35 Downing St. (cross of Bedford St.)
(212) 337-0404
Burger: The Hamburger Deluxe ($14.50)
(212) 337-0404
Burger: The Hamburger Deluxe ($14.50)
From time to time along our search for the best burger in NYC, we visit what’s commonly known as “foodie establishments” in Manhattan. Evidently, most of the eateries on our “to be reviewed” list are typecast as such – and we’re not complaining. So, recently we had the opportunity to hit up one such restaurant in the form of Blue Ribbon Bakery on Downing Street in the West Village. Not to be confused with Blue Ribbon Brasserie over on Sullivan Street but bearing the same owner and family of restaurants, the Bakery serves up a healthy portion of beef that’s often on many critics’ short lists of best burgers in NYC. In doing so, they have taken an item which is plainly described on their “all over the place” menu, and made it into a must try, even after you scarf down the fresh breads they serve with your meal. Even better, doing so in an unassuming brick-walled village locale makes you feel at home as you dine – making that such an, ahem, treat.
Our Expectations: The Hamburger Deluxe. Served up with lettuce, tomato and raw onion on a house-made sesame seed topped bun. A grill marked and approximately eight-ounce patty which has been grass-fed and locally raised is what we’ve read, so a flavorful and fresh bite should be instantly recognizable. With a rich history of award-winning fare, Blue Ribbon shouldn’t fail to impress. Just ask Martha Stewart if she likes it…Yes, that was a Martha Stewart reference, your eyes aren’t deceiving you.
The Burger
Meat: Scrumptious is a word that comes to mind, as the Blue Ribbon eight-ounce robust patty is tasty and savory all in one bite. Nicely seasoned and delicately grilled, the meat looks tasty pre-bite and continues its sensory enjoyment on your palate. Though, despite the victory in taste, the freshness check is the patty’s downfall, as the meat does taste less fresh than it should. Negative points in that regard. Still, the cooking temperature was on par with our Medium Rare request, which makes us happy.
Toppings: Basic toppings and nothing out of the ordinary, but if we’re gonna be sticklers – and we are – the cheese is sloppily topped on the patty, with a less-than-melted consistency. The more you melt the cheese, the better the gooey goodness comes, so we weren’t fully pleased. Still, the raw onion is a good call as every bite deserved the crunch and sweetness to counteract the savory that is the patty.
Bun: A disappointment, the bun was slightly oversized and gave us more than we could handle in terms of bun to meat ratio. Additionally, although we enjoyed the breads provided in the table’s basket, the bun wasn’t necessarily above average, despite coming from a bakery. We expected more. A nice fluffy custom-baked bun, yes, but lacking much of the sweetness and complementary taste we’ve come to expect from most buns.
Bedlam's Blue Ribbon Bakery Judgment
Meat (44): A pleasantly seasoned patty with above average taste and coming in at a relatively larger size. Still, it lacked in the freshness department and was less juicy than we desire.
Toppings (19): Standard stuff and a bit amateurish in the melted cheese execution, it’s hard to take away too many points for simple ingredients.
Bun (20): Although it’s custom baked and noticeably fresh and fluffy, the bun was still a bit overbearing in size in comparison to the patty while also coming up short on complementary taste.
Ranking: 83 out of 100
You've gotta try the new Kobe burger lunch special at The Old Homestead Steakhouse on 9th in Manhattan. This is a burger worth $40, and it's only $19 at lunch, and includes great sides AND wine. The beef is raised on a specialized sake-liquor-mash and hand massaged daily. Ask for the owner, Marc Sherry, and let him know you'd like to do a review of this new burger special. You're gonna love it.
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