Burger Conquest

Prime Meats – The Pantless Society, National Hamburger Month

Posted on 05/25/2011 by Rev

Prime Meats
http://www.frankspm.com
465 Court St
Brooklyn, NY 11231

NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
Day 23

THE CONQUEST
Some of us are dreamers and some of us are doers. There are those of us that day dream all day about what we wish we were doing and there are those people who are already making it happen. I’m specifically talking about the pantless society. While you and me and damn near everyone else, gets up in the morning, puts on our pants and then goes to work, there’s a part of society that has a does the same, but with a twist. They are those without pants. The ones who do just as much work as the rest of us, sit in front of a computer all day, make phone calls, process invoices and all that same bidniz junk but at home … and with no pants.

I call these people my friends and every once in awhile, I get to join in their pantless parties (pants required). Such was the case today as I joined my friends Ben, Matt and Robert, all who are pants-less bloggers by profession and our friend George, a pants-less lawyer. These people live by their own rules, their own hours and their own dress codes yet they provide solutions and services that many people rely on. Other than they don’t wear pants at “work” they’re just like you and me and they love HAMBURGERS. They also have the added bonus of not having to ask for a lunch hour and can easily meet for a lunch on a Monday.

Prime Meats, no-reservations restaurant located in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens, has been hot on the scene for some time. The rustic looking tavern gone restaurant is always busy and as much as you would like to call ahead for a table, you can’t. Run by childhood friends turned Kings County restaurant superstars, Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli, Prime Meats is a German-inspired farm to table restaurant. The idea was to create a turn of the century style restaurant into fresh and interesting tribute to the past. All dairy and produced are sourced from the Pennsylvania based Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative, while the Pork comes from the West Village based Faicco’s Pork Store. The beef, all-natural Angus, is supplied by Creekstone Farms, a farm that raises it’s cattle humanely, allowing them to graze freely. Before processing, the cows are fed a corn-based feed that aids in the flavor profile of the meat.

The concept is great but unfortunately they require pants (we assumed) so we donned ours and met up for lunch. If you go on a Monday afternoon, you’ll be seated immediately, much like we were, in a room entirely by ourselves.

THE BURGER
Ben and his girlfriend Emily have been preaching to me about this Burger forever so I have to admit, expectations were VERY high. I made it a point to arrive hungry, eating only a Zone bar all day. The menu at Prime Meats is pretty small and other than a few breakfast, lunch and craft beer selections, there really isn’t a whole lot else. As the Burger arrived my jaw unhinged itself from my skull, fell to the floor and rolled all the way across the dining room. Thankfully, this is Carroll Gardens and there were no hipsters around to pick it up and turn it into an art installation. I was able to quickly retrieve, re-hinge and say “holy shit that’s a lot of Bacon!!”

The Prime Meats Burger is a 1/2 lb. Creekstone Certified Black Angus served on a house-made Sesame Roll with Fermented Dill Pickle, Lettuce, Tomato & Onion and a side of hand-cut French Fries. Mine was ordered, of course, Medium-Rare and without Tomato or Pickle. I added on the optional Grafton Cheddar Cheese and the Faicco’s Thick Cut Bacon, which was the cause for the exclamation. George’s Burger, for some reason, had nearly twice as much Bacon as mine and upon my outburst he replied “they like me.”

Regardless of the uneven bacon placement across two plates, this is one seriously sized Hamburger. There will be no one handed handling of this Burger, which made my signature “Left Hand Grab” photo pretty difficult. The thick Burg comes hot, juicy and begging to be eaten. The all natural flavor to the freshly ground Beef is superb and really full bodied in its flavor. There’s no mistaking is taste dominance. The bacon…whoa the bacon, is worthy of being ordered on it’s own! Truthfully though, that is what makes the dance it does with the Beef so worthy of their union.

Man, I LOVED this burger and in fact, the only thing that kept me from giving it a higher rating was the Bun. On it’s own, a nice piece of Bread that has both wheat and sweet profiles but when placed around the delectable fresh Beef, it not only has too much flavor but is too big. Funny because I am used to a Bun to Beef ratio that is usually more Beef and falls apart under the effects of the juice. Not this one, the Bun, to its credit holds up damn well but it’s just slightly too much bread. But do NOT let that hold you back from Prime Meats.

Put on your pants, get yourself out to Brooklyn and eat this amazing Farm Fresh Burger and do NOT, forget to add the Bacon.

8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
401 Burgers

May 23, 2011 – 3:19 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 he considers to be the 10 most important social networks and creating a point system, The Rev can accurately asses how well the business is using social networking as a tool. His goal here is to educate and assist great business to better effectively use these tools

Prime Meats scores a 5 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! Are you hiring

Posted in Beer, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, National Hamburger Month, New York | Tagged Axl Rosenberg, bloggers, brooklyn, burger, cheese, ciancio, conquest, Creekstone Certified Black Angus, Faicco's Bacon, french, fries, great, hamburger, metal injection, metal sucks, metalinjection, metalsucks, new york, ny, nyc, pantslesslawyer, prime meats, rev, review, the, the rev meter for social community, vince neilstein | 1 Comment

White Castle – Bike The Boro’s Border With Levy’s Unique New York, National Hamburger Month

Posted on 05/23/2011 by Rev

White Castle
http://www.whitecastle.com
525 8th Avenue
New York, NY

NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
Day 22

THE CONQUEST
There’s more than enough to do in NYC that there’s no way you could ever run out. No chances could possibly exist where you could be bored in this town. The opportunity to explore, see, hear, feel, touch and learn about this city are endless. On the off chances you find yourself having an inkling of these feelings, pick up your phone and call the Levy’s. They are NY’s First Family of Tour Guides…and these aren’t your every-day hop on the double decker, point at the Empire State building, hop off the bus in Times Square type tours. The Levy’s Tours are all about unique New York.

The Levy’s are self-admitted, completely-certified, New York history dorks. Through their passion for their home town they have designed (and continue to design) custom-built private tours of NY. Whether it’s their “HEY HO! LETS GO! Punk Rock on the Bowery Pub Crawl & Walking Tour,” “BIKE BROOKLYN BEER BLITZ! A 4 hr Bike Tour of Bklyn’s Former Breweries!,” or the “Jewish Gangsters of the Lower East Side” tours, your guaranteed a New York-y experience like none other. I’ve lived in the area since 1996, married a woman born in Manhattan and yet, some of the most unique experiences I have had learning about this city are in the presence of Matt Levy.

While I am off trying to eat 31 Burgers in 31 days to celebrate National Hamburger Month, I am trying my best to balance the Burger Consumption with as much exercise as I can. My favorite way to burn of Burger calories? Riding my bike around New York. When planning out a ride for this weekend post Thrillist Rewards Craft Beer Crawl, my buddy Vince Neilstein from Metalsucks, suggested we join up with Matt Levy for his “Bike The Boro’s Border” tour.

Here’s the official Levy’s Unique New York description of the tour:

“Ever wonder what the life is like between the lines of both the most populous and the most diverse boroughs in NYC? (Hint – not the same boroughs!) Ever scratch your head as to why our boroughs’ borders zig and zag, jig and jag, whiz and bang back and forth so much and so randomly? (Hint – its hardly random!) Ever found the burning desire to follow that thin slashing, dividing yellow line til’ it runs out of land to divide?

Come along on an awesome North to South bike ride and tour along the Brooklyn-Queens border! Hosted by The Levys’ Unique New York! We will start at the foot of the romantically named and aromatically scented Newtown Creek Industrial Inlet, at the corner of Metropolitan and Scott streets. Then we will do our darndest to follow the boro border line along such disparate Brooklyn neighborhoods like East Williamsburg, Bushwick, Broadway Junction, Highland Park, Cypress Hills, Cityline (there’s a neighborhood called Cityline!), East New York, Spring Creek, and South-east Canarsie, and thats just in Brooklyn! On the Queens side we’ll also haul through LIC, Ridgewood, along the Evergreen Cemetery, Woodhaven, Ozone Park, Lindenwood and we’ll skirt the edge of Howard Beach! Exciting!”

So with that, Rob from Idle Hands, Rick from Musician Coaching and I rode out to the start of the Brooklyn-Queens border to meet Vince, Emily, Matt, his father Mark and a gaggle of other riders to Bike the Boro’s Borders!

The intersection of Scott Av & Onderdonk – where the Brooklyn- Queens Border begins.

Off we ride…into a deadend, because that is where the border starts!

The Vander Ende-Oderdonk House – is the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City. Home to Arbitration Rock, the once boundary marker between the two Long Island townships of Newtown and Bushwick.

Matt reminded us, that although dangerous, riding between the yellow lines is the only way to say you are in both Boro’s at once.

A stop for some lunch at the traditional Spanish Food stand Las Alcapurrias.

Force Tube Ave – Vince got a big kick out of this one

The corner of Eldert L & Jamaica Av – where the street sign is misspelled “Elderts.” There is no “S” in “Eldert.”

Neir’s Tavern – a 180 year old drinking establishment where a scene in Goodfellas was once shot. Check out this great video about the history of Neir’s. Be sure to look at the photo below where the name of the movie is incorrectly spelled…just like Eldert.

“The Board of Transportation of the City of New York,” doesn’t actually exist. Technically it’s the “New York City Department of Transportation.”

The Hole – A section of the Brooklyn-Queens border that no neighborhood is willing to claim. The area is 30 feet below grade and floods EVERY time it rains. It used to be a mob dumping ground and now is patrolled by a local organization of mounted horse riders known as “The Federation of Black Cowboys.”

Sapphire St Brooklyn / 78th St Queens – On the outskirts of The Hole you’ll find a street that shares the border and also has two different street signs signifying which neighborhood your in by side of the street.

The border stops at a wall near the end and riders have to climb over it to truly stick to riding the border.

Lindenwood – Where the Brooklyn-Queens Border ends

As we were all the way East, several of us decided to bike over to the L train and take it back into Manhattan from the Rockaway Parkway Station.

In the end, it was a really fun day exploring parts of New York I had never seen and may never see again. For me it was a 21 mile adventure in a city I love more and more every day. It’s a pretty crazy ride when you look at it on a map but in the end, 21 miles ain’t that long. I can’t say I would do this ride again but you will definitely find me on another Levy’s Unique New York sometime in the future.

I laughed when I said to Matt at the end of the tour, “this was the most unscenic sight seeing tour I have ever been on!” We all laughed and admitted that sometimes you need to do things just for the sake of doing them. Speaking of which …

THE BURGER
It wouldn’t be right to write up a post on the good old Burger Conquest without eating a Burger, nor could I go a day without eating one for National Hamburger Month. So I did, what I had to do. I rode my bike over to the White Castle on my way home and popped in for a slider. I love, Love, LOVE me some White Castle sliders. They’ve been a family favorite since I was a kid and when I’m in a pinch to stay on topic for the site, it’s always there for me.

At a massive, whopping 100 cents, this was the LEAST expensive Burger Conquest of all times. (the most expensive, by comparison, was the Iron Horse on the day of my wedding which clocked in at $718.31.) Even with the the Spanish Food and the cost of the tour, this entire day only cost me a whopping $9.75. God bless. You’ll also notice, as you look closely at the picture of the receipt below, that the day of the week, much like “Good Fellows” and “Elderts,” is spelled incorrectly.

Click here to read the official Burger Conquest review of White Castle.

7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
400 Burgers

May 22, 2011 – 7:05 pm

White Castle scores a 5 on The Rev Meter.

Posted in Burgers | Tagged 31 burgers in 31 days, arbitration rock, bike the boro's borders, brooklyn, brooklyn-queens, burger, cheese, ciancio, conquest, crave, french, fries, good fellows, goodfellas, great, hamburger, Las Alcapurrias, levy, levy's unique new york, matt levy, national hamburger month, Neir's Tavern, new york, ny, nyc, queens, rev, review, revrides2011, slider, the, The Federation of Black Cowboys, the hole, the rev meter for social community, Vander Ende-Oderdonk House, white castle | 1 Comment

Thrillist Rewards Hell’s Kitchen Craft Beer Crawl, National Hamburger Month

Posted on 05/23/2011 by Rev

Thrillist Rewards Hell’s Kitchen Craft Beer Crawl
http://rewards.thrillist.com/deal/1424/thrillists-hells-kitchen-craft-beer-crawl/ny

NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
Day 21

THE CONQUEST
With two successful craft bar crawl events in NYC under our belts at Thrillist Rewards, it was time for a third. What better way to follow up the fun we had in the “EVILL” and in “WillamsBEERg” than by making this even hotter by moving to Hell’s Kitchen!!?!??!

The concept is simple. Along with a lot of help from S.K.I. Beer, one of NYC’s premier craft beer distributors, we bring several hundred of Thrillist Rewards nearest and dearest subscribers to experience a new neighborhood. While there, they get to visit a list of different bars and restaurants

For only $25, purchasers would receive 1 – 8 ounce pour of craft beer redeemable anytime on Saturday, April 9th, from 1 to 6 pm. All tickets sold out in advance and Rewards buyers could look forward to a craft beer at all of the following great places;

The Brickyard Gastropub
The Gaf West
Hallo Berlin
The Three Monkeys
Perdition
The Village Pourhouse – 46th

THE CRAWL

THE GAF WEST
http://www.yelp.com/biz/gaf-west-new-york
401 W. 48th St

Beer: Coney Island Lager
Bite: Clarksville Chili and Mini Hot Dogs with Kraut

Perdition
http://perditionnyc.com
692 10th Ave

Beer: Shipyard Sea Dog Bluepaw Wheat Ale
Bite: Cheese and Bean Quesadilla

Hallo Berlin
http://www.halloberlinrestaurant.com/
626 10th Ave

Beer: DAB
Bite: Mini Wurst

Village Pourhouse – 46th
http://ph46.villagepourhouse.com/
366 W. 46th St

Beer: Founders Centennial IPA
Bite: Unfortunately their kitchen broke down so they couldn’t serve Hot Wings. Instead, everyone got a 2nd Beer!

Brickyard Gastropub
http://brickyardnyc.com
785 9th Ave

Beer: Harpoon UFO Raspberry
Bite: Warm Jumbo Pretzels served with Whole Grain Mustard

THE BURGER
BAM! All good things come to those who wait, or in this case, tasty Burgers come to those in Pursuit of eating 31 Burgers in 31 Days for National Hamburger Month. Not that we were underfed in anyway, in fact a bite here and bite there on one of these Thrillist Craft Beer Crawls is usually just enough to keep gas in the tank. But when we decided to stick around and buy a round of drinks at the Brickyard Gastropub, I remember back to the 9th Avenue Festival a week prior and how much I enjoyed their Mini Burgers. Well, much like an itch, if you think about it enough, you’ll have to scratch it and once the idea of Mini Burgers was in my head, there was no getting them out.

“WHO WANTS SOME MINI BURGERS!??!” I yelled out and of course, no one told me no. We ordered a trio Lamb Mini Burger and a trio of Beef Mini Burgers:
“South of the Border Burger” – Mexican Seasonings, Pepper-Jack Cheese, Avocado, Pico De Gallo and Chipotle Ketchup
“Blackened Bleu Burger” – Blackened in Cajun Seasonings, Caramelized Onions and New York state Bleu Cheese
“Western Burger” – New York state Cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Smokey BBQ Sauce.
To be honest, I didn’t eat them all as we all played a bit of the bite and pass game. Plus, I was admittedly feeling the effects of the beers so my judgment was slightly…unfocused, if you will. I do remember the Lamb Minis being tangy and delicious.

The Three Monkeys
http://www.thethreemonkeysbar.com
236 W 54th St

Beer: Shipyard Old Thumper – ESB
Bite: French Fries with Aioli

THE KEGGER
We tried something new on this version of our Thrillist Rewards Craft Beer Crawl. Usually we have an after party for those still in the mood and this crawl was no exception. However, we did change up the party. This time around we threw a kegger at both The Gaf and The Three Monkeys. Thrillist Rewards subscribers who bought a pass to the crawl were invited to drink Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale at both locations until the kegs went dry.

I started at The Three Monkeys where as soon as the clock struck 6 pm, signaling the beginning of the kegger, everyone started to applaud and cheer. Halfway through, my friends and I high tailed it over to The Gaf for the 2nd part of what I was I calling “The End of the World Keg Party.” at 6:59 when Pete and Pat from The Gaf announced the keg had kicked, the entire room cheered and applauded. It was a really great way to meet a bunch of new people, try a bunch of new beers and visit a bunch of cool bars all in one neighborhood.

Looks like a ton of fun doesn’t it? That’s because it was! If you aren’t signed up for Thrillist Rewards yet, do it now ya punk so ya don’t miss out on all the fun. In the meantime, head up in to the “The Neighborhood” as us locals call it and enjoy these awesome bars.

Cheers

Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
399 Burgers

May 21, 2011 – 4:58 pm

Posted in Bar, Beer, Burgers, Event, Hamburgers, National Hamburger Month, New York | Tagged brickyard, burger, cheese, ciancio, conquest, craft beer crawl, french, fries, gastropub, great, hamburger, hell's kitchen, new york, ny, nyc, rev, review, the, the rev meter for social community, thrilist rewards, thrillist | 1 Comment

Idle Hands Bar / Billy Hurricane’s – Mini-Burger Extravaganza, National Hamburger Month

Posted on 05/22/2011 by Rev

Idle Hands Bar / Billy Hurricane’s
http://thatburgertent.com/
http://idlehandsbar.com
http://billyhurricanes.com
25 Avenue B
New York, NY 10009

NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
Day 20, Bonus Burgers

THE CONQUEST
When I was a kid, I was addicted to home video game systems. We had Atari 2600, Colecovision, Nintendo, Sega Master System, Super NES, Sega Genesis, Playstation and more in my house. My brother’s and I played them every waking moment we had the chances to do so. The three of us were always so excited when we got a new game and there was one thing we NEVER did…read the instructions. That game got ripped out of the box, put into the system and we figured it out as we played. I think the only way we would’ve ever paused to go through the instructions was if the game designed themselves had sat down and showed us how to play.

The same principles still apply to a lot of my life. I am a man and I don’t read the instructions unless I absolutely have to. When it comes to iPhone apps I can honestly say that I have never read the instructions. I just open them up and start tapping away. But on this 20th day of National Hamburger Month that finally happened. George Motz, author of the great book ever written about historically important American Hamburgers, “Hamburger America,” was releasing his very own companion smart phone app called “Burger GPS.” To commemorate it’s public unveiling George gave a demonstration on how to use the app and the inspiration behind it at the Apple Store in the Meat Packing district.

The app works exactly like it’s name, as a Burger GPS, that will geo-locate the nearest Motz approved Burgers in your vicinity. From there you can see suggestions, save favorites and browse Burgers by neighborhoods.

And what’s the best way to celebrate something this great? WITH BURGERS!!

THE BURGER
To show our love for George and our own love of Burgers, we put our own Burger master mind, Kyle from Billy Hurricane’s, to put together a Mini Burger Extravaganza at Idle Hands. We don’t normally serve Burgers in the two bars but you can always get Kyle’s “Dirty” Burger at Thunder Jacksons. With Mini-Burger Patties GRACIOUSLY supplied by Burger Maker, Kyle and Chef Wolfgang put on their tasty caps and came up with a special menu to be served at the Burger GPS after party at Idle Hands & Billy Hurricane’s.

Out of fairness, I am not going to review and rate the Mini Burgers served since I’m one of the owners but I will tell you that I enjoyed each and every one of them! Burger Maker has an excellent product. I’ve road tested them myself and think they make a superior Burger. My fave was “The Balls,” a recipe derived from the BBQ Meatballs we served at the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival earlier this year. Round after round of Mini Burgers got served and then demolished in what truly was an extravaganza. You can try the full sized versions of the Burgers (along with the rest of the menu) next time you are at Billy Hurricanes or Idle Hands and rate them yourself.

-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
398 Burgers

May 21, 2011 – 12:10 AM

Posted in Bar, Beer, Best Burger in New York, Burgers, East Village, Event, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, National Hamburger Month, New York | Tagged after party, apple store, billy hurricane's, burger, burger gps, burger maker, cheese, ciancio, conquest, free mini burgers, french, fries, george motz, great, hamburger, hamburger america, mini burgers, new york, ny, nyc, rev, review, the, the rev meter for social community | 1 Comment

Bill’s Bar & Burger – Burger GPS Lead Me Here, National Hamburger Month

Posted on 05/22/2011 by Rev

Bill’s Bar & Burger
http://www.billsbarandburger.com
16 West 51st Street
New York, NY 10019

NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
Day 20

THE CONQUEST
If Indiana Jones came a knockin’ and told you to meet him somewhere, you would do it. When that Indiana Jones is George Motz, author of the book “Hamburger America,” I say ”
“You said to stand against the wall, I only did what you say, not my fault, not my fault…” and then I come running.

On this day, Mr. Motz was releasing his very own smart phone app called “Burger GPS.” According to him, the app is an “Official State-by-State Guide to the most interesting burgers in the USA.” The app acts, as the name would correctly lead you to believe, as an actual GPS device that finds the nearest Motz approved Burger to your location. Along with George’s approved selection, you’ll also find a section labeled “EBTs.” EBT stands for “Expert Burger Tasters.” They are a crew of Burger fanatics that have helped George along his very own pursuit of delicious Burgers. I’m proud to say that George picked me to be one of them. Once inside the app, tap “more,” and then “EBTs.” Then scroll down and tap on “The Rev” to find my selections.

To celebrate the release of Burger GPS, George and his right hand man, Seth Unger, organized a Burger luncheon for the press at Bill’s Bar & Burger in Midtown. This Bill’s is the 2nd and much larger version of the original Bill’s Bar & Burger located in NYC’s meatpacking district. The Burger joint has seen much, much acclaim since opening and spreading the love of Burgers by using Pat LaFrieda meat. We were joined by Brett Reichler, the B.R. Guest Restaurants corporate executive chef who told us all the very exciting news that a 3rd Bill’s Bar & Burgers is about to open in Atlantic City.

THE BURGER
The luncheon had a pre-chosen menu, selected by George and Brett that started off with tasty Buffalo Wings and the super awesome and tasty Jalapeno Bombs. From there, Chef Brett surprised with a little off-menu treat, White Castle style Sliders. I love, love, love me some White Castle so this was like a dream come true; A White Castle Burger made from fresh, never frozen ground Beef. Had I known they were coming, I would’ve asked to be served them without Pickles, which I can’t stand. The tasty little treat was as good as I had imagined! Chef Brett applies a dab of a Mustard & Ketchup mix to the sandwich, which I could’ve also done without, but that didn’t change my opinion…these are great.

8 out of 10 ounces

One of our choices was the Bill’s Bar & Burger Tuscan Turkey Burger and with 19 straight days of Burgers on my quest to eat 31 Burgers in 31 days in celebration of National Hamburger Month, I jumped at the chance to order a Burger that wasn’t Beef. The Tuscan is served with Lettuce, Tomato & Mustard Aioli on a Multi Grain Bun. The patty itself, as Chef Brett explained to me, is made from freshly ground all DARK Turkey Meat with Aged Provolone and Spices mixed in. Turkey Burgers have a knack for being a little bland, what with Turkey meat having a much more mild flavor profile than you would get from Beer. This one however is quite the opposite. The patty is grilled to an almost crispy point on the outside but left soft and juicy in the middle. The flavors will burst into your mouth with every delicious bite.

I’ll be damned if the Tuscan from Bill’s Bar & Burger Tuscan isn’t one of the best and most tasty Turkey Burgers in this town. Lawrence the NYC Food Guy, who was seated next to me proclaimed “I would never nor have I ever eaten a Turkey Burger.” That’s when I insisted he try a bite. Lawrence agreed, this is a great sandwich.

8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

The meal ended off with a choice selection of Bill’s Bar & Burgers famous shakes. I’m not much for sweets but there was no way I was going to pass up a a creamy and delicious Peanut Butter Cup Shake! Clearly, neither was George…

Download The awesome Burger GPS to your smart phone and be sure to pick up a copy of the beautiful and inspiring “Hamburger America.” You’ll thank me later.

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
394 Burgers

May 20 2011 – 1:17 pm

Bill’s Bar & Burger scores a PERFECT 10 on The Rev Meter!!

Posted in Bar, Beer, Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Event, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, National Hamburger Month, New York | Tagged B.R. Guest, bill's bar, bill's bar and burger, burger, burger gps, cheese, ciancio, conquest, EBTs, expert burger tatster, french, fries, george motz, great, hamburger, hamburger america, midtown, new york, ny, nyc, rev, review, the, the rev meter for social community | 1 Comment

Social Eatz – Form of Chew Crew America, National Hamburger Month

Posted on 05/20/2011 by Rev

Social Eatz
http://www.socialeatz.com
232 East 53rd St
New York, NY 10022

NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
Day 19

THE CONQUEST
In February of 1960 a monumental gathering of the world’s super-finest was causation for the formation of one of the most formidable teams in the history of the world. We know them as the “Super Friends” from the Justice League of America, a gang of Superheros united in a battle for the forces of good. While the modern day city streets of NYC seem to be free of evil baddies, there is still need for a group of individuals who can help us sort through the muck. On this 19th of May, in the year of 2011, during National Hamburger Month, a new group of enhanced beings gathered together to form a team whose sole intent is to defend the good…good food that is!!

Welcome “Chew Crew America” to the universe. This gastronomically motivated gaggle of food fans includes Lea from Bizzy and MacCheesy and Rachel, the Fabulous Foodie, Megan AKA This Girl Can Eat, Lawrence the NYC Food Guy, Rev from Burger Conquest and our special guest Lee. We have been given special powers that allow us to find the best and tastiest foods from the most unique and interesting chefs and locations. Our mission is to share them with you, the food conscious, through the power of recommendation.

This super gathering of super eaters took place at Social Eatz in East Midtown NYC. The restaurant was recently crowned by Eater as having “The Greatest Burger in America.” Their menu comes from the Brain of Top Chef All Star, Angelo Sosa. A self proclaimed “Asian food fanatic,” Angelo’s menu at Social Eatz is all in some way Asian inspired, ala including all 4 Burgers on the menu, the reason for our visit.

THE BURGER
As I sat there perusing the choices, sipping on my Coney Island Lager, I was having trouble deciding which to mow down on. I was absolutely starving which was impeding my ability to make a decision but one the thing I knew I wanted was an appetizer of Hot Wings. God Bless Lee and Lawrence who talked me into splitting all 4 Asian inspired Burgers on the menu.

SOCIAL BURGER – Potato Bun, with Shredded Lettuce, Smoked Gouda and Longevity Sauce.

Ain’t nothing wrong with a classic and that’s why the category was created. Angelo and Social Eatz are using fresh, quality Beef in their patty and giving it room to dance on your palette makes for a win. You have your choice of Cheese at Social Eatz and I can’t believe I had to argue with Lee about Smoked Gouda. SUPER. DUPER. YUMMY
– 8 out out of 10 ounces

HANOI – Ground Beef with Mint, Lemongrass, Cilantro and Red Onion topped with Lettuce and served with a Chili Mayo and a Sweet Onion Jam

This was my favorite of the bunch for sure and if you’re coming here to enjoy a signature experience, I would most certainly point you to this Burger. The Mint was an unexpected and fantastic flavor turn that really made the whole thing stand out. With all the other ingredients however, you’re really more so tasting the toppings than the Burger. None the less, it’s a unique twist and a tasty one at that!
– 8 out of 10 ounces

BULGOGI – Literally “fire Meat” in Korean, the Beef charred, hence the name. Sauced with Soy, Sugar, Scallion, Garlic and Sesame Oil then garnished with cooled Cumber Kimchee, Kewpee and a Japanese Mayo.

This was my least favorite of the bunch, in fact, I didn’t like it all. That’s not to say you wouldn’t enjoy it nor am implying that it was bad in anyway, it’s just not for me. I can’t stand Cucumbers or Kimchee and was I not participating in some team eating, I wouldn’t have ever considered this as an option. I would be very curious though to try something like a Chicken stir fry style dish with the same spices and seasonings, sans the Cucumber Kimchee.
– 5 out of 10 ounces

BIBIMBAP BURGER Korean for “mixed meal”, it’s Ground Beef with a slow cooked Egg, covered in Lettuce and served with Pickled Carrot and Cucumber

Finally it was time to chew into the Superman of the evening, the famed, award winning Bibimbap Burger. According to wikipedia: “Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm White Rice topped with Namul (sautéed and seasoned Vegetables) and Gochujang (Chili Pepper Paste). A raw or fried Egg and sliced Meat (usually Beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating.” I love Bibimbap and not just as a dish but also as a word. Say it with me, “BIBIMBAP.” Wasn’t that fun?!?! It’s especially great after you’ve had a few or 50 beers and have the munchies.

But let’s talk about this Burger. I just wasn’t into it. Rachel argued that one needs to eat the entire thing and enjoy the full experience of the Egg, as she loved the Burger. As I shared it with Lee and Lawrence, I did not have the eggcelent intended presentation. A fried Egg is definitely a fave topping of mine and could’ve changed my experience. The Pickled Carrots I liked but the Cucumber I did not and the sauce that it’s made in wasn’t up my alley either. Having said that, the Beef is great, I love the Bun choice and fried Eggs are a bonus on any Burger. You might actually really like this, for me, I had to pull a Mxyzptlk.
– 7 out of 10 ounces

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
392 Burgers

May 19, 2011 – 9:21 pm

Unfortunately the Wings, as well as Megan’s appetizer of Ribs & Lawrence’s Tacos didn’t show up to the table until after the Burgers. I was a little upset about that as well as some of the slower service we received but to Social Eatz credit, not only were they very busy but they were also very apologetic and very friendly. We all have bad days and sometimes things just slip beyond our control, it happens. I was impressed with the way in which they made up for it. That’s they key to the restaurant business, great customer service. Speaking of…

Unlike Cassandra Cain’s limited social skills, Social Eatz scores a 5 on The Rev Meter.

I’d like to add a note of Kudos to Social Eatz for having a very active and responsive Twitter account. The group of us had been tweeting about Social Eatz for more than a week and they actively engaged us in the conversation. I was really impressed at their mastery of the application. Two snaps to Social Eatz who wins this week’s Chew Crew America “Gleek” no-prize.

AND…. don’t forget that Bizzy Check-Out!

Posted in Beer, Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, Hot Wings, National Hamburger Month, New York | Tagged Bibimbap, burger, cheese, ciancio, conquest, eater, fabulous foodie, french, fries, great, greatest burger in america, hamburger, maccheesy, new york, ny, nyc, nyc food guy, rev, review, social eatz, the, the great burger conquest hamburger cheese curly fry los angelos ca jack in the box crenshaw, the rev meter for social community | 2 Comments

East Side Big Tom – Dear Cheeseburger, Portugal. The Man Guest Blog

Posted on 05/19/2011 by Rev

Eastside Big Tom
http://www.eastsidebigtom.com/
2023 4th Avenue East
Olympia, WA 98506

In March of 2011, I had the pleasure of breaking Burger with the band Portugal. The Man at the Jackalope in Austin, TX during SXSW. We had so much fun that, Zach “Hammburger” Carothers, bassist for the band, asked if he could from time to time add a guest blog tour stories to Burger Conquest called “Dear Cheeseburger.” Rock and Roll Burgers never tasted so good.

Dear Cheeseburger,

It was a beautiful, early summer day as we were driving northbound on interstate 5. I had a craving. A hunger that could only be remedied by you. I had spoken a couple months ago with the Rev about some of our favorite burgers around the country, and your name came up. Seeing how we have mutual friends, we decided to pop in for a visit. Eastside Big Tom’s Drive In is a classic burger stand in the middle of a small town in Washington. By all the traffic, our anticipation of this popular joint was growing, and turned out to be well worth the wait. Messy and delicious, you were handed to me hot, heavy and covered in ” Goop”, Tom’s secret sauce. Two flavorful patties with cheese did it’s job filling my belly with happiness and preparing me for the long night ahead. As far as old school burger stands go, Big Tom is king. Affordable prices and all sorts of fun sides including a bacon maple milkshake… which we obviously had to try. All in all i was very impressed by you and will be thanking the Rev for the recommendation. I hope the distance isn’t too far for us to keep in touch. I will visit as often as I can.

Love,
Hammburger

Portugal. The Man’s new album “In The Mountain In The Cloud” is now available for pre-order! Check out this super-pack of goods all for just $115 while you stream the record.
In The Mountain In The Cloud (Snippets) by Portugaltheman

Deluxe Edition CD, Specially Packaged
White Vinyl LP
Limited Edition Lithograph, each signed and hand-numbered by The Fantastic The (John Gourley & Austin Sellers)
T-Shirt
Set of 3 Field Journals
Digital Album Delivered on Street Date
2-Patch Set
Immediate MP3 Download of “Got It All”

Posted in Burgers | Tagged burger, cheese, ciancio, conquest, dear cheeseburger, eastside big tom, french, fries, great, guest blog, hamburger, Hammburger, In The Mountain In The Cloud, new york, ny, nyc, olympia, portugal the man, rev, review, the, the rev meter for social community, washington, Zach Carothers | 3 Comments

Hamburger America Burger GPS Release Party and Mini-Burger Extravaganza at Idle Hands Bar

Posted on 05/19/2011 by Rev

Hamburger America Burger GPS App Release Party
Idle Hands Bar & Billy Hurricane’s
http://idlehandsbar.com
http://billyhurricanes.com
25 Avenue B
New York, NY 10009

FREE MINI BURGERS to celebrate the release of Hamburger America’s Burger GPS as part of National Hamburger Month.
– Friday, May 20th starting at 11:00 PM

Join ME along with world-renowned Burger expert, George Motz, author of the greatest book ever written about the American Hamburger, “Hamburger America.”

We will be celebrating the release of his “Burger GPS” app featuring “EBT” (Expert Burger Taster); ME. The first 40 people who download the app onto their smart phone and show it to a bartender at Idle Hands or Billy Hurricane’s will get a FREE Mini-Burger from our special menu. Burger Patties GRACIOUSLY supplied by Burger Maker.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP FROM THIS LINK NOW!

Here’s a preview of the Burger GPS. If you click “EBTs,” you’ll find my Burger suggestions!

Click here to read a preview of the book itself.

ABOUT GEORGE MOTZ
George Motz is America’s foremost hamburger expert. Since the publication of the first edition of Hamburger Amer- ica (the book), George has spent a life on the road in search of the most unforgettable burger joints, taste experi- ences and the people behind them. He’s taught a hamburger course at New York University, consulted for many restaurants looking for success with ground beef (He prefers 80/20 chuck, btw.) and created the NYC Food Film Festival, where guests get to “Taste What They See on The Screen”. Hamburger America (the film) was nominated for a James Beard Award and continues to be the foundation that budding restauranteurs turn to when searching for a way to create a soulful experience through chopped meat. Visit George online at www.hamburgeramerica.com

Posted in Bar, Beer, Best Burger in New York, Burgers, East Village, Event, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, National Hamburger Month, New York | Tagged Andrew Fischel, Anthony Bourdain, app, bar, beer, Best Burger in New York, best nyc bar, Bobby Flay, bourbon, burger, burger gps, Burgers, cheap drinks, cheese, ciancio, Completely Revised and Updated, conquest, Ed Levine, free mini burgers, french, fries, george motz, Gourmet Burgers, great, hamburger, hamburger america, hamburger america Completely Revised and Updated, Hamburgers, hands, happpy hour, idle, idle hands bar, Jamie Schweid, Joe Price, Josh Ozersky, Mark Pastore, Michael R. Bloomberg, new york, New York and tagged Adam Kuban, Nick Solares, ny, nyc, pat lafrieda, rev, review, rock, Sef Gonzales, Seth Unger | 3 Comments

DBGB Kitchen and Bar – Craft Beer and Burger Pairings, National Hamburger Month

Posted on 05/19/2011 by Rev

DBGB Kitchen & Bar
http://www.danielnyc.com/dbgb.html
299 Bowery
New York, NY 10003

NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
Day 18

THE CONQUEST
I’m a big boy and while that may seem like a reference to a restaurant famous for the “Double Decker,” with a large plastic smiling boy outside, it isn’t. I am 6’2″ and about 250 LBS of craft beer drinking and Burger lovin’ man. I try to do some cardio 4-5 times a week to keep my “boyish” figure from turning to “big” so I end up walking all over NYC. Yesterday, on my quest to eat 31 Burgers in 31 days for National Hamburger Month I had to walk nearly a mile in the pouring rain to get my daily Burger. By the time I arrived at my destination I was soaking, freaking wet which made me feel like I was 300 LBs. With hours before I would have the opportunity to change into clean clothes, I sure could’ve used a pair of red suspender to change into.

Day #18 of National Hamburger Month brought me to Daniel Boulud’s DBGB. The DBGB Kitchen & Bar is Chef Daniel Boulud’s French brasserie gone sausage filled modern tavern. The restaurant lies just above Houston St off of the Bowery. You’ll see the entrance in the photo below, just beyond the washed out view from underneath my blue umbrella. The DBGB menu is most know by foodies like myself for the large and unique array of artisan sausages. I’ve not eaten them all, but I have definitely tried several times. DBGB also has a couple of really cool and tasty Burgers that brings them a lot of accolade.

All of their menu is balanced with a cornucopia of diverse craft beers from around the world. It’s because of that beer menu that my buddy Phil invited me out to join him for a Burger and Beer pairing to celebrate National Hamburger Month. Phil works for Manhattan Beer Distributors, one of New York City’s premier distributors for craft beer. Phil was incredibly helpful when we were getting ready to launch my bar, Idle Hands. Phil helped to expose me to a lot of great beers from breweries we now carry such as Sly Fox, Peak Organic, 21st Amendment, Arcadia, Fire Island, Captain Lawrence, Ithaca, Southampton Publick House and many. many more. Phil has an incredibly deep knowledge of craft beer and the brewing process but never comes across as a snob or know-it-all. His passion for great beers has had a massive influence on my appreciation for them and therefore, I love hanging out and having beer with Phil.

For our Burger luncheon at DBGB, Phil wanted to pair a couple of their Burgers with a beer from Brouwerij The Musketeers also known as “Troubadour.” It’s been awhile since I’ve done one Rev-style beer review as per the Idle Hands website but here we go…

TROUBADOUR MAGMA
Imperial/Double IPA
9% ABV
Ursel, Belgium

THEY SAY: Even before drinking it, you’re surprised by the explosion of fruity aromas from the dry-hopping with American hops. But the adventure only starts here. The combination of a Belgian Triple style body with a nice balanced IPA (Indian Pale Ale) bitterness takes you on a long trip of sensations.

REV SAYS: For being an Imperial Double, it’s really mild in taste. It’s like the difference between high and low grit sandpaper, intense but still delicate.

THE BURGER
Phil and I decided that beer this tasty and unique should be paired not with one Burger but with two! We decided to split 2 of the 3 Burgers offered at DBGB.

The Yankee – 6 oz Beef patty with Iceberg, Tomato & Vidalia Onion on a Sesame Bun and an Essex St. Pickle.

The Tomato & Onion preparation came across very much like an Italian Red Sauce. It’s citric nature was very tangy and the clear dominant flavor in the sandwich. Somewhere near the end of my half of the Burger someone popped in a small dollop of what I believe was horseradish. I don’t think it was intentional but I actually enjoyed it.

The Piggie – 6 oz Beef patty topped with Daisy May’s BBQ Pulled Pork, Jalapeno Mayonnaise & Boston Lettuce on a Cheddar Bun with Mustard-Vinegar Slaw.

The Piggie, which I have reviewed before, is a really great Sandwich. The Pulled Pork has a fantastic smoked flavor with what I would consider just the right amount of sweet BBQ flavor. It’s easy to over do the sauce when making Pulled Pork and that is NOT the case here. Overall this has a really crazy rainbow of flavors that will have your tongue on a crazy tasting ride.

Both of these Burgers at DBGBs are served on really nice, freshly ground Beef however, the toppings are the star of the show. If you’re a toppings person, this is your Burger. If you’re just into interesting and unique flavors … and delicious craft beer pairings, DBGB is your restaurant.

8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
388 Burgers

May 18, 2011 – 4:21 pm

DBGB Kitchen & Bar scores a 7 on The Rev Meter.

Posted in Beer, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers, National Hamburger Month, New York | Tagged beer, beer pairings, Brouwerij The Musketeers, burger, cheese, ciancio, conquest, craft beer, daniel boulud, dbgb, french, frenchie, fries, great, hamburger, magma, manhattan beer, micro, new york, ny, nyc, piggie, rev, review, the, the rev meter for social community, troubadour | Comments Off

Spotlight on Artisanal Products, Pat LaFrieda Talks Meat at Eataly – Shake Shack, National Hamburger Month

Posted on 05/17/2011 by Rev

Eatlay La Scuola – Pat LaFrieda Talks Meat
Spotlight on Artisanal Products
http://eatalyny.com/learn

Shake Shack
http://www.shakeshacknyc.com/
11 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10010

NATIONAL HAMBURGER MONTH
Day 17

THE CONQUEST
Eating Burgers and drinking craft beer has made my life more amazing. If it wasn’t for my Glorious Pursuit of Delicious Burgers and role as the beer sommelier and at the bar I co-own, Idle Hands, I wouldn’t know the folks at LaFrieda Meats or my now co-workers at Thrillist. If I hadn’t come across Pat or helping to source programs for Thrillist Rewards, I would’ve never received an email from Cristina at Eataly with the following words; “you are all confirmed to attend Pat’s class next Tuesday, May 17th at 6:30pm.”

I guess I can say that life is good…and filled with meat.

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.

LaFrieda Meats supplies all the meat available at Eataly, New York’s answer to the the Torino, Italy fresh-food market of the same name. Every so once in awhile, in the spare hour of time that he doesn’t have, Pat participates in in Eataly’s La Scuola “Spotlight on Artisanal Products” demonstration and cooking lessons. Tonight, Phil, Arshan and I from Thrillist were going to sit and enjoy the lesson and the food!

The event started off with a little anecdotal history of his family, his career as a butcher, his passion for high quality Meat and the story of the his very first client working for his father. That client, Mario Batali. As their relationship grew tighter and tighter, one day Pat got a call from him and said they needed to go to Torino, Italy to see a store called “Eataly” that Mario wanted to recreate in NYC. Long story short and millions of dollars later, Eataly opened and is the only “retail” location for LaFrieda Meats. As the night goes in, Pat fills in the blanks with stories about hunting at his Western New Jersey “place of refuge,” cooking for the local authorities and his passion for bow hunting. Interspersed among that are tips on scimitar knives, the importance of rubber gloves while cooking and the difference between old world and new world methods.

Pat is joined by Eataly executive Chef Alex Pilas who, once Pat butchers the various Meats, actually does the cooking and walks the room through the cooking process. He explains spicing, preparation and actual cooking theories as well as opinions on how to not overdue it with ingredients. They are joined by Dan Amatuzzi, Eataly’s Wine Director. Dan pairs each of the Meat courses with different Italian wines. He walks through the tasting notes of each wine as well as the theory behind each pairing. The entire class is very interactive and you are free to talk, ask questions and exchange opinions with the three of them.

Here is the official word from Eataly, on the event as well as the menu:

Class Description
You’ve heard his name, you’ve devoured his burger, now take his class. Eataly has teamed up with Manhattan’s leading meat authority, Pat LaFrieda, to bring you one of the best butcher departments in town. In this back to the basics class, Pat will discuss Beef, Pork, Veal and Lamb. Pat will butcher various cuts of meat while Eataly’s chefs demonstrate delicious and classic recipes for you to taste. Each dish will be perfectly paired with wine and class will be complete with recipes to take home.

Menu
Carne Cruda (Beef Crudo)
– paired with Monte Rossa Franciacorta “Prima Cuvee” Brut NV, Lombardia
Porchetta (Roast Pork)
– paired with Brandini Langhe Arneis 2010, Piemonte
Vitello Saltimbocca (Veal Saltimbocca)
– paired with Borgogno Barbera D’ Alba Superiore 2008, Piemonte
Agnello alla Scottadito (Lamb Chops)
– paired with Borgogno Barbera D’ Alba Superiore 2008, Piemonte

Pat LaFrieda owns and operates Pat LaFrieda Wholesale Meat Purveyors, a meat supplier in the West Village that was founded in 1922 by his grandfather, “the original Pat LaFrieda.” Pat was always drawn to the family business, helping out from the time he was in elementary school. After a brief stint as a Wall Street stock broker (and with a degree in business to boot) Pat followed his namesake and committed himself to revitalizing his family’s company. At the time, Pat and his father were the only butchers, his aunt handled the orders, and the business served under a hundred restaurants in the city; today the company has over a hundred employees and handles over 600 local accounts, as well as shipping to about a hundred restaurants along the East Coast. Pat owes much of his company’s success to having fundamentally remained the sort of quirky, homespun operation that is increasingly endangered in New York City.

THE MEAT

Carne Cruda (Beef Crudo)
While slicing up the cut of Meat, Pat spends a moment to reflect on the importance of immune system in eating raw Beef. Something like Tartar, is not for young children or the elderly who may have undeveloped or weakened immune systems. Once the Piedmontese Beef is sliced up, Chef Alex explained that the key to good Crudo is to keep the recipe simple and let the Beef own the taste of the dish. Shortly there after, you are eating the Crudo while Dan gives notes on the wine.

The very delicate seasoning allows you to taste the Beef just as the Meat Gods intended. It’s very lean, soft but not chewy, creamy rather than juicy and should be eaten in small bites so that you can enjoy each and every bite! The simplicity of the Beef presentation let’s the acidity in the sparking wine to pronounce itself.

Porchetta (Roast Pork)
LaFrieda gets all of their Pork from a USDA approved farm in Iowa. As Pat talks about the importance of the USDA he also explains the difficulties. They have to provide a desk and an office at all times for a USDA office who can come and go as they please. This helps to create and maintain the highest standards of quality and cleanliness. Pat also told us how important it is to him that he pays visits to every farm he is sourcing their meat from.

Porchetta is made by wrapping a fattier Pork Belly around a leaner Pork Loin and adding in a few simple spices in the middle. It’s roasted in an oven and in the end has a crispy outer shell around a ring of creamy and fatty Belly that reveals a leaner inner circle of Pork Loin. There’s a thing layer of spices to separate the inner two layers. The fat melts into the loin adding more flavor to the entire dish. It’s an entrée full of juxtaposition, so try to make sure you get parts of both in every bite. The wine is a little sharp on its own but in this pairing, the Pork neutralizes a lot of the wine’s spicier end.

Vitello Saltimbocca (Veal Saltimbocca)
Veal is very expensive due to the labor intensive nature of the butchering process as well as the manner in which the cows are raised. The real lesson here is in the butchering of the Meat. Keep the pounding of the Meat very light so as to not lose any of the juices. In fact, on our menu sheets it suggests asking the Eataly butchers to do this for you. Just before Pat hands the proverbial mic over to Alex he explained that Veal itself doesn’t have a lot of taste so it allows chef to bring flavor to it.

The Veal is so thin that it only needs to be cooked on one side and Alex has it cooked up in minutes. While he was frying it up in the pan, I tried out the first red wine of the evening. I’m not much of a white wine fan so I spent a little more time smelling and tasting this very soft and velvety wine. Likewise, I’m not much of a Veal so I wasn’t particularly excited for what we were about to eat.

DAMN!

This dish was simply amazing. The flavor profile is so succulent and very savory. Salt haters be warned, this is not for you. The Crispy prosciutto really overtakes the subtle taste of the veal and almost becomes the star of the show. If you eat it slow in enough and in stride, you’ll taste all the that it has to offer and realize the Prosciutto really needs the Veal and the blanched Sage to make this what it is. As for the pairing, the Veal knocks out the middle of the wine letting you really taste the spices and acidity. The buttery flavor literally disappears under the weight of the Meat. The mouth feel on this is great. It’s very thin, easy to cut and melts into your mouth after it’s flavors are done exploding. Pat and Alex may have changed my mind on Veal.

Agnello alla Scottadito (Lamb Chops)
While I was still enjoying the delicious Veal dish, Pat had moved onto the Lamb. He explained what it means to French the meat which is essentially removing the fat and membranes from between the bones. This is done by finer dining restaurants soley for look and appeal. This is where the passion in Pat’s voice really, really kicked in. This guy seriously loves Lamb and whenever a restaurant orders there Lamb Frenched, that means that Pat and crew are going to have a great dinner at home. Whether it’s using these “Lamb Fingers” or the cap for Bolognaise or grinding it up for Burgers, you can tell that this guy loves his Lamb. Apparrently Pat isn’t the only one as he went on to call ground Lamb “the new black” as far as popularity in making Burgers here in NYC. Phil asked Pat what was his favorite Lamb Burger in New York to which he answered, The Breslin.
Talk about food porn! Wow. Cutting into the Chops revealed a perfectly cooked-medium rare that had me snapping off about a dozen photos in an attempt to truly capture the visual pleasures of this dish. It’s served in a lightly used sweet browning sauce that balances with the deep and rich Meat flavors. I absolutely loved the sparsely used crispy salt and pepper coating. It’s savory nature cuts apart your taste buds making room for the the extremely juicy and succulent piece of lamb beneath. These tastes will be lingering with you for a few minutes. It was so good that I almost forgot the pair the wine! While it was a good pairing and a great wine, its almost a sin to pair with the wine because the flavors in the meat are just so good!

Eataly’s Spotlight on Artisanal Products “Pat LaFrieda Talks Meat” program was not only the most delicious cooking class I have ever participated in it, it was also the most fun, the most sensational and the most interactive. Rumor has it, Pat switches up the Meat they prepare with every class. This begs the question, how much is a season pass and where can I get one?!??!

THE BURGER
So yeah, what about that whole “31 Burgers in 31 days for National Hamburger Month,” that I am doing. Despite LaFrieda’s reputation for supplying the meat for some of the cities most sought after Burgers, there were none on the menu this evening. Hamburgers just aren’t a part of the regular Italian diet and not something you would normally find on a menu in the country. Respect due, but what was I supposed to do? Rely on Phil from Thrillist that is, who demanded we walk across the street from Eataly and eat at the Shake Shack.

What better Burger to cap off a Pat LaFrieda meat adventure with than the one that was crowned “the best” at Rachel Ray’s Blue Moon Burger Bash! The three of us marched over to Madison Square Park, placed our orders and parked our butts in chairs while we waited for our Shack Burgers to be ready. Thank you Phil, thank you. Kudos for you to keeping me on track at the halfway mark. Way to step it up buddy.

What makes it even more appropriate is that the Shake Shack opened their newest location today in Washington DC. Of course, you can read about that on Thrillist. What a great company.

For my full review on the Shake Shack, one of the best Burgers in NYC, read this post.

8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev