Best Burger in NYC Search: RUB BBQ

 RUB (Righteous Urban Barbeque) BBQ

208 W. 23rd Street (between 7th & 8th Ave.)

(212) 524-4300
Burger: The RUB Burger ($7.50) 

UPDATE: *Unfortunately, RUB BBQ shuttered in late 2012. Their burgers will be missed!

With each year that passes, the New York culinary landscape evolves. Certainly, the past few years have been no exception. A focus on quality, less frills and more taste has foodies including us at Burger Bedlam caught up in the great new offerings we encounter daily. Particularly due to the sluggish economy, chefs and restaurateurs must now compete harder than ever for foodie affinity with food trucks, stands and pop-up shops. Less decadent meals and a focus on light but tasty bites also helped spawn an intense burger craze around the boroughs. Obviously, such a trend allows our search for the best burger in NYC to assuredly reach new levels of burger bliss. Hopefully, as a result, we’ve become more discerning than ever, allowing our site to make judgments that although subjective, are fair and accurate. Yet, prior to our foray into the business of reviewing burgers and before our city faced economic challenges, the owners of our next review, RUB BBQ in Chelsea, were in the game. Offering delicious BBQ to New Yorkers since 2005, owner Andrew Fischel and his crew, including notorious BBQ Master Paul Kirk, had already won the heart and stomach of our good buddy Rev at Burger Conquest with their RUB Burger (along with the vast menu options as well – burnt ends, smoked BBQ turkey or pastrami anyone?). To quote Rev, “it’s pure divinity.” As you might imagine, such praise had us amped for a taste, albeit with open unbiased minds and empty stomachs.


Our Expectations: The RUB Burger. About a 5 ounce patty (composed of burnt ends, short rib and brisket), Velveeta cheese, caramelized onions, a chipotle based special sauce and a few sliced pickles all on a Pepperidge Farm bun. With a focus on freshness and basic ingredients, the RUB Burger description had us salivating. Offered only on RUB's weekly Monday Burger Night's from 6-9PM and akin to the fast food style burgers we’ve eaten aplenty, this one sounds like a winner from a conceptual standpoint.

The Burger

Meat: Cooked on a skillet and masterfully done to a medium rare state, we were amazed by the temperature execution considering the size and shape of the patty. Often times you’ll see a thinner patty such as this one inaccurately prepared. Thankfully, the RUB Burger was on point, exemplified by the perfect outer crust and beautiful char. Ground daily, the melt-in-your-mouth texture and freshness were key cogs in the scrumptious taste of the meat. We always make a case for the patty on its own, taking a bite without the toppings. Importantly, this burger aced the test as the cut combination yielded the fat content we desired. Supreme flavors engulfed every bite with a salty and expertly seasoned portion of burger meat. Can’t say enough about that char.

Toppings: Well balanced and devoid of pretentiousness, the toppings provided the messy but tasty compliments we hoped for when combined in a bite with the almost perfect patty. Velveeta cheese was a unique choice, as RUB eschews the ubiquitous offerings of most establishments. It was creamy and suitably melted. Though, we may have more so enjoyed the sharp taste of American or Cheddar cheese since the chipotle based special sauce was just as creamy. Finally, the caramelized onions were sweet while not terribly oniony and the pickles contributed another sweet, crunchy texture.

Bun: Whereas the preceding two ranking categories hit the nail on the head, we were disappointed in the choice of bun. With all the makings of a top notch burger, a Pepperidge Farm bun – straight off the grocery store shelf – had us scratching our heads. Sure, it amply covered the patty with a fitting burger to bun ratio, but it didn’t offer any substantial qualities. Lacking on taste, the bottom half of the bun ended up like a wet blanket. A bun needs to compliment the burger its housing, not detract from the eating enjoyment. Still, we’ve had worse but can’t help to wonder what a potato roll would’ve done for our review.

Bedlam's RUB BBQ Judgment

Meat (50): A glorious balance of fat content from the burnt ends, short rib and brisket with a superb char and crust that makes our mouths water at the very thought of it. Freshly ground with great texture.

Toppings (24): Savory and sweet with plenty of balance while supplying abundant flavor. Though not thoroughly suited to our liking, Velveeta was a nice deviation from the norm and the special sauce added creaminess despite the slight redundancy in regard to composition. The onions added pleasant crunch along with the pickles.

Bun (17): A head scratcher, the bun had one main thing going for it – the size. Suitable coverage of the patty but neutral taste and a soggy bottom half had us irked. We admire RUB’s aim to keep things simple, but a touch more effort could have gone a long way.

Ranking: 91 out of 100

Best Burger in NYC Search: West 3rd Common

West 3rd Common
1 W. 3rd St. (b/w Broadway & Mercer)
(212) 529-2059
Burger: The Common Burger ($12) 

Considering the commotion made with regularity about the hot new burger spots in NYC, it’s a bit surprising that our next review, West 3rd Common Bar & Restaurant, happens to fall under the radar of most foodie blogs and professional critic reviews. Nestled in the chic NoHo area of Manhattan, boasting an equally chic “gastropub” label and New American fare courtesy of FCI grad Chef David Walker, West 3rd Common offers a unique burger experience. Not only do you dine in a cozy 19th Century library styled ambiance, but you get to taste what promises to be a competitor in the best burger in NYC category. Owner Dan Warren opened this “sister” restaurant following the success of his Alphabet City locale, Common Ground, with hopes that West 3rd could provide a quality and more upscale counterpart across town. Curious to see where Chef Walker’s creation stands in the Burger Bedlam court of judgment, we headed downtown anxious to get our hands on the “Common Burger.”

Our Expectations: The Common Burger. An eight ounce Pat LaFrieda blended patty with cheddar, tomato, rockets, sautéed onions, and herbed aioli served on a brioche bun. Differing from many of the ubiquitous burger joints in the city, West 3rd Common chooses to steam their burger rather than using the conventional grilling technique. Verbatim from Chef Walker, “Steaming it makes it super juicy, even when it’s cooked well done.” A steamed burger can perplex our palates now and again, as we’re used to the grilled flavors of beef accompanied by a crusty or glazed outer edge. With a steamed burger, a technique which famously began in Connecticut, the result is often a juicier burger that lacks the cloddishness that can coincide with an eight ounce patty. Still, poor execution can strip the burger of flavor. Given Chef Walker’s culinary background, successful execution is unquestionably an expectation of ours.

The Burger

Meat: We at Burger Bedlam always approach a larger patty with cautiousness. From time to time, we encounter one that is so massive and monstrous that the size has consumed the chef’s efforts to add flavor and maintain juiciness. Fear not, burger enthusiasts, for the steaming technique that Chef Walker implements results in a juicy and flavorful bite. Combining a fresh taste and undeniably rich seasoning, you’re bound to lick your fingers clean and give an attempt to catch the grease that drips down your hands. That, is a quality in which all best burger in NYC contenders should possess.


Toppings: Provided the comfort food nature of the menu at West 3rd Common, the toppings which accompany the Common Burger are rather expected. Herbed aioli and sautéed onions make for a pleasing combination, one we can truly get behind. Sans ketchup, the toppings add a nice punch to our pallets, but not enough to overtake the beef as the winner in the taste category. They were complementary and done well, with the cheddar draped nicely and all the rest being a more standard and traditional accoutrement.





Bun: Soft brioche, with fine coverage of the patty which also withstood the juiciness of the steamed results. Not as sweet as we would’ve liked, but it did its job admirably.



 



Bedlam's West 3rd Common Judgment

Meat (46): Despite our fears, the steaming technique was implemented quite well, with a flavor and juiciness that should be cheered. Moreover, although the size of the patty was a bit more than we tend to hope for, it didn’t bog us down or disrupt the pleasant and tasty eating
experience.

Toppings (21): Not overly done or contrived, the toppings added plenty of value to the taste of every bite. The aioli was well received and sautéed onions were sweet but not soggy.

Bun (20): Great proportional size, held up to the juiciness and tasted fresh. No complaints.

Ranking: 87 out of 100