Trailer Park Lounge
http://trailerparklounge.com/
271 W 23rd St
New York, NY 10011
THE STORY
The best thing about eating burgers, is eating burgers. The next best thing about eating burgers is eating them with others so they can back you up when you say “it’s so good, you have to try it!” Once upon a time, I ate a burger at the Trailer Park Lounge in NYC and realized, that of all the world’s burgeratti, Burger Conquest were the only people singing it’s praises. After calling them out online , A Hamburger Today’s Adam Kuban with the promise of “full-on burger porn in the Trailer Park.” 6 Months later, at the 2nd meeting of the Burgeratti AKA “BURGERCON“A Hamburger Today, Burger of the Month Club and Burger Conquest descended upon the Trailer Park for said promise of “burger porn.”
Located in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, the Trailer Park Lounge is a kitchy restaurant filled with Elvis, Bowling, Beer and lawn decoration paraphernalia. The menu is simple and includes both Schaefer’s and Pabst in cans. There is no way to walk out of this place in a bad mood.
THE BURGER
The Trailer Park burger is juicy, but not greasy and served between a toasted sesame seed bun. Cooked just right (medium rare for me), the sandwich is flavorful, but not over loaded. Served with the best tater tots on the planet, which I like to describe as “the carbohydrate version of heroin” and a damn tasty bowl of chili mac.
Jackie, Paul and I have all had many a tot-filled occasion here so, Adam, Robyn, Lizzie, Jason, Kyle – how did it measure up? Was it “Can’t Help Falling In Love” or was this nothin’ but a “Hound Dog?”
8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev
Now, someone call Weird Al and have this re-written as “There’s No Stoppin’ Tots”
My office is conveniently located right in the middle of Burgercon 1 and Burgercon 2 so naturally I was delighted when the Rev called for a stop at Trailer Park.
The key here is to remember that they don't do small. If you're there to check out the burger then don't kill yerself first on the Mac & Cheese or the tots. Great as they are, save room for what you're really there for.
It took a while for all our eight burgers to be delivered, longer than you'd perhaps expect but this is a good thing as it shows they're not just serving up crap and that love & affection is going into what is being prepared.
It's nice to get a burger that isn't dripping in some kind of 'secret' sauce, which can so often disguise (or at least attempt to) a tasteless burger. Despite the cheddar and the bacon hanging out the sides of this badboy, it didn't feel the need to hide. The burger equivalent of 'yeah, you think you can take me, come on then.. If you think you're hard enough'.
And man it didn't disappoint. Tasty to the max and cooked just right. I've never seen (heard) a table go so quiet so quick and despite the size of the thing everybody pretty much got through everything.
The joint itself is fun and laid back. They could use better music programming but other than that top marks from me.
7, or maybe even 8 out of 10 ounces.