Burger Bedlam Bites: 8/15/11

Our curated list of culinary news from the prior week. Think we missed a must-read or there's something you gotta share? Add a comment below or drop us a line at contact [at] bestburgernyc [dot] com.

• Hipsters rejoice! Owners of solid East Village burger spot, Royale, are opening up a new restaurant in BillyBurg - Williams & Bailey - which will serve the same Black Angus burger as the Avenue C eatery. [GrubStreet]
• A sweet "anatomical" breakdown of some of the most iconic burgers across the nation, including some of our favorites. [NRN]
• Anthony Bourdain got a quick profile update via the Sunday Times and we're a bit bummed we didn't make his "following" rundown. Fellas can dream, can't they? [NYT]
• As much as we love burgers, nothing tends to go with one better than a hoppy-as-hell IPA. Stone Brewery, one of our favorites, put together an amazing 15th Anniversary brew - a delicious Black IPA. We're buying a sixer ASAP. [Stone Blog]
• Sticking with the beer theme, on top of a new Shake Shack, Grand Central just got a new beer store run by the good folks at Brooklyn's Beer Table. Now maybe self-respecting commuters will forgo the damn Foster's. [Zagat Buzz]

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Burger Bedlam Bites: 8/9/11

Our curated list of culinary news from the prior week. Think we missed a must-read or there's something you gotta share? Add a comment below or drop us a line at contact [at] bestburgernyc [dot] com.

• The New York Times profiles one of our culinary/entrepreneurial idols, Danny Meyer, in this whirlwind of an article. The man is a machine! [NYT]
• QSR Magazine, in a special report, breaks down the fast food burger chain numbers for us. Of course, McDonald's is the monster of the space while Burger Bedlam favorites In-N-Out and Shake Shack place modestly. [QSR]
• While we disagree with quite a few of these, Eater NY breaks down the top 15 drunk foods to eat around the city. Might we implore, where's Pomme Frites or Crif Dogs? [Eater NY]
• A superb breakdown of NYC pizza for novices and New Yorkers alike by Slice's Adam Kuban. [Slice]
• We like our burgers served bloody, but not moo-ing. Not like this squid in the video Eater posted showcasing a not-so-dead little guy that's raised to life once it's plated. Here's a factoid, the sodium in the soy sauce makes it twitch. [Eater]

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Burger Bedlam Bites: 7/26/11

Our curated list of culinary news from the prior week. Think we missed a must-read or there's something you gotta share? Add a comment below or drop us a line at contact [at] bestburgernyc [dot] com.

• Seems as though Danny Meyer and Shake Shack are taking over the world. First Dubai, now Westport, CT [AHT] and soon Grand Central [Eater]. Pretty soon lines for Double Shack burgers will conceive out of thin air!
• And in even more related Shake Shack news, a Harlem burger shop, Milk Burger (nice name, dude), blatantly ripped off Mr. Meyer and his menu. The intern did it, judge. I swear. [DNAInfo]
• Lower East Side hot spot, The Meatball Shop, is getting all hipster on us, opening a location in Williamsburg. Question: How many hipsters does it take to eat a meatball hero? Answer: It's some really obscure number, you wouldn't even understand. [The BK Paper]
• Awesome NoLita Italian sandwich spot Torrisi is opening a small stand in Yankee Stadium. Aside from Lobel's or Carl's, that just may be where you'll find Burger Bedlam eating while the Yanks bash the Sox. [NY Post]
• Eater NY reports a second location for Island Burgers & Shakes, this one on the UWS. Our first review will come soon. Plus, same report - IHOP in the East Village soon. Holy Rooty Tooty Fresh 'n' Fruity. [Eater]

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Burger Bedlam Bites: 7/18/11

Our curated list of culinary news from the prior week. Think we missed a must-read or there's something you gotta share? Add a comment below or drop us a line at contact [at] bestburgernyc [dot] com.

• Indianapolis-based smashed burger chain and Burger Bedlam college favorite Steak 'n Shake is opening up it's first NYC outlet in Midtown. Drunk memories say it tastes good...sober memories say otherwise. [Eater]
• Forbes reports that the next bubble might be burgers. Shorting burgers? Nah, we're long those suckers. [Yahoo Finance]
• The First Lady caught some heat for taking down a 1,700 calorie meal at the D.C. Shake Shack. Not from us. If anything, she just gained significant burger street cred. [Washington Post]
• It might be a bit dated (posted in March), but if you haven't read the AMAZING breakdown of the In-N-Out "secret menu" by A Hamburger Today, thank us now. Yes, we want a Double Double, Animal Style too. [AHT]
• What percentage of Americans eat a burger at least once a week? 48 percent says the Burger Consumer Trend Report. It's the economy, stupid. Duh. [Technomic]

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Burger Bedlam Bites: 7/11/11

Our curated list of culinary news from the prior week. Think we missed a must-read or there's something you gotta share? Add a comment below or drop us a line at contact [at] bestburgernyc [dot] com.

• Shake Shack opened up in Dubai and Danny Meyer tweeted a pic of the grill from Day 1, then tweeted at yours truly! [Burger Bedlam Facebook Page]
• It's Restaurant Week here in NYC, meals can be hit or miss but you can't always eat at Telepan or Barbuto for such value. [NYC Go]
• Foodies be warned, VH1's new reality show "Famous Food" isn't just a train wreck, it's a train wreck of EPIC proportions. Still, we'd watch Ashley Dupre on mute. Are we right, Spitz? [Zagat Buzz]
• McDonald's is testing out a new "English Pub Burger" which comes with, wait for it... AMERICAN cheese. Uh huh, not a typo. [Burger Business]
• The Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest saw Joey Chestnut take the title, again. Competitive eating outcast and rouge Takeru Kobayashi claims he's the real winner in his unsanctioned takedown of 69 dogs. With so much tension we say take it to the Octagon kitchen table, dudes. [NY Daily News]

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Burger Bedlam Bites: 6/13/11

Our curated list of culinary news from the prior week. Think we missed a must-read or there's something you gotta share? Add a comment below or drop us a line at contact [at] bestburgernyc [dot] com.

• Word is Goldman Sachs has it's very own grill at the new FiDi Shake Shack. Damn you, corporate perks. [NY Mag]
• In what appears to be a case of copycat, The New York Times get's all scientific on burgers with Daniel Boulud and some scientist. Hmm, reminds us of our Science Channel TV appearance with Richard Blais and his mastery of the sous vide burger. Terms floated include: Maillard, Liquid Nitrogen and crenellated. Mind. Blown. [NYT] 
• Kanye West's 2007 deal with Fatburger get's dissolved. At least Pharrell is still gansta'. [NY Post/Page Six]
• Ashton Kutcher wore a straw hat to our #1 ranked burger spot, Lure Fishbar. Hey, don't go all Sheen crazy on us already, dude. [NY Post/Page Six]
• The Daily News lists the best fries in the city. We don't rank 'em, but we agree with Pomme Frites. Get the Sweet Mango Chutney Mayo, it's dreamy. [NY Daily News]

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Burger Bedlam Bites: 5/22/11

We're serving up a new weekly segment to keep you acquainted with the news and stories we deem worthy from the prior week. A small, curated list. Think we missed a must-read? Drop us a line at contact [at] bestburgernyc [dot] com.

• Burger Bedlam favorite Burger & Barrel has new lunch and dinner menus while also launching a happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. with $5 wine and beer on tap. Aside from the always amazing burgers, try the fried chicken, short rib tacos and chicken lollipops. Trust us. 
• An epic column from A Hamburger Today on their bi-coastal taste-test between In-N-Out, Shake Shack and Five Guys. We approve of the outcome. [AHT]
• Gilt Groupe has launched it's latest site, Gilt Taste with former Gourmet Editor-In-Chief Ruth Reichl at the helm. [NY Mag Grub Street]
• If you're not following @ruthbourdain on Twitter, you're missing one of the most hilarious tweet profiles around. Case in point, the still anonymous creator just won the James Beard Foundation award for humor writing. With that, he/she took a satirical play on Gilt Taste last week called...Guilt Taste. [Ruth Bourdain Tumblr]
• McDonald's is feeling the pressure to fire Ronald McDonald. As long as they don't axe the Hamburglar, we're good. [WSJ]
  

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Best Burger in NYC Search: Waterfront Ale House

Waterfront Ale House
540 2nd Avenue (cross st: 30th St.)
(212) 696-4104
Burger: The Waterfront Burger ($11.95) 

A burger is always enjoyable with a beer…that’s fact. While many best burgers in NYC can be enjoyed thoroughly without a brew in hand, our next burger review brought us to an establishment that might just be the ideal locale to grab a pint and chow down on a sensuous patty of beef. Waterfront Ale House, home to “warm beer, ugly owner, and lousy food” as so defined on their outdoor sign, was Burger Bedlam’s next venture into the foray of finding the best NYC burger. With the beer flowing – microbrews, domestics, and international flavors included – we trekked around the block in our own Murray Hill hood to try Waterfront’s Zagat proclaimed “sublime burgers.” Something of a dive, we take a break from our most recent reviews at “gastropubs” to get down to brass tax, burgers a la carte. Screw the ambiance; we don’t need no stinking ambiance. Give us a burger, beer (ok, beers) and we couldn’t be happier.

Our expectations: The Waterfront Burger. A half pound patty of fresh ground sirloin served with toppings of your choice. We at Burger Bedlam always go for the Bacon Cheeseburger unless the burger establishment is known for something else – a la The Spotted Pig or Shake Shack. Yet, most of the reviews we’ve done come with bacon and cheese…we’re not complaining. Would you? Although we had a hard time passing on the chili topping, as we know how good we know the chili is at Waterfront, but we digress. We will gladly take one for the team and try the bacon cheeseburger.

The Burger

Meat: If you’re looking for punch from a burger, you hope for the meat to knock you out. At Waterfront, you might consider the meat a jab from your girlfriend rather than an uppercut from Tyson. Sure, the meat was juicy, despite its overcooked texture, but it lacked any standout features. Whereas the meat usually sings with seasoning and freshness at many best NYC burger spots, this patty lacked much of either. Under-seasoned is not the way to win our hearts and appetites.

Toppings: Bacon makes us smile. Its one of those foods that can make any burger, breakfast or brunch complete. Waterfront does its part to keep us consistently happy with the pig product as it produces what might be the best feature of their burger. Now, that’s all well and good, but should it really be the case? This is after all, a burger, and not bacon, blog. With that said, it’s got a delectable crisp and smokiness that complements the burger well. As for the cheese, basic American, but melted expertly.

Bun: Solid bun, spanning all sides of the burger and holding up throughout the eating experience. Slightly burnt from toasting, but nothing that affected the taste. Though, does it add to the flavor of every bite? Not so much. Regardless, it isn’t horrible like some other NYC burger restaurants…we’re looking at you, Royale.

Bedlam's Waterfront Ale House Judgment

Meat (29): Still slightly juicy but lacking the seasoning we yearn for, the meat was underwhelming and overdone.

Toppings (20): Standout bacon with the crispiness and smoky saltiness we desire. Waterfront is more a BBQ joint than anything else when it comes to food, so we expect this type of result. The cheese is melted well.

Bun (20): Right size, but slightly burnt, not much of an addition.

Rating: 69 out of 100

Best Burger in NYC Search: Shake Shack

Shake Shack
Madison Square Park (Cross St: Madison Ave & E. 23rd)
212-889-6600
Burger: The Double ShackBurger ($7.25) 

Let's be clear: we maintain no bias, all burgers are treated equally. Our reviews of what we hope to be the best burgers in NYC follow the same practical evaluation and judgment follows a three section analysis (ha, lets not get too serious here...its burgers). Yet, it's no secret, we have a soft spot for a certain type of burger. That taste bud tempting burger that combines a greasy spoon fast food style burger with secret sauce, grilled onions, melted cheese and a fresh bun gets us every time. Still, we continue to be on the lookout for a different kind of burger that will take our breath mouths away. If we're going to find something different, something new, we certainly live in the right city. When it comes to the genius that is Danny Meyer, we realize his Madison Square Park burger joint, Shake Shack, doesn't recreate the wheel with their burger. But, in yours truly's opinion, there aren't many that do it better. Plain and simple.


Our Expectations: The Double ShackBurger. Two fresh steer burgers (ground daily) with meat from who else - Pat LaFrieda, American cheese, Shack Sauce (mayo-based, but all else is secret), lettuce, and tomato on a potato (yeah!) roll. Onions and pickles are optional and served on the side. All Shake Shack burgers are cooked medium, but take our word for it after plenty of experience eating at Shake Shack (we're "experts" remember?), burgers always come between medium and medium well. Among the expectations we normally have, we also expected a serious line. Of course, most New Yorkers know about the consistent line at Shake Shack and that's why the Shake Shack website provides a "Shack Cam." Check it out for yourselves here. Either way, we also expected the usual tourist questions from passerbys: "Is the burger worth the wait?" or "How fast does this line go?" Those questions might be as consistent as the line.

The Burger

Meat: Lets get our first and only complaint of the ShackBurger's meat out of the way: It's a slightly tough. Not to say it doesn't taste fresh, because it is, as advertised. Yet, we wish it was cooked to temperature in a better manner. Definitely more medium well than medium. Now the seasoning, it rocks our world. Some of the best we've had...like butter. It's perfect, Brett just won't shut up about it! As for the patties, their size is to our liking. They maintain their texture throughout and aren't overwhelmed or drowned by the bun or toppings.

Toppings: Some delicious stuff going on here. The toppings on the ShackBurger won't suffocate you, as some best NYC burger candidates might. The Shack Sauce drips gently over the patties, with just enough to add flavor without cramping the meat's style. The lettuce and tomato are fresh and the American cheese melts like a blanket of gooey goodness over both patties. When ordering from Shake Shack, you're doing yourself no favors by leaving off the toppings...especially the Shack Sauce. DO IT! If you're going to wait on line for an hour plus, you better get whats good, and whats good are these toppings.


Bun: The perfect bun. We really shouldn't have to say more. But, our review demands more and we'd never leave our readers hanging. Shake Shack uses a glorious and fresh potato roll. From this, we've decided a potato roll or bun of some sort should be the default. Don't mess with sesame or white rolls. Leave the brioche for the heathens. Serve us a burger on a potato roll and you'll win our hearts. As for why this bun is the best, besides being made from spuds, we'd use the words soft and flavorful and tell you that its expertly toasted. We challenge you to find much better.


Bedlam's Shake Shack Judgment

Meat (47): Immense flavor, addictive taste. We order two at a time...check the pics. Though, it leaves us wanting more in the texture category, but that doesn't prevent our double order.

Toppings (23): Shake Sauce is a must, American cheese blends well, all the rest are fresh and crunchy. Solid bunch.

Bun (25): Perfection. Buttery, sweet, soft and a perfect compliment to the patty.

Rating: 95 out of 100

Best Burger NYC Glimpse: Shake Shack

If you’re a loyal reader of Burger Bedlam, and we hope you are (sign up for our e-mail distribution at the top left of our home page!), you wouldn’t be surprised to see us rank Shake Shack as the best NYC burger. Stemming from our long-devoted love (infatuation?) with In-N-Out Burger on the west coast, finding a burger in NYC that has all of the attributes of a Double Double Animal Style would certainly make us giddy. While we long for the day that In-N-Out Burger makes its way east (doubtful), we have, in the past, found Shake Shack to adequately fill the void.

From the genius that is Danny Meyer, the owner and restaurateur of such fine establishments as, among others, Gramercy Tavern, Tabla & Blue Smoke, comes this modest burger destination in Madison Square Park. No matter rain or shine, day or night, and as consistent as New York City traffic at rush hour, the line for burger bliss at Shake Shack runs rampant. It isn’t hard to understand why. Common sense tells us that the line is bound to be long with only two (!!!) ordering counters for burgers which most definitely creates a herd mentality. Amusingly, it’s not uncommon to find park strolling tourists asking “what’s with the line?” or “is it worth it?” Yet, a deeper understanding can be attributed to the long-standing belief by many that Shake Shack serves up the best burger in NYC. Currently atop our burger rankings, will Shake Shack live up to its top billing? Or will it fall from our good graces and relinquish its title like its burger companion JG Melon before it? Stay tuned…