Burger Conquest

Peekskill Brewery – The Freshest Of Bier Wizardry

Posted on 01/25/2013 by Rev

Peekskill Brewery
http://thepeekskillbrewery.com
47-53 South Water Street
Peekskill, NY 10566

THE CONQUEST
There are 19 million people living inside the walls of New York City’s 5 boroughs. Those 19 million people have their choice of more than 25,000 different restaurants and bars. Seemingly there is no end to them. Technically, you could eat at one of them every 1.15 days and by the time you were 81 (the average life expectancy of a New Yorker) you would have eaten them all. Chances are you have some catching up to do so the question is, where we going for lunch? My suggestion, screw NYC for once, get on a train and go to the Peekskill Brewery.

For $22 you can get a round-trip ticket on Metro North on a Saturday afternoon for a one hour train ride up to one of the best places for Food & Drink in the greater New York City Area. The Peekskill Brewery, located just down the block from the Peekskill Train Station has an experience unlike what you can get inside the Big Apple. The brewery, originally located half a block away, just moved into their new 5 story facility and have started pumping out some tasty Craft Beer along with some locally sourced pub vittles. The brew house and it’s facilities are state of the art, most of which was custom built by Metalcraft Fabrication. If you’re lucky enough to get a tour, you’ll not only see the pristine brewing facility but also their specialty production items which help to make them a very unique brewery. This includes the fermenter that’s entirely dedicated to brettanomyces yeast.

Brettanomyces is an incredibly difficult and wild yeast to tame. A lot of brewers consider it a contaminant that brings unwanted flavors. But not the brewers, no, let’s call them Bier Wizards, at Peekskill Brewery have chosen instead to tame this wild beast to make unique Belgian and Sour Ales. The yeast is so wild and difficult that if not contained properly, it will infect every part of the brewery and therefore every Beer being made. Containing it takes skills, precision, intelligence and a vast desire to make incredibly different Brews. An outbreak can literally ruin every Beer in the house, thus making it the Zombie Virus or Beer Zero of the Brewniverse.

To add to their beer magics, the Peekskill Brewery has also built and installed a coolship. This is a process that dates back hundreds of years where once the wort is done boiling, it’s sent to a large tank (traditionally copper) to cool the brew. The idea is to let it air cool and sometimes pick up wild yeast, which is everywhere. Most yeast floating around the air is pretty weak and since the beer is so hot when it enters the coolship, it dies on impact. It is however a very natural way to cool Beer that before refrigeration, was the only way to do it. The coolship is located on the 3rd floor, above the pub, where it goes to cool off. The room has windows on both sides as well as a large fan that is turned on to create a huge convection effect.

Once the Beer is done fermenting it’s moved to the bright tanks. It’s here where the brewing process ends. Once in the bright tank it can be transferred to bottles, kegs, cans or be moved into the cooler to be served. At Peekskill, this is where things get really interesting. First of all, they don’t have a bottling line. Just a single machine that hand bottles one at a time. It’s quite the tedious process which is why when they finally start to bottle it will be for limited quantity beers that will only be sold, offered or aged in their cellars. As for the larger batch stuff, if you drink it in the brew pub or tap room, it’s going to come straight from the tank to the tap. It’s guaranteed to be some of the freshest Beer you will ever have.

Outside of the incredible brewing facility, the Peekskill Brewery has a tap room on the main floor for those curious to slug away the day over some tasty Craft Beers. For those looking for a meal or more of a family experience, they can head up to the 2nd floor balcony where the brew pub is housed. There one can sit and order from a menu comprised of Soups, Salads, Appetizers, Sandwiches and all sorts of Pub fare cooked right in their full sized kitchen. Beers are available on both levels.

Quick beer reviews:

Amazeballs: 6.2% ABV American Pale Ale Single hopped with Galaxy Hops. Calling this a Pale Ale is easy because that’s what it essentially is. To me it tasted like a not so bitter Pilnser mixed with a not so fruity IPA. The balance is really unique and very refreshing.
C.R.E.A.M.: 4.8% ABV Cream Ale. This one is incredibly smooth and drinkable. Truly a session style Beer. It’s light, tasty and honestly, not too creamy. Enjoy MANY.
Zeitgeist: 3.4 %Berliner Weisse. The Beer is ever so slightly, just the tiniest bit sour but also very bright and delicious. There is almost no finish on the Beer as it just disappears off your tongue, kind of like the snapchat of beers. Peekskill will offer you a house made Syrup to cut the sour off for those not into or used to it. They usually have a choice of a sweet or a savory Syrup. We had the Lemon Ginger which was good, but for me unnecessary. It’s like a lion tamer when you just want to watch lions.

It’s definitely worth a trip out of the city especially when you can the views are this good along the Hudson River. Be sure to stop at the Yellow Brick Road (yes that one!) which is located on the West side of the street just before you arrive at the brewery.

THE BURGER
After all the Beer talk, tasting and tour, we couldn’t wait to sop it up with some tasty pub vittles from the kitchen. I started off with an order of the soup of the day, Allagash Gouda Soup. When the server announced this as a daily special, the only thing that kept my jaw from hitting the floor was the need to say “YES PLEASE!” Whereas one would normally expect a soup made from Beer & Cheese to be pretty thick and hardy, this was not. In fact, it lighter than I imagined it would be in both texture, consistency and taste. The flavors were all in the subtleties of the beer and Cheese it was made from. After slurping down a few delicious spoonfuls, I asked for some Crusty Bread to dip into it. I would call this a savory dream. My buddy Nick called it “the reason Soup was invented.”

We followed the Soup with an order of Hot Wings. The Wings at the Peekskill Brewery come still together, meaning “1” is both a Wing and a Drumstick. Unfortunately these all got scooped up before I could get one but everyone else thought they were great. I patiently waited for my PB Burger to arrive instead. It comes with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Grilled Red Onion, Grafton Cheddar & Aioli on a house baked, Seeded Bun. On the side, the PB Burger is served with Handcut Fries.

Let’s start with the Fries. Yes, Yes, YES the Fries. Cut from whole Potatoes and fried, I’d be hard pressed not to call these perfect. If you’re a French Fry person, put these on your radar. They were just crispy enough on the outside and still pillowy on the inside. The skin on, frying process and seasoning used were all right on the money. We then dipped them in the Allagash Gouda Soup and almost fainted from awesomeness.

Onto the Burger. The Bacon; big, thick, hearty, smoky, sweet, savory Bacon rashers that danced a dance of joy around the Sandwich. The Garlic Aioli, well, that too gets a big thumbs up. I firmly believe that Ketchup on a Burger is just a straight no. Thousand Island / Secret Sauce is good but it’s so common. Beyond that, there isn’t a whole lot of other sauces I want on a Burger, but Peekskill Brewery’s Garlic Aioli, i’ll take any time. It added some juiciness to the bite and a nice Savory flavor current. The Grilled Red Onions were great as well was the soft Grafton Cheddar. The Beef, a nice, loosely-packed, soft and thick patty that’s served fresh was sourced from a great provider. It’s go good flavor and prior to being cooked, you could tell someone cared about this Burger. I did order the Burger medium-rare while it came closer to medium well, which was a bit of a let down. My only other suggestion, and I made this known when they asked my opinion, would be to season the Burger a little more before cooking. A decent sprinkle of good Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper would made a huge difference. It’s the only reason I’m not rating this Burger and 8.

If you’re looking for great Food in a great atmosphere with great local Beer, you’ll want to experience the greatness of the Peekskill Brewery. This crew is making Beer and Food because they love it. Although they could talk to you about Brewing at the most scientific of levels, their intent is to make Craft Beer for everyone.

7 out of 10 Ounces
– Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
591 Burgers
January 19, 2013 – 2:07 pm

The Rev Meter for Social Community
“The Rev Meter” is a social community meter for assessing how optimized a bar or restaurant is with social networking. By taking what I consider to be the 10 most important social networks and creating a point system, I can accurately asses how well your business is using social networking as a tool. My goal here is to educate and assist great business to better effectively use these tools.

The Peekskill Brewery scores an 8 on The Rev Meter.

SCORING:
4 points or less You’ve missed the 5 basics and are less than optimized
5 points You’ve covered the basics, which is better than most but far from optimized.
6 to 9 points You’re doing better than most and on your way to becoming a well respected social community whiz.
10 points Congrats on a perfect score!

Posted in Bar, Beer, Burgers, Road Trip, Upstate | Tagged amazeballs, best burger, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, craft beer, french fries, fresh beer, hamburger, Jeff The Chief O'Neil, local, metro north, nyc, peekskill brewery, rev, review, the rev meter for social community | Comments Off

Dear President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden

Posted on 01/21/2013 by Rev

Dear President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden,

Where do you like to eat the gloriously American sandwich known as the Hamburger?

We all know that you like them.

Thanks

Rev

Now that I have you engaged in the topic, I’d like to ask a few more questions about Burgers. Drop me a line and I promise to publish your answers.

THE CATTLE CALL

Favorite style of Burger:
Favorite Childhood Burger:
Burger that haunts your dreams at night:
What is the one Burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not:
The secret to making a great Burger:
Under no circumstances whatsoever, what should NEVER be put on a Burger:
If you could eat any Mythical Creature which would it be:
If you could have a Burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them:
Name one Burger in LA that for once, people should get off a plane and go eat instead of In-N-Out:
Please use this space to talk about or plug anything else you want:

Thanks again

Congrats on the 2nd term and let’s have a Burger together soon.

Posted in Burger Famous, Burgers | Tagged barack obama, best burger, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, french fries, hamburger, interview, joe biden, nyc, president, rev, review, the cattle call, the rev meter for social community, vice president | Comments Off

Joe Jr Restaurant – A Standard For Hamburgers

Posted on 01/13/2013 by Rev

Joe Jr Restaurant
http://www.yelp.com/biz/joe-jr-restaurant-new-york
167 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10003

THE CONQUEST
I was recently put to task to find an old-school Burger in NYC that not only I have never had but was a hidden gem. I’ve eaten and written about 589 Burgers since the start of this blog, the majority of which are in NYC where I happen to live. My initial reach was thinking it would be easier to walk through the Lincoln Tunnel, swim across the East River, be elected Borough President or some other analogy for a needle in a proverbial NYC haystack. So I went to the Google and searched “old school nyc burger” which revealed the following list of been there / eaten that’s:

…and the list goes on. I should note that P.J. Clarke’s also came up in the results and although I’ve never blogged about it, I have eaten there. I read Grub Street, Eater, Thrillist, Tasting Table, Urban Daddy, Village Voice, Serious Eats and all those other sites daily. There literally isn’t a talked about Burger in NYC that I haven’t heard about and or eaten, especially one that’s been around for a long time. Then it hit me. I remembered there was an unassuming restaurant that touted their Burger and I looked it up once but for some reason just forgot about. After re-reading Nick Solares‘ post on A Hamburger Today from 2008, I thought I might have found the spot.

Joe Junior Restaurant is perhaps one of the least talked about, least known, most plain looking restaurant in all of New York City. Other than the cartoony image on their sign of a smiling face & a steamy Burger, it looks like the kind of corner luncheonette that used to be all over Manhattan. By all means and definitions, Joe Junior is a corner diner. They have a huge menu with pages and pages of Eggs, Sandwiches, Salads, Roasts, Pastas and the like. There’s only a couple tables and a long counter with seats for a quicker meal. You will not find any rare ingredients, name brand purveyors, famous Chefs or anything else beyond the ordinary. Joe Junior exists to feed people hot and fresh food and that’s it. But when you walk in, you’ll notice one thing, everyone is eating a Burger.

So of course, I had to eat it.

THE BURGER
As coincidence would have it as I was walking to the restaurant, who do I bump into? Nick Solares. “What are you doing over here?” he asks me. Before I can get an answer out of my mouth, Nick answers his own question; “You’re going to Joe Junior aren’t you? It’s great man, you will enjoy it. Be sure to tell them I sent you and insist that they do NOT use the plancha on your Burger. They’ll squeeze out all the juice if you let them.” If Nick told me the best way to eat his favorite Burger was while whistling dixie in my skivvies atop the Empire State building, damn right I would do it. Thankfully this request was much easier.

As I was waiting for my friend Patrick to arrive, I ordered a cup of the Chicken Noodle Soup. I love Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s about the most standard thing any restaurant offers and yet so many places just do it wrong. It’s not a hard dish to make and it doesn’t even really have that many ingredients. Yet, many restaurants just can’t get it right. Joe Junior though, they know what they’re doing. This is one the most honest cups of Chicken Noodle Soup I’ve ever had. It’s not too salty, not too bland and every spoonful had something on it. Nice job.

While I spooning down the soup, I watched the grillman make our Burgers. The grill is right there on the other side of the counter in plain view. No secrets here, you see it all. He took two fresh Ground Beef patties, placed them on the flat top and started cooking. As I watched him flip them and also move them around the grill several times, my hopes started to diminish. One of the reasons you don’t flip a Burger more than once or maybe twice is so you don’t ruin the char. You also don’t want to over handle them and lose all the juiciness. I then watched him stick the plain white Sesame Seed Buns in the broiler. Another interesting move. A broiler is incredibly hot and the chance of burning something as delicate as a Bun is pretty high. I just kept my fingers crossed.

Dear Joe Junior Restaurant’s Bacon Cheese Burger,

You are so delicious. You are so juicy. You are exactly how a Hamburger, and lets now use the formal version of the word to refer to you, should be. Your simple squishy white Bun with Sesame Seeds is the exact kind of Bun a Hamburger should be served on. Your simple slice of processed American Cheese is just the right amount of melted and salty. The Bacon you surround yourself with is crispy, smoky, a little peppery and not overcooked. The juices that flow out of you are the food equivalent of fireworks. The more I see, the happier I am. Your buddies, the French Fries are pretty standard and normal but I know they, like me, enjoyed taking a dip the Hamburger juices.

Every Hamburger in the world could benefit by hanging out with you. You are the every man Hamburger. You are the American dream. You are a best friend. You ask for nothing but go above and beyond what you are supposed to do, which is provide sustenance. You’re the kind of friend that I want all my other friends to know because selfishly, you make me seem like a better person for introducing you to others.

Why did I wait almost 17 years of living in the New York area to eat you?

I ask myself this but I know the answer. I had to eat all those hundreds of Burgers before you so that I could appreciate what is so special about your simplicity. You teach a very important lesson: do something and do it right and then do it again and again. You are not just a standard Hamburger, you are A STANDARD by which others should measure themselves.

I look forward to eating you again.

Thank you

9 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
590 Burgers
January 9, 2013 – 1:44 pm

Joe Jr Restaurant scores a 3 on The Rev Meter.

Posted in Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged best burger, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, diner, french fries, greasy spoon, hamburger, joe jr restaurant, joe junior, nyc, old school, rev, review, the rev meter for social community | Comments Off

12 Days of Burgers – The Best Burger Conquests of 2012

Posted on 01/07/2013 by Rev

It’s been 1543 days since I ate the Burger that changed our lives. That Burger was at Arthur’s in Hoboken and it has since sparked 550 blog posts about one single thing; Hamburgers. 2012 saw a lot of local Burger Conquests as well as at a bunch of crazy events and road trips. Also in the year, my patented “Left Hand Grab” approach to taking picture of Burgers was made Burger Famous by “The Doctors” on CBS. Most importantly this year, I took all my passions and love for Food and launched The Mythical Creature Butcher Shop. It’s is a merchandise store and blog that sells merchandise with images of butcher cut mythical animals. It’s based around Marcelo Cain Terrato who is known as “The Creature Butcher.” Some of the proceeds from merchandise sales will go to benefit various charities.

Writing this blog, eating this Food and hanging out with all the great people I’ve met as a result is a pleasure, an honor and a whole lotta tasty fun.

119 Burgers eaten in 2012

At the end of 2012, THE BURGER COUNTQUEST is at 589 Burgers.

So, in the tradition of “12 Days of Christmas” I give you the final tally in my “12 Days of Burgers,” the 12 best Burger Conquests of 2012.

12. While they certainly make the best Burger I’ve ever eaten, Rub BBQ also get’s the honor of the most clicked post of the year on the entire site thanks to Burger lovers Jim Moran from Yipit & Shaila Ittycheria of E[nstitute]. Rub BBQ – Astrophysicist In the Deal Ghetto.

11. The Burger wasn’t really good, it also isn’t the reason to go to the coolest, most fun, unique and exciting Beer Festival. Belgium Comes To Cooperstown – The Transformers of Beer Festivals.

10. Not only one of the best Burgers in NYC but one of the best restaurants in the world. If you haven’t eaten here yet, you’re living in a deficit. Cafe D’Alsace – Meat-tastic Meal for a King.

9. New York is a Burger city. Los Angeles is a Burger City. Chicago is becoming a Burger force to reckon with. Over the course of a couple days, I hit Kuma’s Corner, Edzo’s Burger Shop & Culver’s – The Best Burgers In Chicago.

8. A legendary Burger company opens up their first location in NYC and I get asked to test drive the store along with the rest of the NYC Burgeratti. Steak ‘N Shake – Now in NYC!

7. There’s a lot of ways to make Burgers but it comes down to one thing; Char-Grilled vs. Flat Top Griddled. The Crew from Underground Eats and members of the Food Film Fest gathered together to decide which was the best. The Luncheonette – Char-Grill vs Flat Top Burger Battle.

6. I own a bar. We have a Burger restaurant located inside the bar. My wife put out her 2nd book. It all came together on one super awesome, dreams-come-true kind of night. Spellcaster Spellburger – Book & Burger Pairings From That Burger.

5. “Entourage” meets “Diners. Drive-Ins & Dives.” Locations range from Burger restaurants, Breweries, BBQ Joints, Local eats & Roadside America. Insert 2-3 male friends into a car and you have … The Brohd Trip 3 – 500 Miles for 16 Sandwiches On The Eastern Seaboard.

4. And then repeat, often. The Brohd Trip 2 – Raleigh, Chuck’s, Char-Grill & Emoji.

3. On the day I celebrated the 4th anniversary of BurgerConquest, or as I call it, my “Burgerthday,” we kicked off the world’s most unique and exciting Food event. 6th Annual NYC Food Film Festival – The Best Tasting Film Festival On The Planet.

2. I love Burgers and I love sharing them with others. What better way to do that than create a serious of events around them during National Hamburger Month including New York’s first ever Burger Crawl? See you in May for NY Burger Week 2012 – 7 Days of Awesome Burger Events.

1. One of the most severe natural distasters hit my fair city of New York in the form of Superstorm Sandy. My wife, some friends from the Food Film Fest and I wanted to help distaster relief in anyway we could. With a little help from sponsors from the Food Film Fest, we teamed up with The Fisherman’s Dog Food Truck from the Rockaways and fed their neighborhood fresh, free, hot Hamburgers on a Sunday afternoon. It was a small effort that caught the eye of the NYC Mayor’s Office. We worked with them and the NYC Food Truck Association to feed those hit most hard with more than 300,000 free, hot meals. It brought tears to my eyes and in the end made me love this city and it’s residents even more. Burger Aid NYC – Please Help With Hurricane Sandy Relief.

Here’s a fist-bump full of Burgers to everyone who read a single word on this blog or supporter my Burger habits in anyway in 2012. I salute all the Burger fun we are going to have in 2013.

Posted in Bar, Beer, Best Burger in New York, Best Of, Burger Famous, Burgers, East Village, Event, Food Film Festival, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, National Hamburger Month, New York, NY Burger Week, Road Trip | Tagged "burger aid 2012", 12 days of burgers, best burger 2012, best burger nyc, best of, burger conquest, burgers nyc 2012, cheese, ciancio, french fries, hamburger, new york, ny, nyc, rev, review, the rev meter for social community | 1 Comment

Poole’s Tavern – I Love My Mom … and Hamburgers Too

Posted on 01/05/2013 by Rev

Poole’s Tavern
http://poolestavern.com
157 East Main Street
Northville, MI 48167

THE CONQUEST
Michigan rules. Beautiful summers, lush fruits, great Craft Beer, wonderful universities, legacy sports teams, industrial historical importance, wonderful lakes and so much more. It also has two things I really, really love; 1. some of the best Hamburgers in the world & 2. My Mom. That’s not to say I don’t love the rest of my family or friends there, I do, but this post is not about them.

When we were kids, going out to eat Hamburgers was a treat. My Mom loves Burgers, especially sliders and it’s her appreciation for them that helped to fashion mine. When I go back to “The D” to visit for the holidays every year, we have a tradition of going out for a holiday Burger. Thankfully since Michigan and more specifically the Detroit area, has no shortage of tasty Burgability, our list of “to eats” has no end. From Burgers you’ve heard of to Burgers I’ve been eating since I was an ankle bitin Burger lover, each year we log another onto the Burger Conquest:

Northville, MI, located about 30 miles West of Detroit, owes its roots to settles from New York who moved there after a land patent was granted in 1823. A man by the name of J.F. Davis was the first official resident of the town and helped establish it’s first businesses: tailor, shoe shop, two blacksmiths & a tavern. While it’s all been replaced by fancy cute little shops in the downtown area, one thing remains, an old school tavern where the local “settlers” can pop in for a a drink a chat and of course, a Hamburger. Poole’s isn’t THAT tavern, but it’s one of the longest standing businesses in the city. Established in the early 1900s as the Thomas Tavern, it’s carried many names from many owners, but the point is, it’s always been there making it a center point for the small suburb. Run by the Poole family, the tavern has been under their supervision since 1997 and if there is one thing they take pride in, it’s their Hamburger.

THE BURGER
Go to the Poole’s Tavern website and in the about section included with the history of the place is a mention about the Beef they serve. Not only is proudly displayed on their website but it’s all over their printed menus as well, all the Beef at Poole’s is Certified Angus Beef ® brand. The Burger, a half-pounder, comes with Lettuce, Onion, Tomato, a Dill Pickle Spear & Potato Chips. For an additional charge you can add Bacon, Mushrooms and your choice of Cheeses. For me, it was a Burger medium-rare with Grilled Onions, Lettuce and American Cheese.

The Burger is a standard pub-style Burger as it should be when inside the walls of a “tavern.” The Patty is char-grilled and served on a grilled White Bun with Sesame Seeds. Upon first inspection, I had to discard the Lettuce. It was fresh, no question, but it just stalks with very little Leaf. I should know better, Burgers don’t “need” anything on them that’s green, or red, for that matter. The Patty was a little drier than I prefer as well as a little more chewy than I am looking for. It’s likely that whomever is forming the Patties is handling them too much. This causes the ground Beef to become too tightly packed not allowing for softer, juicier bites. That’s not a comment on the Beef itself, just on the process. Also, while I am being a nit-picky Burger snob, the Bun was over grilled giving the overall Burger a burnt taste. Overall a decent Burger and cool location, but maybe we caught them on a bad day.

7 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
589 Burgers
December 30, 2012 – 12:53 pm

Poole’s Tavern scores a 4 on The Rev Meter.

Posted in Bar, Beer, Burgers, Michigan | Tagged best burger, burger conquest, certified angus beef, cheese, ciancio, detroit, french fries, hamburger, michigan, northville, nyc, pooles tavern, rev, review, the rev meter for social community | Comments Off

Walker’s Restaurant – Gentlemen’s Lunch

Posted on 12/31/2012 by Rev

Walker’s Restaurant
http://walkersnyc.com
16 N Moore St
New York, NY 10013

THE CONQUEST
Growing up my Mother always wanted me to be a “perfect Gentleman.” She would ask me to dress nicely, treat people with respect, help the less fortunate and always remember my “P’s & Q’s” (please’s and thank you’s). You see, my Mom wanted to take the little guy on the left and hopefully turn him into the gentleman on the right while avoiding as much of “that guy” in the middle.

I think she did a pretty good job. So when I get invites from my friends inviting me to a “Gentlemen’s Lunch,” I dismiss any Urban Dictionary definitions and revert back to what Momma C raised me to be. My friends gather annual to celebrate the holidays by doing what any Gentleman would do, dressing up, gathering for a meal and toasting with a “few” holiday spirits.

If there’s one thing a Gentlemen knows, it’s respect your elders and there’s no better place to gather for a lunch, as a Gentleman than Walker’s Restaurant in NYC. It’s located in Tribeca, right across from the Fire station at 8 Hook and Ladder at 14 North Moore St off W Broadway, more commonly known as “Ghostbusters HQ.” Walker’s address, 16 Moore Street, has been a bar and restaurant since the late 1800s. Not much has changed other than ownership, the smoking ban and electricity, to this classically old-school New York eatery. Known for classic drinks, pints of Beer and good old America-fare, including a highly-regarded Burger, this institution stands the test of time. It’s a perfect place for Gentlemen to gather and celebrate the holidays while scribbling on the white paper table cloth with the myriad of crayons placed at each table.

THE BURGER
Walker’s is rumored to not only have a great Burger but also some very tasty Chili. Stands to reason that if you serve or have access to great Beef, it could be served many ways. Not so much the case because Chili, much like Hamburgers, are an artform. That’s the reason I don’t order it at a lot of places, Chili is easy to make but good Chili is hard as hell to create. Thankfully Walker’s nails it. For Chili, which is a dish normally layered with robust flavors, this Chili is all about the subtleties. I love that it comes topped with Onions, Cheese and Sour Cream. That’s a sign that the restaurant knows how to serve their Food. You’ll full pieces of Ground Beef in nearly every spoonful, which tells you they don’t over handle it while cooking the dish. You’ll also find Kidney Beans which means they don’t care about traditional definitions of how to make Chili and are more interested in making it taste good. Congrats, it most certainly does.

As Gentlemen, we are taught the finer things in life. On top of being polite, cordial, charming, smart and handsome, we also mind our manners and share. That’s how we were able to calmly and fairly split an appetizer. The special app of the day was sliced and smoked Sausage with Sauerkraut and Stone Ground Mustard. I’m not sure how often this is on the menu but if it is when you get there, take it from a Gentleman, you’ll want to eat this.

There are several kinds of Burgers out there, most of them regional in their origin. While most people get their proverbial undershorts in a bunch over West Coast style (think In-N-Out), I prefer something definably East Coast, an Irish Pub Style Burger. You’ll typically find these, as their name dictates, in old-school Irish Pubs. The Burgers are thicker, served on larger Sesame Seed Buns, with Lettuce, Cheese and Onions. They’re harder to cook because you order them to temperature which and due to the thickness, takes a talented Chef to prepare them correctly. The fat content on such a Burger needs to be split solid perfect otherwise you risk them being too dry. They’re meant to feed a very hungry Gentleman (or Gentlewoman) unlike their dainty thin Patty cousins. It’s an art form and you’ll find them a lot more frequently in this town than you will anywhere else.

Walker’s NYC has what might be the most PERFECT version of said old school NYC Irish Pub Burger. The Beef is perfectly savory. The Sesame Seed Bun is perfectly pillowy and yet thick enough to hold up a bulky patty. This Burger is THE reason to come to Walker’s Restaurant. I would normally not recommend Red Onions on a Burger. However, if you can make them like Walkers does, which, much like the entire Burger, are both sweet and salty. I’m completely impressed, top to bottom. nd red onions on a burger unless you can make them like Walkers which, much like the entire burger, are both sweet and salty. I’m completely impressed.

The Burger at Walker’s Restaurant is a perfect old-school pub style Burger & it has to be the secret to their longevity.

9 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
588 Burgers
December 20, 2012 – 2:21 pm

Walker’s scores a 8 on The Rev Meter.

Posted in Bar, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged "best burger tribeca", "gentlemens lunch", "ghostbusters firehouse", "old school burger", "walkers nyc", “Ghost Busters HQ”, best burger nyc, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, french fries, ghostbusters, hamburger, new york, ny, nyc, rev, review, the rev meter for social community, tribeca, walkers | Comments Off

Wing-Off-19 Professor Thom’s vs Mono+Mono vs That Burger

Posted on 12/22/2012 by Rev

From the same people that bring you Burger Conquest, we bring you the New York City Wing-Off. A crew of men on a search for the best wing in NYC. In round 2 of the NYC Wing-Off, any Wing goes regardless of sauce, style & size. Service, ambiance, beverage selection, price and other menus have no factor but they sure do count for a good time! Also, NO WOMEN ALLOWED!!

In January of 2007, 2 men had an argument over where to get the best hot wings in New York City. The debate grew intense and while an audience watched, they agreed to battle it out, wing vs. wing, to see who was right. Some rules were established, some friends were invited and some wings were eaten. In the end, everyone had so much fun that we decided to do it again, and again and again. Thus, the NYC Wing-Off was born.

It’s been years in the making with only one goal in mind, find the best medium and hot wings in NYC. Along the way we have had some fantastic wings, we’ve seen amazing wings be defeated by slightly more amazing wings and we were even invited into a kitchen to design our own wing recipe; “Don’t Stop Believin” sauce, we’ve donated to cancer research and now we can say, we have found the best hot wings in New York City.

The bracket challenge to crown a champion for the best medium and hot wings in New York city came to a close on Saturday, September 25, 2010. On that day, Bar Coastal was crowned the winner and awarded the Burger Conquest Hot Golden Cock Trophy. The NYC Wing-Off has been reborn in 2011 but with a new twist. In the past we only judged on medium and hot wings but now, we re-start and ALL flavors are eligible for judging.

WING-OFF 19: Sunday, December 9, 2012

Professor Thom’s
http://professorthoms.com‎
219 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10003

Mono+Mono
http://monomononyc.com
116 East 4th Street
New York, NY 10003‎

That Burger at Idle Hands
http://thatburger.com
http://idlehandsbar.com
25 Avenue B
New York, NY 1009

PROFESSOR THOM’S

It doesn’t matter what your interests are, there’s a club, store, group, restaurant, etc in NYC to support it. No matter how weird, odd, unique or distinct your mix of interests lie, there’s a way for you to enjoy it. Let’s say you’re into University of Michigan Basketball and Football, as well as the best Nachos along with your fandom of the Boston Bruins, Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics but you also like Craft Beer and Hot Wings. Maybe that’s not a far-fetched match but it’s certainly what’s happening at Professor Thom’s in the East Village. With two floors, a private room, 17 TVs and a ton of good Beers on tap, it’s a great place for good times and game times. While Professor Thom’s is widely known for not only having the best & biggest Nachos, they also have a rep for great Wings.

Prof Thom’s Wings are of the standard variety. No whacky prep, no off-center sauces, no bizarre ingredients. These Wings are what you might find in a dictionary next to the words but much better than many of the rest. The Hot Wings are actually hot. Beware, the peppery heat will linger much after you’ve finished eating. It’s probably the reason we swigged down so many tasty cold Beers while eating! If you’re looking to pound down and mass consume Wings, these are not the Wings you’re looking for. Much like the car in the movie / book “Christine” they’ll seem all nice at the beginning but you’ll be feeling the pain later.

While chomping at the Hot Wings, the incredibly friendly wait staff offered to make us an order of Wings using a special Sauce she had come up with. Full reveal, they knew why we here this day. BUT WHO ARE WE TO SAY NO!??! The Wings came and had a sour meets sweet mix of tastes. After some tasting, questions and discovery, we discerned that the sauces was 2 parts BBQ with a serious dose of heat. I can’t say PT’s will have these available when you go, but definitely worth asking for. Either that or ordering naked Wings with their Hot Wing & BBQ Sauce on the side and trying to mix it up yourself.

MONO+MONO

As I was saying, we have everything you could ever want in NYC or at least some odd hybrid that makes it uniquely New York. Take Mono+Mono for instance. If you had a serious hankering for Korean Fried Chicken but wanted to eat it while you were sucking down with Soju Cocktails while listening to vintage Jazz played solely on vinyl records, it’s here. Boasting a library of more than 30,000 volumes of Jazz records played on vintage tube amps, Mono+Mono sets the tone for unique. But that’s not the reason to come here, it’s al about the highly sought after Korean Chicken which can take up to 30 minutes to make.

If it’s Wings you want here, be sure to order them right away, the 30 minute rule is no joke. The first thing you’ll notices about the Mono+Mono Wings are their intense crispy Skin. That’s achieved by frying them, very deeply, twice. That method burns of the excess fat, thus creating a very thin and yes, crispy. Once they’re removed from the fire, the Wings are brushed with your choice of Soy Garlic or Hot & Spicy Sauces. Not only do I recommend you order them right away, order them both. The Chefs are sure not to over Sauce them so as to let the incredibly crunchy Skin be the taste driver of the Wings. I preferred the Soy Garlic to the Hot & Spicy but would actually be curious to see what happened if they were combined.

THAT BURGER

Dan Petersen from That Burger makes one of the best Burgers in NYC, let alone anywhere. They’re a high-end, yet affordable version of a fast-food Burger made with his own proprietary blend of Pat LaFrieda Beef, all fresh Produce and Martin’s Potato Rolls. You can wash it down with an incredibly large selection of Bourbons & Craft Beer or the libation of your sort, 7 days a week at Idle Hands Bar. You can also say that I am biased because Dan’s restaurant is located inside the bar I own. Well, if you don’t trust my opinion on Burgers yet, you should either get off this blog or keep reading. Besides that, here’s proof that I was loving Dan’s Burgers way before we ever invited him into the place.

But we aren’t here today to eat Burgers. Today is all about the Hot Wings. Normally we would not do three locations in one day of a Wing-Off but as this was the birthday of Wing-Off founding member Doug O, we had to take this up a notch. Dan is not one to take anything involving his Food lightly so we knew we were in for the goods. Dan brought out three types of Wings; Hot, Spicy BBQ and his proprietary “Ecto-Cooler Wings.” All 3 varieties were served on perfectly cooked and crispy Wings. The Hot have some real heat and real peppery taste. The traditionalist would be proud. The Spicy BBQ take that style and sweeten up a bit. For those that like Heat but want a little more flavor in them, go for these. Lastly, we bit into the Ecto-Cooler Hot Wings. The Sauce is a blend of That Burger’s signature Hot & BBQ Sauces with Thousand Island Dressing and “The Green,” from Brooklyn Salsa (a Salsa made from Heirloom Tomatoes & Raw Ginger.)

Along with the Wings (and the Burgers), That Burger also has the best Tater Tots in NYC. If you’ve found better, please let me know. Not only do I need to have them, I will enact a fact finding Tot mission. What makes Dan’s Tots so great are not only a keen eye on proper cooking but it’s also the unique array of dipping sauces that Dan stirs up in house. While the bar universe is currently obsessed with cocktail mixology, Dan is focused on Dipping Sauce mixology. We ripped through Crabby Mayo, Bourbon Ketchup, more Ecto-Cooler and one of Dan’s other signature sauces, “Cowboys From Hell.” Aptly named & dedicated to the band Pantera, this sauce is a blend of BBQ Sauce, Ranch Dressing, That Burger’s Signature Hot Sauce and then spiked with an IPA Beer. It’s as unique as it is delicious.

WING -OFF 19 OFFICIAL WINNER – THAT BURGER!
After all Wings were eaten, a vote was taken and That Burger was the winner. Seriously, there was a not a bad Wing in the whole bunch. Every place we ate on Wing-Off 19 is worth checking out if your a true fan of Hot Wings. But then again, that’s kind of the point of Wing-Off. We aren’t eating from a pool of just any place that serves Wings, we only eat Wings at restaurants and bars known for having great Wings. Nothing sucks more than a crappy Hot Wing which turns making a great Hot Wing into an art form. Congrats to That Burger for winning but don’t be mistaken, the Wings at Professor Thom’s and Mono+Mono are great.

So with that … we make a very, very special announcement.
On January 28, 2007 the Wing-Off turns 6 years old. Considering this all started off a silly argument over who had the best Hot Wings in NYC, Down the Hatch or Scruffy Duffy’s (RIP) and has gone on to 19 total challenges shows a serious dedication to the finding the best Hot Wings. It’s now time to take it to a new level. To celebrate 6 years of eating the BEST WINGS IN NYC, we are making a trip to the mecca to see if our tastes live up to the originators. On January 26, 2013 we will all travel to Buffalo, NY to pit Duff’s Famous Wings against the Anchor Bar. It’s all going to be part of BROHD TRIP 4. Upstate NY, you’ve been warned.

Click here for the Wing-Off Historical.

Posted in BBQ, Beer, Burgers, Event, Hot Wings, New York, Wing-Off | Tagged "cowboys from hell", "ecto cooler", "mono mono", "nyc wing off", "wing off", best burger nyc, best hot wings nyc, best wings nyc, buffalo wings, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, french fries, hamburger, Hot Wings, new york, ny, nyc, Professor Thom's, rev, review, that burger, that burger tent, the rev meter for social community | Comments Off

Kuma’s Corner, Edzo’s Burger Shop & Culver’s – The Best Burgers In Chicago

Posted on 12/08/2012 by Rev

Kuma’s Corner, Edzo’s Burger Shop & Culver’s – The Best Burgers In Chicago

THE CONQUEST
Man, I love a road trip. What’s more the case, I love a Food road trip. There’s nothing like driving from great place to eat to great place to eat as a way to discover a place. Whether it’s single restaurant or regional chain, I just love to go eat like a local. Is the Food better than what I have access to in NYC, arguable. However, as a Food fanatic and a blogger, I like to think of myself of a taste collector. That way when someone asks me “where should I get a Burger when I am (insert geographical location,)” I have that answer. In other words, it’s my civic duty to eat Burgers everywhere I can!

On a recent 24 hour excursion into Chicago, I made a point to go and eat some of the best Burgers in Chicago.

THE BURGERS

Kuma’s Corner
http://kumascorner.com/
2900 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618

Kuma’s Corner is one of the greatest Hamburger restaurants on the entire Earth. I’ve not eaten every Burger on the planet, but I’ve had my fair share and I can honestly tell you that topping this experience has got to be an impossibility. Everything at Kuma’s is done to an extreme but without going overboard. All the Burgers are amazing, the Macaroni & Cheese is outstanding, the French Fries are fantastic, the rotating selection of draft & bottled craft Beer is excellent and they even have a rotating offering of Scotches, Bourbons & Whiskeys chilled on tap!

There isn’t really I can say about Kuma’s Corner, that I haven’t said before that wouldn’t simply be redundant. If you need more go ready my review of the Kuma’s Corner Black Oak Arkansas, one of the best Burgers on the planet, or the Black Sabbath Burger and their Iron Maiden Burger. On this trip in particular, I ordered the monthly special, the Christ Inversion. This Burger comes stuffed with Bacon and Gouda topped with Cherry Tomato Jam, Bacon, Gruyere and Frizzled Rosemary.

Did your brain just melt? The description alone should’ve made that happen. While there was a nice smoky-sweetness to the Tomato Jam, admittedly, I don’t love it. Gouda is one of my favorite Cheeses and I just didn’t fee l like there was enough inside. The Bacon, some of the best around, something Kuma’s NEVER disappoints on. Frizzled Rosemay – what is this? I had no idea before it showed up in front of me. I don’t think I ever want to eat a Burger again without this! IT WAS AMAZING. So good in fact, that I peeled off a small bit to eat by itself.

8 out of 10 Ounces

Edzo’s Burger Shop
http://edzos.com
1571 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201

Edzo’s Burger Shop is one of those places that people have been telling me I need to eat forever and I see it on a lot “best Burgers in Chicago lists” so I needed to get this Burg into my slop gullet. It’s is located in Evanston, IL which is about 20-30 minutes drive from Downtown and while I would still call this “Chicago” a lot of people consider it the ‘burbs. In fact, I invited a bunch of friends to come join me and other than the fact that I was going at 10:30 am on a Tuesday morning, most people replied “I’m not going all the way to Evanston. Well, after eating there, my only reply is “foolish.”

Eddie Lakin has a proper culinary training background and has worked in fancy restaurant kitchens. When I said to him “only a person who is truly passionate about Hamburgers could create something like Edzo’s,” he insisted that wasn’t the case. He humbly explained that he just wanted to have a fast causal restaurant where the Food was done the right way. Then he went on to tell me that they grind all their own fresh Beef and how he wants to make sure every Burger served comes from one cow only. When I asked about his lean to fat ratio, he told me they eyeball an 80/20 mix which means that sometimes there’s a little more fat, sometimes a little more lean. Either way, it’s still house ground daily. You can have your choice of an 8 ounce char-grill patty or a 4 ounce version that they cook if you prefer yours on a flat top griddle. The Beef is all American USDA choice chuck and NEVER frozen.

Eddie also let me know that they only use fresh Potatoes from Idaho. Their Fries are fresh cut, skin on and double cooked to ensure full flavor without being too greasy. You can order them 10 different ways with toppings like Cheese, Chili, Garlic, Beef Gravy, Sweet & Hot Peppers, Bacons, Onions and more. What about the Shakes? Oh, nothing special about them either. It’s just hand-dipped Vanilla Ice Cream blended with Milk and your choice of Oreo’s, fresh Bananas, Hot Fudge, Maple and more. If you read on his website they tell you it’s all made in “an old-fashioned Multimixer spindle machine. These old machines blend more slowly than modern blenders, which yields a smoother, creamier finished product, due to less air being whipped in.”

So when Eddie tells me he doesn’t have a profound love of Burgers, he’s either lying to me, himself and the droves of loyal customers who frequent Edzo’s.

I ordered a double 4 ounce, flat-top griddled Burger, because flat-top is the best way to server a tasty Burger. The Burgers usually come topped with Pickles, Onions, Ketchup, Mustard and your choice of Cheese. I find Pickles gross and Ketchup on anything but French Fries should be considered a Food sin so I ordered American Cheese & grilled Onions only. A few moments later the double Burger arrived. The first thing I noticed was a perfect Bun to Beef ratio with a White Squishy Bun. I bit in and it was everything it’s been cracked up to be. Tasty, fresh, delicious, savory, well seasoned, juicy, succulent, perfectly cooked and just about any other adjetive you would ever use to describe an awesome Burger.

The French Fries, pretty darn great too. They taste of all natural Potato, not Grease. I definitely suggest you get the garlic topping when you visit. Unlike most places who just overload their French Fries with Garlic, this is about a subtle layering that still let’s you taste the crispy golden delicious Fries but elevates the dish overall. While I’m not much for Sweets, I was told that not ordering one is a waste of a trip. If you’re game for it, take the advice I was given and get the Speculoos Shake. Speculoos is a Shortbread Biscuit that’s Dutch in nature. It tastes of Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger and when added to a Vanilla Milk Shake it comes across like a sugary Biscotti.

If you’re gong to do something, do it right and if that means eating a Burger, eat it at Edzo’s Burger Shop.

9 out of 10 Ounces

Culver’s
http://www.culvers.com
7310 Dempster St
Morton Grove, IL 60053

Combing their love of Food, Cooking and feeding people, George & Ruth Culver opened a family restaurant in 1961. More than 2 decades later in 1984, they teamed up with their son Craig and his wife Lea to open the first Culver’s location. If you live in the Midwest and love Burgers, you’re already familiar with this quick service chain. Their know for a signature combination of ButterBurgers and Custard. The ButterBurger recipe is exactly how Ruth used to make them using fresh, never frozen, 100% locally sourced Beef. It’s seared on a flat top griddle and then served on a buttered and toasted White Squishy Bun. If you’ve never had one, you most certainly need to.

It’s a staple of Midwestern’s Burger fanatic’s diet. Culver’s is living, breathing proof that you can serve delicious, fresh, local Food at an affordable price and as a scalable business. While you’re there do NOT miss out on one of the best side items in the history of Hamburgers, Wisconsin Cheese Curds. Cheese Curds are the bits of solid Milk used to make Cheese. They’re often described as being “squeaky” but as any Cheese Curd fan knows, they’re also described as “awesome.” Once you bite into a Culver’s deep fried Cheese Curd, you’ll swear off Mozzarella Sticks for the rest of your life. While you’re there be sure to wash down your meal with a Culver’s Root Beer, the absolute exactly right flavor of Soda to eat with a Burger.

7 out of 10 Ounces

From Culver’s, I had to head straight to the airport as I was in jeopardy of missing my flight. It should be said though, that although I didn’t go on this trip, no list of “Best Burgers In Chicago” is complete with out Top Notch Beefburgers. A restaurant doesn’t stay open for more than 70 years if they aren’t doing it right. Not only is Top Notch Beefburger doing it right, they’re doing ALL OF IT right. Go eat this. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Say hello to the picture of me on the wall.

Top Notch Beefburgers
http://www.yelp.com/biz/top-notch-beef-burgers-chicago
2116 West 95th Street
Chicago, IL 60643

9 out of 10 Ounces
– Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
587 Burgers
December 4, 2012 – 12:01 pm

Posted in Bar, Beer, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, Road Trip | Tagged "christ inversion", best burger chicago, best burger nyc, burger conquest, cheese, chicago, ciancio, craft beer, culvers, edzos, french fries, hamburger, illinios, kuma's corner, kumas, new york, ny, nyc, rev, review, the rev meter for social community | Comments Off

The Luncheonette – Char-Grill vs Flat Top Burger Battle

Posted on 12/07/2012 by Rev

The Luncheonette
https://www.facebooko.com/pages/The-Luncheonette-mill-basin/145310032222469
6001 Strickland Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11234

THE CONQUEST
You’re reading this site so I am going to make a bet that you live to eat, not eat to live & that every meal of your is the most important meal of the day. I’d also venture to say that eating is the most important part of your day and that some boring old meal with no flair is just not going to cut it. That being the case, you should check out Underground Eats. They put together and organize “alternative dining experiences” here in NYC. If you think of eating as an adventure, sign up immediate to be a member.

Recently I got an invite from my friend Mikaela at Underground Eats that read like this: “I wanted to let you know about a Burger panel that is happening on Dec. 2nd at The Luncheonette Mill Basin out in Brooklyn. The Chef there, Andrew Zurica claims to make an outstanding Burger and has reached out to us about doing a burger panel about making the best Burger. The idea is to put an end to the continuing argument between grilled, char broiled, or using a griddle top. He is doing a full-out taste testing with 10 judges on the panel and will prepare one of each kind of Burger. The wining choice will be what he continues using at the restaurant.” My reply was simply “Yes and please!!”

The Luncheonette in Mill Basin Brooklyn from the outside looks like any other local restaurant. You’re probably asking “where the heck is Mill Basin?” The answer: Mill Basin is in a part of Brooklyn that’s never heard of you either. There’s nothing really outstanding about The Luncheonette’s presence. That is until you see the tag line under the name; “Brooklyn’s Best Breakfast & Burger Joint.” If you’re going to put something like that on the side of your business you better have the goods to back it up and that is most definitely what Chef Andrew Zarica brings to the table.

After working for years in fancy and well known restaurants in Manhattan he decided to move back into his childhood neighborhood and open up The Luncheonette. The menu is simple and it’s all about fresh made, locally sourced, high quality products including fresh baked Buns. The decor is classy take on Fred Sanford’s back yard meets your Uncle’s Cabin up north. It defines unpretentious. It’s the kind of local dig that people rave about but it’s so far removed from the spotlight or public transportation that it is truly a locals only restaurant, until now.

THE BURGER
Once everyone was seated Andrew came out and explained that he loves Burgers and wants to offers his customers the best possible Burger experience available. Andrew uses an 80/20 mix of fresh Beef, ground daily by a local butcher and is left in the bag literally until you place your order. It’s handled as little as possible to keep the Patty loosely packed and then placed on, get this, either the char-grill or the flat top. Therein lies the question, which do you prefer? Andrew wanted to offer both because for some people, it;s about the temperature and if you must have a medium rare Burger, it’s a lot harder to do on a flat top which generally works to sear the outside of a Burger. But it was time to put an end to this. It was going to be one or the other and our panel of Burger experts were going to decide: Char-Grill vs. Flat Top.

Andrew brought out two Burgers with the same toppings without telling us which was which and it was up to us to pick our favorite. Each Burger was cooked as close to medium as possible and served with Bacon, Sauteed Onions & American Cheese.

BURGER #1

You could tell instantly that this Burger was well seasoned especially the fresh cracked Peppercorns. The Patty had a great sear & crunch on the outside but was incredibly juicy and savory on the inside. The middle was a nice red color and cooked exactly as promised. The Bacon, let me tell you was EXCEPTIONAL. Great crisp, great smoke, great flavor, this was no ordinary Bacon. The Burger was definitely Buttered as was the fantastic griddled Roll. The Onions were perfect. Cut into the same sizing for Onion Rings and then sautéed with the Beef. We were all pretty sure this was the flat top Burger but hard to tell because of the size of the Patty which was an Irish Pub style Burger. I was pretty blown away.

Burger #2

Honestly as good as the first but with two distinct differences, this was smokier and a little greasier. Now we were confused. Greasier & Juicier, this is a component of a flat top cooked Burger. But the smoky flavor, that’s definitely something you get on a char-grill. Had Andrew somehow duped us? Did he purposely try to make each Burger taste like what it wasn’t? No one knew but what we did know, we loved them both.

Andrew came out and asked for the vote. It was unanimous, Burger #1 was preferred.

Verdict: FLAT TOP beats Char Grill, hands down.

How good was this Burger you ask? The flat top griddled Burger at The Luncheonette in Mill Basin in Brooklyn is so good that you should rent a car, boat, plane, helicopter horse & buggy or whatever other means of transportation you have access to and go eat it immediately. It is one of the best Burgers in New York.

9 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

After the competition was over, Andrew fed us his grilled Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches were … how do I sum this up as succinctly as possible? MUST EAT.

Once the meal was over Andrew invited us back into the kitchen to show us exactly how the Burgers were made. If these pictures don’t already have you making plans to go eat there, please go read another blog!

Thanks to Andrew, Underground Eats and everyone else who participated. This was AWESOME. I definitely suggest you read the post on Underground Eats, that is after you sign up to be a member!

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
584 Burgers
December 2, 2012 – 4:38 pm

The Luncheonette scores a 4 on The Rev Meter.

Posted in Best Burger in New York, Brooklyn, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged "mill basin", "the luncheonette brooklyn", "underground eats", Andrew Zurica, best burger nyc, brooklyn, burger battle, burger conquest, cheese, ciancio, french fries, hamburger, new york, ny, nyc, rev, review, The Luncheonette, the rev meter for social community | 6 Comments

The Doctors – The Left Hand Grab is Burger Famous

Posted on 12/07/2012 by Rev

Just when I was starting to think 2012 would pass by without an appearance from yours truly on TV was going to happen … BAM, I’m still Burger Famous. In 2011 my Burger Conquesting self was on TV four times including an entire episode featuring Idle Hands on the Cake Boss. I was getting a little used to all the Burger Fame and being rockingnized out there in the Burgerverse. With only a couple weeks left in the year, I was starting to think that TV had passed on the idea of The Rev being a spokesman for Burger Fanatics everywhere.

Well that all changed today thanks to “The Doctors” on CBS.

Recognize that Burger? Probably not but it’s from the Shipwreck Tavern in St. Thomas. How do I know that? THAT’S MY HAND!! In fact, that’s not just my hand clutching onto a hefty hunka Burg, that’s my signature move, The Left Hand Grab. Every time I eat a Burger, I snap off a picture of it once I am a few bites into it. The idea is to show you a cross section of the sandwich so you get a sense of the whole thing. I’m right handed so I always hold the camera in that hand.

On today’s episode “The Doctors Take On Los Angeles” they did a feature about how pink should a Burger be when you bite in. For that feature, they used 4 pictures from Burger Conquest of Burgers that were too rare. The last one of the bunch, from the Shipwreck Tavern, was the last meal my brother Matt had before he became a married man.

Here’s the clip:

And if that’s not proof enough for you, chiggity check the “thanks” section on “The Doctors” website.

Posted in Burger Famous, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York, TV | Tagged "left hand grab", "the doctors", best burger nyc, burger conquest, Burger Famous, cbs, cheese, ciancio, french fries, hamburger, new york, ny, nyc, rev, review, take on los angeles, television, the rev meter for social community, tv | 1 Comment

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