Burger Conquest

The Cattle Call – Chef Alfredo Estrada from Clarke’s Standard

Posted on 05/21/2013 by Rev

The Cattle Call – Chef Alfredo Estrada from Clarke’s Standard

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

Alfredo Estrada, 33, born and raised in New York
Culinary : 15 years
Worked for Clarkes Group for 5 years at all New York locations.
Executive Chef for Clarke’s Standard on Lexington and Maiden Lane

Name: Alfredo Estrada

Website: http://clarkes-standard.com

Where do you live: Bronx, New York

Favorite style of Burger: Any well seasoned American burger. Cooked Medium rare.

Favorite Childhood Burger: Wendy’s for their buns and simplicity.

What is the one Burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not: The In-N-Out burger.

If you could eat any Mythical Creature which would it be: Puff the magic Dagon with mushrooms. How cool would that be? I love to be different.

If you could have a Burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them: Gordon Ramsey and I would take him to the original PJ Clarkes. There’s something special about this place. The atmosphere makes the burgers taste that much better.

Name one Burger in LA that for once, people should get off a plane and go eat instead of In-N-Out: Sorry, it’s the one burger I want to taste but haven’t.

Please use this space to talk about or plug anything else you want:
Next Clarke’s Standard opening:

57th and 8 Ave
17th St. and Broadway
43rd and 2nd Ave

Posted in Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York, The Cattle Call | Tagged alfredo estrada, best burger, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, clarke's standard, david, french fries, hamburger, interview, nyc, rev, review, the cattle call | 1 Comment

Clarke’s Standard – Have Another Green Chilies Cheeseburger

Posted on 05/21/2013 by Rev

Clarke’s Standard
http://clarkes-standard.com
636 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022

THE CONQUEST
Even though it’s never been review on Burger Conquest, P.J. Clarke’s plays an important part of the history of this website. Much of my obsession with Hamburgers and certainly my obsession for drinking Beer while eating said Food item comes from my Father. Few things made “Bones” (his nickname) happier than sharing a Burger and Beer with friends. On July 20th of 2008, I gathered up a bunch of friends to have dinner at P.J. Clarke’s. It was at that celebration that idea of Burger Conquest was conceived. I jokingly call it my Flux Capacitor moment. Much like the moment in “Back to the Future” when Doctor Emmet Brown fell off the toilet, hit his head and thought up the device, while at dinner I suggested “why don’t we start a blog about hanging out and eating Burgers?” I’ll need to remedy this as some point but in the meantime, let’s talk about Clarke’s Standard.

Clarke’s Standard is a fast casual off-shoot of P.J. Clarke’s meant to serve quicker meals in a non-formal setting. Much like ancient Roman civilizations, they’re being built as makeover’s to former goodburger locations. The Burgers at Clarke’s Standard are made from “100% freshly-ground USDA-verified Natural Angus free of hormones, antibiotics, and preservatives.” Burgers are served wrapped in a plastic paper and inside of cardboard boxes. The overall vibe feels very old school with decor looks like that of a butcher shop gone dinette. The restaurant uses an array of gourmet and artisan items like Sir Kensington’s Ketchup and Mayonnaise, Root Beer BBQ Sauce, St. Joseph’s Rolls, Ice Creams & Boylan’s Sodas. Alongside an array of Burgers, the menu also features Hot Dogs, Chicken Sandwiches, a Bahn Mi, Milkshakes and Sides like Beef Chili and Cheesy Tater Tots and Butcher’s Chili.

THE BURGER
It took me about 2 and a half seconds (that’s an approximation) to decide what to get on my maiden voyage to Clarke’s Standard. Taking one look at the menu, the words “Green Chilies Cheeseburger” just appeared and that was all I needed to read. Although the “Brooklyn Au Poivre” was nearly a distraction with “Cracked Pepper Sauce, Farmer’s Gouda, Jimmy Peppers & Savory Onions” I could not deny my taste buds of Green Chilies. The smell of their roastiness hit my nose like and I almost forgot that I was supposed to eat this creation while inhaling it’s fine aroma. The Burger also comes adorned with American Cheese, Garlic Aioli, Mustard that last of which I thought was unnecessary. The Mustard is really good, I just think the Chilies, Cheese and Aioli was a good enough mixture. The melted and creamy Cheese is savory, the Aioli is tangy, the Chilies are smoky and the perfectly cooked medium rare Beef has a great all natural flavor. It’s Sandwiched between a perfect Bun that is both soft and sturdy. The flavor mix in this Burger is a home run and kudos to Chef Alfredo Estrada for making the play.

Along with my Burg I crushed some Sweet Potato Waffle Fries. Another great choice to add to the menu. They were hot, sweet, salt and with great Sweet Potato flavor. I tried dipping them in the Ketchup, the Spicy Ketchup, Brown Mustard and the Root Beer BBQ Sauce. The best of which were the Spicy Ketchup and the Root Beer BBQ Sauce. I’m not really sure what ingredients go into it but it’s spicy, sweet, tangy and smoky. Totally loved it. If you’re a Chili fan, do not pass up the Butcher’s Chili at Clarke’s Standard. It’s a whole Meat style Chili with lots of robust flavors.

The first thought you’ll have after you finish the Green Chilies Cheeseburger at Clarke’s Standard will be “I can’t wait to have another.”

Clarkes_Standard_051613_NYC_Burger_Conquest_5708
8 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
637 Burgers
May 16, 2013 – 2:07 pm

Posted in Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged alfredo estrada, best burger, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, clarke's standard, david, french fries, hamburger, nyc, rev, review | 2 Comments

The Cattle Call – Chef Dennis Hatzinger From Idle Hands Bar

Posted on 05/19/2013 by Rev

The Cattle Call – Chef Dennis Hatzinger From Idle Hands Bar, Billy Hurricane’s & Point Break

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

I have 20 years of experience working in all facets of the hospitality industry. The day I decieded to enter the kitchen fulltime is the best decision I have ever made. I have been involved in other industries as operations management. I currently own and operate DJA Catering which is a culinary management company. I create menus and execute them for venues.

Name: Dennis Hatzinger

Where do you live: Howard Beach, NY

Favorite style of Burger: I like all burgers, yes McDonalds and White Castle too. I prefer a 6-8 ounce patty, cooked to just under medium rare. Topped with swiss cheese, raw onion and Heinz ketchup.

Favorite Childhood Burger: A cheeseburger cooked on a charcoal grill

Burger that haunts your dreams at night: Dry, overcooked, flavorless excuse for a burger

What is the one Burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not: The DB burger, sirloin crust, braised short rib, foie gras and black truffle.

The secret to making a great Burger: Many people look down to a hamburger. A great burger needs the same dedication, care & love as any other item being prepared in a kitchen. Proper flavor profiles and techniques must be applied.

Under no circumstances whatsoever, what should NEVER be put on a Burger: Fruit of any kind should never be put on a beef burger.

If you could eat any Mythical Creature which would it be: The Kraken, I love calamari.

If you could have a Burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them: I would have a burger with Teddy Roosevelt. We would go to one my locations because I love to eat the burger I make.

Please use this space to talk about or plug anything else you want: As a chef I try to utilize allof my skill and accumulated experience to shock the guest into returning. I accomplish this by providing a top notch experience. No meal should be ever “just a meal” it must be an experience. Whether it be a slice of pizza or a gourmet meal in a top restaurant. In bringing that experience to bars and restaurants with no ratings has been largely successful.

Posted in Burgers, Hamburgers, New York, The Cattle Call | Tagged best burger, billy hurricane's, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, david, Dennis Hatzinger, french fries, hamburger, Idle Hands, interview, nyc, point break, rev, review, the cattle call | Comments Off

Idle Hands Bar – Welcome Chef Dennis and a House Ground Burger

Posted on 05/19/2013 by Rev

Idle Hands Bar
http://idlehandsbar.com
25 Avenue B
New York, NY 10009

THE CONQUEST
In September of 2010 I made a teenage dream come true thanks to Rob Morton and Marc Schapiro by opening the East Village’s Idle Hands Bar. A promise I had made to my father when I was 16 finally came to life as cracked opened the doors to a Bourbon, Beer and Rock Bar on Avenue B in New York City. It was a proud moment and continues to be every day we get to serve the largest selection of Bourbons, a rotating list of Craft Beers and other libations while playing some great music for you.

With my reputation as an Expert Burger Taster (as coined by The Learning Channel, not me) it’s an expectation that we serve a great burger. We first brought you the Dirty Burger from Billy Hurricane’s & then followed that up with That Burger. Burgers and Beers are meant to be had together so with the departure of Dan Petersen and That Burger, we had to continue to bring you the good stuff.

Welcome Chef Dennis Hatzinger. He took over the kitchen upstairs at Billy Hurricane’s and has curated the new menu we are offering at Idle Hands Bar. Dennis is a Food junkie and made it a mission to elevate the definition of Pub Fare. He’s bringing us rubbed, baked and then fried Chicken Wings, house made Hummus, a Pulled Pork Sandwich and of course, Hamburgers.

THE BURGER
Chef Dennis does not mess around when it comes to Hamburgers. He house grinds a blend of Prime Chuck, Brisket & Hanger Steak trimmings. When you ask him about the fat to lean content ratio his answer is “probably about 75/25 but it’s hard to say since I do everything by hand and eye!” Dennis lightly seasons the patty before charring it on a flat top using a high heat. The patty is very, very juicy without being greasy and has an all natural and savory Beef taste. The Burger is served on a Brioche Bread made locally by Wenner Bread of Long Island which he grills to give and extra smoky taste to the all over presentation.

For the gastronomically daring, check out Dennis’ signature “Bleu Burger” with Gorgonzola Spread which is made from a mix of that Cheese along with Cream Cheese. It will give your Burger a creamy, savory and yes, messy kick. If you’re getting that on your Burger, it also comes with Applewood Smoked Bacon from Farmland. Dennis gives a perfect treatment so it turns out smoky and the right amount of chewiness to crispiness. No matter what you order on top of the Burger, you can also ask for it to be blackened. While Dennis offers a number of tasty Potato products to ride along with your taste buds, be sure to consider the Sweet Potato Tater Tots.

No rating given because that would be unfair since I own the place. But come by and try one and then tell me what you think.

-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
636 Burgers
May 15, 2013 – 6:37 pm

Posted in Bar, Beer, Burgers, East Village, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged beer, best burger, best rock bar, billy hurricane's, burger conquest, Burgers, cheap drinks, cheese, Chef Dennis Hatzinger, ciancio, craft beer, david, drink specials, east village, east village happy hour, french fries, hamburger, happy hour, house ground, idle hands bar, menu, new york city, nyc, party, rare bourbon, rev, review, specialty whiskey, tater tots | Comments Off

Randolph Beer – A Lotta Beer In Little Italy

Posted on 05/18/2013 by Rev

Randolph Beer
http://www.randolphnyc.com/beer/index.html
343 Broome St
New York, NY 10013

THE CONQUEST
Serving Craft Beer & Food isn’t really that hard for a restaurant to do; attach keg, pull tap handle, pour into glass, serve next to plate. But understanding the sudsy product, its taste diversities, seasonality, categories and then pairing it along with Food that will help to accent it’s flavor, that’s a task. Beer is one of the most complex alcoholic beverages on the planet and the first one that was made not just as a luxury product. The American Craft Beer market continues to grow while breaking barriers, re-setting trends and constantly challenging the palette of the conscientious drinker. When a person like myself, a self-proclaimed Beer lover, goes out there looking to drink Craft, I don’t just want it to be available, I want it to be done right.

New York City’s Little Italy has roots that trace back to the turn of the century. For centuries, especially after World War II, it served as a welcoming pad for Italian immigrants moving here. Since then it remains a Food destination, representing centuries and centuries of Italian culture. Much of it still remains despite an explosion of Italian culinary offerings around the city. One thing it’s not know for, Craft Beer & GastroPub fare…until now. Enter Randolph Beer, a Craft Beer focused Restaurant. Their Beer menu is broken down by 6 categories: “Hop,” “Fruit & Floral,” “Tart & Funky,” “Crisp & Light,” “Rich & Sweet” and “Malt & Roast” which helps makes the product more approachable, less intimidating and easier to understand. Beers are served according to price, style, size and glassware. All of that comes along with Dinner menu with items like Fish N’ Chips, a Meatball Skillet and a Grain and Kale Salad. The Randolph also offers a diverse Brunch menu including a Spanish Frittata, Biscuits & Gravy and of course, a Burger. Enjoy it in their cozy Bar built from reclaimed wood or outdoors on their sidewalk patio along with live Dixie and Grassroots music.

THE BURGER
I love Breakfast. I absolutely obsess about the first meal of the day and am bewildered by people who skip it. It’s the meal with the most definable menu, which then gives one more rules to break than any other part of the culinary day. It’s also the meal of which I have largest appreciation of the palette: Grains, Eggs, Dairy, Meat, Fruits and sometimes Vegetables. I love Eggs, Bacon, Biscuits, Cheese, Sausage and Cereal. While I very infrequently am willing to get off my couch on a weekend day to go out and eat, Brunch is definitely one of my favorite style of menus.

So when I sat down in front of the menu at Randolph Beer and saw Breakfast Nachos, there was almost a moment where I was not going to order a Burger. Thanks to my good buddies Bram & Russ, who suggested we split an order of them, my taste buds were not going to be denied. The Breakfast Nachos ruled. They come on fried Tortillas, with sunny side up Eggs, Black Beans, Cheese, Ranchero Sauce, baked in a skillet. The savoriness of this dish would have to be explained using charts and graphs. I definitely enjoyed washing it down with a Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout which was like a Super Mario Brother power up to dish.

Onto the Burger which is served with homemade Aioli, extra Sharp Cheddar and a side of Waffle Fries. There are all sorts of options for side Potatoes for a Burger and Randolph Beer gets points for the great choice of Waffle Fries. In my book, they’re tied for #1 with Tater Tots. Already a score for the Randolph in this review. The Patty was perfectly cooked, another point and was incredibly juicy. Kudos also for a hearty Bun that tasted great and also stood up to all the oozing from the Meat. The flavors in the Beef were subtle but had a mix of Beefiness, Salt and smokiness from the char. The Ground Beef was loosely packed which helped to give it that juiciness as well as a nice soft bite. Overall, a really great Sandwich experience.

If the curation of a Craft Beer menu is as important to you as the attention given to a Burger preparation, be sure to check out Randolph Beer.

8 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

Randolph_Beer_042713_5464

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
607 Burgers
April 27, 2013 – 3:34 pm

Posted in Bar, Beer, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged best burger, breakfast nachos, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, craft beer, david, french fries, hamburger, little italy, nyc, randolph, rev, review | Comments Off

Burger Land Viewing Party with Burgers and $10 Weyebacher Tasting

Posted on 05/18/2013 by Rev

Burger Land Viewing Party with Burgers and $10 Weyebacher Tasting

On May 27, 2013 at 9 pm EST I will make my 9th reality television appearance on the Travel Channel’s “Burger Land.” The show is a regional Burger show that’s hosted by the earnest and hungry Burger expert George Motz. The episode airing on May 27 will feature some of the best Burgers in NYC as well as a guest appearance by yours truly.

To celebrate, I’ll be throwing a Burger and Beer viewing party at my very own Idle Hands Bar when the episode re-airs on May 29 at 8:30 pm EST.

“BURGER LAND” NYC EPISODE VIEWING PARTY
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Starts 7 pm

Join us for a $10 tasting with Weyerbacher Brewery from 7 – 9 pm.

The NYC episode of “Burger Land” will air with sound at 8:30 pm.

Enjoy the show and the tasty craft beers along with Burgers by Chef Dennis. The patties are made from a house ground mix of prime chuck, brisket & hang steak trimmings.

Here’s a preview of the segment.

For those of you who missed the party, here’s the segment from the show:

Posted in Bar, Beer, Burger Famous, Burgers, East Village, Event, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, National Hamburger Month, New York, TV | Tagged beer, best burger, burger conquest, burger expert, burger land, cheese, ciancio, craft beer, david, french fries, george motz, hamburger, idle hands bar, korzo haus, nyc, rev, review, tasting, television, travel channel, tv, viewing party, weyerbacher | 2 Comments

The Cattle Call – Nick Solares from Serious Eats

Posted on 05/17/2013 by Rev

The Cattle Call – Nick Solares from Serious Eats

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

Nick Solares is an NYC based food writer and photographer. He started his personal blog Beef Aficionado in 2007 by eating a hamburger a day for the month of May. He has been a regular contributor to Serious Eats since 2008, served as NYC reviewer for A Hamburger Today and Slice and currently writes for AM New York and Steakcraft on Serious Eats New York, a column that examines the best steaks in NYC.

Name: Nick Solares

Website: http://beefaficionado.com
http://www.seriouseats.com/user/profile/beef%20aficionado

Where do you live: NYC

Favorite style of Burger: Sliders

Favorite Childhood Burger: The Great American Disaster in London, a now defunct chain (I grew up in England)

Burger that haunts your dreams at night: The slider from the sadly closed White Diamond in Linden, NJ

What is the one Burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not: The deep fried burger at Dyers in Memphis. I stayed a few nights in the Peabody hotel that is literally right around the corner from it but I was on BBQ tour so my days were pretty full. By the time I got my act together to get down to Beale Street it was late Saturday night and it was so mobbed that there were barricades cordoning off the street while all around scenes from a bad frat house film unfolded. I beat a hasty retreat.

The secret to making a great Burger: Salt, pressure and violent, intense heat.

Under no circumstances whatsoever, what should NEVER be put on a Burger: This may come as a surprise as I have a reputation for being a minimalist/purist when it comes to toppings but there is nothing that one can put on a burger that changes it from being a burger. Therefore there is nothing that one shouldn’t put on a burger. Personally, I don’t think a burger needs much more than American cheese but whether there is one ingredient of fifty does’t matter.

If you could eat any Mythical Creature which would it be: Ronald McDonald

If you could have a Burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them: I would resurrect Walt A. Anderson originator of White Castle and inventor of the hamburger and take him to White Rose in Linden, NJ to show him that despite all the technological changes in the ensuing decades his original creation has withstood the test of time.

Name one Burger in LA that for once, people should get off a plane and go eat instead of In-N-Out: Pie N’ Burger. In fact that is reason enough to go to LA.

Please use this space to talk about or plug anything else you want:
Twitter: @beefafcionado
Instagram: @nicksolares
Facebook

Posted in Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, The Cattle Call | Tagged beef aficionado, best burger, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, david, french fries, hamburger, interview, Nick Solares, nyc, rev, review, serious eats, the cattle call | Comments Off

Tasty n Sons – Epic Level Brunch

Posted on 05/17/2013 by Rev

Tasty n Sons
http://tastyntasty.com
3808 N Williams Ave
Portland, OR 97212

THE CONQUEST
Portland, OR is a funny town. Other than Seattle, WA which is a 3-4 hour drive away, depending on “Starlate” traffic, Portland is an hours and hours drive away from any other major urban hub. Even with a population around 600K, its still in the middle of nowhere. This city is the largest shipper of wheat in the country with both Adidas and Nike calling it home. The climate there is perfect for growing Roses which is how it earned it’s nickname, The City of Roses. All of that seems pretty normal but when you add that Portland is “the capital of karaoke” and is obsessed with artisan Coffee, Craft Beer, farm to table Food and strip clubs, you’ll understand why they like to “Keep Portland Weird.” If you like eating and drinking, its a great town.

If you like fresh, seasonal farm to table Food and local coffe, head to Tasty n Sons in Portland, OR. It’s owned by John Gorham, a well known and respected Chef and entrepreneur. John also owns the highly sought after Tapas restaurant Toro Bravo. The Tasty n Sons menu is constant flux based on seasonality, local farm’s availability and the whims of the kitchen staff but one thing remains constant, epic level Brunch. It’s so popular in fact, that the restaurant only opens for “Brunch and Dinner.” Reservations are only available for parties of 6 or more otherwise its walk up and wait. It’s certainly worth grabbing 5 or more buds and showing up extra hungry.

THE BURGER
On a recent trip to Portland with some friends, we made Tasty n Sons our first meal in town. With so many great and tasty sounding items on the menu, we decided to order every single one that sounded good and share them.

Griddled Bacon Wrapped Date with Maple Syrup & Almond
Where I come from, these are known as Devils on Horseback. At Tasty n Sons, they are known as delicious. They’re rich and cream with a nice crunch center.

Fried Egg & Cheddar Biscuit with Fried Chicken
This Sandwich is worth the trip alone! The Biscuit is buttery and crunchy with being dry. The Chicken is moist and juicy on the inside with a flaky crunchy crust. The Cheddar, smartly served on bottom has a rich, savory taste. The Egg, placed on top is warm and fresh. All in all, this Sandwich is perfectly constructed. We also had the Sausage version which was great as well.

Open Faced Monte Cristo with spiced Maple on French Toast
Fried Ham & Cheese on French Toast with spiced Maple Syrup on tap, are you kidding me? Nope. Totally serious and totally awesome.

Grilled Asparagus with house Bacon, Parmesan & sunny side up Egg
I didn’t try this dish but the other guys who did said it was great.

Tasty Muffin with Boudin Blanc Sausage, Arugula, Apple Butter & Fried Egg with a Side of Pimento Cheese
This was just a ridiculous mix of great sweet and savory flavors.

Burmese Red Pork Stew with Short Grain Rice & Eggs two ways
This dish is a house speciality and known for it’s reported ability to cure hangovers. The dish is essentially sweet Smoked Pork Belly over Rice with Scrambled and Eggs over easy. It is both sweet and spicy and perhaps one of the most amazing dishes in all of Portland.

Moroccan Chicken Hash with Onion Sour Cream & over easy Egg
By this point in the meal I was practically bursting at the seams from good food so I opted out trying a bite. I’m told this was as good as anything else we had eaten.

Tasty Burger with House Bacon and Smoked Bleu Cheese
And of course, this is a Burger blog so you knew this was coming. Be warned it comes with Pickles which isn’t listed on the menu. I can’t stand Pickles and think that they act like poison. Once a pickle touches my Food, it’s infected and all tastes like Pickles. Moving on, let’s talk about the Bacon, in a word, its awesome. The Bacon is smok, thick and bursting with intense Pork flavors. The Bun barely holds up under the weight of the hearty Beef Patty and toppings. The Smoked Blue cheese is great. You can’t really taste the smoke in between all the other flavors but it’s creamy and rich. The Burger tastes of all natural Beef flavor as it melts in your mouth. To be a little nit-picky, it could’ve used a little seasoning which was easily remedied with a dash of Black Pepper. Overall, a pretty good Burger but the Bacon is definitely the star of the show. Although I didn’t eat too many of them, the French Fries were really good with an all natural Potato flavor.

8 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

If you’re looking for great Food, you can expect epic level eats & outstanding service at Tasty n Sons.

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
606 Burgers
April 12, 2013 – 11:41 am

Posted in Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, Oregon | Tagged best burger, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, david, french fries, hamburger, John Gorham, oregon, portland, rev, review, tasty n sons | Comments Off

The Cattle Call – R. Luke Tobias from Kuma’s Corner

Posted on 05/17/2013 by Rev

The Cattle Call – R. Luke Tobias from Kuma’s Corner

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

I grew up in Indiana eating burgers nearly every day of my life. I moved to Richmond Virginia when I was twenty to eventually drop out of college, have a string of uninspired jobs, play in a bunch of bands, and end up shredding beef at Kuma’s Corner in Chicago, IL. Email me.

Name: Luke Tobias

Website: http://www.kumascorner.com
http://www.kumastoo.com

Where do you live: Chicago, IL

Favorite style of Burger: Style? Grilled I suppose

Favorite Childhood Burger: My Grandma Tobias’

Burger that haunts your dreams at night: Any burger from Ray’s Hell in Arlington Virginia

What is the one Burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not: Minetta Tavern Black Label

The secret to making a great Burger: Don’t over handle the fucking beef and NEVER smash it.

Under no circumstances whatsoever, what should NEVER be put on a Burger: I have no qualms with putting nearly anything on a burger if it elevates the flavor

If you could eat any Mythical Creature which would it be: Not really mythical I suppose but definitely long extinct. Dodo.

If you could have a Burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them: Louis CK. I suspect anywhere we went he’d have a pretty good explanation for how underwhelmed he was with it, amazing or not.

Name one Burger in LA that for once, people should get off a plane and go eat instead of In-N-Out: LA? Eh… I have no idea. But, I suspect Father’s Office or Umami Burger are legitimate contenders. My time spent in LA has never yielded a positive result. But whatever you do, if you are trying to hawk Lemmy at the Rainbow Bar & Grill and you’re hungry, order something that is NOT the burger.

Please use this space to talk about or plug anything else you want: Pay attention to twitter for updates on what we’re doing @kumassous and @kumastoo Also, clue yourself in to the works of Rob and Allie Levitt at the Butcher and the Larder as well as Jonathon Ory at Badwolf Coffee. Both in Chicago. Oh. And check out Encrust. http://www.facebook.com/encrustmetal

Posted in Best Of, Burger Famous, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, New York, The Cattle Call | Tagged best burger, burger conquest, cheese, chicago, ciancio, encrust, french fries, hamburger, interview, kuma's corner, kumas too, nyc, r luke tobias, rev, review, the cattle call, the rev meter for social community | Comments Off

The Cattle Call – Chef Russell Booth from The Hard Rock Café

Posted on 05/13/2013 by Rev

The Cattle Call – Chef Russell Booth from The Hard Rock Café

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

Name: Chef Russell Booth

Website: http://www.hardrock.com

Where do you live: I live in Orlando, Florida. I’ve been in Orlando on and off for a couple of decades, 20 years. Well, I grew up in Miami and one day I ventured up to Orlando and I stayed.

Favorite Style of burger: I like a burger that is medium-rare, charred, heavily seasoned, with cheddar cheese and vine-ripe tomatoes. That is it. Little hot sauce on the side.

Favorite Childhood burger: Every kid loves cheeseburgers and so I can just remember eating cheeseburgers often and every kid loves that. And certainly as you grow older, the ingredients change and you venture into the ingredient list and have so many great things to put on a burger. You can put jalapenos on it, blue cheese, beef brisket, whatever you can imagine. Fresh kosher pickles. So, you know, the selections are endless.

Burger that haunts your dreams at night: Well the burger that haunts my dreams at night would probably be a liver burger. I’m not much into liver so if you made a burger out of liver I’m not sure I’d be wanting to eat that.

What is the one burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not: Well, I’ve tried most every burger out there. Certainly like to work with all proteins. Recently tried a shrimp burger which was fantastic. That was good. But you know, we have so many ingredients that we work with that I think I’ve tried almost every combination there is.

The secret to making a great burger: Secret is pretty simple. Great ingredients, cooked to the right temperature, that’s where you start. We use certified Angus beef. I prefer using 80% lean to 20% fat because that fat will burn off and it gives the meat such great flavor. Then we make sure that is cooked on a hot grill at 550 degrees. Don’t overwork the burger, you put it on there and turn no more than three times. And then you put your favorite toppings on there and you’re ready to go.

Under no circumstances whastoever, what should NEVER be put on a burger: I’m not sure there, the sky’s the limit. There’s nothing you probably don’t want to put on a burger. Probably toothpaste, maybe? That may be the only think you don’t want to put on a burger? But ya know, if it’s edible, I think it can be put on a burger. Even probably including gummy worms if you wanted to do that. So anything goes with a hamburger, I think. What you like is up to you.

If you could be any Mythical Creature, which would it be: Probably a fire breathing dragon. And what kind of burger would you cook up: I don’t think it would be that tough, but it would be spicy.

If you could have a burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them: Well that’s a pretty easy choice. For me it would be either Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin and certainly we’d go to Las Vegas.

Name one burger in LA that for once, people should get off a plane and go eat instead of In-N-Out: Well, in Los Angeles our Chef is very creative and he has so many things on his burger that he offers. But the key is fresh ingredients and in Los Angeles we use everything fresh and in California the produce is as fresh as it gets so all the burgers are fabulous in Los Angeles and we have great chefs there at the Hard Rock Café.

Tell us how our love of burgers could win us trip to Punta Cana: Well, in the month of May we’re celebrating by giving a trip for two away to Punta Cana and it’s very simple all you do is visit a Hard Rock Café, you bite into a legendary burger, you snap a picture of yourself eating that burger, post it on Instagram or Twitter and you could be in Punta Cana on the beach, it’s that simple. Visit www.HardRockBurger.com for details.

Posted in Burger Famous, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, The Cattle Call | Tagged best burger, burger conquest, cheese, Chef Russell Booth, ciancio, contest, david, executive chef, florida, french fries, hamburger, hard rock cafe, interview, nyc, orlando, Punta Cana, rev, review, the cattle call, win, win a beach getaway for two | Comments Off

The Cattle Call – Chef Alfredo Estrada from Clarke’s Standard

Clarke’s Standard – Have Another Green Chilies Cheeseburger

The Cattle Call – Chef Dennis Hatzinger From Idle Hands Bar

Idle Hands Bar – Welcome Chef Dennis and a House Ground Burger

Randolph Beer – A Lotta Beer In Little Italy

Burger Land Viewing Party with Burgers and $10 Weyebacher Tasting

The Cattle Call – Nick Solares from Serious Eats

Tasty n Sons – Epic Level Brunch

The Cattle Call – Chef Russell Booth from The Hard Rock Café

Search Site

@RevCiancio

Get Blog Updates Via RSS: