Stanton Social / NY Shaving Company – Movember

Posted on 11/02/2011 by Rev

Stanton Social
http://www.stantonsocial.com
99 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002

NY Shaving Company
http://nyshavingcompany.com
202B Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012

THE CONQUEST
Cancer sucks. Perhaps not the most poetic or prolific thought but it’s something we can all agree on. Sadly everyone knows someone who has been afflicted with this horrible disease. Cancer doesn’t care who your God is, what color skin you were born with, what’s your sexual preference, your state of physical health or anything else in the world, it can attack anyone. It doesn’t matter if you get cancer of the toe nail (is that real?) or cancer of the brain, it’s a very scary and serious problem. The fight to stop it is never ending.

After receiving emails from both my friends Richard & Kyle about “Movember“, my initial reaction was “what are these too loons talking about?” But upon investigation I learned that Movember is a movement that happens all across the globe that happens every November. It causes thousands and thousands of guys to shave their faces and grow a mustache. As silly as it sounds, the entire idea is to “raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.” Movemeber asks men to shave clean on November 1st and grow a mustache for the entire month while building their own “Mo’Bro” page and collection donations to aid the fight against cancer. Since the inception of Movember, more than 1.1 million people have signed up to raise more than 174 million in funding and it’s still growing.

I’ve had a mustache (and beard) for 19 years now and have had close family members affected by cancer so it wasn’t long before I had signed up, created my “Mo’Bro” page and started recruiting others to join in the fight against cancer. Soon thereafter my brother’s from Thrillist, Idle Hands Bar & Billy Hurricane’s teamed up with my buddy Adam Poch (who you may or may not now as one of the final 3 from CBS’ Big Brother, Season 13) to form a Mo’Bro team called the “Heavy Metal Teddy Bears” in a effort to fight cancer. Whether you’re a Mo’Bro or a Mo’Sista, I urge you to join us in this battle by growing a mustache and or donating to support our team in the cause.

Please join us in our fight against cancer by either donating at http://mobro.co/BurgerConquest or joining our quest by becoming a member of the Heavy Metal Teddy Bears.

As the morning of Movember 1st hit, Adam and I made an appointment to visit the NY Shaving Company. Located in NYC’s NoLita neighborhood, this amazing tonsorial parlor is an essential part of my New York experience. While young as a business, the NY Shaving Co, founded by John Scala, feels as if it comes from a day and age before our time. With old Frankie playing on the stereo, you can enjoy a fantastic straight razor shave or a haircut in an old school barber shop with only 2 chairs. You’re always greeted with a smile before getting one of the best and closest shaves of your life. These guys are the professionals and as a man, you owe yourself the treat of being groomed by one of their professionals. That aside, their in house NY Shaving Co shaving product is the best I have ever used in my life. While most men’s shaving creams are created overseas, everything John and NYSC produce is made right here in the good old US of A and at that, all from the local area. I’ve been growing and grooming facial hair for 19 years now and you can take my word, they have the absolute best.

Please Donate: http://mobro.co/BurgerConquest
Join: Heavy Metal Teddy Bears

BEFORE MO’BRO

ADAM’S SHAVE

REV’S SHAVE

WE HAVE ACHIEVED MO’BRO!

Please Donate: http://mobro.co/BurgerConquest
Join: Heavy Metal Teddy Bears

  • Come by Billy Hurricane’s every Thursday in Movember to show off your glorious ‘stache as all Mo’Bro’s & all Mo’Sista’s get FREE drinks from 7 – 8 pm. While you’re there, roll downstairs to Idle Hands for a FREE Can & a Shot!
  • Plus, for every person that donates $50 or more to my page, I’ll personally treat you to one of our Wednesday “$10 tasting” events where you’ll get 5 beers, 1 bourbon or liquor, 1 order of Tater Tots from That Burger Tent and a special Tot dipping sauce made from the featured brewery of the week.
  • NOT ENOUGH!?!? The first two people to donate $100 or more to my page get the tasting as well as a 10% off gift certificate to the NY Shaving Company!!

Please Donate: http://mobro.co/BurgerConquest
Join: Heavy Metal Teddy Bears

THE BURGER
And because all good deeds deserve rewards, Adam and I decided to treat ourselves to a Burger after our fantastic Mo’Bro shave from NY Shaving Company. Only a short walk away into the “LES” as we locals call it, is the Stanton Social. The hungry brain child of Chris Santos, Richard Wolf & Peter Kane, the Stanton Social is a comfy new school lounge serving up a wide variety of shareable plates. Don’t call it Tapas because that wouldn’t serve right, their menu is more like a hybrid of comfort food, culinary exploration, cultural fusion all served in mini, bite-sized servings. The dining room is elegant and modern, yet not stuff and filled with an air of fun and enjoyment. If you’re not looking for a full meal, the Stanton Social has a full bar and lounge on the 2nd floor offering the same menu as well as an extensive wine and cocktail list. It’s a great place for a date, a meeting, a night out with friends or a little foodie indulgence and discovery.

Adam and I met up with our friend Mike and ran through a selection of 17 different dishes and drinks, all of which incredible. I’m not much of a sweets person but if you crave the savory like I do, you will absolutely salivate with envy as you look at this food porn.

Caesar Salad Crositini

Sweet & Sour Chicken & Cashew Spring Rolls

Red Snapper Tacos with Creamy Avocado, Spicy Mango

Hand Pulled Chicken Arepas with Jalapeño Salsa Verde

French Onion Soup Dumplings
– My favorite item on the menu! It was both incredibly savory and incredibly sweet from the Onions. This is a must.

Potato & Goat Cheese Pierogies with Caramelized Onions & Truffle Creme Fraiche

‘Kobe Philly’ with Truffle & Goat Cheese Fondue

‘Kobe Philly’ with Truffle & Goat Cheese Fondue
Kobe Beef Burger
Grilled Aged Cheddar Slider with Jalapeño Bacon, Fried Green Tomato, Lemon Aioli

Spicy Lamb Souvlakis with Tzatziki, Lime, Harissa Aioli
– These were fantastic. The Lamb was spiced just right and while I had never considered putting Lime over Souvlaki, it definitely added to the flavor. The Tzatziki was among the best I have ever eaten.


Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Ravioli

Espresso & Sambucca – this picture proves that even the coffee at Stanton Social comes in an appetizer size!


Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream Sundae


Hot Chocolate Bourbon Shots & Peanut Butter Bon Bons with Grape Jelly Sorbet

One of things Stanton Social is known for is their non-traditional “slider” menu. It features unique and bold takes on what are technically “Mini-Burgers,” not sliders, including Kobe Beef, Pulled Pork, Rhode Island Style Lobster Roll and more. The “Kobe Phily” was quite good and very savory. I’d personally prefer more of the fondue but it’s definitely worth trying. I generally associated Philly Cheesesteaks with being a little on the greasy side, in a good way, and this one is certainly not that, either or the sturdy little Bun really did an amazing job of soaking it all up. I have to commend the Chefs from the Stanton Social kitchen. My Kobe Beef “Slider” was prepared with clearly the utmost care. It had a great outside grill char flavor while the inside remained a perfect medium-rare. With a patty this small, that’s a pretty difficult task. I could’ve done without the Ketchup like sauce much like I 86’ed the Tomato and Pickle but A. That’s just personal preference and B. it didn’t take away from the delicious Burger.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

Nov 1, 2011 – 9:09 pm

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
458 Burgers

Please Donate: http://mobro.co/BurgerConquest
Join: Heavy Metal Teddy Bears

ONE LAST TIME:
Please Donate: http://mobro.co/BurgerConquest
Join: Heavy Metal Teddy Bears

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Crunk Ass Ribs – Best Rib Grilling Recipe EVER

Posted on 10/26/2011 by Rev

They say the best Pork comes from happy Pigs. While that might be true, I think the best Pork comes from drunken Pigs. I’m not talking about off duty cops hanging at the local saloon, I am talking about cooking with liquor…MALT LIQUOR!

That’s right all you Billy D.’s out there, Malt Liquor is not just for getting ladies in the mood. It’s actually an amazing tenderizer for meat on the bone (that’s what she said.) If you boil Chicken or Ribs in Malt Liquor it will essentially cook down to Sugar and Malt, which adds flavor to the meat and also soften up and help to give you that slide of the bone quality. Here’s a simple recipe that’s freakin’ delicious and will have your friends laughing. Be sure to make it while they watch.

CRUNK ASS RIBS

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Rack of Ribs
– In NYC, there is NO better place to get Ribs than Esposito Giovanni & Sons Meat Store. Go in and just ask “what Ribs do you have today?” Chances are you’ll get the following answer, “Do you want me to tell your or show you?” You know what the right answer is so do it.
1 bottle Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce
1 bottle Peter Luger’s Steak Sauce
1 – 40 ounce bottle of Malt Liquor, suggested: Olde English 800

1. Cut the Ribs apart from each other.

2. In a large pot, boil the Ribs in the Malt Liquor for 60 minutes.

3. Pour the entire bottle of Stubb’s and Peter Luger’s into a large bowl and stir.

4. Once the Ribs are done, remove them from the pot and put them into the bowl with the sauce mixture. Let it sit for 5 minutes and soak up the sauce.

5. Place the Ribs on the grill, turning them every couple of minutes. The Ribs are pretty much cooked so all you are looking to do is finish them. With each turn, apply a layer of sauce.

6. Once each side looks brownish-red, they are done.

7. Serve and gladly accept the apologies from everyone who thought you were crazy for cooking with something they’re all afraid to admit they drink when no one else can see them.

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New York Food and Wine Festival – Carts In The Parc 2011

Posted on 10/25/2011 by Rev

The Food Network NY Wine & Food Festival Carts in the Parc sponsored by The New York Times hosted by Andrew Zimmern

I don’t know what it is but we are obsessed with Food Trucks. There is some magic in ordering gourmet food items at an affordable price from a mobile kitchen and eating while standing up. Aside of the novelty factor, many of these trucks are being manned by really talented Chefs making really innovative dishes and who doesn’t want to eat awesome food? With very little storage space, Food Truck curators have to focus on a smaller menu often times focused on one item or cuisine. For the really creative truck Chefs, this allows them to offer specials, one offs and seasonal items because changing the menu is really easy. It’s a fantastic piece of our available food choices out there and I love it when people recognize that these mobile restaurants can be as unique, gourmet and awesome as your most formal fine dining establishment.

Enter, Carts in the Parc, a special event that happened for the 2nd time at the Food Network NY Wine & Food Festival. Some of New York City’s most sought after and popular Food Trucks pull up outside of the new age, fast casual restaurant Foodparc, and server their special dishes to the hungry in attendance. It’s hosted by Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel show Bizarre Foods. It all comes together around Blue Moon beer to make a fun afternoon of food and drink.

Participating Food Trucks and Carts:
Bian Dang – www.biandang.com
Big Gay Ice Cream Truck – www.biggayicecreamtruck.com
Biryani Cart
El Rey del Sabor
Kelvin Natural Slush Co. – www.kelvinslush.com
Korilla BBQ – www.korillabbq.com
Melt Bakery – www.meltbakery.com
Mexicue – www.mexicue.com
Michael White –www.osteriamorini.com
NY Dosa Cart
Patacon Pisao – www.pataconpisaonyc.com
Rouge Tomate – www.rougetomatenyc.com
Schnitzel & Things – www.schnitzelandthings.com
Souvlaki GR – www.souvlakigr.com
Sweet Street Desserts – www.sweetstreet.com
Taim Mobile www.taimmobile.com
The Milk Truck – www.milktruckgrilledcheese.com

Eventi Food Parc Vendors –www.foodparc.com
Edi & The Wolf
Ed’s Raw Bar
DogParc
China Grill
3B’s
Fornetti
Red Farm
Tanoreen
Quality Greens
Juice Press
Press

Mexicue
www.mexicue.com

Burnt Ends Chili Sliders – with Cilantro Lime Crema, House Pickled Jalapenos

There’s a reason for all the buzz in NYC about the Mexicue truck, its’ freakin’ delicious! These guys know what’s what with their food menu of Mexcian meets BBQ items. The Burnt Ends Chili is smoky, bold and very savory. On it’s own, it great but throw in the cooling tastes of the Lime Crema and the sweet-hot of the fresh Jalapenos and you got yourself one awesome little sammie.

Milk Truck
www.milktruckgrilledcheese.com

Three Cheese Grilled Cheese – Melted a trio of Gruyere, Cheddar and Blue Cheese between Rosemary Bread

Assuming you were once a kid and you grew up in the USA, a Grilled Cheese sandwich is a special treat that reminds you of a comforting childhood meal. It’s a simple concept that warms the heart and the stomach; melted Cheese between two pieces of toast. The allure of the sandwich is an easy attention getter for any new business. Recently opening here in NYC, the Milk Truck instantly drew up attention for just such a reason. I was psyched to finally paw my way into one of them. After removing the Mushrooms (I don’t eat anything I can grow between my toes), I chomped into the grilled Cheese. Yummy, creamy, crunchy, hot and very good.



Patacon Pisao
www.pataconpisaonyc.com

Pork Patacon (Green Plantain Sandwich) – with Shredded Pork, Ketchup, Queso Frito, Lechuga, Tomate, Salsa Especial(Ketchup, Fried White Cheese, Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Special Sauce.

This is one I had never heard of it but upon it’s discovery, had to try it. Shredded Pork Sandwich with all the fixins in between to pieces of Plantain acting as bread or as they call it, a Patacon. A little messy but a lot of flavor. This would’ve been much easier to eat if I wasn’t walking around and also trying to take pictures. Loved the “bread.”

Foodparc  – 3B’s Burger
http://www.foodparc.com

3B’s Burger & Bacon Snack

As part of the offerings at this event, not only could you eat from the trucks but also food items from the Foodparc itself. As this is a “Burger” blog and I hate to go to off topic, I had to eat one. I’m not going to review it though because a cold bite of one Burger that had been sitting out in an attempt to feed a lot of people really fast, would not be representative of how good the 3Bs Burger is. For that, read this post. However, the Bacon Snack…well that was freakin’ awesome. A little sweet and a lot of savor, this almost had a jerky like quality. Definitely worth a try.



Korilla BBQ
www.korillabbq.com

Ribeye of the Tiger – Thinly sliced Marinated Ribeye with Red Kimchi, Pico De Gallo, Monty Jack Cheese & Korilla Sauce.

I’m a HUGE fan of the Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race” so I’ve been dying to try these guys since watching them on season 2. They have a great concept mixing Mexican style Tacos with traditional Korean fare which normally, I have only experienced after throwing back several Beers. I’m a little skeptical about Kimchi and really only like it in small doses and when mixed into other things, like Bibimbap. Putting all that aside, these were WAY BETTER than I expected. The Korilla Sauce, which is a smoky Chipotle Mayo really adds and awesome layer of flavor that works to weave all the different ingredients together. The Kimchi is spicy but somehow they’ve figure out how to get it not overplay as a flavor, letting the Ribeye really win the battle.

Souvlaki GR
www.souvlakigr.com

Pork Pita – Charcoal Grilled Pork, Wrapped inside a warm Pita with Tomato, Red Onion, hand cut Fries and dressed with Tyro-Kafteria Sauce.

We waited in line for this truck twice. Why? It started to rain and we ditched to go back inside of Foodparc. Once the clouds and rain cleared, we popped right back over, excited to try Souvlaki GR. We were just in time as they were handing out the last 5 sandwiches they had on the truck. DING! DING! DING! WE HAVE A WINNER! The Pork Pita was my favorite item of the day. What was it? Warm Pita, Tangy Sauce, well prepared Pork? No, although all of those were good and important, it was the hand cut Fries stuffed into the pocket Sandwich that cut this offering made my fave. A simple idea done super well. I would definitely hunt down this truck to get another!!

Schnitzel & Things
www.schnitzelandthings.com

Chicken Shnitzel – with Warm Potato Salad, Garlic, Dill Braised Sauerkraut with Spicy Sriracha Mayo.

Mike is not really a fan of Pork and as I ooohed and ahhhed my way through the Pork Pita, he decided he needed one more bite. With nobody in line at Schnitzel and Things (the event was almost over and most people had already left,) it became and instant target. Can’t say I would leave my house craving this traditional German dish but if I was, I’d definitely consider getting it from here. The lightly breaded but crunch Chicken is good and the sauce they put on it makes all the difference. This is one worth checking out.

Thanks to Mikey for the ticket hook up. Had a blast eating everything that I walked past!

Oct 2, 2011 – 5:30 pm

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
452 Burgers

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NY Food Film Fest 2011 – I Tasted What I Saw On the Screen

Posted on 10/23/2011 by Rev

2011 NY Food Film Festival
Tribeca Cinemas
54 Varick St New York, NY 10013

PART 2

George Motz, the man behind the burger bible “Hamburger America,” and film of the same name, along with co-creator Harry Hawk, organize and run the NYC Food Film Festival. This multi-day event combines their mutual love of food and film to create a unique twist to the standard film festival. According to them; “Through documentaries, features and short films, the Festival showcases the best, and the most memorable, of the world’s favorite foods. Along with a heaping helping of mouth-watering films, Motz, Hawk and company serve up the food that guests are watching on the screen for a multi-sensory, full-bodied experience.” The motto of the festival, “taste what you see on the screen!”

Of all the food events I have ever attended, this was far and above the most unique one of all of them. Remember the last time you were sitting on your couch watching TV and a commercial or a TV show was on where they showed you an amazing piece or plate of food? You immediately started craving it and wished you were eating it right then? Imagine if in that very moment someone handed you that food item and let you eat it while you were still watching it on the screen? Talk about instant gratification right? Well, that is EXACTLY what the the Food Film Fest is all about. While you are in your seat watching a movie about a food item, you are handed it and eating it while you’re still watching it!!

The Food Film Fest is a mouth watering, delicious, exciting display of instant view and eat food gratification. It’s pure food genius.

I took a ton of photos, hanging with with great people, eating and drinking great stuff but for the sake of timing and story telling, I am only going to show you photos of what we got to taste while we were seeing it on the screen.

I can’t post all 28 movies from the Festival but here’s a little wrap to give a you a little preview.


2011 NYC Food Film Festival from George Motz on Vimeo.

THE EVENTS & THE FOOD SERVED

“Cheers To Burgers and Beers!”

Enjoy burgers from Chef Brett Reichler and others. Taste dozens of craft brews, meet the brewers who make them and try Ovenly’s Beer Cupcakes + more. For a full review and more photos, click here.

Taste what you see on the screen; Grass-Fed Burgers from Burger Maker, Sweet & Savory snacks from Ovenly & Beers from the Blue Point Brewery.

Edible Adventure #3: Mistura + More

See South America’s Largest Food Festival from famed Peruvian Chef and Restaurateur Gastón Acurio.

Taste what you see on the screen; Blue Potatoes in Creama, Beef Curry, Anticuchos (Beef hearts marinated and grilled) & more.


The Tribeca Taco Takedown, hosted by Matt Timms.

Head south of the (Midtown) border for the NYC Food Film Festival’s Tribeca Taco Takedown. Watch docs by Internet sensations Hilah Johnson and The Selby.

Taste what you see on the screen; Salted Caramel Macaroons from Danny Macaroons, Buffalo Chicken BLue Cheese Cupcakes from Robicelli’s Cupcakes, Tacos Dos Toros Taqueria, Rockaway Taco, Dos Caminos, Tortilleria Nixtamal, Chipotle & Hangover Breakfast Tacos from Hilah.


The Food Porn* Party

Chef Brad Farmerie & Saxon + Parole bring you Extreme Eats + Close-Ups + Food Burlesque! You won’t want to miss this Saturday night party!

Taste what you see the screen; Octopus, Turtle Burgers, Lobster, French Pastries, Pots Du Creme and More.

As the beverage director for the festival, this party gave me an excuse to have some fun with all the fantastic craft beer we had in house. I decided to put together a craft beer cocktail menu where I mixed different beers together to create “Beer Porn.”

Di Fara Pizza Lunch

Domenico DeMarco has made every Di Fara Pizzeria pie himself for 50 years in Brooklyn…For one day only, come have a slice in Manhattan, as you watch Emily Mackenzie’s brilliant documentary: The Best Thing I Ever Done.

Taste what you see on the screen: Di Fara Pizza & An Choi’s Banh Mi.


3rd Annual Brooklyn Bacon Takedown

The Bacon Takedown was the only event of the festival to happen offsite. For this crazy Bacon filled bonanza, we hopped over to the Bell House in Brooklyn. This is the 3rd year the good idea in bacon of a takedown is happening! It is a proud thing to eat 20 local bacon recipes, and to shrewdly deduce who is champs! And it’s an especially proud thing to hang with these cooks- the funnest good people ever. And your jaw will go SLACK at the bacon OPTIONS!!!

Taste what you see on the screen; Bacon Candy.

Farm to Film to Table

Chef Amanda Freitag Featuring Tastes Of A Farm Fresh Harvest and An Exclusive Screening of Truck Farm by Ian Cheney, Simon Beins and Curt Ellis.

Taste what you see on the screen; Vegetable Soup, Molasses, Ronnybrook Milk & Cookies, Spinach Frittata with freshly picked Herbs from the Original Truck Farm. Plus, tastes of a Farm Fresh Harvest from Chefs Amanda Freitag, Neal Cain, Brad McDonald of Colonie, and Chipotle.

Thanks to George, Seth, Harry, Nicole, Amy, Joanne and everyone else who helped make this such a special weekend.

Oct 14-16, 2011

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
455 Burgers

Posted in Bar, Beer, Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Event, Gourmet Burgers, New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Royale Eatery – Guest Blog from South Africa

Posted on 10/23/2011 by Rev

Royale Eatery
http://www.royaleeatery.com
273 Long Street
Cape Town, South Africa

While scouring the variosu social networks in which I choose to engage my fellow Burger lovers, I came across a tweet from my BurgerBro Mark. He had just posted a favorable comment about a Burger in Cape Town, South Africa called the “Fat Bastard.” I clicked, read, salivated over the picture and replied “could be the only time in my life I could ever say I wish I was in Africa right now eating a Burger.” I then went back about my day until I found a full review and photos of said Bastard in the form of an email. But before we get into Mark’s guest review, I’d like to qualify Mark’s opinion on food; this man hand built his very own backyard smoker just so he could have more ways to enjoy his meat.

THE CONQUEST
Royale Eatery is a nice little burger spot on the infamous Long Street in Cape Town, South Africa. Long street features all of the bars, pubs and clubs that one could ever imagine. Whether you’re a tourist, student, hipster or rugby hooligan, there is something on this street for you.  The inside of Royale features a slew of different decor styles.  Each room is slightly different yet the pleasant quaintness (is that a word?) of it all ties each room together.  (go to the website to see great photos of the space) The wait staff was fantastic, and the service matched it.

If you happen across this establishment, I suggest you sit upstairs (the stairway is accessed from the sidewalk through the door next to the main entrance) and out on the balcony so that you can keep an eye on all of the goings on that is Long street.

Cape Town is apparently getting hip to the micro-brew revolution that seems to be sweeping America (and the world). They carry a selection of the Brewers & Union beers that are brewed in Cape Town just a few blocks over from Long street.  I tried the Berne, Steph Weiss and Dark Lager.  All are german-style / inspired and to be quite honest, I wouldn’t kick any of them out of bed even if they farted.

Of course a good burger is never to be enjoyed alone. I was accompanied by Versus the Wolf, a great Cape Town rock band, as well as my buds Ariel and Kyle. Everyone got different things but I settled for the Fat Bastard…

THE BURGER
Royale Eatery proudly advertises that their burgers and sauces are hand made each morning for the utmost freshness.  They offer several different types of burgers with a slew of options for toppings and accompanyments, I settled for the Fat Bastard. The Fat Bastard is comprised of two, 150g beef patties, 2 eggs, double bacon and double cheese. It also came with some sort of sauce but I didn’t catch the name of it. I did, however, notice how delicious it was.

The burger was ordered medium and cooked perfectly to specification. My side was a mixture of potato and sweet potato chips (fries). The fries weren’t as crispy as I prefer, but who cares.  The burger was fantastic.  It took me about 5 minutes to scarf the entire sandwich mainly because i didn’t come up for air while eating.  They used slices of American style pork belly bacon instead of the standard English-style rasher bacon. The eggs were over medium which made the burger less messy and the bun was lightly toasted.

Leave it to the American to get the biggest, baddest, burger on the menu. The flavor of the beef was really good. I hear that beef in SA is typically aged 21 days before going to the butcher but I cannot verify if that was the case with the beef used in my patty.  One can only hope.  It was tender, flavorful, juicy and enjoyed thoroughly.

Thumbs up South Africa, this is a burger to write home to mom about.  Or Rev.


7 out of 10

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3Bs Burger at Foodparc – Burger Conquest Celebrates Its 3rd Birthday, With Love

Posted on 10/17/2011 by Rev

3Bs Burger at Foodparc
http://www.foodparc.com/eateries/3bs/
845 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10001

1,068 days ago, specifically, Friday, October 16th, 5 friends went out for a burger at Arthur’s Steakhouse in Hoboken, NJ. On that day, my Glorious Pursuit of Delicious Burgers began. That means today marks Burger Conquest‘s 3rd Burgerthday!

THE STATS
1,068 days
438 blog posts
456 Burgers eaten by Rev (130 thus far in 2011)
16 Wing-Offs
7 TV appearances
0 “10 out of 10 ounces

THE CONQUEST
If you’re doing the math, that’s one Burger every 2.3 days. This whole thing just amazes me. Every time I think about it what I have accomplished and the people I have meet just because I write about Burgers is unbelievable. It has literally changed my life for the better, more positive and exciting.

For Burger Conquest’s birthday, I stopped into 3Bs Burger at Foodparc to celebrate. I figured 3Bs = 3 Birthdays and that’s all the meta sense I needed.

THE BURGER
If you want to read my review of the 3Bs Pat LaFrieda Burger at Foodparc, click here because I am not going to review it in this post. Although my Burger with Secret sauce, Gruyere, Pastrami Bacon, lettuce & Crispy Onions was quite delicious, I don’t need to repeat myself. Although, for the sake of it, I will say that I love being sent a text when my order is ready, that’s not what this post is about.

Instead, I am going to talk about what a Burger means to me. The Hamburger is the ultimate American comfort food. It symbolizes comfort, safety, warmth, home, freedom, faith, love, companionship and all that’s right in the world. A Hamburger not only cures hunger pangs but it can also cure the blues. It’s a symbol of America, a symbol of progress, commerce, business and pride. This nation and the billions of dollars behind it, have, in part, been made on the one sandwich with the most exciting universal appeal.

A Burger is recession proof. It can survive the deepest of depression as well as be served as the height of society. You can eat them for any meal or use them to mark any occasion. It’s appeal is egalitarian. A Burger will never go out of fashion and Chefs as well as Moms, Dads and anyone else will never stop finding new and creative ways to prepare them. A Burger can have all 4 food groups and as a single item, still encompass an entire meal.

To me, a Burger represents all that is good in the world and stands as a symbol of all that’s important in life. The patty itself, that’s your foundation. All of your hopes, dreams and passions are in that Beef (or Turkey, Veggies, etc). It’s what ties all of life together and creates the basis for everything else. The toppings, well those are accomplishments, achievements and all the good things that happen to you in life. If you never stop trying, you’ll never run out of toppings. Lastly, there’s the Bun and while sometimes that may seem like the least exciting part of the Sandwich, it’s the most important and most overlooked part. Without that Bun, you don’t have a Burger, you have a Salad or a covered Ground Steak. It’s that toasted piece of Bread that turns it into a Burger by cradling and supporting all the life inside. The Bun is your family. It’s your friends. It’s all the things in life that we have a tendency to overlook because it’s always there. Sometimes we forget to give those people and their Buns the credit they deserve for holding us and making sure we are surrounded with support and love.

A Hamburger is the ultimate comfort food. It reminds us to keep our loved ones close to us and in mind, while it encourages us to try harder, bring out the best of what’s inside and to make our dreams come true. It is the American dream, it is your family, it is your dreams, it is a symbol of the strength inside you. The Hamburger is a shining beacon of hope, truth and love.

Eat a Hamburger today and tomorrow you’ll build a better world. Happy 3rd Burgerthday to everyone.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

Oct 17, 2011 – 7:39 pm

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
456 Burgers

Posted in Burgers, Event, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 3Bs Burger at Foodparc – Burger Conquest Celebrates Its 3rd Birthday, With Love

NY Food Film Fest 2011 – Cheers To Burgers and Beers

Posted on 10/14/2011 by Rev

“Cheers To Burgers and Beers!”
The opening night of the 2011 NY Food Film Festival
Tribeca Cinemas
54 Varick St
New York, NY 10013

THE CONQUEST
George Motz, the man behind the burger bible “Hamburger America,” and film of the same name, along with co-creator Harry Hawk, organize and run the NYC Food Film Festival. This multi-day event combines their mutual love of food and film to create a unique twist to the standard film festival. According to them; “Through documentaries, features and short films, the Festival showcases the best, and the most memorable, of the world’s favorite foods. Along with a heaping helping of mouth-watering films, Motz, Hawk and company serve up the food that guests are watching on the screen for a multi-sensory, full-bodied experience.” The motto of the festival, “taste what you see on the screen!”

The kick off event, “Cheers to Burgers & Beers,” which happened last night at the Tribeca Cinemas, was presented by Burger Conquest, Idle Hands Bar & Jimmy’s No. 43. Throughout the night, festival goers would be treated to tasty grass fed Burgers from Burger Maker, delicious Beer oriented snacks from Ovenly and array of fantastic craft Beer from a number of great breweries making exciting, new and delicious hand-crafted Beer.

IMG_1001-300x225

Mayor Mike Bloomberg gave the opening night speech and as a surprise to everyone, made an official proclamation that Oct 13, 2011 is officially recognized as New York Food Film Festival Day! The excitement in the room was electric. Here’s a low res video of the ceremony and speech.

THE FILMS

THE FOODS

The crazy part of the story; during the late afternoon, only hours before the festival was to begin, tragedy struck. A 6-alarm fire kicked off in the Tribeca Cinemas kitchen. Thanks to the help of team members and volunteers it was quickly controlled but it made cooking impossible. After some quick thinking and phone calls, food was sent off to Bubby’s & Schnipper’s to be prepped. Thanks to both of these fantastic places, the event was saved and there was Burger a plenty.

And yes, if you are wondering, that is a Google Places shaped toothpick in the Burger! Great marketing idea from one of the festival sponsors.

THE BEERS

and the star of The Good Beer Seal Movie:
BLUE POINT BREWING CO!

And as promised, delivered to our seats during the movie; Ovenly Snacks, Burger Maker Burgers and Blue Point Beers! I tried to get a good picture of my Burger and Beer during the movies but didn’t want to be one of those guys setting off my camera’s flash in the theater.

THE GOOD BEER SEAL
Being an owner Idle Hands Bar in NYC and a huge proponent of both craft Beer & local business, I wanted to bring the NYC craft beer scene to the masses. My good buddy Mike Fox, who is also a craft Beer fan an owner of the film production company Edit Beach, and I decided to team up and make a movie about good Beer. But not just about good Beer, but specifically the Good Beer Seal. It is a NYC organization that deems certain bars around town as being dedicated to the art and industry of craft Beer.

From their website: The Good Beer Seal endeavors to separate the wheat from the chaff by identifying bars that serve quality craft beer and demonstrate a commitment to the community in which they do business. A Good Beer Seal Bar is independently owned and operated and has a unique sense of place; making it more than just another watering hole. A Good Beer Seal Bar is destination-worthy. In addition to offering at least 80% craft domestic/ special imported beers, a Good Beer Seal Bar engages its staff and guests in educational offerings regarding the history and originality of the beers it serves. A bar that earns a Good Beer Seal will be active in its local and global community through responsible stewardship and charitable actions. If The Good Beer Seal is on the door, good business practices, good atmosphere, and good beer is inside.

For the movie we went and visit Jimmy Carbone, co-creator of the Good Beer Seal at his bar, Jimmy’s No. 43. From there we took a ride out to Patchogue, Long Island, NY to learn how Beer is made with the Blue Point Brewing Company. With a wealth of Beer knowledge under my cap, I met back up in NYC with Jimmy at d.b.a. to drink some Good Beer.

Here’s a few screen shots.

 Screen-shot-2011-10-14-at-4.14.23-PM-300x167 Screen-shot-2011-10-14-at-4.15.20-PM-300x168 Screen-shot-2011-10-14-at-4.16.18-PM-300x168  Screen-shot-2011-10-14-at-4.17.43-PM-300x167

Thanks to George, Seth, Nicole, Amy & all at NYFFF for letting me be a part of their amazing event after an entire year of pestering them.

Thanks to Mike, Ben, Tre and all at Edit Beach for running around like crazy, all last minute, to make what turned out to be a fantastic mini-movie.

A massive fist pounding cheers to all of the breweries and distributors who helped the event by serving some of the best available craft beer in the land.

Oct 13, 2011 – 7:14 pm

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
454 Burgers

Posted in Bar, Beer, Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Event, Gourmet Burgers, New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tour De France Sausage And Beer Festival 2011

Posted on 10/11/2011 by Rev

Tour De France Restaurant Sausage And Beer Festival
404
http://www.tourdefrancenyc.com
404 10th Avenue
New York, NY 10001

When you hear the words “Sausage fest” normally visions of a bunch of Beered up frat dudes having a party with a serious lack of female participants. Or maybe more directly, it’s miles and miles of low grade street Sausages served on old crusty Buns to a bunch of people swilling back malted beverages with no concern for quality, only a Romanesque Dionysian need to consume. But not if your New York City’s Tour De France Restaurant Group.

To this crafty crew of French themed restaurants, the annual Sausage and Beer Festival means so much more. This annual event is a chance for each of their Chefs to flex their meaty wings by creating their own artisan Sausages that are then paired with fine craft Beers. Prior to 2011, the Tour De France “Sausages and Beer Festival” took place in each of their partnered restaurants.

But this year they took a step out of their home kitchens and into the beautiful and elegant 404 Event space to present a gourmet tasting of their talents. The restaurant grouped paired up with the Duvel Moortgat USA family and Thrillist Rewards for an epic tasting event.


Nice Matin:
www.nicematinnyc.com
Sausage de Morteau with Frisee & Roquefort
Paired with Maredsous Brune, from Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium

The sweetness of the of the reduction on the Sausage against the pungent cheese and bitter greens were paired with the bitter sweet maltiness of the Mardesous to create a very rich match.


Marseille:
www.marseillenyc.com
Boudin Blanc with Green Apple Puree, Mustard Oil & Celery Salad
Paired with Duvel Single, from Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium

The lighter, sweeter Sausage dish was delicious and of all that I tasted, allowed the Beer to actually dominate the pairing. Duvel Single is a lighter yet still bitter version of it’s self and I love that the Chef pulled back on the dish to match the delicate Beer.


L’Express:
www.lexpressnyc.com
Tajine of Lamb Sausage, Merguez & Quince, Steamed Semolina
Paired with Ommegang Hennepin Saison, from Cooperstown, New York

Wow. Seriously, if they are serving this in the restaurant, RUN, do NOT walk and get one before it’s gone. The smoky Sausage, served on a sweeter bed of Semolina was taken up a notch by the floral smelling and refreshing French Farmhouse style beer.


Pigalle:
www.pigallenyc.com
Petit Chausson aux Porc Rillons et Pommes
Paired with Ommegang Three Philosophers Quadruple, from Cooperstown, New York

Three Philosophers from Ommegang is a no joke, Quadruple Beer that has deep tasting and dark qualities to it’s also fruit and almost chocolatey profile. Due to it’s complexity, it’s a Sommelier’s pairing dream but that certainly doesn’t make for an easy task. This dish could easily be described as Pork Belly in a light flaky Pastry but is so much more intense without being overpowering to the palette.


Cafe D’Alsace
www.cafedalsace.com
Shrimp & Scallop Sausage with Lentils & Saffron Sauce
Paired with Ommegang Witte Belgian White, Cooperstown, New York

Admittedly, I can’t stand Seafood but was told this Sausage was one of the most unique and favored dishes of the evening. While I didn’t try the food, I definitely took the chance to sip on a delicious, fruity and spicy Belgian White Beer.


Le Monde:
www.lemondenyc.com
Pheasant Sausage with Celery Root Puree & Blackberry Sauce
Paired with Ommegang “BPA” Belgian Pale Ale, from Cooperstown, New York

Oh man! I love and I mean LOVE Ommegang BPA. This beer, made with the coveted Cascade hop is one of the most amazing and well balanced and hoppy Belgian style Beers made in America. It’s made with a perfect balance of respect to the old ways but with just enough American ingenuity to set it aside from the rest. Having said that, I couldn’t wait to try it’s paired Sausage. The Pheasant was an interesting, and bold, departure from the rest of the offerings. I’d normally shy away from anything Celery based but the Chef truly stepped into some magic by adding a Blackberry Sauce to the Fowl.

French Roast:
www.frenchroastny.com
Vension Sausage with Spaetzle & Port Wine Sauce
Paired with Ommegang “Abbey Ale” Dubble, from Cooperstown, New York

Ommegang’s Abbey Ale is a tribute to a Trappist Belgian monk brewing tradition. It was once meant to serve as a Bread and has just such a hearty flavor. But we aren’t talking White Wonder Bread, this bread can taste like cloves, caramel, figs and other dark, salted tastes. It’s a fantastic beer and when I saw it was paired with my favorite thing in the entire world to eat, Venison, I was ecstatic. I’m glad to say that the Sausage and Beer pairing lived up to my excitement and is one of the only offerings I went back to and had a second time. If this is available at either location, I STRONGLY suggest you go eat it before the festival is over on October 30th.


Maison:
www.maisonnyc.com
Duck Confit Sausage Cassoulet
Paired with Brasserie d’Achouffe Mc Chouffe Scotch Ale, from Achouffe, Belgium.

You know what’s great about Cassoulet? Everything. However, the word “great” would do little justice to this unbelievable dish and this astounding Beer. As for Beligan Breweries, Brasserie d’Achouffe is the BEST one of all of them. They believe in Beer Gnomes and if that isn’t enough reason for you to try it, hopefully my testimonial will. Mc Chouffe is Malty, raisiny, coffee tasting Scottish style Ale and it is magical, like a Beer Gnome. As for Duck Confit Sausage, well I would like to meet the Chef who is just crazy enough to try such a bold move in his kitchen.

Holy Moses, this was the BEST Sausage of the night with the most savory and complex of all flavors yet delicately well balance on a bed of one of the world’s most acclaimed dishes. Seriously, if they are serving this for the rest of the festival, I am moving into the restaurant with an air mattress, my computer and my phone. I’ll be there until it’s no longer on the menu…I hope that doesn’t make them think twice!!

Savory & Sweet:
www.savoryandsweetnyc.com
404 Tenth Avenue @ 33rd Street
Chocolate Salami
Paired with Liefmans “Cuvée Brut” Lambic, Oudenaarde, Belgium

I didn’t get to try the dish because I was having too much fun tasting off and unique beers with the fantastic folks from Duvel Moortgat and Gianni, the Beer Sommelier from Cafe D’Alsace who also chose all the pairings for the event. This was one of the most fun, tasty, thought out, delicious, unique and well dressed food events I have ever been to in NYC. All of these restaurants are worth checking out and for sure, like the Tour De France on Facebook so you don’t miss any of their other Food Festivals!

I’d also suggest you sign up for Thrillist Rewards because you can trust them to bring you great and exclusive events like this.

Now I know this had nothing to do with Burgers and normally I would not go off topic but this is something you need to know about!

Posted in Beer, Event, New York, Thrillist Rewards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cheers To Burgers and Beers – Get Tickets To The NY Food Film Fest

Posted on 10/06/2011 by Rev

Instructions:
Watch movies about Burgers and Beers.
Drink good beer.
Eat good Burgers.

Sounds like a great time, don’t it!?!? You can do all three at the same time on Thursday, October 13th at the Tribecca Cinemas!

Burger Conquest, Idle Hands Bar & Jimmy’s No. 43 are proud to present:

“Cheers To Burgers and Beers!”

– The opening night of the 2011 NY Food Film Festival!

THE FILMS

  • The Good Beer Seal- STARRING YOURS TRULY!!!!
  • The World Premiere Of Burgerlution
  • CUD – trailer
  • Cafe Boulud’s Fry Burger
  • Food Curated: Ovenly

THE FOODS

THE BEERS

  • Blue Point
  • Oskar Blues
  • Victory Brewing
  • Smuttynose
  • Lagunitas
  • Sierra Nevada
  • Breckenridge
  • Sixpoint
  • Crispin Cider
  • Stone River Horse
  • Stone

…and more!

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

While you could cheap out at $65 for the screening and feeding, I DEFINITELY suggest you pony up the $95 for the 7 pm VIP screening. It comes with pre-party access, VIP seating, a free snack at Saxon + Parole, premium gift bag, and T-shirt. Plus a meet and greet with the star of “The Good Beer Seal” movie, the world’s most socially connected Burger blogger…THE REV!

Or you could go big and buy a VIP pass to the entire festival for $345. That’s what i’ll be doing. You can eat and drink your face off with a clean conscience as proceeds from the festival benefit the Food Bank of NYC.

OTHER EVENTS
– Edible Adventure #3: Mistura + More Experience South America’s Largest Food Festival on the Screen and the Table
– The Tribeca Taco Takedown: Breakfast Tacos, Cali-Style Fresh Mex, and Some Buenas Películas Presented by Chipotle Mexican Grill
– The Food Porn Party: Seafood, French Pastries, and Tasteful Debauchery
– Farm to Film to Table: A Grand Finale of Fresh Food and a Screening of “Truck Farm”
– Di Fara Pizza Lunch: Picture-Perfect Pies and a Film About the Guy Who Makes Every One of Them

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

– Cheers!

Posted in Beer, Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Event, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

New York Food and Wine Festival Blue Moon Burger Bash 2011 – Winners Announced

Posted on 10/02/2011 by Rev

The Food Network NY Wine & Food Festival Blue Moon Burger Bash presented by Pat LaFrieda Meats, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. Winners announced!

There’s one day a year where my status goes jumps from Burger Famous to Burger Royalty and it is a super, glorious, Burgeriffic day of meaty celebration. Each September brings the Food Network NY Wine & Food Festival back into the Big Apple and its no small to do. Over the course of 4 days, thousands of people from all walks of life flock to more than 100 events all over the city. No matter if you are into Tacos, famous Chefs, Wine, Sweets, food trucks or just about anything else food related, there is an event, if not many that will tickle your taste buds. One of the best parts about the weekend, 100% of the net proceeds of the Festival the Food Bank For New York City.

“Food Bank For New York City recognizes 28 years as the city’s major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs. As the city’s hub for integrated food poverty assistance, the Food Bank tackles the hunger issue on three fronts – food distribution, income support and nutrition education – all strategically guided by its research. Through its network of approximately 1,000 community-based member programs citywide, the Food Bank helps provide 400,000 free meals a day for New Yorkers in need. The Food Bank’s hands-on nutrition education program in the public schools reaches thousands of children, teens and adults. Income support services including food stamps, free tax assistance for the working poor and the Earned Income Tax Credit put millions of dollars back in the pockets of low-income New Yorkers, helping them to achieve greater dignity and independence. 94% of donations go directly toward food distribution, acquisition and programs in all five boroughs of New York City.”

The best event that happens at the festival is the Blue Moon Burger Bash presented by Pat Lafrieda Meats. Pat LaFrieda, a 4th generation butcher, whose family got into the business when his great Grandfather got into a fight at a butcher shop in Italy as a kid, owns and runs the most heralded Meat purveyor business in the nation. LaFrieda Meats is to what DefJam is to Hip Hop and here in NYC, that make Pat the Jay-Z of meat. Although neither of them invented the game, they definitely improved it all while helping to make New York an even better city. The Lafrieda name when associated with Burger is an assurance of quality Burgeritude.

This is the most sought after event of the whole weekend and the one day of the year I truly can call myself Burger Royalty. Tickets sell out in moments after they’re announced and are practically impossible to get. In fact, you might have better chances on getting Pat Lafrieda to deliver directly to your house and having Josh Capon or Jonathan Schnipper cooking it for you. I would like to send out a WHOPPING, double patty sized thank you to Robin Insley & Associates for once again hooking me up with the raddest pass in the land!

So what does one experience as a member of the Burger Imperial Family? Let me show you. The Blue Moon Burger Bash pops up in the gorgeous Tobacco Warehouse in just underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s an amazing open air building with spectacular views of Manhattan and the waterfront. Even if it rains, like it did this year, it’s still an awesome place to have this event. FYI – no one left because of a little water.

Participating Restaurants and Chefs:
ABC Kitchen Dan Kluger www.abckitchennyc.com
Abe & Arthur’s Franklin Becker www.abeandarthurs.com
B & B Josh Capon www.burgerandbarrel.com
Baked Renato Poliafito & Matt Lewis www.bakednyc.com
Bark Hot Dogs Joshua Sharkey www.barkhotdogs.com
Beauty & Essex Christopher Santos www.beautyandessex.com
Benoit Philippe Bertineau www.benoitny.com
Bill’s Bar & Burger Brett Reichler www.billsbarandburger.com
Bobby’s Burger Palace Bobby Flay www.bobbyflay.com
Burger & Barrel Josh Capon www.burgerandbarrel.com
Custom Burgers Michael Coury www.otgmanagement.com
DBGB Kitchen and Bar Oliver Quignon www.dbgb.com
Fresco by Scotto On The Go www.frescobyscotto.com
Goodburger Tom Galis www.goodburgerny.com
Holsteins Shakes and Buns Anthony Meidenbauer www.holsteinslv.com
Landmarc Marc Murphy www.marc-murphy.com
Porter House New York Michael Lomonaco www.porterhousenewyork.com
Quality Meats Craig Koketsu www.qualitymeatsnyc.com
Restaurant Marc Forgione Marc Forgione www.marcforgione.com
Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen Jonathan Schnipper www.schnippers.com
Shake Shack Mark Rosati www.shakeshack.com
Sutter Home Winery
The Dram Shop Lesley Stockton www.dramshopbrooklyn.com

The Burger Bash could also be called the Burger Dash. With doors opening at 7pm, attendees have only 90 minutes to sample Burgers before placing their vote for which Chef and restaurant presented the best Burger. Unless you J. Kenji Lopez-Alt from A Hamburger Today, there’s no way you could possibly eat all of them, let alone before the voting period ends, by the end of the event! Here’s an account of what I was able to ram into my pie hole.

Burger & Barrel
Chef Josh Capon
www.burgerandbarrel.com

B&B Bison Burger: Bison Burger, Slab Bacon, Smoked Cheddar & Secret Sauce.

Josh’s “Bash Burger” from his seafood restaurant Lure, was the recipient of the coveted “People’s Choice” award at the 2009 Burger Bash. There was a lot of hype around this burger that comes from a seafood restaurant. Kyle and Brett from Burger Bedlam swear by this burger giving it the highest rating on their site, 98 out of 100. They’re unbridled passion for Burgers made the two of them the perfect Burger Compatriots for me to crush Burgs’ with at the fest. So why not start with their fave???

I’m still waiting on confirmation but I am pretty sure what we ate is not what the program advertised (above.) I’m pretty sure we were served Josh’s famous Bash Burger because it DEFINITELY had Pickles and I DEFINITELY tore them off and threw them away. Yuck. Other than that, Josh’s Burger is made of true greatness. Always medium-rare & juicy with a nice creaminess from the Cheese and a salty-sweetness from the Bacon-Onion jam. It’s darn tootin’!

Quality Meats
Chef Craig Koketsu
www.qualitymeatsnyc.com

The F*uck Fancy Cheese Burger: Quality Meats signature Burger featuring American Cheese.

Quality Meats is one of my favorite Steak Houses in NYC and I’ve praised them up and down as a founding member of the world’s #1 Steak Club, SteakClub7. They’re food and service are exactly as promised, Quality, but I can’t say I have ever had the Burger when dining there. That made it a must try tonight.

Here again, I don’t think the description of the Burger was what was served. This interesting little number came on a square shaped Focacia like Bread and was topped with Cheese, Onions and some kind of Gravy like substance made from a large churning pot of Mushrooms. The patty had a good char on it but the Meat itself was a little dry even though it was full flavored. The Cheese may have been Cheddar but came cross almost like a Nacho Cheese. I have to say, the toppings better than Burger itself but I loved the unique crunchy bun.

Side note, note: The Broccoli Cheese Bites were amazing and ranked as my fave side at the fest!

ABC Kitchen
Chef Dan Kluger
www.abckitchennyc.com

Akaushi Cheeseburger with Herbed Mayo: Aged Bloomsday Cheese, Baby Argula and pickled Jalapeños on a Sesame Bun.

These guys definitely should’ve gotten and award for best smelling booth of the day. Once you caught a whiff of the Burgers on their grills, there was no denying you had to eat one.

One of the messier Burgers I ate that night, this one really stood out because of the REALLY intense jalapeños. We all made a remark about how fresh, tangy and delicious they tasted. I Loved that. The Meat was really juicy, dripping all down my fingers creating a lick-able greasy goodness. Yeah I suck my fingers, so what? I did like this Burger but like Quality Meats, ABC Kitchen’s Burger was better by topping. The toppings would be amazing on the fries.

Restaurant Marc Forgione
Chef Marc Forgione
www.marcforgione.com

The Hangover Burger: Dry aged Burger, Everything Bun and Spicy Bacon.

Seriously, this was the year of bait and switch. The Burger was devoid of Bacon and although served on an Everything Bun (that’s so New York!) it was topped with what I think was a Poached Quail Egg, Creamed Spinach, Tomatoes & Ketchup. The Egg was weird and almost rubbery. I don’t like spinach, tomato or ketchup so that definitely handicapped this Burger for me. Even once those were removed, the Burger itself was Just charred and had no juicy beefiness. This would make hangover worse.

Marc Forgione, congrats on your victory on season 3 of The Next Iron Chef. While I am super curious to eat your restaurant, you served my least favorite Burger of the Bash. The focus of the Burger was a mish-mosh of toppings rather than just making sure the patty itself was righteous. Many others resounded with similar feelings.

The Dram Shop
Chef Lesley Stockton
www.dramshopbrooklyn.com

Cheeseburger: Two Beef Squares, Shredded Lettuce, Tomato, Diced Onion, Pickles, Mayonnaise & Mustard.

It was an amazing juxtaposition to have this right after the high concept Burger from Marc Forgione as it was simply a Fancy version of a fast food Burger. I absolutely loved the underplay and for me, this was all about the extra Cheese! If there is a brown liquor focused bar in NYC that serves upscale versions of a White Castle Double Cheeseburger, it clearly needs to go to the top of my MUST EAT list.

Beauty & Essex
Chef Christopher Santos
www.beautyandessex.com

Lamb & Brisket Burger: Spicy Garlic Aioli, Vine Ripe Tomato, Goat-Feta and pickled Red Onion.

The first word that came out of my mouth after taking only one bite is probably the best word to describe this Burger. However, it is an explicative and although it rhymes with “suck” it certainly was the exact opposite! Chris Santos’ Burger was full of amazing, great unique flavor. The toppings were excellent and bursting with interesting flavor, however, they were definitely understated just enough to allow the Meat itself to be in the flavor spotlight. It all came house on a great little sturdy bun. The odd mix of tasty Meat was rich, juicy, well cooked at a medium temperature and more than anything else, expertly seasoned. I hope he adds this to the menu at Beauty & Essex because it definitely needs a revisit.

Schnipper’s Quality Kitchen
Chef Jonathan Schnipper
www.schnippers.com

Schnippers Green Chile Cheeseburger: Signature Beef blend, fire-roasted Green Chiles, Aged White Cheddar and Chipotle Dressing.

It was 8:22 and I only had 8 more minutes to decide which Burger should get my vote for the People’s Choice award. With so many good Burgers available, so little time and absolutely not a single square inch of space left in my stomach, I dashed to get one more bite before voting closed. I decided to go out on a high note. Since you can’t lose with a winner, I nabbed myself a Green Chile Cheeseburger from one of my faves, Schnippers!! Despite a lack-luster cooking situation, a broken griddle and the need to serve hundreds of people very quickly, the brothers Schnipp’ and their team, they managed to nail the Burger I love so much. Served on a perfectly griddle toasted Bun, this delicious little beast had just the right amount of heat, gooey cheese and fantastically seasoned, perfectly cooked beefy goodness.

THE WINNERS

Heinz Best Dressed Burger Award
Winner: Beauty & Essex’s Christopher Santos

Photo thanks to Business Wire

People’s Choice Award
Winner: Burger & Barrel’s Josh Capon

Photo thanks to Zagatbuzz.

Judge’s Choice Award
Judges; David Burke, Adam Richman, Andrew Zimmer & Anne Burrell
Winner: Abe & Arthur’s Franklin Becker

Photo thanks to Zagatbuzz.

Who did I vote for you ask? Considering I tried less than half the Burgers available and only had mere moments on which to judge each one, I chose what I thought was the best.

All in all, it was a fast-paced, super-fun and ridiculously delicious event. I appreciate the chance to be a part of it every year. Burger props to Brett & Kyle from Burger Bedlam, it was a pleasure to dine with you. A ridiculously loud “WASSSP PLAYA” goes to my buddy Jamie Schweid from Burger Maker, I love you and we need drinks soon. As always, Burger Bashin’ would not be the same without some hangtime with Burger Idol, George Motz from Hamburger America & Seth Unger from the NY Food Film Fest. (Be sure to catch George’s debut as the new host of “Made In America” this Tuesday, October 4th at 8pm EST on The Travel Channel!)

Sep 30, 2011 – 7:30 pm

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
451 Burgers

Posted in Beer, Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Event, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on New York Food and Wine Festival Blue Moon Burger Bash 2011 – Winners Announced