side. The steak fries were far from the best and they were possibly spawned from a frozen bag.

Overall Rating 6.8

Jeff:  It’s not often a restaurant offers a bison burger, let alone claims it to be the best.  New York is good for places claiming “The best ______” or “#1 ______”, so I was looking forward to another burger option.  The space is nice enough; you step down off of 14th street into a space that shields you from 14th’s hustle.  It was a Sunday evening and I was sure the place would be busy with holiday shoppers coming in to dine, but maybe people were still feasting on Thanksgiving leftovers.  I saddled up to the bar and ordered the bison burger medium rare, no cheese, no bacon, my mistake.

A mound of steak fries accompanies the bison and I cracked my knuckles in preparation.  The bun was toasted nicely, and quite tasty the pretzel role is; more places should consider such options.  Fresh tomato and romaine lettuce made my eyes smile and my mouth salivate.  Wow, how bland can a burger taste? I’ve had bison before, years ago, and remember it having a subtle flavor but this was just plain bison.  I like clean tasting meat, organic, grass-fed, and the like; but this lacked flavor. The pickle spear didn’t help either. The burger was prepared well.  It was juicy, warm, and on all accounts it was filling.  It just didn’t satisfy my taste buds.

I took a few bites of my fries and was further let down.  I like steak fries, or frites as some say, but they must be prepared right; otherwise, you have a hard under-cooked potato shard to bite in to and it just doesn’t taste good.  Crispy outside, fluffy inside is how they should be.  Bake then fry, or just bake, either way these were under cooked.  I should’ve gotten the salad but who really wants a salad with their burger in November on a brisk chill night in NY? Not I, not tonight.

I’ve written it before and I’ll write it again, a little pepper and salt would have done a lot with this.  If you need a little flavor for your burger you’ll want to add bacon, a sharp cheddar, or blue cheese to top it with.

I rolled solo on this excursion, without my two burger cronies.  I'm glad I did, or a solemn bunch we would have been, if together.   The Crooked Knife needs to straighten up.

Overall score: 6.4

Do the Du

Venue: DuMont

Location: 432 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Burger: The DuMont Burger

Average Score:  7.7
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike:  DuMont is another establishment whose food has been rated among New York foodies as some of the best the city has to offer. Both, “The DuMont Burger” and “DuMac & Cheese” have found themselves in good company on numerous Top 10 lists in their respective categories. This being the case, one might look upon this trial with great anticipation. However, by reading previous reviews on this blog, one would discover that the other Top 10 members who have been reviewed have failed with great disappointment. So, I didn’t let the hype get my hopes up this time around. 
          The DuMont Burger comes on a toasted roll, garnished with Boston Bibb lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles with the choice of fries or a salad for accompaniment. As I normally do, I ordered mine medium rare and decided to go with the side of fries. When the plate came out, I was pleased to find that the toppings were thoughtfully placed on the side of the burger to allow me to construct it how I saw fit. The meat, though a bit disproportioned (too think in relation to the diameter), was cooked to perfection; and, was that a marinade I tasted? Regardless, the meat was juicy and savory, which harmonized well with the flavors carried by the rest of the ingredients. The combination of the Boston Bibb, tomato, pickles, and onion added a bitter and sweet flavor concoction that had my taste buds on end. The burger sat between a sliced roll that was toasted just enough to prevent excess condiment absorption but also retain the soft airiness of freshly baked bread. The toasted side of the roll, when coupled with the pickles, provided a satisfying crunch, further diversifying the textures this sandwich had to bear. 
          I’m glad I chose the side of fries, rather than the salad, to go with my burger in this scenario. DuMont’s fries were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and dusted with fresh parsley; and the portion size was aptly proportionate, balancing out this mouthwatering meal quite admirably. The pickle spear on the side of the plate was a winner in my book, too! Finally, a burger that lives up to its reputation, well done!

Overall Rating: 7.3

Kenneth:  The flavor of the sweet marinade on the meat mixed spectacularly with the sour of the pickles; together, they made little sparks of magic in my mouth. The meat was juicy and with each bite you tasted how the meat and condiments were flawlessly paired. The size of the patty fit perfectly within the toasted bun and was topped with Boston Bibb, a tomato slice, red onions, and a pickle. After my small application of ketchup to the top half, the bun held its integrity throughout the course of the meal.

As for sides, is it going to be the fries or salad? You have the option of either, but of course I choose the fries, which were crispy, lightly dusted with parsley and an excellent match with the burger. Lastly, the deli pickle! It was a great end to a good burger. Overall, this was a great burger experience and you should experience it for yourself.

Overall Rating: 7.8

   

Jeff:  DuMont has been around for a while now and many claim that they do a good burger.  I have been here once before, roughly a year and a half ago, and although the burger I had was ok, I didn’t think it was that great for what people had told me.

My-oh-my, have things changed.  On first entering DuMont, I looked around, turned, and walked out to make sure I was in the right place.  Since I had last been here, they’ve re-modeled the bar area, extending it further out towards the front of the space. I went against my norm and ordered the burger rare.  I had no reason for this; it just hit me to do so.  The burger arrived and I was momentarily astonished at the mound of fries that accompanied my burger.  So much so, that the fries nearly eclipsed it.  More places should take a hint from DuMont and offer a proper portion of fries with their burger. For crying out loud people, potatoes aren’t expensive!  Some restaurants must think they’re an endangered crop with the few fries they serve.  Not DuMont, however; they get it.

Back on track... I say nearly eclipsed because the diameter of the burger is pretty narrow, but boy is this patty thick!  Too thick, I thought, as I then began to wonder just how this was going to taste seeing as I ordered it rare.  I was not disappointed.  Whatever seasoning or marinade they put into their patties is superb.  It wasn’t overpowering, it enhanced the beef, yet let the beef flavor come through.  I was also impressed with the texture of the beef.  Texture you say?  It’s raw, how much texture could there have been?  It had such a nice balance of firmness and a melt in your mouth quality that I’m not sure I can explain it.  Either way it tasted great.  I don’t know if burgers cooked rare usually share this characteristic, but tasting flesh like this was awesome.  The rawness of the beef combined with what I think were marinated or pickled red onions, tomato, and bibb lettuce (YES! something other than iceberg, finally!!!) was more than a welcome change; it was damn near perfection.  The bun too held up well and was one of the better tasting buns I’ve had on a burger in some time. Having a pickle spear along with the sliced pickles on the burger was a nice addition as well.

Yes DuMont, I can honestly say you’ve earned my respect.  This was a damn good burger.

 

Overall Rating: 8.0

20 Million People Can Be Wrong!

Venue: Corner Bistro

Location: 331 W. 4th St., New York, NY

Date of Visit: Thursday, October 13, 2011
Burger: Bistro Burger

Average Score:  4.2
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike: The American hamburger has come a long way since its inception in the late 19^th century. Over the years, people’s tastes and expectations have evolved dramatically; so too, has the burger, adapting to accommodate the ever-changing appetency climate. Burger innovations have brought us “game” meats, vegetarian fare, an endless array of toppings, and even the prestigious classification of “gourmet.” Corner Bistro must not have received the memo. Their burgers seem as though they were taken out of a time capsule.

The Bistro Burger comes with bacon, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles (some assembly required) and a pretty high reputation. Though it’s a pretty standard lineup of ingredients, it has promise to bear a delectable combination of textures and flavors, regardless of its reputable standing. So, one could imagine my dismay when the surly wait staff brought me my burger. I ordered mine medium rare and it came to me medium raw; the bacon probably spent more time on the heat than the beef! The cheese...a slice of American, seriously?! As for the rest of the toppings, the sandwich donned a meager piece of iceberg lettuce, a few flimsy pickles, an overabundance of onion, and a scant tomato slice in the midst of an identity crisis; the thing was the size of a pickle slice! This all came on an uninspiring sesame seed bun that was barely toasted and lacked the size and integrity required to support the mammoth beef patty.

Generally speaking, I am skeptical when food comes with bacon as an ingredient. As a side item, bacon can be first-rate; as an ingredient, it serves one of two functions, to mask flavor or enhance flavor that would otherwise be lacking. The Bistro Burger is a prime example of the latter, justifying my initial skepticism. If it weren’t for the bacon, and to a lesser extent, the pickles, this burger would have been left flat in the flavor department. I might have been better off ordering a BLT; at least that would have yielded some other textures to consider. Yeah, my Bistro Burger was not only lackluster in flavor, but it was also absent of any texture, leaving it a mundane and lifeless heap. There must be a trend because the fries were also horrifying. I’ve had day-old fries from fast food that have tasted better than the ones served up at Corner Bistro. The fries’ only saving grace was that they provided my mouth with much needed respite from the monotony of the burger. I also found it interesting that a plastic fork accompanied the order of fries. That was until I was a little over halfway through the burger. By that time, the bun had disintegrated, the meat had lost stability, and the toppings were on the plate; the fork was clutch.

Corner Bistro states on their website that it is “the last of the bohemian bars in West Greenwich Village, [it] has been serving customers since the earlier part of this century. The original ambience is pretty much unchanged, and we like to keep it that way.” Apparently, they like to keep the burgers unchanged as well. Twenty years ago, the Bistro Burger might well have been a contender; but today, frankly, it is just out of its league. This is one miserable fossil that natural selection should have taken care of long before I walked through the door.

Overall Rating: 3.4

Jeff: I have fond memories of when my brother first taught me how to make a hamburger, I think around 9 years old. He seasoned the patty with a little pepper and salt, fried it and melted the cheese on top. The bubbling melted processed cheese looked so good as a kid. That basic patty and cheese went on a slice of white bread with ketchup, mustard, lettuce and tomato. Sometimes he added bacon to make it special. Since then my burger palette has grown but that experience has always been prominent and fond in my mind. Upon arrival at Corner Bistro I wasn't sure what to expect as I hadn't looked into their history at all. The place was crowded and people seemed jovial. Pints of beer, laughter crumbs on plates and barely finished burgers on plates. It looked like people were enjoying themselves. I ordered my Bistro Burger medium with fries and a beer.

          Wow... it looked just like what I made as a child minus the white bread. The bun was supermarket generic soft with little flavor, or rather the flavor of refined processed flour without any texture. I took a bite and the medium I ordered was medium rare verging on rare as the patty thickened to one of it's lopsided edges. The bacon wasn't a thick cut, or peppered, it was just bacon. It didn't add to it other than a little crunch but it too was pretty flavorless as far as bacon goes. Bland tomatoes and iceberg lettuce were the true signs of straight conventional farming and bodega corner store produce. This was becoming one of the most pedestrian burgers I have ever had. The fries arrived cold and honestly... I've had better fries out of a bag of Ore-Ida. The portion was nice, but who wants a pile of cold fries?

          All of the smiling, laughing faces must have been doing so because of the beer and camaraderie. Maybe these people have really never tasted anything better. Granted, the price is cheap, but you get what you pay for. I like the idea of having something reminiscent of my childhood but if this was my childhood it's safe to say I would have been a runaway.

Overall rating: 3.4

Kenneth: Walking in to corner bistro, I was happy to see one of the cheapest bar menus ever to be bestowed in New York City.  Taking in this old school bar environment, I knew this was going to be archetypal burger.  Then this classic style burger arrived featuring a big patty, American cheese, lettuce, a healthy slice of tomatoes, two pickles, a cross section of red onions and my savior, bacon.  I was impressed when my medium well burger arrived with a perfect bun to burger ratio but the first bite lacked any kind of special flavor.  A little salt and pepper could go a long way, but then the bacon came to the rescue and added a little flavor to this otherwise bland burger.  After adding a little ketchup I was satisfied with this simple, old style burger. 

          The fries were worst than an order of McDonald’s french fries after they become cold and completely undesirable.  At least I was able to have a two dollar and seventy five cent pint of Mcsorley’s ale, a great old school ale!

Overall rating: 5.8

Bareburger: Barely There!

Venue: Bareburger

Location: 170 7th Ave., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Burger: Original Bareburger - Beef

Average Score: 5.7
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!

     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

Jeff:  The arrival of my burger (ordered medium on a wheat bun) was a sight for sore eyes. The size of the patty was perfect for the bun, both in thickness and diameter. Lettuce, tomato and the like were balanced well on top of each other. Yes, the cutting of my burger revealed a beautiful thing. Well, looks can be deceiving.

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