Screen Door to Burger Heaven

Venue: Screen Door

Location: 2337 E. Burnside St., Portland, OR

Score: 9.4
Price Range: $$$$$

Tom: One may easily find the Screen Door restaurant, located in NE Portland, by the colorful line of hungry patrons willing to stand for over an hour in the cold and wet that makes up the majority of Oregon weather, to briefly partake in the savory-sweet celebration of southern cuisine.  The Screen Door serves local and organic produce and meats everyday which is an added bit of environmental, and fiscally intelligent, flavor that tips this burger into the ranks of legend. The Screen Door’s menu is “a survey of the south, from South Carolina Low-country cuisine to soul food and Cajun one-pot cookery to the refined Creole and French preparations found in New Orleans.”  But, I was here for one item… the burger.  Some may rate it as too big, at a whopping 8” tall, and others too greasy—thank you pimiento cheese (Holy $#!† it’s good!)  But for me, the failing was the inability to capture this majesty on film.  The patty was a 10 oz. cut of Cascade Natural ground sirloin cooked to mid-rare, fresh butter lettuce, onion, a touch of mayo and a homemade pickle with the option of adding bacon, fried egg, crispy fried onions, and pimiento cheese… of which I added all culminating in a perfect blend of squish and crunch!  The two standouts to this burger were the crispy fried onions that had a wonderful pepper seasoning that helped cut the richness of the burger and the pimiento cheese (3^rd time I have mentioned this!).  For those of you readers who have never experienced pimiento cheese, I strongly recommend calling all of your local diners and dives looking for it.  This staple from the South is a blend of sharp cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pimientos, salt, and pepper.  But chefs will typically put their spin on it, adding a variety of delicious ingredients such as cream cheese, Louisiana-style hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika, jalapeños, onions, garlic, or dill pickles all blended into a mouth-watering chunky golden paste.  If you find yourself in the NE Burnside neighborhood of Portland, make sure to plan a few extra hours for a delectable trip to scrumptious paradise.

Dubuque

Venue: Dubuque (CLOSED)

Location: 548 Court St., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Thursday, March 8, 2012

Burger: Beef Burger

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

Mike: Dubuque is a quaint little establishment in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn that serves up a unique array of conventional and specialty burgers alike. Though I am interested in trying some of their more inspired burgers, such as the spiced lamb, cod/scallop, lentil/barley, or any one of their stuffed burgers, I was there for a traditional beef burger. At Dubuque, this consists of a beef patty with shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, and tangy dressing on a toasted bun. For a dollar more, I added blue cheese to the party; what can I say, I like blue cheese. The burger is also served with a shot of coleslaw and a hot pickle spear.

I was pleased to find that my burger was prepared as ordered, a perfect medium rare; a competent chef is a real confidence booster. Both the size and consistency of the patty was spot on; though, I felt the flavor could have had a bit more presence. The bun was aptly proportionate to the patty and was toasted well to maintain stability and keep the juices at bay. The flavor of the bun wasn’t much to brag about, but at least it was fresh. Speaking of freshness, on to the toppings, tangy dressing, tomato, and…iceberg lettuce! Are you serious? I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; one who prides themselves for their burgers should never top them with iceberg lettuce. It’s like wearing crocs with a tuxedo, you just don’t do it. The tomato was fine but the tangy dressing was virtually nonexistent. I could see the small amount that was there, but I definitely didn’t taste it. Then again, I’m surprised I was able to taste anything other than blue cheese with the amount of it they put on this thing. Like I said, I like blue cheese, but moderation is the key; a little bit goes a long way. As for the pickle and slaw, the pickle was indeed spicy, which I found misplaced, and the slaw was not worthy of mentioning.

All things considered, I’m sure this burger would have fared much better without the copious amount of blue cheese. As a side note, I ordered the fries with my burger, which I found them to be near, if not, perfect. They were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, with just the right amount of salt. The serving size was appropriate, as well; not too modest, but not the gluttonous ‘merican serving that most often accompanies a burger. I’m looking forward to returning to sample some of their other burgers; and now I know not to mess with their formula by adding blue cheese.

Overall Rating: 6.8

Kenneth: Venturing to Dubuque was my first time walking this deeply into Carroll Gardens; and there were a lot of interesting shops and boutiques before arriving. Dubuque is a small venue equipped with a little bar with four or five taps of different craft beers paired with an interesting selection of burgers, such as the spiced lamb burger, the cod and scallop burger, a beef burger stuffed with truffled mushrooms duxelle, a beef burger stuffed with basil pesto, and a few others. But, today I selected their standard beef burger. The beef burger comes with shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and a tangy dressing on the patty as well as a few pieces of lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and a spiced pickle on the side. For an extra dollar each, you can get cheese and/or apple wood smoked bacon.

Down to the burger! I ordered the meat medium, and it was lightly charred, juicy, and flavorful despite all the toppings. The spices on the meat paired with how it was prepared made it the shining star of this burger. The bun was purely in support of the meat. It added just enough flavors not to overpower the patty, and its being lightly toasted helped hold the patty beautifully between its two halves. The tangy sauce was bland and seemed to be mixed with the shredded lettuce during the burger construction, which did not add to nor take away from the burger. I did choose to add both cheddar cheese and the apple wood bacon, which paired well with the tangy sauce. Normally, bacon adds a lot of flavor to the burger; but, in this case it was just added texture to the burger. Overall, the burger was simple but packed with a lot of flavor, making this a must try burger. This burger doesn’t come with any sides, but I would suggest the hand cut fries or the roasted brussel sprouts. Let’s not forget the spiced pickle; wonderful when paired with the tangy sauce on the burger.

Overall Rating: 8.0

Jeff: This is probably the best home-style burger I’ve had in a restaurant. In the past, home-style meant cheap buns, iceberg lettuce, thin tomatoes, thin patty, and American cheese. This is like a home burger but made with care and adoration. The shredded iceberg lettuce isn't a negative as with a lot of places. I ordered it medium rare with the apple wood bacon and sharp cheddar cheese. I was the only diner there aside from a mother and child, so there was a nice quietness while I waited. It’s not a large space but seeing as it just opened, I sat at a table up front. It was nice to hear the fries being cooked to order and the meat being grilled. Those sounds go well when one is nursing a beer.

The arrival of my order presented a pretty sight. A well proportioned patty and bun with no overhang. The bun was toasted both on the top and bottom. Very nice! This treatment set the bun on a bit of a pedestal, like it was fine baked bread. You’d be surprised how much a properly toasted bun can go when supporting a burger. This has just enough firmness without being toast, yet still soft and “bun” like on the inside. It held up well, and only on the last bite did the bottom bun give in to the juice of the patty. Speaking of which, coming here again, I think I’d order the burger medium. It’s not that the burger wasn’t cooked a nice medium rare, but I feel having it served medium would be more complimentary to the texture of the bacon.

The apple wood bacon completely covered the patty by the folding and layering; that was nice. There were no annoying parts of bacon jutting out from the side of the burger; everything was contained. Did I mention that the sharp cheddar cheese was melted and completely covered the apple wood bacon as well? Well it did, and it was good. If you order cheddar for a burger, make sure it’s sharp, especially if bacon is present. The two just go well together. The tangy sauce on the burger wasn’t over powering and could be nothing more than Thousand Island dressing or liquid smoke with some additional things, but I'm not complaining, and I doubt you would either.

Three quarters of the way through and I’m feeling as though I should've ordered the burger medium; I think their patty calls for it. Not that it's too thick to be medium rare, but I think being prepared medium would compliment the texture of the bacon and cheese toppings even better.

In closing, Dubuque’s Beef burger takes the home-style burger concept and elevates it to a point that others seriously need to reach.

Overall Rating: 8.2

Sustainaburger

Venue: Burger on Smith

Location: 209 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Burger: The Friday Night

Average Score: 7.3
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike: It seems like there are new burger restaurants opening up all over the place these days. So, this week, the Burgerler visited one of these new establishments in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, Burger on Smith. They use a “secret” blend of grass-fed beef, which is bought from a nearby butcher and ground fresh daily. As a matter of fact, most of the items on the menu are local, organic, and made in house. Since opening their doors in January, the place has received a wealth of praise; however, one might have thought the contrary when we stopped in, as the place was virtually empty. Perhaps the vacancy can be attributed to how new the place is.

Of the dozen or so burgers on the menu, we chose to order “The Friday Night,” which is a beef burger topped with a fried egg, caramelized onions, oven roasted tomato, arugula, and truffle vinaigrette. All of this comes stacked on a toasted “house bun,” which, at first glance, appears to be a sesame seed bun; but I think it might have been sour dough with sesame seeds. Though I ordered my burger medium rare, it was served medium. Being grass-fed beef, this was unfortunate; but, the meat was still relatively juicy and flavorful, which was most likely thanks to the cast-iron griddle the thing was prepared on. The house bun was delicious and held up pretty well throughout, considering the array of toppings.

The toppings were what really made this burger shine. The creaminess of the egg yolk compensated for any dryness that may have occurred from overcooking the patty. The caramelized onions seemed hidden at first, but once revealed, provided a nice accent of flavor. I just wish they were spread evenly across the burger. If I were to choose the award for best supporting role, it would undoubtedly go to the flavor-packed oven roasted tomatoes. They were the highlight of the burger in my opinion. The arugula with truffle vinaigrette added a bitter-sweet flavor to round out the overall flavor profile of the burger. I should also mention that this burger came with a pickle spear and a side of coleslaw. The coleslaw wasn’t much to write home about, but the pickle was supreme. I ate mine half way through the burger, which was a nice respite before finishing the sandwich. A second, post-burger pickle would have been refreshing. If the pickle was sliced, they might have gone well on the burger itself.

Overall, The Friday Night was a decent burger; though, the patty could have been a bit larger for the money. Furthermore, the thing comes out on 15” pizza tray, making it seem even smaller. I am definitely interested in returning to try some of their other unique concoctions, like “The Left Coast,” which comes with Gruyere and avocado. Also, if you want fries, they’ll cost you extra; and you better not be alone. The amount of fries they serve you could probably feed three; and as a warning, drink plenty of water, because those things are salty!

Overall Rating: 7.0

Kenneth: Wait, I thought this was a sushi place! Guess they changed their menu and left most of the decor, especially the giant mosaic of Mao and monkeys hanging from the chandeliers. This decor fits with their playful burger names such as the Trademark, the Left Coast, the Double Slap, the First Date, and the one we choose was the Friday Night. This beef burger is topped with fried egg, caramelized onions, oven roasted tomatoes, arugula, and truffle vinaigrette on a house bun, which turned out to be messy. I think it was the fried egg’s fault that the burger started slipping and sliding; but the egg was a good addition to the patty. The patty was cooked perfectly medium, but the meat itself was not very flavorful. Everything else makes this burger; the bun was delicious, the topping were awesome, and though the oven roasted tomato was strange it added a unique flavor. The size of the burger was smaller than I imaged a fourteen dollar burger that doesn’t come with fries would be, which left me wishing I had a mini burger to fill the void. Instead of another burger we tried their plain fries and spiced fries which were good but not something to write home about. However, my favorite side was the spiced pickle, slamming! I plan on returning soon to try the Double Slap, which sounds like a fun thing to say to the waiter. Can I have a Double Slap?

Overall Rating 6.6

Jeff: The toppings for the “Friday Night” burger are rather unique for a burger joint. I say joint because so many appear to be opening, it’s like burgers are the new cupcake for New York. The Friday Night is prepared with oven-roasted tomatoes, truffle oil, arugula, with a spiced pickle on the side. I ordered my burger the usual medium rare, but without cheese or bacon. The burger looked fine enough when it arrived, but as we know by now, looks can be deceiving. The sunny-side up egg was cooked to perfection; no brown or burnt edges and the yolk ran smoothly when poked with my fork. I find that pre-poking an egg with something prior to consuming often alleviates the yolk from gushing everywhere and having it end up where you want it least. The only caveat being on your plate when you then use the last bite of your burger to sop up the egg yolk goodness. Yes, I used the term sop.

My first bite resulted in a hmmm. My second bite resulted in a hmmm and a contemplation. The caramelized onions didn’t have much flavor, maybe a need for cheese, the roasted tomatoes may be overpowered by the arugula, and the patty is prepared to a perfect medium rare. Oh, but wait; the roasted tomato flavor is there! It subtly sneaks up after a few chews. I take a bite of the pickle spear and my oh my. Yeah, we might have a winner here! These might be the best pickle spears I've had so far. The spiciness is balanced with the vinegar, and now I fully understand the purpose of the pickle spear. A bite of the burger and a bite of the pickle results in a contrast, a complement, a treat caused by the union of the multiple flavors residing on your mouth’s palette. Next time I just might ask for a side of the pickles, they're that good. The beef of this patty isn’t seasoned as far as I can tell, and that's a good thing because the flavor of this patty is pretty good. It tastes like beef, yet allows the other toppings to enhance it without covering it up as some places can do with their special sauces. I really found myself enjoying the nuances of this burger’s making.

We had two types of fries accompany our burgers. Take note that the portions are huge, so the three of us could have gotten by sharing one. Also, take note that I've forgotten which fries we ordered. Do you know why? Their fries are very salty. Not the kind of salty that makes you want to drink more so you can eat more; the kind that are just plain ol' salty with a capital S.

Fries aside, the Friday Night truly is the star of the show, with the arugula, roasted tomatoes, and truffle oil being a welcomed update that made me wish I would have had mine with a syrah or rioja.

Overall rating: 8.3

Not Much of a Saloon but the Burger Ain't Bad

Venue: Industrial Cafe and Saloon

Location: 2572 NW Vaughn St., Portland, OR

Burger: Spicy Bacon Burger

Average Score: 6.7
Price Range: $$$$$

Tom:  This little Portland café is located right where the trendy, condo filled NW neighborhood meets the rundown warehouse buildings of the industrial riverfront.  The Industrial Café and Saloon tries to bridge both sides of the street by offering high quality dining for the upper end condo owners, as well as toting cheap beer for the thousands of industrial workers across the way.  Besides their proud declaration of French Limousin cattle (the Toyota Prius of the beef world due to their high feed conversion efficiency), 100% grass fed, hormone free beef, the item on the menu that caught my eye was the fried jalapenos.  What was this interesting mexicano twist?  My curiosity had gotten the better of me and I ordered the Spicy Bacon Burger.  I had to specifically request my burger to be cooked mid-rare, which was a bit annoying coming from a restaurant that is obviously proud of the quality of its meat.  The burger arrived in a timely manner and the meat was delicious (seems all the bragging paid off).  It came with the standard fare, toasted sesame seed bun, standard green leaf lettuce, slice of tomato, way over cooked bacon, and a modest dollop of mayo.  The fun came with the pickled onion, which added a bit of tartness to the mild spice, the thick and stringy pepper jack cheese, and the fried jalapeno peppers.  I am totally sold on fried jalapenos and would happily place them on almost any burger.  The spice is negligible, but the crunch and tang almost rivals a standard pickle for the added flavor burst.  I also feel compelled to mention their sweet potato fries due to their perfection.  First of all, these were true sweet potato fries and not the orange yams that often get incorrectly labeled as sweet potatoes.  Not that I find them any less delicious, but more because I am a stickler for giving credit where it is due.  These fries were a thin cut crispy bit of heaven that were well worth the $2.00 upgrade.  All in all the golden jalapeno medallions and the true cut sweet potatoes elevate this standard burger a couple rungs on the ladder to burger perfection.

Would You Like Fries with That?

Venue: 67 Burger

Location: 67 Lafayette St.., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Burger: The 67 Burger

Average Score: 7.0
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike: Last week we continued our tour of Fort Greene by sampling the offerings of 67 Burger. For those of you who are unfamiliar, 67 Burger is what one might call a “burger joint” (not to be confused with “A Burger Joint”). Burgers are their business, and business is good! Their menu offers up thirteen different “styles,” numerous sides and salads, and a plethora of extra toppings and cheeses. But, in staying true to our mission, we opted for “The 67 Burger.”

Their signature sandwich is stacked with a 7oz. grass fed beef patty, creamy blue cheese, and crispy bacon. All of their burgers come on a toasted sesame bun with tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, and garlic pickles. I ordered my burger medium rare with a side of sweet potato fries. Now, these burgers don’t come with a side, so if you want fries, you’ll have to fork out a little extra. Not to stray too far off topic; but, 67 Burger serves up three different types of fries, as well as onion rings. They’re all top-notch in my book, so it’s worth the additional cost; however, the portions are pretty hearty, so it’s advisable to split them with a friend.

As I get back to the burger, I should mention that my opinion might hold bias; I find the pairing of bacon and blue cheese to be one of the greatest flavor combinations one could throw on a burger. This burger was cooked to perfection! It came with topped with a generous dollop of creamy blue cheese and chopped bacon on the bottom between the beef and the lower half of the bun. In my mind, they did this right! I was impressed that the bacon was chopped rather than left in strips, which ensured an equal amount of bacon with each bite. One might assume that the potent flavors packed by the bacon and blue cheese might mask the flavors of the beef. This was not the case with “The 67 Burger.” The size of the patty was the right proportion, and seasoned well enough to prevent it from getting lost among the other flavors. As I mentioned before, this burger had a lot going in the flavor department; but it was equally abundant in texture as well. This was mostly due to the chopped bacon and creamy blue cheese.

In all fairness, and as few of them as there were, I am compelled to mention this burger’s shortcomings. Though the bun was a suitable size, a sesame bun was a bit lackluster for my taste. I would have preferred something a little more on the sweeter side to complement the abundance of savory flavors—the tomato just wasn’t enough on its own. This was, in part, why I ordered the sweet potato fries. Also, the toppings could have been fresher; is it really that time consuming to cut a tomato to order? To wrap up, I was rather satisfied with 67 Burger, albeit a bit overpriced; I look forward to trying some of the other burgers on their menu.

Overall Rating: 7.1

Kenneth: After walking past 67 Burger for the last 5 years, I always assumed it was a sit down and order with a waiter kind of place; so I was shocked when I had to order at the register. I ordered their 67 Burger medium; and this signature burger comes with spreadable blue cheese, bacon, lettuce, red onions and a pickle on the side. Everything sounded great except the blue cheese. I’ve had an aversion to it ever since I was little, after trying it in a cheese tasting in elementary. Due to the cheese, I was not completely excited about this burger; but when it arrived that changed. This burger is HUGE! The veggies came on the side, so you can add them if you like; and the spreadable blue cheese was on the top of patty, while the bacon came under the burger in a million little pieces. Not strips, but a lot of little pieces of bacon, which filled every single bite of this burger with the wonderful taste of bacon. The bun was fresh, the patty was cooked well, and the toppings were very fresh. I enjoyed this burger even if I had to scrape the blue cheese off half way through the burger. The blue cheese was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but I am going to go back and have a cheddar bacon burger. The tiny pieces of bacon have me hooked.




Rating 7.7

Jeff:  I’ve been to 67 Burger before. I couldn’t recall my impressions of it as I sat outside and it was some time ago. On this occasion, I ordered their trademark burger medium rare with sweet potato fries and was given a table stand with an order number card on top. I was number 78.

The fries arrived shortly after sitting; and again I was taken aback. Why? I’m someone who loves chips and salsa before the main meal; I like appetizers, but to me, fries should still arrive with the burger. That said, the sweet potato fries were good; I wish more places offered them.
       

The burger arrived and it looked good. It had a broad thick patty, the lettuce and tomato looked fresh, and the red onions were sliced just right. My first bite was ok, and by ok, I mean it definitely wasn’t bad. The patty wasn’t medium rare but it was juicy. The blue cheese was creamy versus crumbly so that was an eyebrow raiser as well. Where’s the blue? The bacon was diced and spread out. I’m not a fan of diced bacon on burgers, salads maybe, but not burgers. I’m used to it occurring in fast food chains, so this was a strange occurrence for me. Maybe it shouldn’t be, as I did place my order at the counter and was given a number on a metal stand. The diced bacon was nice in that a bit of bacon was in every bite, but I missed the texture and meatiness that whole strips can provide. As I continue to eat, I can’t help but take in the decor. This place is sort of distracting. It made me feel as though I was at a food court in a mall. I am by no means a snob against malls. Having grown up in the Northwest, malls are quite alright by me, but this has a food court feel to me and food courts are definitely something I’m not down with.

      The bun didn’t hold up too well. A third of the way through, the bottom bun had disintegrated and the top bun had collapsed considerably without much flavor. I thought the bun had been toasted a bit but that was not the case. Yeah, it’s feeling more like a food court experience with every bite. In the end the burger was ok, not spectacular, but not bad either. It would definitely pass as a decent burger if made at home, but I wasn’t home.  I was out and left somewhat indifferent to the whole thing.

Rating: 6.2

World's Greatest

Venue: Stanich's

Location: 4915 Northeast Fremont St., Portland, OR

Burger: The Special

Average Score: 8.8
Price Range: $$$$$

Tom: Let me preface this review by disclosing that I did, and always will, approach this burger with a HUGE bias.  Stanich’s has long been one of, if not my absolute favorite burgers… in the world.  For your dollar, I do not believe you can find a better deal anywhere; but, I will always accept challenges thrown down by fellow reviewers.  From the grease stained pendants of nearly every college and sports team known to humanity covering the walls to the ancient and wizened burger yielding staff, Stanich’s proudly totes the old-timey neighborhood bar/diner feel that makes me all warm and fuzzy when I walk in the doors.  To combat my obvious “10/10 burger” rating of their magnificent creation, I decided it was prudent to employ four other burger judges to broaden taste palates for a more accurate analysis.  Five burgers display on the menu, but I highly recommend their flagship burger, the humbly titled “World’s Greatest” or “Special.” The special comes with a fresh ground chuck patty, American cheese, crispy white onions, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, ham, bacon, and a fried egg deliciously stacked on a toasted sesame seed bun.  The true brilliance of this burger, besides the perfect blend of flavors that will set your head spinning, is the condiment mix.  There must be some special seasoning or ingredient because I have never sampled a ketchup/relish/mayo blend that tastes so good.  Many times I have kept a covert eye on the open grill to see if there is some undisclosed bucket or a blank seasoning shaker that quickly makes an appearance to dash out bit of burger bliss before scuttling back to the secret recesses of the kitchen.  But alas, I have not uncovered any secret truths and must accept that they have mastered the blend of otherwise common ingredients.  If there had to be a flaw with this experience, it was in the inconsistency of the fries.  They’re cut fresh daily, but it is a complete roll of the dice whether you will get a batch of perfectly browned and tender fries or an under cooked mass of floppy potatoes that I inevitably eat while grumbling under my breath.  In the end there are few burger places that elicit an instant desire to continue eating and completely ignore the rest of my day though my stomach is pleading with me to stop.  Stanich’s IS one of those places!

Spicy Lame Burger

Venue: Chez Oskar

Location: 211 Dekalb Ave., Brooklyn, NY

Date of Visit: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Burger: Spicy Lamburger

Average Score: 4.3
Price Range: $$$$$

Mike: Our Fort Greene tour continued last week; this time, lamb was on the menu. Our destination: Chez Oskar, for their “Spicy Lamburger.” Chez Oskar, a Harlem Renaissance and French bistro inspired eatery, claims to “crank out fine French cuisine jazzed up by Brooklyn's cultural diversity.” Well, I can neither confirm, nor deny that assertion; but, if I were to base my assessment solely on their lamb burger, I would have to strongly disagree.

For $13, you get a 6 oz. lamb burger with goat cheese, served with French fries and a salad. The menu made no mention of what kind of bun it comes on; I gathered this is because they used whatever was on sale at the local supermarket. I don’t often order lamb, so I asked to have mine prepared as the chef recommended, which turns out to be medium. Though, I think my burger was a bit overcooked, leaving it on the dry end. On the other hand, the dryness may have been a result of a freezing, which I gathered from the consistency and texture of the meat. The patty was, indeed, spicy; but the flavor, despite the goat cheese, completely dominated the sandwich, making the fact that it was lamb a moot point. It could have been any animal, really. As for the goat cheese, it had the consistency of that found from the grocery store. C’mon, is anything on this burger made fresh or in-house?! Frozen patty, bun from a bag, goat cheese from a jar—even the tomato looked like it was cut the day before. I should also add that my burger came with a small piece of the plastic bag the bun must have come in. Needless to say, this was not a good first impression.

To wrap this up, it’s pretty obvious how extremely disappointed I was with this lamb burger. The fries and salad couldn’t have saved this sinking ship, even if they were the best sides imaginable—which they were far from it. I would equate this meal with diner food; but that’s not exactly fair, seeing as I have had better diner experiences than this. Give me $13 and a shopping list and I could produce a better burger than what Chez Oskar is trying to pass off for one these days.

Overall Rating: 4.5

Kenneth: Lamb Burgers! I was very excited to try my first lamb burger; but I can’t let this single experience ruin all other upcoming lamb burgers. This burger was so highly spoken of by quite a few of my friends; I am truly shocked that it turned out so unexpectedly awful. I have to believe my friends who gave praise to this burger have not been back to Chez Oskar in quite some time. I consider this terrible burger a product of a new chef or new management that doesn’t care for this dish.

There were a few things I did like about the burger; the fresh goat cheese, the spiciness of the patty, and the bun to patty ratio. The spiciness of the burger was also the only flavor; I think it was so spicy to cover up for the lack flavor in the meat. The bun looked like an Arnold’s wheat hamburger bun from the local grocery story, and tasted just, well it wasn’t good. Having to consume almost all of my fries was the only way to help create some sense of satisfaction with my burger experience. I wish I had this lamb burger a few years back when it was so highly raved about.

Overall rating 4.7

Jeff:  Chez Oskar was one of the first places at which I had a good burger when I visited Brooklyn seven and a half years ago; and not just any burger, but a lamb burger. I have fond memories of that trip, and the burger; as it was while visiting graduate schools that I settled in this place after a long afternoon. This return visit would hopefully justify my memories of that afternoon.


        Whoa, what is this? This looks nothing like what I remember, and my memory for visual things is pretty good. The patty looks prepackaged.  Either that, or the cook spends a lot of time rounding out his patties for a perfect radius and thickness.  And what’s with the bun? Is this from a store bought package of 8 wheat buns for $1.99? It sure looks like it. The tomato doesn’t look that fresh either. What’s going on here? Did I have that lamb burger somewhere else? Restaurant management changes hands, I know, but why would they choose to serve their lamb burger like this?  

My first bite confirms my visual assessment. The bun is nothing but short of mediocre.  It’s not toasted, it’s bland, it’s dense, it looks like it’s been squished, and it’s dry.

Again, why is this on a lamb burger? Why would this be used on any burger?
  One function of the bun is to serve as the vehicle to deliver the patty. It carries the meat of a burger and should compliment the patty. This is bad, really bad, and I feel bad for suggesting we come here. The patty was flavorful, but I don’t taste too much lamb. I see ground lamb, but the seasoning of the patty is overwhelming. Their menu does state that it’s a spicy lamb burger, but where’s the flavor of the lamb? It might as well be a spicy (insert choice of substance) burger because the flavor of the meat is lacking. The patty’s texture also seems a little mealy. I take another bite and the result is the same, spicy; but I don’t taste much lamb. What happened? This is nothing like what I had back in 2004, and I always remember what tastes good. The only welcome flavor I had from this burger was from the goat cheese, but when paired with the mealy lamb and dry bun, it’s joy faded rather quickly.  I’m not going to mention the fries, why bother.


          You know, if all burgers tasted this poorly, I’d be vegetarian just for the sake of making sure the life of young sheep or cows wasn’t being wasted. They should just live on to graze on grass, provide milk and cheese, and be seen in petting zoos for children. Rest assured, I will not be recommending a burger of any kind from here.

Overall rating: 3.7