Burger Conquest

The Windmill – Something Great About New Jersey

Posted on 08/25/2013 by Rev

The Windmill
http://www.windmillrestaurantsusa.com
22 N Bridge Ave
Red Bank, NJ 07701

THE CONQUEST
New Jersey is known for a lot things like reality shows about the Shore, miles and miles and miles of expensive toll roads, Viagra, no left turns, unlawful pumping of gas, the highest auto insurance rate in the United States and the 2nd most dangerous place to live in America; Camden. It’s no wonder so many people are excited to live there. But seriously though, if you like eating fast Food or enjoy casual dining, the Garden State has a lot to offer. Whether is a Pork Roll, Taylor Ham, Sliders, Scrapple, Tomatoes, Corn, Heroes, Rippers, Tomato Pies, Disco Fries and so many other items, NJ offers a cornucopia of sought after eats.

One such New Jersey dining staple has its origins in Long Branch, NJ when the very first Windmill Restaurant opened in 1964. A favorite of NJ native Bruce Springstein, The Windmill serves Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Sandwiches and Salads or as they call it, “Gourmet Fast Food.” The main draw to The Windmill are their Hot Dogs which are Kosher style and flat grilled. For those most intense Windmill fans, you can purchase packed Hot Dogs or even full BBQ packs to cook at home. With 9 locations, The Windmill is the 2nd largest 2nd largest Wiener Dynasty in the state, making a true staple of the NJ dining lifestyle.

THE BURGER
While recently in NJ for business, I happened upon a location of The Windmill and as I joked on social media, “NJ might be stronger than the storm, but I’m not strong enough to resist The Windmill.” I immediately pulled over, marched in and ordered a Chili Dog and a Cheeseburger with Onions. When they say “fast,” they mean it. Your food, cooked to order is up in minutes. You can watch the employees fire up the grill and flame cook the Burgers right in front of you.

The Windmill Hot Dog isn’t some wimpy stadium wiener. The big, thick and extra long Franks are cooked on a griddle, turning over and over to get a nice smoky flavor reminiscent of a summer picnic.. The Dogs have a nice snap to the bite with a nice, juicy and Beefy flavor. The Chili has a little bit of smokiness and a nice strong Tomato taste which really reminds you, that you’re eating in New Jersey. The White Squishy Bun is no match for this hefty Dog and it’s toppings and is guaranteed to fall apart as you eat it. You’ll want to make sure to give a good lean into it while eating.

The Windmill’s Burger is a single patty, about 4 ounces that comes on your choice of a hard or soft Bun. The hard rolls is like a Kaiser and no matter what anyone in NJ thinks, there is a better bread alternative to it for every Sandwich. Go with the classic White Squishy along with some cooked Onions and a slice of American Cheese. No need for anything else if you’re looking for a classic American Cheeseburger. The open flame grilling of the Patty, much like the Hot Dog, gives it a smokey tastes that you’ve come to expect at a backyard BBQ or summer picnic.

Chomping on Burgers and Dogs at your local Windmill is old school NJ dining at it’s finest.

-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
649 Burgers

August 20, 2013

Posted in Burgers, Fast Food, Gourmet Burgers, New Jersey | Tagged best burger, burger conquest, cheese, chili dog, ciancio, david, gourmet fast food, hamburger, hot dog, new jersey, nj, red bank, rev, review, the windmill | Comments Off

Cheeburger Cheeburger – 50s Style Burgers and Flavor Bomb Fries

Posted on 08/25/2013 by Rev

Cheeburger Cheerburger
http://cheeburger.com
222 7th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215

THE CONQUEST
The history of the diner dates back to 1872 in Providence, RI to a man named Walter Scott. He served Food from a horse drawn wagon to night workers and patrons of men’s clubs. This lunch wagon had open windows on either side from which he could serve Food. Commercial production of these lunch wagons began in 1887 in the town of Worcester, MA and the first patent for a diner was granted 4 years later. The word “diner” however, didn’t come into use until around the mid 1920s, right around the time that White Castle started to put Hamburgers on the path to being the quintessential American Food item. The American diner revolution had begun and quick way to have a casual meal swept the nation as The Jerry O’Mahony Diner Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey produced more than 2000 diners between the years of 1917 and 1952. The diner was then a part of every day life and getting a Sandwich, Fries and Shake was about as American as a meal could get.

The 1950s diner with it’s Hamburgers, Shakes and Fries lives on in the form of Cheeburger Cheeburger. Founded in 1986 on Sanibel Island, FL, the casual dining chain is 50s style diner & Soda fountain specializing in those key items. The place is complete with decor from the era as well as its own radio station playing everything from Motown to Oldies to Surf Rock. Cheeburger Cheeburger is known for it’s “invent your own” Burger or Salad, giving you more than 8 million possible combinations with an array of toppings, sizes and accouterments. The have 5 different sized certified Angus Beef Burger patties, including their signature 20 ounce “Pounder” Burger. You also have the choice of a Salmon, Turkey or Veggie Patty. If you’re into French Fries, even more specifically Loaded Fries, this is your spot. The Cheeburger Cheeburger “Loaded Fries,” Skin-on, are piled high with BBQ Sauce, Ranch, Chili, Cheese Sauce, Melted Cheese and Jalapeños. You wash down with a Milkshake with more than 1 million flavor combinations, Sodas, Wines or Beer. Just have the hostess show you to a table or grab a stool at the counter and let your meal begin.

THE BURGER
In all the 5 boroughs of New York City there is only one Cheeburger Cheerburger location so if you’re looking for a 1950s diner Burger experience, you’ll need to head to Park Slope, Brooklyn to find it. I was tempted to order the “Pounder” but decided instead to go with the 1/3pound “Semi-Serious” sized Burger on a Honey Wheat Bun, topped with American Cheese and Sauteed Onions. I really liked the sweetness of the Bread which also has a good sturdiness to its shape. The Burger, made fresh is served Medium. The Burger is everything it’s supposed to be and although I wasn’t alive in the 50s, this is pretty much what I think of when I think of a classic diner Burger. The Loaded Fries for me were the star of the show. The Spuds themselves, despite being completely covered, hold up in their firmness without every getting soggy. The whole dish is a complete flavor bomb that goes from sweet to spicy to smokey to savory and all other points in between. These would make for an intense post bar snack. I definitely felt like I needed a nap after eating them! After getting through both dishes, I couldn’t imagine having eaten a larger sized Burger.

– Rev

Cheeburger_Cheeburger_Brooklyn_NY_081513_Burger_Conquest_Rev_Ciancio1726

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
647 Burgers

August 15, 2013

Posted in Brooklyn, Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged "park slope", 50s style diner, best burger, brooklyn, burger conquest, cheeburger cheeburger, cheese, ciancio, david, diner, french fries, hamburger, history of the diner, loaded fries, nyc, rev, review, semi-serious | Comments Off

Ramen Burger – How To Skip The Ramen Burger Line

Posted on 08/19/2013 by Rev

Ramen Burger
Smorgasburg
90 Kent Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

THE CONQUEST
If you have yet to hear about the newest Food craze coming out of NYC, the Ramen Burger, you’re either living under a rock or worse yet, Ohio. Let’s back up.

Second generation Japanese-American Keizo Shimamato is the author of “Go Ramen!” a long running blog with a focus on a single food item, (sound familiar?) Ramen. His passion for the Noodle soup lead him to Japan where he became the man behind the popular Tokyo Ramen spot, Bassanova. In 2012, film maker Michael McAteer condensed Keizo’s life of Ramen into a 7 and a half minute film called “Ramen Dreams.” The film received the royal treatment at the 2012 edition of the NYC Food Film Fest. They recreated the Bassanova – Keizo experience in a movie theater serving people while watching the film. People’s minds were blown and Keizo and Michael were asked to be a part of both the Chicago & Charleston Food Film Festivals that followed NYC.

Earlier this summer, Keizo moved back to NYC with a gleam in his eye. That gleam: The Ramen Burger.

When Keizo was planning his launch of this revolutionary Food mashup along with film maker Kristoffer Brearton, he called yours truly for help with the Beef. After much talk of umami pops, juiciness, flavoring, size, cooking methods and tastes, I pointed Keizo to the fantastic folks at Burger Maker. These guys make some of the best, freshest and most delicious Beef patties and blends in the all the land. I knew they would deliver the goods for the Ramen Burger. From there I suggest Keizo have a conversation with the people from GreenDustries, makes of the PleatPak™. It’s a unique Sandwich cover that is easy to use, retains heat and keeps messiness off of one’s shirt. It’s perfect for serving them while your walking around a flea market like Smorgasburg, which so far, is the only place you can get a Ramen Burger.

THE BURGER
So what is a Ramen Burger you ask and why have people been waiting in line sometimes up to 3 hours to get one?

1. Two Buns formed from freshly cut Ramen Noodles from Sun Noodle
2. A 4 ounce USDA Prime Ground Beef Chuck Patty with a 75/25 lean to fat content ratio from Burger Maker
3. Fresh Argula and Scallions
4. Keizo’s secret Shoyu Ramen Sauce

The Noodle Buns are cooked on a flat top griddle, along with the Beef Patties, which goes between the Noodle Buns with the Fresh Veggies and sauce.

Yes, it’s damn good. But how do you make it better? You get NYC’s “Expert Burger Taster” to come and cook them. Which answers the question that’s burning in everyone’s mind:

So how does one get skip the line privileges?

BE THE GRILL CHEF!

Yup. Once again, that’s yours truly, wearing my “Slapron,” getting ready to grill 300 Burger Maker patties at Smorgasburg. I got there at 10 am and there was already a line more than 100 people long waiting to get their mitts on one of them. It was an absolute pleasure and sincerely a lot of fun working with Keizo, Kris and the rest of the crew. This will not be the last you see of me when it comes to Ramen Burgers.

Did you get one? How did I do on the grill?

At one point someone came up and traded us a Cronut for a Ramen Burger. Keizo and I split it.

Then I split the Cronut and inserted a Ramen Patty and topped it with the Shoyu Sauce. BAM! Take that hype makers!

Ramen_Burger_Smorgasburg_081713_Keizo_Burger_Conquest_Rev_Ciancio_Brooklyn_NYC_1809
-Rev

Be sure to follow @RamenBurger on Twitter / Instagram and like them on Facebook to keep up on updates and appearances.

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
648 Burgers

August 17, 2013

Posted in Brooklyn, Burger Famous, Burgers, Event, Food Film Festival, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged Bassanova, best burger, brooklyn, burger conquest, burger maker, cheese, ciancio, cronut ramen burger, david, expert Burger taster, food film festival, french fries, hamburger, keizo shimamoto, Kristoffer Brearton, Michael McAteer, nyc, PleatPak, ramen burger, rev, review, shoyu, skip the line for ramen burger, smorgasburg, sun noodle | Comments Off

Nora’s Luvin Spoonful – A Roadside Burger Fix

Posted on 08/11/2013 by Rev

Nora’s Luvin Spoonful
https://www.facebook.com/NorasLuvinSpoonful
141 Kirks Raod
Narrowsburg, NY 12764

THE CONQUEST
New York is a crazy fast paced town where the slow get elbowed in the subway and the weak are forced to move to New Jersey. Those of us that love it here, live for the intensity that the big Apple offers. We throw ourselves face first into the action and suck up every last minute of it’s energy. But once in awhile, you need to unplug from the action and let your system reset. Getting away and enjoying a low key and fun weekend with friends is just what I need every summer to help let me hit that reset button. That’s the reason I plan an annual “birthday camping” trip to Lander’s River Trips Skinner’s Falls Campground.

Lander’s has 10 total locations but the one we like is located in Narrowsburg, NY, just about 30 miles West of Monticello along the bank of the Delaware River. For us it’s a complete camping experience with sites, bathrooms, hot showers, picnic tables, a general store and canoeing and rafting options. Nearly all the Food we eat is cooked on a grill or made on top of a picnic table and purchased from Peck’s Market. The annual trip is really just a 36 hour tailgate and rafting trip. This year however, there was one meal eaten at a restaurant.

Nora’s Lovin’ Spoonful is a roadside Custard stand that also offers Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Salads, Sandwiches, and other picnic fare. With the wide array of flavors owner Nora Manzolillo offers her customers, it’s no wonder that the Custard is the main attraction. Some highlights include Chocolate Peanut Butter, Espresso and Watermelon Lemon. All seating is outside but is covered underneath a pavilion. Nora uses only fresh Ground Beef from a local Jewish Butcher, Kagan’s Meat. It’s an 80/20 Beef mix that’s served on a simple white squishy Bun with the standard Lettuce, Onion, Tomato & Cheese and Pickle slices on the side. The Burgers are made fresh to temperature once they’ve been ordered and if your there at the right time, cooked by Nora herself.

THE BURGER
This is not the kind of Burger you can find in New York City. Nora’s Lovin Spoonful serves a Hamburger that you can only get at a picnic or a roadside stand outside the walls of a big city. It’s a no frills, juicy, fresh Hamburger with a thick piece of American Cheese served ala picnic style on a paper plate. The tasty French Fries are served with skin on. Nora cuts her own potatoes and soaks them in water and vinegar before frying. All the picnic style Salads are made fresh in house. We tried the juicy and savory Bean Salad, the crunchy Cole Slaw and the delicious Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad made with Penne Pasta. There isn’t really a whole lot else happening in Narrowsburg but if you need a Burger fix while in the area, Nora’s Lovin Spoonful is the place to go.

Lander’s River Trips
http://landersrivertrips.com
P.O. Box 500
5961 State Route 97
Narrowsburg, NY 12764

It’s the same trip and the same photos every year: tents, fire, river, food, rafting, friends and fun. This year however, the photos are courtesy of Melinda Oswandel, photographer, camper, wife and owner of one of the cutest dogs I’ve ever met; Dobby.

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THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
646 Burgers

July 20, 2013

Posted in Burgers, Hamburgers, New York, Upstate | Tagged best burger, birthday, burger conquest, camping, cheese, ciancio, custard, david, french fries, hamburger, kagans meat, landers river trips, Melinda Oswandel photography, narrowsburg, Nora's Luvin Spoonful, nyc, rev, review, skinners falls | Comments Off

Jake’s Wayback Burgers – A New Era Of Burgers

Posted on 07/27/2013 by Rev

Jake’s Wayback Burgers
http://waybackburgers.com
870 Remsen Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11236

THE CONQUEST
In 1921 Walt A. Anderson and Edgar Waldo “Billy” A Ingram partnered up to open the very first White Castle in Wichita, KS. In 1940, McDonald’s opened their doors for the first time in San Bernardino, CA. These two events combined launched the Hamburger chain restaurant revolution that’s still to this day, taking the world by storm. Soon chain Burger restaurants stared popping up in every community in America serving huge quantities of mass produced food. Many of these chains to save on costs and increase on profits, served frozen and pre-formed Burger patties. They’re savory, flavorful, hot and plentiful but one thing they aren’t is fresh.

Now in the 21st century the tides are changing. Burger eaters want better, we want more and we want fresh. But, we still want them fast and you know what, we are willing to pay for it. We don’t eat just any old Burger just because it is one, we want a great Burger and that means fresh meat. Savvy entrepreneurs recognize this and fresh never frozen Burger chains are on the rise as a result. One such place changing the Burger tide is Jake’s Wayback Burgers.

The first Jake’s opened in 1991 in Newark, DE and has grown into more than 70 locations. In 2010 they changed their name to “Wayback Burgers.” They serve Hot Dogs, Chicken Sandwiches, Milkshakes, Salads and Hamburgers. Wayback Burgers are always made from fresh never frozen Beef. The people behind the business love Burgers and it shows in the way they run their business. Chain owners are in constant contact with the head office to help make sure the highest standards in Food, service and cleanliness are maintained to make sure that we the Burger eaters have the absolute best experience. The menu is very small, offering a few suggestions including their most popular offering, the Bacon Double Jake. All Sandwiches are completely customizeable leaving you the option to go as crazy as you like in creating the Burger experience you want to have.

THE BURGER
The only Wayback Burger currently in NYC is in Canarsie, Brooklyn. Lucky you if you live nearby! I stopped by for lunch one day excited to finally try one of their fresh, never frozen Burgers. Asking for a suggestion on what to order, the friendly gentlemen behind the counter suggested a Double Bacon Jake with Two Fresh, Never Frozen, 100% all Beef Patties, Four slices of bacon, American cheese, topped with Ketchup, Mustard, Raw Onions, Pickles, lettuce and tomato. Known as the “Jake’s Way”. It’s all served on an appropriately size soft Bun that cradles and comforts all the goodness inside of it. before the toppings and Patty are placed inside of it, the Bun is Toasted and Buttered making it even more special. The Burgers are made to order meaning, it’s not pre-cooked making for a fresher experience. The Bacon is exceptionally big when compared to the wimpy and small slices of Bacon you find at most fast Food joints. The Fries are skin on, which makes for an even tastier French Fry.

If you’re looking for a fast Food meal but you want a fresh and tasty Hamburger, point yourself in the way of the nearest Wayback Burgers.

8 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
645 Burgers

July 10, 2013 – 11:38 am

Posted in Brooklyn, Burgers, Fast Food, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged best burger, brooklyn, brroklyn, burger conquest, canarsie, cheese, ciancio, david, french fries, fresh never frozen, hamburger, jakes way, jakes wayback, nyc, rev, review, wayback burgers | Comments Off

The Brohd Trip 5 – A Family Guy Themed Road Trip to New England

Posted on 07/06/2013 by Rev

There’s nothing like a little sunny weather to kick up the wanderlust in all of us. Summer time is the best season of year for the time honored tradition of a road trip. The open road, a couple of friends, some random destinations and a list of bad jokes longer than the journey itself all play crucial elements in a perfect summer road trip. When that trip is destined to stop for Breweries, Burgers, BBQ & Roadside America and includes only the fellas, well that’s what I call…

THE BROHD TRIP
Take the eateries from the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives,” add in a group of friends like on HBO’s “Entourage” and sparkle it with a dose of Roadside America and you have THE BROHD TRIP. It’s an excuse for a couple of bro’s to get out of town and have some fun driving around this great country of ours eating food, drinking beer and seeing some randomly random stuff.

For The 5th rendition of the Brohd Trip, we needed something new. A different destination. A unique purpose. A new theme. Where could we go and what could we do that would serve as the ultime weekend getaway? With NYC as our start and end point, it was time to head in a different direction and this time, it was all about New England. While I searched the internets for a ton of big and little towns, lots of great places to eat, any number of great Craft Brewers and lots of neat places for fun photos, there was no shortage of options, it me.

Seth McFarlane, the creator the comedic animated series, “Family Guy,” set the show to happen in the fictional Rhode Island town of Quahog. While the actual city does not exist, many of the things that happen in it and the places they go are based on reality. That reality is Seth McFarlane’s college experience as a student at Rhode Island School of Design. McFarlane has claimed that it’s based off the town of Cranston, RI but many things found in the show can be traced back all over the area. So we did what Stewie & Brian Griffin would do, we headed off on the “Road to Rhode Island.”

THE BROHD TRIP 5– DAY 1
Friday, June 28, 2013

Colony Grill
http://colonygrill.com
172 Myrtle Ave
Stamford, CT ‎06902
5:51 pm

The Colony Grill of Stamford, CT originally opened in 1935. Back then it was a local bar and grill serving a menu full of items. Since then it’s changed hands several times and although they’ve discarded a lot of menu items, one things remains: pizza. In fact, the only that can be found on the menu at The Colony Grill is pizza. While they have some of your standard toppings like Pepperoni, Onions, Bacon, Mushrooms and so forth, there’s one thing that sets this place apart: oil. It’s not any oil though, it’s hot oil and it’s the reason people come from all around to eat here.

The Colony Grill Pizza is a bar style pie with a very thin crust. Most people order it topped with their signature oil made from Olive Oil and peppers. It gives the Pizza a little bit of a heated backbone while significantly upping it’s savory quotient. If you like things a little hotter, order your pie with “Stingers” which are fresh Serrano peppers. Be careful though, Serrano’s are notoriously sneaky in their heat, some of which are more intense than others. The one I ate was a complete blazer! The top two pies to get are Bacon & Onion which makes for a delicious sweet / savory mix and Sausage with Hot Oil. The Sausage is made directly across the street at De Yulio’s Sausage Co. You can wash it all down with a cold Brew of which I would point you to the locally brewed Half Full Bright Ale, a nice, light tasting and fresh crisp Blonde Ale.

This Pie was so damn good that it made me never want to eat pizza again without hot oil.

Trinity Brewhouse
http://www.trinitybrewhouse.com
186 Fountain Street
Providence RI 02905
10:12 pm

After checking into our room at the centrally located, very well dressed and competitively priced Providence Omni Hotel, we were anxious to get out on the town. Thankfully just a few blocks away, there was fresh brewed Beers at Trinity Brewhouse. With a rotating entourage of different Beers, there’s bound to be something available on tap that whet’s your whistle. Trinity keeps an updated list of what’s on tap on their website so you can look forward to what you can drink before you arrive. Looking for a suggestion? Try they malty Larkin’s Irish Stout or the sweet and intense Redrum Imperial Red. The one that left the biggest impression on me: The Trinity Brewhouse Hefeweizen that has really strong banana and clove flavors.

What Cheer Tavern
http://whatcheertavern.com
228 New York Ave
Providence, RI 02905
12:24 am

For Good beers, interesting food, relaxing outdoor space and great people in Providence, go to What Cheer Tavern. Located in the Washington Park neighborhood, this corner bar has a great selection of Craft on Draft with a focus on local along with a nice list of bottles. There’s something for every Beer drinker including good conversation. We loved this place so much that we spent the rest of our evening sippin’ Beer and chatting in their backyard.

THE BROHD TRIP 5– DAY 2
Saturday, June 29, 2013

Big Blue Big Solutions – World’s Largest Bug
aka “Quahog Pest Control” on Family Guy
http://www.bigbluebug.com
161 O’Connell St.
Providence, RI 02905
11:02 am

At 58 feet in length and weighing two tons, the termite on top of Big Blue Solutions in Providence, RI clocks in at 928 times the size of an actual termite. If you’ve ever cruised along I-95 through P-Town you’ve seen this giant creature hovering just about highway level. Getting a photo from street level is a little harder to get but definitely safer. It was built for $20,000 and serves as a Family Guy reference.

The Quahog Pest Control building, seen in S2E17, “He’s Too Sexy For His Fat,” sports a big blue bug on its roof, just like Providence’s real-life New England Pest Control, Big Blue Bug Solutions.

Honey Dew Donuts
http://www.honeydewdonuts.com
460 Allens Avenue
Providence, RI 02905
11:12 am

Dick Bowen’s first job at the young age of 12 was working in a local Donut shop with his Father. In 1973 he opened the first Honey Dew Donuts in Mansfield, MA and a short 2 years later, Honey Dew franchised into a 2nd location. 40 years later there are now around about 150 locations serving Coffee, Donuts, Pastries and Breakfast Sandwiches. Their motto is “Enjoy the Local Flavor” which is exactly what we decided to “Dew” when we pulled into one. Both Matt and I decided to try one of their specialties, the Portuguese International Breakfast Sandwich. It’s an Egg and Cheddar Cheese Sandwich served on a Ciabatta Roll with grilled Linguica. Linguica is a form of smoky cured Pork made with Garlic and Paprika that is usually served in Brazilian and some Portuguese dishes. Unless you visit a McDonald’s in Hawaii, finding it on a Sandwich at a quick server restaurant is rather uncommon. That’s too bad, because it was really tasty.

Sollitto’s Liquor Mart
aka Ernie the Giant Chicken on Family Guy
905 Narragansett Blvd.
Providence, RI 02905
11:32 am

Located directly across the street from What Cheer Tavern is the inspiration from one of my absolute favorite Family Guy character, Ernie. Outside of Sollitto’s Liquor Mart there is a huge plastic Chicken with the words “God Bless America” emblazoned across it’s wings. Sollitto’s Big Chicken is the inspiration for Ernie the Giant Chicken that shows up from time to time and engages with Peter Griffin in epic Hollywood style fisticuffs.

Spooner St
Where the Griffin’s live on Family Guy
Spooner St at Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI
11:45 am

Just a quick short drive over from Sollitto’s you’ll find the most significant location in Providence to show up on Family Guy; Spooner Street. Sound familiar? That’s the Street where you’ll find the Griffin family household. It’s a tiny little residential road that intersects Elmwood Ave. The street sign on either side of the crossroads is completely different.

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Hasbro Toys
aka “Happy-Go-Lucky Toys” on Family Guy
http://www.hasbro.com/?US
Original Mr. Potatohead Statue
1027 Newport Ave.
Pawtucket, RI 02861
12:06 pm

On the pilot episode (S1E1) “Death Has A Shadow,” of Family Guy, Peter Griffin is shown at his place of work, Happy-Go-Lucky Toys, Inc. Peter’s job is to inspect unsafe toys from which he is fired from in that same episode. Peter introduces a new toy idea called Mr. Zucchini Head which is an obvious reference to an old school Hasbro staple, Mr. Potatohead. Well, just up the road a few minutes from Providence in the town of Pawtucket, you van visit both Mr. Potatohead at the inspiration for Happy-Go-Lucky, Hasbro.

Harpoon Brewery
http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/boston
306 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
1:29 pm

In 1986 Rich Doyle, Dan Kenary & George Ligeti took their passion for making Beer and created the Harpoon Brewery. Since then they’ve grown into the 9th Largest Craft Brewery in terms of sales volume. They’re well known for a number of year round brews like their IPA, Pale Ale and UFO White but also for their seasonal beers like the UFO Pumpkin, Harpoon Summer as well as their unique “100 Barrel Series” which feature smaller batch and more unique Beers. Not sure what to get? Ask for a suggestion, for which the bar staff are happy to let you get a taste of the Beers. Be sure to try the Harpoon Ale. It’s an medium bodied Amber Ale that’s very crisp and refreshing. It’s also only available in the tasting room so you can’t get it anywhere else.

The Harpoon Beer hall is open 7 days a week and offers a wide array of different Beers for your tasting pleasure. You can also get a brewery tour while visiting but be sure to sign up early, they book to capacity very quickly, especially on weekends. While sipping suds in the Beer Hall, be sure to try one of the fresh baked Pretzels they offer with an array of dipping suds, my favorite being the IPA Cheddar.

Espresso Pizza
http://espressopizzamedford.com
336 Boston Ave
Medford, MA 02155
4:14 pm

Brohd Tripper Matt, a former Boston resident, swears that Buffalo Chicken Calzone at Andrea’s House of Pizza is absolutely to die for. Well, I wish I could tell you he was correct. However, when we pulled up to get one, we discovered the location Matt used to frequent had been sold. Wish the taste of a hot, Cheesy Calzone on our brains, there was no denying the craving. Matt suggested we hop just up the block and get a comparable Cheesesteak version at Espresso Pizza. As they’re all made by hand and must be baked, you’re best to allot 30 minutes of time before being served once ordered. When it arrives you can expect a gooey, savory and hot sandwich in a light flaky crust with a red Tomato Sauce for dipping. I definitely suggest sharing as it’s mighty hefty in size.

Port Inn
http://www.theportinn.com
505 U.S. 1 Bypass
Portsmouth, NH 03801

About 60 miles North of Beantown is the small historic seaport of Portsmouth, NH. Just as you pull off Route 1, after coming from I-95, you’ll find the Port Inn. It’s a quaint little Hotel that offers clean rooms, free breakfast and coffee and some of the friendliest staff you’ll find. Skip the owner is filled with local knowledge and whether you’re interested in the history of Portsmouth or recommendations on what to do, eat or see, Skip for sure will be able to point you in the right direction. The Port Inn is a bit of historical landmark itself as it’s “longest operating lodging facility in Portsmouth.” It’s a lovely, quiet and clean place to stay that’s only a 5 minute drive or casual 15 minute walk to the busy Portsmouth waterfront.

Portsmouth, NH
http://www.portsmouthnh.com/
7:00 pm

The entire town of Portsmouth is less than 17 square miles, 7% of which is water. Due to it’s old New England character, beautiful waterfront and busting restaurant scene, it’s a popular vacation spot in the summer. It’s a nice place to take the family, a date, your betrothed or a couple of Bro’s looking for tasting food and Beer.

Portsmouth Brewery
http://portsmouthbrewery.com
56 Market Street
Portsmouth NH 03801
7:10 pm

If you’re going to Portsmouth, NH, the Portsmouth Brewery is a must. They make of some of the tastiest, freshest, most delicious and unique Craft Beers in all the land. It’s primarily a restaurant or a gastro pub so if you pay them a visit, be sure to come with some hunger in your belly. You could elect to sit at the bar and just taste Beer after Beer but you would be doing your disservice to your taste buds. It’s Portsmouth’s original Brewpub, first opening it’s doors in 1991. You can sit inside or outside and if you’re so inclined to learn more, they offer tours of the brewing facilities Thursday through Sunday. If Vanessa is serving, definitely ask to sit in her section and say hello to the Portsmouth Breweries awesome manager Kelly. Either of them will be able to steer you in the right direction from the selection of Beers or Food on the menus.

The Porstmouth Brewery is the sister brewery to the larger Smuttynose Brewing just across town. A selection of their Brews are available at this location guaranteeing a selection of awesome Beers no matter when you stop in. Be sure to ask what’s available on cask as their guaranteed to have unique offerings. During our visit they had an ESB dry hopped with Mint and a Stout made with Chocolate Cake. Yes you read that right, there is a mesh bag of Chocolate Cake inside the Cask!! Looking for a more casual bar experience or a game of Shuffleboard? Check out the Jimmy Lapanza lounge located in the basement.

We definitely made our ways around the menu with JD & Matt tasting through about 12 sample sized selections. Here’s a few of my favorite selections:

Ryezenheimer – A traditional German style Hefewiezen, untraditionally made with Rye, Lemongrass & Rosemary. It’s spicy, sweet and just the littlest bit sour but completely delicious and light on the palette. It’s a perfect Summer quencher. It almost has a spruce like quality to the taste.

Wheat Wine – This is a BIG beer. Clocking in around 10% ABv with 70 IBUs, it’s a Barleywine-style Wheat Beer that is just phenomenal. The nose alone is enough to allure in the craftiest of Beer nerds. I could smell it all day long. There are a lot of flavors to this complex Brew that will tickle your taste buds with every sip.

Smuttynose Luna Moth: I hate to play favorites especially in situation where everything is so good so I won’t. BUT, if you can find this Beer, drink it. Don’t chug it, but be sure to casually smell and sip through a couple glasses because it is outstanding. It’s an incredibly unique hoppy Saison made with El Dorado hops. The taste is almost Gingery in it’s profile. I couldn’t get enough.

Daniel Street Tavern
http://www.danielstreettavern.com/
111 Daniel St
Portsmouth, NH 03801
11:14 pm

If you’re looking for a cold drink on a hot night at a pub with no pretension whatsoever, the Daniel Street Tavern is the place you want to be in Portsmouth. Grab a cold beer, shoot some pool or if you’re there on a weekend night, put your name on the list and sing some Karaoke. We had a big laugh here taking over the floor with our own rendition of a 2 Live Crew classic.

Harpoon Willy’s
http://www.yelp.com/biz/harpoon-willys-portsmouth
67 Bow St
Portsmouth, NH 03801
12:39 am

There’s a number of bars and restaurants located along the waterfront in downtown Portsmouth. They cater to all types too; Seafood Restaurants, fancy restaurants, dockside bars and more are there for you to choose from. Knowing we would only be spending one night in this town it was only apropos to stop into a dockside bar. Harpoon Willy’s is exactly that and only that. There’s no food or menu to order from, just drinks and a nice view. The late night crowd is a little younger here and definitely out for a good time. Enjoy a chat with a nice stranger while looking across the serene water and sipping on a Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA before the town makes last call.

Gilley’s PM Lunch
http://www.gilleyspmlunch.com/
175 Fleet St
Portsmouth, NH 03801
12:53 am

The late night crowd is a hungry crowd and Gilley’s PM Lunch has been satiating said crowd for decades and decades. The dining car was originally built in Worcester, MA in 1940 and is the only remaining one of it’s kind. Before it was permanently parked where it is now, this diner and the one before it, was towed in every night and parked before serving. This was originally done by Horses and eventually by truck. In June of 1974, the trailer was moved into it’s permanent spot on Fleet Street where it’s still located today.

The menu at Gilley’s PM Lunch is pretty simple: Hot Dogs, Burgers, Fries & other Sandwiches. The first of which came nearly 60 years before they started serving their now famous Burger. The patties are small, clocking in around 3 ounces and are somewhere in the 85-88 lean to 15-12 fat ratio allows the Burgers to be cooked very quickly in order to feed the masses that line up to enjoy them. Burgers can be topped with Cheese, Bacon, Chili or Beans, in other words no “Rabbit” Food is offered. Nearly everyone in line gets French Fries either alone or with a Burger or Dog. Fries can be ordered as is, with Cheese, Chili, Chili & Cheese or with Poutine (a mix of smoky Gravy and Mozzarella Curds.) There indoor seating area is way too packed to dine in at night so you’ll either have to grab a spot at a picnic table or eat it on your walk back home.

As Gilley’s PM Lunch was originally intended to feed hungry late night sailors and locals, that was the time of day that we wanted to go. We tried to get there before last call happened at the bars and even then there was still a line. It does move pretty fast but seeing as there is only room for one grillman and one counter person, you’ll just have to wait. No worries though, it’s totally worth it. As the patties are pretty small I definitely suggest you go for a Double to get the full effect of the fresh Beef. Plus that just means more tasty char surface. It comes served on a classic white squishy Bun which is the perfect house for the juicy number covered in melted Cheese. I also suggest a go round of the Poutine. Gilley’s does not skimp on the distribution of toppings and if there’s one thing that’s great to eat after a few “pops” late at night, it’s Gravy, Cheese and Fried Potatoes.

THE BROHD TRIP 5– DAY 3
Sunday, June 30, 2013

The Friendly Toast
http://www.thefriendlytoast.net/
113 Congress St
Portsmouth, NH 03801
11:03 am

If you find a positive review for a restaurant on every blog, newspaper, TV show and whatnot, chances are that’s because it’s really that damn good. Such is the case at The Friendly Toast. Whether it’s the Boston Phoenix, the Travel Channel, Good Morning America or a blog like this one, reviews of The Friendly Toast all basically say the same thing: this place is awesome. Whether its the odd collection of knick-knacks, dolls, toys, stuffed animals and other classic Americana or the robust menu of matching intensified comfort diner Food, there is no other place out there quite like The Friendly Toast. They are open 7 days a week with round the clock service on the weekends.

The Friendly Toast offers Appetizers, Salads, Sandwiches, Burritos, Burgers and most notably, a Brunch menu that will feed the hungriest of Lumberjacks, cure the nastiest of hangovers and impress the snobbiest of Foodies. If that’s not enough to set them apart from the rest, they also make their own Breads. There’s guaranteed to be a wait on the weekend which is good because you will need this time to peruse the menu. Landing on just one item means you’re either lucky or there on a return visit.

I definitely was not able to hone in one item so after everyone else ordered, I asked the waiter to choose between 2 other items that had my interest. I ended up with one of their signature Brunch dishes; Green Eggs and Ham: 2 Poached Eggs with Virginia-Baked Ham on Anadama Toast & Topped with a light Herb Sauce, served with a side of Homefries. I loved every bite of it. The Eggs were runny and cooked perfectly. The thick-cut Ham was both sweet and salty as well as a little smoky. I felt like I could taste every Grain used to make the hearty Bread. The Light Herb sauce was like nothing I had ever eaten on a Breakfast dish. If this place ever decided to publish a cook book, it would be a best seller.

USS Albacore
http://www.ussalbacore.org
600 Market St.
Portsmouth, NH 03801
12:32 pm

The USS Albacore spent the years between 1953 and 1972 in the water as the prototype for the teardrop shape that is still being used in the making of submarines around the world. Decommissioned in 1972, it sat in Philadelphia for 10 years until efforts were made to bring it home to it’s native home of Portsmouth, NH. In 1985 the USS Albacore made it to it’s permanent home in a large ditch in Albacore Park. Visiting her is free but you can pay to actually walk onto the vessel and see it from the inside. The visitor center has a mini-Museum and theater where you can learn more about it’s history. Beyond the center is a nice Memorial center that stands as a tribute to those fallen in honor of our country.

The_Brohdtrip_New_England_Providence_Portsmouth_Gloucester_Burger_Conquest_062913_5989

Cape Ann Brewing
http://www.capeannbrewing.com
11 Rogers Street
Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930
2:08 pm

Found on Boston’s North Shore, Gloucester, MA serves as the center for the Boston Fishing Industry. Cape Ann was one of the first English settlements dating back to 1623, before both Salem and Boston. Dating back to 1713, the town is most famous for building the very first water vessel to ever be called a “Schooner.” Water is an important part of the history and economy of this town and it’s also the #1 ingredient used in making a product that is an integral part of each and every Brohd Trip, Beer.

The Cape Ann Brewing Company is a tribute to local Fisherman and the the North Atlantic Fishing Fleet. Their flagship beer is called Fisherman’s Brew and many of the other beers and food they served are of a nautical or sea bearing nature or inspiration. The Pub at Cape Ann offers both indoor seating as well as a large outdoor harbor side patio. It was a perfect setting to taste some freshly made Craft Beer on a sunny afternoon with some good friends.

Between the 4 of us we tried nearly every Beer on the menu each one being just as good as the last. We were impressed to see a brewery offering 3 different Stouts (Oyster, Coffee Infused Pumpkin & my favorite a Chili) on a summer menu. I also quite enjoyed the Czech style Honey Pilsner made with 20 pounds of local Honey. All the Beers at Cape Ann were great and it was a sad moment when the 4 of us had to pack up and start to head home.

Ted’s Restaurant
http://www.steamedcheeseburger.com/
1046 Broad St
Meriden, CT 06450-3446
7:34 pm

The act of cooking a Cheeseburger by steaming dates to the 1930s and a restaurant called Jack’s Lunch. They fed quick meals of Hot Dogs & Hamburger sto the local plant workers who needed a hearty meal. The method never left central Connecticut but is carried on quite proudly at Ted’s Restaurant in Meriden. People come from all around to visit the small dining room, an easy find on the North side of the street just of Route 95.

To create a steamed Cheeseburger, lumps of Fresh Beef and thick slices of a Vermont Cheddar are placed into trays. Those are then loaded into a special devices that steam cooks them at a very high heat. Once done, the Beef and the Cheese are offloaded via a specially designed spatula onto Kaiser Rolls with your choice of assorted toppings. To read more, see my prior review the steamed Cheeseburger at Ted’s Restaurant.

Thank you to Matt, Mike & JD, my fellow Brohd Trippers. If it wasn’t for you, there would be no Brohd Trip.

All 4 of us owe a major thanks to Pat Fondiller and all at Smuttynose & Portsmouth Brewing. You were an integral part of what a great time we had. The food and drink were spectacular.

To Skip and everyone at The Port Inn, your assistance and hospitality made our trip all that much better.

Laughs and random fun stuffs came courtesy of the following:

$100.25
Bruce
Springstein
Reggie Watts
A certain type of Soup
Your Mom’s face
The Fat Boy Mistake
Gas Station Tailgate

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
644 Burgers

June 30, 2013 – 8:00 pm

Posted in Bar, Beer, Burgers, Connecticut, Fast Food, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Road Trip | Tagged best burger, Big Blue Big Solutions, boston, broh'd trip, burger conquest, Cape Ann Brewing, cheese, ciancio, colony grill, Daniel Street Tavern, david, Espresso Pizza, family guy, french fries, giant chicken, Gilley's PM Lunch, hamburger, Happy Go Lucky Toys, Harpoon Brewery, Harpoon Willy's, Hasbro Toys, Honey Dew Donuts, Original Mr. Potatohead Statue, port inn, portsmouth, Portsmouth Brewery, providence, Quahog Pest Control, rev, review, smuttynose, Sollitto’s Liquor Mart, spooner street, stamford, steamed cheeseburger, ted's restaurant, The Friendly Toast, the griffins, Trinity Brewhouse, USS Albacore, What Cheer Tavern, World's Largest Bug | Comments Off

Jalapeño – Return of the Mill Basin Luncheonette Burger

Posted on 07/03/2013 by Rev

Jalapeño
http://www.jalapenonyc.com/
185 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10023

THE CONQUEST
In December of 2012 I was invited to be on a panel of expert Burger tasters by Underground Eats. The goal was to see if we could tell the different between a flat top griddled Burger and a char-grilled Burger. Both would be prepared using the same ingredients and toppings and the only difference would be the cooking method of the Patty. After eating, the panel would pick their favorite and it would become the permanent Burger on the menu on The Luncheonette in Mill Basin, Brooklyn, NY. The Chef was Andrew Zurica and the flat top griddle Burger won. It was one of the best Burgers in NYC.

In June of this year The Luncheonette in Mill Basin closed down mostly due to set backs caused by Hurricane Sandy. The Burger world suffered a great loss. Chef Andrew’s Burger was one of the most mathematically correct and as a result, delicious Burgers I’ve ever had.

Not to have it’s mourning in loss, Andrew is looking for ways to continue the legacy of the Burger. While you can hire him to come privately cook for your party or event, he is also putting together a series of pop-up Burger events where you too can taste his Burgeriffic skills. He recently invited the panel of Expert Burger Tasters to try out his first pop-up Burger night at Jalapeño. Jalapeño is a restaurant located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side offering a selection of authentic Mexican specialities.

THE BURGER
The Burger crew gathered on the sidewalk patio, anxious to re-taste a bit of the magic we had all experienced in Mill Basin. Andrew was going to use this experience to try a “Mexicano” version of his Burger. The only constants would be the Bun and the Beef Patty as well as it’s preparation. Otherwise Andrew topped it Guacamole, stripped and fried Chorizo Sausage, Machego Cheese and sauteed Jalapeños. The Burger was just as I remembered it; great flavor from a perfect sear, fantastic use of course ground Black Pepper, juicy and bursting with an all natural Beef flavor. The chewy and soft Bun was fresh and sturdy enough to hold up the girth of this Sandwich while adding a nice hint of smokiness from being grilled. The Guac was fresh and creamy, the Chorizo was really tangy and the Cheese was melty and savory…all done in the right way.

The surprise here were the Jalapeños. Not only did they have a fantastic smoky flavor but they were hot, hotter than one would expect. That’s mostly due to the fact that most cooks don’t know how to use the natural oils of the Pepper to accentuate it’s heat and taste. Several of us were so into them that we asked Andrew if we could give us a plate of them. I popped them like the were Candy and damn they were good.

The final verdict: While The Luncheonette in Mill Basin in Brooklyn may be closed, the legendary Burger served there lives on with Chef Andrew Zurica. The Mexicano version of Andrew’s Burger was just as deliciously intriguing as the original.

9 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
642 Burgers

June 18, 2013 – 9:50 pm

Posted in Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged best burger, burger conquest, cheese, chef andrew zurica, ciancio, david, french fries, hamburger, jalapenos, nyc, rev, review, the luncheonette mill basin | 1 Comment

Friendly’s – Build Your Own Burger Finals

Posted on 06/09/2013 by Rev

Friendly’s
http://www.friendlys.com
4812 SunriseHighway
Massapequa Park, NY 11762

THE CONQUEST
Today the fans became the experts. The Massachusetts based family restaurant chain Friendly’s asked their customers to build custom designed Burgers. They could use any of the toppings Friendly’s offers for a possible 10 trillion combinations. Once they had come up with their perfect Burger, they submitted the Burger creation online.

Three contestants’ Burgers were chosen to be entered in a final Burger battle to be eaten by a panel of judges at the Massapequa, NY Friendly’s. Whichever Burger they liked the most would be added to the menu for one month at the winner’s local Friendly’s location along with a $100 Friendly’s gift certificate.

Here’s the press release:

Friendly’s in Massapequa Park to Host ‘Burger Bash’
Enjoy Music, Face Painting, Balloon Artists and Burger Samples as Local Celebrity Judges Choose the Winner of Friendly’s Build Your Own Burger Contest

WHO: A panel of local celebrity judges including Syke, On-Air Personality on 106.1 WBLI, Ed Mangano, Nassau County Executive and David “Rev” Ciancio of the blog, Burger Conquest; three burger contestants, who will be competing to be named the winner of the Burger Bash, and hundreds of local residents.

WHAT: On Sunday, June 9, Friendly’s on Sunrise Highway in Massapequa Park, NY, will host a Burger Bash where three pre-selected contestants will present their own burger creation to a panel of local celebrity judges, while competing to win a $100 gift card to Friendly’s and the opportunity to have their burger creation featured as a limited time offering at their local Friendly’s restaurant.

During the month of May, National Hamburger Month, Friendly’s hosted an online “Build Your Own Burger,” contest where fans of Friendly’s were encouraged to submit an original burger creation by selecting their preferred bread, protein, cheeses and toppings from an approved list of ingredients and accompaniments. Friendly’s chose their three favorite contestant creations to participate in the official Burger Bash, where they will make their burger for a panel of judges. The winning burger will be determined on the judging criteria of creativity, taste, and presentation.

Friendly’s invites local residents to attend the Burger Bash and enjoy complimentary mini burgers (during the first hour of the event), face painting, balloon artists and music from a live DJ, as they watch the three contestants prepare their burger creations for the judges.

WHEN: Friendly’s Burger Bash, Sunday, June 9, 2PM-4PM

**Complimentary mini burgers will only be served from 2PM-3PM**

WHERE: 4812 Sunrise Highway, Massapequa Park, New York 11762

THE BURGERS
It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon on Long Island which made perfect weather for an outdoor Burger celebration and of course, a frosty cold Cookie Dough Fribble!

The other judges and I were ready to taste the best of the best and crown a winner.Each contestant had to assemble and plate the Burgers themselves while Friendly’s staff cooked and served them.
Friendlys_Build_the_Best_Burger_Contest_Massapequa_Long_Island_NY_060913_5739

Each Burger was judged on a 1-5 system, 5 being the best. We had to judge them on 3 categories; creativity, taste & presentation.

3rd Place – “Da Billion Dolla Burgah”

Ciabatta Roll
Beef Patty
All White Meat Turkey Patty
American Cheese
Swiss Cheese
Onion Rings
Fried Egg
Kosher Dill Pickles
Lettuce
Tomato
Mayo
Special Sauce of: Buffalo Sauce, Ranch & Ketchup

This was an excellent Burger and truly followed one of my life mottos: “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing.” Admittedly, your friendly neighborhood “Rev” doesn’t like Tomatos or Pickles and removed them. The Ciabatta Roll was good a call as a sturdy Bun was definitely needed to hold up this behemoth. The judges all joked that we weren’t sure how to get our mouths around it. This was a Burger after my own heart.

2nd Place – Very Veggie-licious Burger

Brioche Roll
Boca Burger Patty
Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
Sauteed Portabella Mushrooms
Fronion
Green Peppers
Thousand Island Dressing
Lettuce
Tomato

I’ve heard the cries of my Vegetarian friends in the past about most Veggie Burger offerings being pretty boring almost as though they were an after thought on a menu. This was NOT that Burger. The creator set out to make one serious, rootin-tootin, Vegetarian delight…and they succeeded. It’s not often you would see me reach for a Veggie Burger but if this was that option, things could change. The crisp bite of the Green Peppers worked really well in the make of the Sandwich. The Fronion (fried Onion) was also very smart and delicious idea.

Friendlys_Build_the_Best_Burger_Contest_Massapequa_Long_Island_NY_060913_5750

The Winner! – I Love NY Pastrami & Swiss Burger

Brioche Roll
Beef Patty
Swiss Cheese
Pastrami
Kosher Dill Pickles
Lettuce
Tomato
Thousand Island Dressing

As I’m a marketing person at heart, I truly appreciated the thematic that went into creating this Burger. Eating Pastrami is a treat, but eating Pastrami on a Burger is a gift! The choice of Thousand Island Dressing instead of Mustard, what you would traditionally put on a NY Pastrami and Swiss Sandwich, was a creative and delicious choice. The sweetness of the Brioche Roll played nicely against the savory Beef, Pastrami and Cheese. All in all, from Patty to Bun to Concept was well thought out and tasty.

Everyone who attended today was a winner and all the Burgers were delicious. Get yourself to the Friendly’s in Hillsdale, NJ to get yourself an “I Love NY Pastrami & Swiss Burger.” Or you could head into your local Friendly’s and make one yourself!

As for the judges, Friendly’s graciously thanked us with a super cool make your own Sundae kit!

Thank you to Alyssa, Brad, Joseph and everyone at Friendly’s for inviting me to participate and judge the contest. Thank you also to “stunt Burger eater” Mighty Mike Fox for coming with me.

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
641 Burgers

June 9, 2013 – 3:22 pm

Posted in Burger Famous, Burgers, Event, Hamburgers, Long Island, New York | Tagged best burger, build your own burger, burger bash, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, contest, david, french fries, fribble, friendly's, hamburger, judge, long island, massapequa, national burger month, nyc, rev, review | Comments Off

The Cattle Call – Euripides Pelekanos From Bareburger

Posted on 06/08/2013 by Rev

The Cattle Call – Euripides Pelekanos From Bareburger

The Cattle Call – All the beef that’s behind the people who make & connect us to the Burgerverse.

Name: Euripides Pelekanos

Website: http://www.bareburger.com

Where do you live: In a bear cave

Favorite style of Burger: Bison burger, brioche bun, pepperjack, raw onions, tomato, chipotle mayo

Favorite Childhood Burger: plain cheeseburger

Burger that haunts your dreams at night: I only have nice dreams about burgers

What is the one Burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not: peanut butter and jam burger

The secret to making a great Burger: Its no secret. Great organic ingredients

Under no circumstances whatsoever, what should NEVER be put on a Burger: kale

If you could eat any Mythical Creature which would it be: a Liger

If you could have a Burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them: Rasputin, I would take him to Mcdonalds just to see the look in his face.

Name one Burger in LA that for once, people should get off a plane and go eat instead of In-N-Out: I would tell them to wait until Bareburger opens in LA. But I must admit, Father’s Office is pretty damn good.

Posted in Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York, The Cattle Call | Tagged bareburger, best burger, burger conquest, ceo, cheese, ciancio, david, Euripides Pelekanos, french fries, hamburger, interview, nyc, rev, review, the cattle call | Comments Off

Minetta Tavern – This Is One of the Best Burgers Ever

Posted on 05/28/2013 by Rev

Minetta Tavern
http://www.minettatavernny.com
113 Macdougal St
New York, NY 10012

THE CONQUEST
The 1962-64 Ferrari 250 GTO tops many lists labeled “hottest,” “best,” “most sought after,” “favorite,” when it comes to sports cars. It’s an exotic, sleek, rare, hard to find machine that impresses with it’s design, delivery and price. It was no ordinary Ferrari. This was not designed to tightly hug corners on your daily commute or to comfortably seat your family & get the groceries home. This sport car was designed to race but not just any old race. Chief engineer Giotto Bizzarrini had one mission in mind when designing this rubber burning monster: compete in GT racing. Only 33 were ever made (39 if you count two, 3-model re-designs.) The last time one of these awesome machines changed hands, the price tag was $35 million to now owner Craig McCaw.

You’re probably asking yourself, why pay $35 million for just a car? I’m sure Craig and a few other people would wax on poetically about how “this is no ordinary car,” telling you exactly why. When you’ve driven the best, there’s no driving the rest.

It’s the same reason why The Minetta Tavern sells a Burger that costs $26. When it’s the best, you charge a premium that people will pay for. Thankfully for the Burger adventurous the rarity of the “Black Label” Burger outnumbers the 1962-64 Ferrari 250 GTO. Even though table reservations are hard to come by, you still probably have a greater chance of seeing a Yeti or a UFO than eating this Burger.

Unless you’re me.

But before we get into that, let’s talk Minetta.

The Minetta Tavern dates back to 1937 when it originally opened in New York City’s Greenwich Village. It was given the same name as a Brook that used to run near it, connecting into the Hudson River. This NY Classic achieved all new status when it was purchased in 2008 by Keith McNally, Lee Hanson, and Riad Nasr. That’s when the Burger was added and since, the restaurant has received two Michelin ratings. The old world charm is still there making the place look as old as it sounds. The menu offers unique Hors D’oeuvres like Oxtail and Foie Gras Terrine and classy mains like Pied de Porc Pané (Berkshire Pork), Filet of Trout Meunière (Crabmeat) as well as Pastas and a traditional NY Style Steakhouse offerings like NY Strip, Filet Mignon and Dry Aged Côte de Boeuf.

But the big attraction, the Ferrari 250 GTO if you will, of the Minetta Tavern is the “Black Label” Burger. Google it and you’ll see critical acclaim from Anthony Bourdain, The NY Times, and Food And Wine, even Eater tagged it as “EPIC.” This Burger draws so much attention that A Hamburger Today put together a fact finding team to build a lengthy a behind the scenes piece revealing the secrets of how it’s made. The Beef comes exclusively from Pat LaFrieda meat purveyors. The blend is a mix of 4 kinds of cuts of Beef: Short Rib, Skirt, Brisket and Dry-Aged Ribeye. It comes topped with Caramelized Onions and only Onions. What is it that makes this Burger so good?

Seeing as how he plays an important part in this story, I’ll let my good friend George Motz tell you via a video “guest blog” from his “Burger Land” show on the Travel Channel.

“The Black Label” Burger at The Minetta Tavern is not something you casually stop in and eat. This is the kind of Burger that needs to be surrounded by an event, a special occasion, a unique circumstance worth marking by a meal that is as important or special. People talk about this Burger like it’s the Holy Grail. You would think I would’ve eaten this crown jewel several times in history of my Glorious Pursuit of Delicious Burgers.

Nope. Not even once.

But if I had a nickel for every time someone told me how good the Burger was and that they would take me to eat it, I’d have enough money to treat myself to this offering from the Burger Gods. Seriously. It actually became a thing.

When I would tell people “I’ve never had it,” their immediate reaction was “I’ll take you.” I would then tell them that “everyone says that but no one does and now I refuse to go unless someone is taking me.” The standard reaction was to swear up and down they would be the one to break the Black Label fast. The conversation always ended the same way; “I’ll believe you when I eat it.” It’s gone on for years. I’ve been dying to eat this Burger that was created the same year this blog was created and no one lived up to it.

THE BURGER
As this is no ordinary Burger, it can not be reviewed in an ordinary fashion. When George said in his video review that he had an out of body experience, he meant it. If you also don’t disappear while eating it, you did it wrong and should only be eating plain Oatmeal since your taste buds have died. That being the case, I am going to have an out of body experience while reviewing this Burger by interviewing myself.

THE BLACK LABEL BURGER AT MINETTA TAVERN
Expert Burger Taster, Rev, (as seen on The Learning Channel) interviews David “Rev” Ciancio, Blogger, “Burger Conquest” (as seen on the Travel Channel) about his experience eating one of the most sought after Burgers on the planet.

Rev: Hey David “Rev” Ciancio, I hear you like Burgers
David “Rev” Ciancio (DRC): I’ve been accused of worse.

Rev: How long have you been writing about and reviewing Burgers?
DRC: I’ve been a fan of Burgers since I was a little kid but the blog started in 2008. I’ve since written about 637 Hamburgers.

Rev: What’s your favorite Burger in NYC?
DRC: Rub BBQ (RIP). That’s not only the best Burger in NYC, that’s the best Burger I’ve ever eaten. Whatever it was that Andrew Fischel and Chef Scott Smith did to that thing, no matter how they changed the preparations or toppings, it was amazing. Even though I worked for them, hosted events there and ate there more than any other Burger in NYC, I never fully got the secrets on how it was made.

Rev: Nothing?
DRC: I know it was an in-house grind made from whole cuts of Beef that they would source from different purveyors. They would make them fresh every Monday and server them in limited quantities every Monday night. It was off-menu so you had to know about it and had to ask. I got to watch them make them once and I know one of the secrets was to cook them on a well seasoned flat top griddle at an incredibly high temperature. They would sear one side, flip it, sear the other and then pull it. It was incredible.

Rev: No other Burger you’ve had comes even close?
DRC: No, well, not until very recently.

Rev: This we have to hear.
DRC: I’ve had friends and colleagues promise me for ages that they would take me to eat a Burger that would rival if not out seat the Rub BBQ Burger. It’s the Black Label Burger at The Minetta Tavern. People describe it like they were looking into the eyes of God and when I told them I’d never been, they’d promise to take me. But just like Sallah from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” they’d all prove to be untrustworthy in said pursuit.

Rev: So why not just go on your own?
DRC: Because I’m a stubborn jerk and i’ll do anything to up the dramatics on a story for publicity purposes.

Rev: Kind of like getting onto an episode of “Burger Land” on the Travel Channel? I mean seriously, how many times can you mention it on the blog and social media?
DRC: You should talk!! If I have to hear one more time “the Cake Boss made an episode about me and Idle Hands, the bar I own” I’m going to left hand grab your throat and strangle you.

Rev: Fair enough. We’re both Burgermedia whores.
DRC: I’m totally ok with that.

Rev: Me too. Now back to this Burger, “The Black Label.” How did you finally end up eating it?
DRC: George Motz from “Burger Land” and Seth Unger from the Food Film Fest took me, Nicole from the Food Film Fest and Seth’s Father, Artie to celebrate his birthday, the wrap of filming “Burger Land” & the close of the Charleston, SC Food Film Fest to eat it.

Rev: With all this build up, I’m sure you’ll be able to write pages and pages about this Burger. How does one review a Burger like this? I mean seriously, it has 4 cuts of Beef and gets 4 coats of Butter.
DRC: “Succulent.”

Rev: I’ll bet it was!! How was the mouthfeel?
DRC: Not a word I would use often but the mouthfeel was awesome.

Rev: What about the taste? With all that Beef, it must’ve tasted more like Steak than a Burger.
DRC: Totally.

Rev: How about that Bun?
DRC: Bun is a little sweet. Nice wheat flavor.

Rev: What else comes on the Burger?
DRC: Caramelized Onions.

Rev: Oh man! I love Caramelized Onions on a Burger. Adds a richness that’s sweet, salty, smokey and just really plays against the savory Meat flavors.
DRC: Yeahman

Rev: At any point while eating it, didn’t you wish it had Cheese? I mean Cheese is a really important part of a Burger.
DRC: Nope.

Rev: Did you even realize there wasn’t any on it?
DRC: Not until the last bite.

Rev: So the Burger was pretty good. Would you say it was awesome?
DRC: Most def.

Rev: Would you go eat it again?
DRC: As soon as someone takes me again.

Rev: You really don’t have much to say about this Burger do you?
DRC: You’re the expert burger taster, you tell me!

Rev: Yeah but you’re the Burger blogger. You should have something to say.
DRC: Well that being the case, it’s about getting hits, proper SEO and coming up in searches. So as the “blogger” here, I’ll say this:

The “Black Label” Burger at The Minetta Tavern in NYC is one of the best Burgers in NYC and ever.

Rev: Those are big words my friend.
DRC: If you love Burgers and you don’t go eat it, either your friends, like most of mine, can’t live up to their word or you only casually like Burgers.

Rev: Wow. You’ll have to take me sometime.
DRC: I know better than to make that promise! The odds say you might have a better chance of me taking you for a ride in a 1962-64 Ferrari 250 GTO.

Rev: I guess we both now have new goals.
DRC: God Bless.

9 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev