Walker’s Restaurant
http://walkersnyc.com
16 N Moore St
New York, NY 10013
THE CONQUEST
Growing up my Mother always wanted me to be a “perfect Gentleman.” She would ask me to dress nicely, treat people with respect, help the less fortunate and always remember my “P’s & Q’s” (please’s and thank you’s). You see, my Mom wanted to take the little guy on the left and hopefully turn him into the gentleman on the right while avoiding as much of “that guy” in the middle.
I think she did a pretty good job. So when I get invites from my friends inviting me to a “Gentlemen’s Lunch,” I dismiss any Urban Dictionary definitions and revert back to what Momma C raised me to be. My friends gather annual to celebrate the holidays by doing what any Gentleman would do, dressing up, gathering for a meal and toasting with a “few” holiday spirits.
If there’s one thing a Gentlemen knows, it’s respect your elders and there’s no better place to gather for a lunch, as a Gentleman than Walker’s Restaurant in NYC. It’s located in Tribeca, right across from the Fire station at 8 Hook and Ladder at 14 North Moore St off W Broadway, more commonly known as “Ghostbusters HQ.” Walker’s address, 16 Moore Street, has been a bar and restaurant since the late 1800s. Not much has changed other than ownership, the smoking ban and electricity, to this classically old-school New York eatery. Known for classic drinks, pints of Beer and good old America-fare, including a highly-regarded Burger, this institution stands the test of time. It’s a perfect place for Gentlemen to gather and celebrate the holidays while scribbling on the white paper table cloth with the myriad of crayons placed at each table.
THE BURGER
Walker’s is rumored to not only have a great Burger but also some very tasty Chili. Stands to reason that if you serve or have access to great Beef, it could be served many ways. Not so much the case because Chili, much like Hamburgers, are an artform. That’s the reason I don’t order it at a lot of places, Chili is easy to make but good Chili is hard as hell to create. Thankfully Walker’s nails it. For Chili, which is a dish normally layered with robust flavors, this Chili is all about the subtleties. I love that it comes topped with Onions, Cheese and Sour Cream. That’s a sign that the restaurant knows how to serve their Food. You’ll full pieces of Ground Beef in nearly every spoonful, which tells you they don’t over handle it while cooking the dish. You’ll also find Kidney Beans which means they don’t care about traditional definitions of how to make Chili and are more interested in making it taste good. Congrats, it most certainly does.
As Gentlemen, we are taught the finer things in life. On top of being polite, cordial, charming, smart and handsome, we also mind our manners and share. That’s how we were able to calmly and fairly split an appetizer. The special app of the day was sliced and smoked Sausage with Sauerkraut and Stone Ground Mustard. I’m not sure how often this is on the menu but if it is when you get there, take it from a Gentleman, you’ll want to eat this.
There are several kinds of Burgers out there, most of them regional in their origin. While most people get their proverbial undershorts in a bunch over West Coast style (think In-N-Out), I prefer something definably East Coast, an Irish Pub Style Burger. You’ll typically find these, as their name dictates, in old-school Irish Pubs. The Burgers are thicker, served on larger Sesame Seed Buns, with Lettuce, Cheese and Onions. They’re harder to cook because you order them to temperature which and due to the thickness, takes a talented Chef to prepare them correctly. The fat content on such a Burger needs to be split solid perfect otherwise you risk them being too dry. They’re meant to feed a very hungry Gentleman (or Gentlewoman) unlike their dainty thin Patty cousins. It’s an art form and you’ll find them a lot more frequently in this town than you will anywhere else.
Walker’s NYC has what might be the most PERFECT version of said old school NYC Irish Pub Burger. The Beef is perfectly savory. The Sesame Seed Bun is perfectly pillowy and yet thick enough to hold up a bulky patty. This Burger is THE reason to come to Walker’s Restaurant. I would normally not recommend Red Onions on a Burger. However, if you can make them like Walkers does, which, much like the entire Burger, are both sweet and salty. I’m completely impressed, top to bottom. nd red onions on a burger unless you can make them like Walkers which, much like the entire burger, are both sweet and salty. I’m completely impressed.
The Burger at Walker’s Restaurant is a perfect old-school pub style Burger & it has to be the secret to their longevity.
9 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev
THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
588 Burgers
December 20, 2012 – 2:21 pm
The Rev Meter for Social Community
“The Rev Meter” is a social community meter for assessing how optimized a bar or restaurant is with social networking. By taking what I consider to be the 10 most important social networks and creating a point system, I can accurately asses how well your business is using social networking as a tool. My goal here is to educate and assist great business to better effectively use these tools.
Walker’s scores a 8 on The Rev Meter.
SCORING:
4 points or less You’ve missed the 5 basics and are less than optimized
5 points You’ve covered the basics, which is better than most but far from optimized.
6 to 9 points You’re doing better than most and on your way to becoming a well respected social community whiz.
10 points Congrats on a perfect score!
