mmmm....Burgers

Steak is amazing, don't get me wrong. But sometimes, you just want a good greasy hamburger. Processed food is so 1990's anyway, therefore the era of fast food burgers are most definitely passe. So the question is, what to do when you want a burger, in the middle of the city? Let's review our options.





Option #1


We have already ruled out franchises ( although I've heard in and out burger is FAB- too bad there isn't any in NYC)





Option #2


We can go to a steakhouse and order a burger. The positive side of that idea would be the expectation of the quality of food would be higher, so it is assumed that the prospective steakhouse would perform to meet and hopefully exceed that expectation. Sounds pretty good huh?





Negative side- With steakhouse quality comes steakhouse prices. With this recession, everything has inflated, especially the price of food, which is sad. Also, you must be appropriately dressed to enter a steakhouse. Business casual is a little much for a burger and fries , don't you think?





Slim Pickings....





Here's a thought-





Option # 3- How about a burger joint?


They specialize in burgers, therefore anything less than good could quite possibly be failure. (that's harsh, but true =] ). It's not processed, and the atmosphere usually has a great vibe with a relaxed staff, which usually makes diners relaxed and open to have a great experience.





Folks, I think we have a winner with option 3-


A burger joint!!!





Burger joints I've been to recently have been BLT Burger by Chef Laurent Tourondel and Williamsburger.

Both cleverly named, so I think we'll start with Williamsburger. As you may have guessed, it is located in Brooklyn, which provides this burger place with it's witty name. Upon my first entrance, it is realized that if there were a burger joint that would truly captivate the essence of Williamsburg, this would be it. It is trendy, but really chill. With it's ever changing menu, the freshness of the food and the great service of the staff remains constant. The staff is attentive, but not overeager, which allowed me to enjoy my meal in peace.

People raved about the Kobe burger with Hoisin sauce. If you didn't know this before, now you do- I love almost all things kobe. I was disappointed to see that they no longer made it, so I opted for the Asian Chicken burger. It came with sides that I am not too fond of such as coleslaw. So I decided not to eat it. The chicken was very flavorful. I found the spices to not overpower the chicken patty which was very nice. I'm not a fan of ginger, but I do understand it's place in food, especially in Asian cuisine. I must say without any bias, that the ginger on the burger was quite excessive and overpowering. The french fries on the side were very tasty. They were freshly cut, and made to order. They were greasy, which complimented the Asian Chicken burger because it was a bit lean, the exception of the mayo which seemed to consist of mayonnaise, capers, and scallions. It's a great place to eat with a sizable group of friends if the weather permits it, due to the fact it features outdoor seating. If you're ever in Williamsburg, and you're craving a burger, Williamsburger is a great choice.



BLT Burger



I had high expectations for this place because it is owned by the talented Laurent Tourondel who owns may other BLT restaurants in NYC. BLT Burger has personality. It is one of the quintessential New York burger places. It wasn't opulent at all which is not expected of a burger place, but it still had character. I was greeted by a welcoming staff. Once seated, my guest ( Rebe =] ) and I were quickly attended to. I felt our server was overwhelmingly persistent with asking us if we knew what we wanted to order. She asked us 3 to 4 times in the span of 10 minutes, which is a lot. We finally ordered, where I got the lamb merguez and Rebe ordered the classic burger. The lamb merguez was like a lamb gyro, but instead of Shaved leg of lamb, it was ground lamb in a form of a patty, and a bun replaced the traditional pita bread that is usually used.
When our food came, I was excited because the scent of the food ignited my taste buds. I was also pleased because the food came in a timely manner. The food was placed in front of us, and we couldn't wait to eat. 2 minutes later, our server asked us if we enjoyed our food. It was off putting that she asked how everything was so often. We need to taste the FOOD FIRST!!! We can't eat, if we're answering questions. We finally took our fist bite, and it was good. Rebe got the classic burger, which shouldn't come as a surprise is a classic burger. ( Classic Burger: freshly made beef patty, lettuce, and tomato, )
She seemed to enjoy it.
I couldn't wait to dig into dig into my lamb merguez burger, until I bit into it. It was rare, when I asked for it to be medium rare. That was disappointing. Nevertheless, the flavor of the burger was good. It was a spin on the gyro, which made it more refined. It could have used a touch of salt just to enhance the flavor. The mint was a nice herb to add to the cucumber yogurt sauce. The fries fries on the side were delicious without. They were perfectly seasoned with not too much salt, and were crispy without being oily. My guess is that they used the double fry method.
Double Fry Method ( as seen on Guy's Big Bite on Food Network)
Place fries in the fryer until they have a baked potato consistency on the inside. Then remove the fries from the oil. By doing that, that will allow the oil to return to it's original temperature. Return the fries to the oil, and cook for 2-3 minutes longer.

This way ensures crispy fires without that greasy taste. Maybe I expected a little too much because this is after all by Laurent Tourondel. It was good though- really good. It's good enough for me to suggest it, therefore it is definitely yummy.


Burgers are such an American classic. Sometimes you want something traditional, sometimes you want something with a little twist, but when it comes to a burger, rarely can you go wrong. The day you have a really bad burger, would be the day a piece of American cuisine would die.

smile, laugh, share,
peace and love
- Trish