353 Burgers Will Make You Burger Famous

Posted on 04/01/2011 by Rev

Brothers and Sisters in the Burgerverse,

Allow me to thank each and every one of you that has ever read this site, suggested a Burger, eaten a Burger with me, served me a Burger or participated in any activity that resulted in web traffic to the Burger Conquest website, Twitter and Facebook pages.

I started this site in October of 2008 with the simple idea of eating Burgers with my friends and sharing the stories online. I never intended it to be anymore than that. The fact that more than my Mom and wife read this site is an honor for me. Forget the fact that I’ve contributed to a number of other great food sites, met many great foodies, traveled around the globe crushing burgers, have been hired by the Grill ‘Em All Truck as their business manager and been on TV several times is all just simply amazing. Becoming the world’s most socially connected burger blogger was something that I never imagined.

So with that, I say it again, Thank you.

Why do I bring this up today? Because 353 Burgers later, I got the call. It’s going to happen. For everyone of you that’s said “Rev, you should have your own TV show,” you’re getting your wish. I can’t reveal the details yet but it’s going to happen.

I’m beside myself with Burger Excitement.

Thank you

Rev “Burger Famous”

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April 2nd, 2011
Update!!

I’m now able to reveal some details about all of this. Click here to learn more about what I am up to.

 

Posted in Best Burger in New York, Burgers, Gourmet Burgers, New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Second Bar + Kitchen – What You Should Eat During SXSW

Posted on 03/29/2011 by Rev

Second Bar + Kitchen
http://congressaustin.com/second/
200 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701

SXSW 2011 Part 1

THE CONQUEST
SXSW, four letters that 35,000 plus people who attended it know exactly what it stands for; South By Southwest. It’s a 10 day music, film and technology conference that happens every mid-March in Austin, TX. Celebrating its 26th year, SXSW is a fantastic opportunity to network, learn about new media, see a whole mess of emerging and established bands and eat great food all while getting out of the dreary NYC cold weather to enjoy what is also known as “Spring  Break for the Music Business.”

2011 marks my 14th SXSW in a row. I got my very first tattoo at my very first SXSW. After taking my first steps on 6th Street, the main drag in Austin which serves as the center point for showcases and parties, I knew I had finally found the right place to get my first ink. Along with some friends, I’ve also started a yearly day party at Emo’s, the famous rock club, called Full Metal Texas that brings together some of the best new talent in the world of heavy metal and hardcore. I’m also the man behind the yearly Record Breaking Flaming Dr. Pepper Happy Hour. It’s a tradition of gathering every Friday of SXSW to see how many Flaming Doctor Pepper’s we can drink in one hour. It takes place at the bar that invented the drink, Touche. We have re-broken the record every single year!!

I absolutely love going to SXSW for every reason listed above and also because of all the great food in Austin. With so much to do, sitting down for a proper meal hardly ever happens and when it does, it’s usually due to a meeting or a party. You end up eating a lot of street food, quick bites, buffets and limited offering menus and while it’s all usually pretty good, that regular old restaurant experience is pretty limited. Thankfully my good friend Julie from 365+ Media took me to meet her boyfriend, Chef Ethan Holmes of Second Bar + Kitchen, because it resulted in one of the best sit down meals I have ever had in during SXSW.

Second Bar + Kitchen is the latest off shoot of Congress, the popular fine dining restaurant located in downtown Austin, TX. It’s a more casual experience that could best be described as an elevated gastropub. Their inventive menu includes small plates, locally sourced products, seasonal delights and interesting selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails. Whether your up for a locally made board of Cheese, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Pizza Bianco or Wild Arugula Salad, you’re guaranteed to find something interesting and delicious. Grab a seat at the bar or at a table, in or out of doors and get ready for one of the most approachable yet artisan meals in Central Texas. Executive Chef David Bull and his team will leave you wanting to come back for more.

It provided the perfect back drop for a dinner meeting I had with my friend Frank who is a very talented and well respected producer manager.

THE BURGER
My only real intention was to chomp down on the Congress Burger, Chef Ethan wasn’t going to let us escape without a custom designed culinary wild ride. We started off with Buffalo Fried Pickles with Bull’s Hot Sauce and Gorgonzola Cheese. I’m not much of a Pickle fan, in fact I kind of hate them but Ethan was so excited that I had to give them a go. While there was no conversion of my palette, my opinion remains the same on Pickles, I will tell you that they were damn good. So good that I peeled the breading off the rest of one just so I could keep enjoying them. I’d love to see how this breading and sauce tasted if it was prepared with Hot Wings or Chicken Fingers.

Following up the fermented Cucumbers was an appetizer that on name alone will have you salivating; Avocado Fundido. Second Bar + Kitchen tops freshly picked and creamy Avocado with baked Queso Fresco & House Chorizo, serving it with Chipotle Masa Chips for dipping. Yeah, it tastes as good as it sounds! Move over Guacamole, you’ve been ousted as the mayor of appetizers on Foodsquare!

While both of these items were quite fantastic and I would never sway you away from ordering them, know that the next item we ordered is the one I would consider a MUST; Pepperoni Soup. Imagine all the toppings of a Pizzza, served in a soup bowl and covered with baked Mozzarella ala Swiss Cheese on French Onion Soup served with Garlic Croutons for dipping. It’s essentially a slice of Pizza but served in a very unique way. Second Bar + Kitchen uses the Holy Grail of Tomatoes, San Marzano, to make this incredibly delicious and amazing dish.

It’s easy to ruin your meal with all these amazing appetizers but once you read about this, you’ll think twice before doing it, the Congress Burger. The patty is made from house ground Brisket and Chuck and topped with Shallot Confit, Gruyere, Greens & Horseradish Pickles. While I would consider using the word “Confit” in this situation a bit of an artistic liberty, much like me, you won’t care once you take a bite. The sweetness of the Shallots reduced into a savory sandwich such as this is pure taste bud bliss. The flavors only get more complex by adding the slightly salty aged qualities of a hard Cheese like Gruyere and the juicy fresh mix of locally sourced Beef. The patty could’ve been served on it’s own and still be awesome but it’s sandwich counter parts make this one of the best Burgers I have ever had!

While we both sat completely blown away by the awesome Burg we just crushed, I exclaimed to Frank that Second Bar + Kitchen was definitely going to be added to my BEST OUTSIDE NYC list of Burgers. Frank agreed it was a damn fine selection and that’s when Ethan pulled out one more trick from the kitchen. Suddenly we were staring down a plate of Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding topped with Bacon Ice Cream and a Chocolate Toffee Sauce. Given the choice, I’d rather have more of something salty in my meal than a dessert but this dish might make me reconsider my opinion. It’s as good as it sounds with enough wacky elements to please any type of food palette.

Do yourself a favor and if you attended SXSW but missed out on this amazing Burger either book a flight right now or be sure to add it to your agenda in 2012. (Along with Full Metal Texas and The Flaming Dr. Pepper Happy Hour!)


9 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGERCOUNTQUEST
353 Burgers

Mar 16, 2011 – 9:30 PM

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South Houston – Thrillist Tested & Burger Conquest Approved

Posted on 03/29/2011 by Rev

South Houston
http://www.southhoustonnyc.com
331 West Broadway
New York, NY 10013-2265

Back in February Burger Conquest and Thrillist Rewards road tested a new menu item at South Houston in NYC called “The Bulldog.” It’s a house-made deep Fried Hot Dog served in a bun and is layered with a Fried Egg, Hash Browns, American Cheese, Beef Chili & Sour Cream. Then the entire thing is wrapped in Bacon and then baked until crispy. It was invented by the owner of South Houston, Michael Carpiniello and it’s a fantastically epic gut-busting food item.

It’s also now available for a limited time through Thrillist Rewards for a special price of $25. The reward comes as part of a 3 course meal with a craft beer of choice (I suggest the unfiltered River Horse Lager!) Do not miss out on this amazing reward!!!

As you know by now, I have joined up with the Thrillist team to help create these sweet Rewards. My favorite part about them is that every single Reward that goes live on Thrillist is road-tested by the team themselves to ensure the utmost in quality experiences. If you read the “how it works” section of the Thrillist Rewards site you’ll see “Thrillist-Approved,Custom Experiences. We team up with our local contacts to develop an itinerary of can’t-miss things to do in your city each week.” Well let me tell you fellow eaters, it’s 100% the truth. Enjoy an inside look at Thrillist road-testing for Reward creation but I would defintely go buy the Reward first before it runs out!!

ENJOY THE BULLDOG!

Got a restaurant, bar, experience or local business that you think is right for a reward? Drop me an line.

Happy eating
-Rev

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Laurel Tavern – Over The Hills and Marrow Away

Posted on 03/28/2011 by Rev

Laurel Tavern
http://www.laureltavern.net
11938 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604

THE CONQUEST
As a proud resident of New York City, it’s a tough swallow to admit that Los Angeles just might be the premier Burger town. The Big Apple is the best city in the world with 5 distinctly different boroughs, a vast array of cultural influences and more awesome choices for local business than any other town. LA has smog, traffic, attitude, Hollyweird and a downtown area that people generally avoid as if that is where the zombie apocalypse had taken part. My patience for the place has a 3-5 day time limit that is usually measured by the amount of traffic I have sit in.

But as Burger Fanatic, it would be entirely unfair and untrue for me to stand behind the premise that the City of Angels had inferior Burgers. Truth told, it has not only some of the best burgers I have had, but also some of the most diverse. In fact, the cornucopia of LA Burgers is pretty damn special and ALMOST makes the town tolerable. Burger lovers will sing the praises with me for Father’s Office, The Apple Pan, 25 Degrees, Pie and Burger, 8 oz Burger Bar, Irv’s Burgers, The Counter and of course, the Grill ‘Em All Truck. If your a Burger Junkie like me, LA is a great town to get your Burger fix on. It’s also a great town when you know people like my pals Jackie, Tom and Brad who are way down to crush Burgs when The Rev arrives in town. On this trip in particular, Tom suggested we meet up at the Laurel Tavern.

In the worked beyond LA, just North of the Laurel Canyon, is a part of town that’s easily forgotten by the Hollywood types called “the Valley.” It houses towns like Burbank, Sherman and Oaks and their Hollywood connector piece, Studio City. For people who want to be near “it” but not in “it,” the Valley offers proximity, affordability, a more suburban experience and The Laurel Tavern. This brick and wood decorated gastropub is pleasing pallets in a space that formerly housed the lounge known as Sapphire. It has a good selection of interesting American-made craft beers and a concise menu that offers Burgers, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, House Made Pickles and a few other savory vittles. Owners Will Shamlian and Mark Leddy, also known for Library Bar in Downtown and Silver Lake’s 4300 bar are trying to give you a great pub experience that’s tasty and without pretense. They’ve created quite the buzz around their Burger selection and that’s all the reasons a couple of Burger buds need to venture forth. Grab a seat, a beer and a menu and when you are ready, place your order at the counter.

THE BURGER
After a couple micro brews and some chit chat, that’s exactly what we did. Nothing says “it’s great to see you” like sharing an appetizer of Pork Belly Skewers because that’s what real friends do, share. The smoky and salty selection has a unique taste combo of great rib meat atop of fatty bacon. There’s an underlying sweetness that pulls it all together and makes it a must-share. Sprinkle on a little Lime if you want to add a 3rd sensation of sour to tickle your tongue.

Read through a couple of the reviews and stories on this site and you’ll realize something is missing…Vegetables. Well, other than a Potato or a Salad, it’s just not that often that they are offered along side of Hamburgers. Well, that’s at least the excuse I am going to give you as to why I really don’t eat too many of them, a lack of access. But contrary to popular belief, I do like them and every once in awhile you come across a Burger spot that has interesting Vegetable plates. At the Laurel Tavern they have a whole roasted Artichoke that is almost as overwhelming to look at as it is to eat! Chew on the outer leaves, scrape the backs of the inner leafs and dig into the heart because this whole thing is delicious.

If you’re an LA Burgermeister you’re all too familiar with the concept of Hickory Sauce. It’s been made more than famous by a number of Burger joints, most notably The Apple Pan. For those not “cool enough” to be in the LA-Burger knowledge base, Hickory sauce is simply a smoky BBQ sauce / ketchup hybrid and when it’s done right, it’s fantastic a top a Burger. In a show of local loyalty and Burger tradition, The Laurel Tavern offers up a Hickory Burger and when I saw it on the menu, there was no need for further menu inspection. Served on a study bun, it also comes with grilled onions and lettuce. The Beef in the patty has a great real-beef taste that screams of quality cuts of Meat brought out by the deep char cooking. The reason we love backyard BBQ Burgers is the char flavor a grill gives adds to the profile and the Laurel Tavern Burger has a whole bunch of it. A really, really tasty and savory Burger indeed but my only one wish was that it had more Hickory Sauce. Respectfully, the Chef is clearly trying to let the Beef dominate the tastes here so my opinion is really only based on the fact that I had Hickory Sauce on the brain.

Willing to go out on a food limb? Put in an order for the Laurel Tavern Roast Marrowbones. It’s a rather simple dish made from literally roasted the marrow inside a bone and adding parsley on the side. Regardless of it’s short instructions, it’s not that easy to actually make correctly and hence part of the reason its considered a serious foodie delicacy.  Done correctly, it’s served bubbling hot and then spread onto crostini with a sprinkle of the parsley. It’s a bold move to order and and even bolder move to offer it. Thankfully the Laurel Tavern knows how to do it just right. The scent of this extremely salty dish is practically mesmerizing. Don’t be a wuss, order some up and dig right in, you didn’t come over to the valley for no reason.

While I hate LA, I do love it’s Burgers and moreover, the reason they give me to hang with my friends at great places like the Laurel Tavern.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
351 Burgers

Mar. 7, 2011 – 7:45 PM

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Grill ‘Em All Truck at Scion Rock Fest – Bow At The Altar of Madness

Posted on 03/26/2011 by Rev

Grill ‘Em All Truck
Scion Rock Fest
http://grillemalltruck.com
http://www.scion.com/rock/
Pomona, CA

THE CONQUEST
In 2009, the metal brethren and I ventured to the land of Atlanta for the first Scion Rock Fest where before and after the show, I held a massive 2-day Burger Conquest at the truly awesome Vortex. In 2010 we hopped into the SlayRV to attend the 2nd Annual Scion Rock Fest in Columbus, OH. There we held another metal Burger Conquest at the famous Thurman Cafe. Enter 2011 and this year the amazing and free metal festival known as the Scion Rock Fest announced they would be holding this year’s event in Pomona, CA.

The moment word of these super radical mosh-fest graciously paid for by the Scion car company hit my inbox, I immediately started to think of places where we could keep the metal Burger Conquest tradition alive. That’s right when the request came in. The Scion Rock Fest was asking the LA based, heavy-metal themed, gourmet Burger Truck and my business clients, Grill ‘Em All if they would like to provide the food for fest attendees.  “It’s funny how life imitates art,” or is “if you build it, they will come?” Either or, they both apply.

The story gets deeper. Not only did it make perfect sense for the trucks to be serving their head-banging brand of Burgers at this amazing festival but there was something bigger afoot here. One of the 4 stages at Scion was to be headlined by the band Municipal Waste. Their face-ripping brand of thrash was Chef Ryan’s inspiration when he created the Waste ‘Em All, a Burger topped with Green Chilies, Pepper Jack & Beer soaked Onions. As return gesture of Burger Appreciation, their drummer Dave Witte, perhaps one of the most talented and equally insane skinsmen in the world, offered to create a Burger for the Grill ‘Em All menu. Thus was born a Burger that matched Dave’s skill set and mental edge, the Witte; (pr. Wit-e) a Burger covered in Cream Cheese, deep fried Bacon, Beer & Sriracha soaked Onions & Malt Vinegar Aioli. It’s pure unadulterated Burger goodness gone mad and I guarantee you will love it. But the best part … Dave Witte has never eaten his own Burger from The Grill ‘Em All Truck!!!

Until now…

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The man, the myth, the legend, the stretched polyester pounding maniac with a penchant for Burgers as crazed as his playing style, looked like a kid on Christmas Day morning discovering the Red Rider BB Gun that Santa Claus has brought as he plowed through his name-sake creation. It brought a little tear to my eye and at the same time made me a little jealous that I haven’t developed the musical skills that would earn me an item on the coveted Grill ‘Em All Burger menu.

The entire band joined Dave on for his triumphant moment of meta-Burger eating, each of them devouring a selection from the trucks. Later on that night, they went on to play one of the BEST sets I have ever seen them play. Was it the Burgers? Well, it’s a little too late to call in the medical examiners on that one but I don’t think there’s a soul that could completely refute the idea.

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Their thrashtastic madness sent the entire Glasshouse into an hour long fit of headbanging, moshing and taking it to the face. You see, not only can the MW guys rip up some sick riffs and nasty mosh parts but they know how to keep it fun because life is supposed to be a good time. Fueled by rad Burgers and cold beers, there’s no way you could have a bad time at one of their shows. Just ask Chef Ryan who due to the electricity in the bar, lost control of his composure and took a wicked stage dive during the band’s set.

Chef Ryan stage dives during Municipal Waste at the Scion Rock Fest

The entire event was a raging good time out in the California sunshine with a ton of excellent bands including one of my favorite performances of the show, Primate. This grinding speed beast features the talents of vocalist Kevin Sharp from Brutal Truth and Bill Kelliher from Mastodon. They played in the tent directly behind Grill ‘Em All’s Son of Beast so we all took a moment away from the trucks to enjoy their face-ripping brutality.

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But then it was right back to the trucks where the hordes of hungry headbangers who were looking to grow their bodies with Grill ‘Em All Burgers were not letting up.

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THE BURGER
As if the great music, great food, great weather and great people were not a reason enough to partake in the Scion Rock Fest there was still the business of my yearly Scion Rock Fest Heavy Metal Burger Conquest. For 2011, it was the Grill ‘Em All Truck and the debut of their latest special, the Altar of Madness Burger. Created just in time for the event, this insane creation comes topped with Duck Confit, Bourbon Soaked Cashews, Goat Cheese & Macerated Cherries. While the name certainly applies to a sandwich of such creative magnitude, it has a deeper meaning. It was named after one of the Scion Rock Fest’s headlining bands, Morbid Angel and their album “Altars of Madness.” Matt and Ryan seemed to think it was a perfect fit as in “works together” not just “confit!”

This Burger, much like the music of Morbid Angel, is no easy pill to swallow. Only a true connoisseur of Burgerific insanity should attempt to master this creation. Chef Ryan loves to feed you and feed you a lot, just like the good Midwestern boy that he is and as such, the Altar of Madness is for sure a two-handed beast. Be sure to strap on a seat belt and stock up napkins before you pray to its madness. With the finest of buns from Wheatland Baking and a fantastic fresh ground Beef Patty from Rocker Brothers, the Grill ‘Em All Burger doesn’t even really need toppings to make it great but that is where the genius lies. Chef Ryan and Kenny Smith spend hours in the prep kitchen hand making the Duck Confit, which is no easy matter. By cooking down the Duck in it’s own fat, it creates what is actually considered to be a preservative, that has amazing tastes that come from the natural oils in the meat combined with a special selection of spices. Upping the challenge from their, they take batches of Cashews and sautée them in Bourbon, Butter, Brown Sugar, Salt and Pepper. The process adds a unique flavor to the buttery taste of a Cashew but also softens their texture. Add in the intense creaminess of Goat Cheese and the sour meets sweet sensation of macerated Cherries and you have a Burger that truly lives up to a name like “Altar of Madness.”

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8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
350 Burgers

Mar. 5, 2011 – 6:23 pm

Posted in Burgers, Event, Gourmet Burgers, Los Angeles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Irv’s Burgers – Your Main Street of America

Posted on 03/20/2011 by Rev

Irv’s Burgers
http://www.yelp.com/biz/irvs-burgers-west-hollywood
8289 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046

THE CONQUEST
We’ve all heard of Route 66 but what do you actually know about it? I’m not talking about the TV show or the multitude of songs recorded by bands like the Nat King Cole Trio, The Rolling Stones or Depeche Mode. I am talking about “The Main Street of America” that was also known as “The Diagonal Highway,” and “The Will Rogers Highway.” It was a  stretch of highway that once connected the Pacific Ocean with the town of Chicago and all points in-between.  While many of the business that once ran along side this mystical street that inspired a lot of this country’s car culture, there is one classic that still stands today, Irv’s Burgers.

If someone doesn’t point out to you, and that includes Linda Ronstadt who once featured a panoramic photo of Irv’s inside her album “Living In The USA,” you would and probably have, driven right past it.

Irv’s is located on the North East Corner of Sweetzer and Santa Monica Boulevard. It’s hidden amongst much flashier retail stores, including a much more pronounced competing Burger shop and despite all the changes and growth of the neighborhood, Irv’s has been there since 1950. While Linda certainly took the biggest swing, the place is no stranger to the 70’s music elite as it’s a been known to be a favorite for everyone from Jim Morrison to Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. The menu is pretty simple and while they offer Hot Dogs, Omelets, Bagels and Pastrami, the reason for the hype the most classic of classic LA-style Hamburgers. There’s no frills and nothing fancy, just a short order counter and a few outdoor plastic patio tables but Irv’s does have a secret weapon beyond the Burg.

While the spot is still owned by the notorious “Irv,” it’s the Hong family and specially Sonia Hong that lease the property and run the business. Sonia runs the counter most days and you will be hard pressed to find a more energetic, passionate and friendly person in the entire food service industry. Sonia treats each customer like they are family with a little small talk, a friendly greeting, a personal touch that’s all spread with cheer and good humor. Every Burger Sonia serves comes with more than just toppings and sides, it comes with a hand drawn picture and personal greeting. No gloomy day feelings stand a chance against her beaming kindness and individual attention. I mean come on, look at this picture and tell me you wouldn’t have a smile on your face if you were me.

If everyone ate here once a week, the world would be a much happier place and maybe Unicorns would finally feel comfortable revealing their whereabouts.

THE BURGER
The Irv’s Burger is a CLASSIC American, no frills needed, Cheese Burger. It’s the kind of sandwich that not only this town but this entire country were built upon. Every Burger can be made to order but normally comes with Cheese, Lettuce, Onion, Tomato, Pickle, Ketchup, Mustard and Mayo. It’s all stacked between a classic, George Motz approved, white squishy Bun…unless you’re the skinny Hollywood actress that sat at the table next to me, for them the Burger can be ordered in a Lettuce Wrap. The lean and fresh Beef Patty has a mild and all naturally beef flavor. It’s easy to over salt a Burger like this, but Irv’s after 6 decades of Burger making, has the seasoning down just right. It comes together to form a delicious American staple sandwich that should be on the “must have” list of every Burger eater in the world.

While the Burger is truly wonderful, it’s matched by the thick-cut, crispy, golden French Fries. There’s nothing more frustrating in Tater land than bland, soggy or flimsy French Fries. In fact, let’s admit it together, those sliced, blanched, fried and season cut strips of Potatoes are awesome and a favorite food to all who own a mouth. Well let me tell you, that the Fries at Irv’s should be put in the dictionary next to the definition. I’m still bewildered with the Actress who skipped out on them.

So get in that car and drive-past the In-N-Out only a couple of blocks away, they have NOTHING on Irv’s who will make a burger, “Just For You.”


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
349 Burgers

Mar. 4, 2011 – 3:43 PM

Posted in Burgers, Los Angeles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Wall Street Burger Shoppe – Offline Social Networking

Posted on 03/14/2011 by Rev

Wall Street Burger Shoppe
http://www.burgershoppenyc.com
30 Water Street
New York, NY 10004

THE CONQUEST
In a world obsessed with social networking, texting and over sharing, sometimes it feels like people actually prefer to connect through a digital medium rather than face to face. These creations are meant to bring us closer together but often times look like they are adding a layer to our interactions. When they actually work to introduce us to like minded people and create real world relationships, well that’s when the magic happens! While recently attending Social Media Week here in NYC, that’s exactly what happened when I met Lea from MacCheesy and Rachel, the Fabulous Foodie.

All 3 of us were attending the “It’s Lunchtime! Now What?” Presented by NearSay & SideBAR and in fact, Lea was on the panel itself. She was representing Bizzy.com, a social network that draws people together based on favorite local business recommendations. It’s a great way to find out about business from people you’ve never met based on having similar recommendations and tastes. Much like the fantastic panel we attended, it’s a great way to link up with like-minded likers. To see what I listed as a favorite, check out my Bizzy Profile. For more on the panel, check out Rachel’s review on The Fabulous Foodie.

As the panel wrapped up and business cards were exchanged, the 3 of us decided to to make a later lunch date that combined Lea’s Macaroni and Cheese obsessed MacCheesy, Rachel’s Fabulous Foodie Bites and my Burger Conquest. At Lea’s suggestion, enter the Wall Street Burger Shoppe.

Standing on Water Street, a stone’s throw away from NYC’s Stone Street in the Financial District, the Wall Street Burger Shoppe is giving the city a new taste of an old idea. The Shoppe is two restaurants in one. The ground floor is an old school Soda Fountain style luncheonette covered in white tiling, offering take away service and a few dine-in stools. Head up stairs for a classic New York pub experience. The upstairs “saloon” offers table side service as well as a full service bar that has a small yet very interesting selection of craft beers. The Wall Street Burger Shoppe is the Burger-Child of  ex-corporote chef of Pop Burger, Kevin O’Connell, Heather Tierney, the founder of Sorted dining concierge; and was designed by the founder of Coexist, Chris Tierney.

The Wall Street Burger Shoppe menu is an interesting collection of Salads, starters and a wide-array of non-traditional Burgers. Using only Hereford Beef from Ottomanelli & Sons, choose from selections like the Richard Nouveau Burger made with Prime Kobe beef, grilled and topped with aged Gruyere, shavedblack Truffles, Foie Gras and golden truffle Mayonnaise or the Obama Burger, a Char-grilled 4oz Hereford Beef Burger with fresh Mozzarella, house-made Marinara and fresh Basil. Feel free to create your own Burger experience or mix-n-match with double, dozen, 50 and even 100 Burger packages.

THE BURGER
But if you happen to be there on a Fabulous MacCheesy Burger Conquest hybrid blogger eat up, order what Lea brought us here to get, the Mac ‘N Cheese Burger. It’s a Char-grilled 8oz blend of Hereford Beef, with Macaroni and four Cheeses (Gruyere, American, Pecorino and Cheddar) GROUNDED INTO THE BEEF PATTY ITSELF!!! With all these amazing options, I knew one Burger wasn’t going to be enough and added the Porter House Burger (my FAV cut of Steak), a Char-grilled 6oz blend of Porterhouse Tail and Chuck Burger with Lettuce, Tomato and Steak Sauce.

After much talk of the Bloggerverse and ways to connect to other foodies, our Burger Smorgasbord arrived. Eating with Food Bloggers is always a funny site, and despite what Anthony Bourdain has to say about people who take pictures of their food, we LOVE to do it. Prop, snap, snap, snap and BITE. I dug my chompers into the Porterhouse Burger first. We’re talking about using the most diverse and savory part of the cow in combination with the most popular cut for burgers. That’s like combining the Circus and the Rodeo into the same show. How could it possibly be anything but exciting?!??! Well this Cowboy ain’t clowin’ around when I tell you this Burger is darn tootin! Served on a nice Sesame Seed Roll and a handful of crunchy lettuce, it’s very savory and tastes more like a tasty Steak than your traditional Hamburger.


8 out of 10 ounces

Ottomanelloi & Sons is a name that should be enough to attract you to a Burger. Add in the word Hereford and you should already be on your way. Throw in 4 kinds of delicious cheese (Gruyere, American, Pecorino and Cheddar) and your mouth should be watering at the idea. But mix it with Macaroni and put it inside the grind and you got yourself a “MUST EAT THIS” moment of culinary adventure. I’m not sure that my request for a Medium-Rare temperature is what caused the Pasta to remain a little Al Dente but if it did, do NOT consider any other option. The Wall Street Burger Shoppe Mac ‘N Cheese Burger is one of the most savory and flavorful Burgers I have ever had. Each creamy and salted bite pure foodie delight. I’m not one for taking things on the easy path and added the cup of Cheese Sauce made for dipping the Fries, right on top of the Burger for a complete Cheesy overload. To keep with theme, Lea uploaded a photo, while giggling, of my Cheese pouring action onto her twitter via Instagram. Well I say go ahead and giggle. Laugh it up like a Circus Clown who now works at the Rodeo because it took my awesome Burger from delicious to dangerously delightful!


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

See what Rachel had to say on the Fabulous Foodie.
Check out Lea’s post on Top Ten Dishes for the Best Macaroni and Cheese in NYC.

I’ll show you my social networking if you show me yours!
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Rev on NearSay

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
336 Burgers

Feb 25, 2011 – 1:24 PM

Posted in Best Burger in New York, Event, Gourmet Burgers, Hamburgers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Korzo Haus – For The Love of Halušky

Posted on 03/13/2011 by Rev

Korzo Haus
http://www.eurotripbrooklyn.com/
178 East 7th St
New York, NY 10009

THE CONQUEST
I love New York’s East Village, or as I call it, The EVILL. I’ve spent a significant portion of my 15 years living here hanging out inside of it. The history, the people, the bars and the restaurants are just amazing. Now that I own a bar inside of the EVILL, Idle Hands Bar – 25 Avenue B, Downstairs, I get to spend a lot of time exploring it. With fun events like the Thrillist Rewards EVILL Craft Beer Crawl, others are getting a great chance to hang out in the best neighborhood for craft beer in the city.

But that’s not all that’s here, there’s also a ton of great, great food and thanks to websites like NearSay, a neighborhood specific social community, I am finding more and more of them. Most recently several people including Trevor from NearSay tipped me off about Korzo Haus.

Korzo Haus is the East Village offshoot of Czechoslovakian natives Otto and Maria Zizak original Korzo restaurant in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They’ve taken their years of culinary training in European restaurants and love for comfort foods and created a unique set of restaurants with a menu based on their native cuisine. Perhaps best known for their Halušky, a heaping plate of Potato Spaetzle that is best served with Bryndza Cheese and crispy Bacon, is often compared to Mac ‘N Cheese. The fried version of the dish is as addictive as food can be and you will most certainly have trouble keeping from scooping handfuls of it into your mouth. Everything at Korzo Haus is as locally sourced, hand-made and organic as it possibly can be, including the beer! Otto has teamed up with the famed Peak Organic brewery to create the delicious Korzo Organic Ale. They also offer a number of other interesting craft beers, most of which are European, along with Salads, interesting sides like Whole-Wheat house made, Pulled Pork Pierogies and more main course style offerings that will appease the staunchest carnivores and the most militant vegetarians. It’s a tiny little rustic restaurant with only a few tables and counter spaces all hiding behind a MASSIVE gothic looking wood door.

The Korzo Burger has been on the top of my “TO EAT” burger list for sometime now so when Michael Cadoux from the Peak Organic Brewery demanded I go with him and our buddy Phil from Manhattan Beer Distributors, the only answer I could give was “when?”

THE BURGER

Korzo Organic Ale
The fantastic malty beer has a more European style taste to it than the other Peak Organic beers. There is so much delicious flavor that you’ll find yourself trying to bite as you drink through its smoothness. You’re gonna want to pound these back it but contain yourself and don’t waste the taste baby!

To make this soon to be legendary Korzo Burger, Otto hand grinds the grass fed Meat each morning that he gets from local producer. It’s placed briefly on the grill and cooked to just slightly above a rare temperature (you can request that it be cooked more but please, for the love of Halušky, don’t.) Then it’s placed inside what they call Langos. It’s a house made Hungarian deep fried Bread, the recipe of which has been handed down 3 generations to Maria, that has a Lavosh turned Biscuit like presentation. Along with the Meat, Korzo Haus shmears in a little of their house made Mustard made from Saskatchewan Seeds soaked in the Korzo Organic Ale. They’re joined by crispy Apple-Wood smoked Bacon, Allgauer Emmentaller (Swiss) Cheese and then briefly deep-fried inside the Langos.

Take a deep breath. I know you need one. The same thing is going to happen when it’s placed in front of you.

The Korzo Burger is amazing. That’s really the easiest way to sum it up. The crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside Langos is such a genius addition to a Burger. Aside of the tasty flavor, the Bun to Beef ratio and complete patty enclosure guarantees you a delicious burger with NO loss of the juices from drippage. The Langos catches every bit and keeps it inside the Burger.  Its toasty flavor kind of reminds me of an Elephant Ear, sans all the Sugar. The soft, soft beef holds together and is bursting with a natural beef flavor. Otto must be some kind of top-level food scientist because with all that is happening in the sandwich, the beef manages dominates as the main flavor.  With such a delicate and intense creation, there is a lot of room for mistakes and yet there is NOT a single one.

Listen here kids, do NOT miss out on the regular or the fried Halušky because your culinary experience will be as incomplete as that 10th grade Geometry exam you skipped out on to go joy riding with your friends.

My man Otto, hot damn!  You say “locally sourced, organic and handmade”, I say “delicious!”

The Korzo Burger is one of the most unique and delicious creations I have ever had the honor and joy of eating. Get your ass down to the EVILL and find out for yourself.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
348 Burgers

Feb. 28, 2011 – 4:32 PM

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

Pork Slapped Sausages – Award Winning Recipe

Posted on 03/11/2011 by Rev

Pork Slapped Sausages

There are so many great reasons to be alive. Let’s list out a couple of small joys that make any day better;  Bacon, Beer, Sausages, Rock and Roll, Friends, Public Holidays, Bourbon, Birthdays, Trophy’s, Bars. Now imagine if you could combine all of that into one? Could your mind and body possibly even begin to accept and appreciate the high level of ass-kickery? If your name is “Jim” and I am your friend, then you didn’t have much of a choice on this day.

My good bud Jim held his birthday party at Idle Hands, the bar I own with a bunch of friends in NYC’s East Village. It just so happened his b-day fell on the night before a public holiday weekend and one where I felt an inkling to cook. Never to take a birthday, or cooking for that matter, lightly, I prepped for a King’s offering. This one requires some patience but trust me, it’s a trophy awarding crowd pleaser.

Burger Conquest Pork Slapped Sausages

INGREDIENTS

1/4 LB Pancetta
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Large White Onion
1 Large Spanish Onion
3 Pounds Assorted Italian Sausages (I heavily suggest using Esposito and Sons Sausages)
6 – 12 oz cans of Porkslap Ale Beer
 3 Packages Hot Dog Style Potato Rolls
Montreal Steak Seasoning

DIRECTIONS

To start, slice all the peppers and onions lengthwise. Be sure to remove all seeds from the peppers.

Finely chop the Pancetta.


Pour a half a can of Porkslap ale into a large pan or pot and add the chopped Pancetta. Set burner to a high flame.

Chop the onions and peppers length wise into long strips and add to the pan or pot.

Sprinkle in about a tablespoon of Montreal Steak Seasoning.

Once mixture is boiling, lower flame to a simmer and add sausages.

As the Porkslap reduces, continue to add it until you have cooked down the entire 6 pack. Never let the mixture go dry.

Leave some of the juice in the mixture. Once you have reduced 5 1/2 cans of Porkslap, you are done cooking.

At this point the onions and peppers will have practically dissolved and taken on the sweet and malty tastes from the Porkslap.

Serve in a soft Potato Roll.

Enjoy all the accolades from your friends who get to enjoy the awesome yumminess.

And, if you’re friends are as cool as Jim, they’ll award you a trophy for Ass-Kickery in the kitchen.

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goodburger – Burger’s Eye Counter View

Posted on 03/06/2011 by Rev

goodburger
http://goodburgerny.com
870 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

THE CONQUEST
The Burger Conquest request lines are open for business!!! Got a burger you want to tell us about or one you would like us to come try? Are you a publicist or food marketing professional? Drop a note to or add us to your promo list. beeftouchdown@burgerconquest.com We love hearing about the latest, greatest and tastiest burger news and restaurant openings. I promise you that unless you completely embarrass us, we will hold a Burger Conquest at your place and we will write about it.  If Burger King can remember to do it, so can you.

Just ask Ashley from AMP3 Public Relations. Ashley always lets us know when there is Burger worthy news from her clients out there in the Burgerverse. She recently hit me on the Burgerwire with this; “goodburger is the brain child of NYC restaurateur Tom Galis and with 6 locations across the island of Manhattan is considered by many to be the best inexpensive burger in the city.  goodburger has some exciting changes going on in the first half of 2011, including changes to the actual burger itself as well as plans to update the menu and overhaul the the overall look & feel of the restaurant.” (I’ve added the full press release at the bottom if you’re curious for more information.)

On this day in particular, I was sitting at my desk around lunchtime and started to get hungry for lunch. As I was in my email working, I came across Ashley’s email and the idea of a Burger Conquest popped into my head. Once I have a burger in my sites, there’s no stopping me from getting one. You’d have an easier time getting the US Government to let you take Air Force 1 on an all expenses paid, private trip around the world, with a custom catered galley by In-N-Out Burger. (If you do hook that, take me, I will post a story on the blog!) That being the case, my buddy Kenny who recently joined forces with our management company, wanted to have a biz chat with me and saw it as a perfect opportunity.  Kenny works with some amazing bands and is a really smart guy who I love talking business with. He also wanted a veggie burger so I thought it would make a great addition to the story!

Besides that, Burger Conquests are made for friends!

THE BURGER
The Union Square goodburger, their flagship location, is right across the park from Burger Conquest HQ, which made this even easier. As a cook and grill master at heart, I love watching my food being prepared at a restaurant. Give me a seat at the counter or in the kitchen and I’m as giddy as a 5 year Old’s birthday party.  After placing order, we placed our butts in stools at the counter and watched our lunch being made. The whole restaurant was very clean and the counter window made for an overall great presentation.

As soon as the burgers were done, our names were called and we had scrumptious vittles in our clutches. The prep window ensures you that your food isn’t sitting out on a counter getting cold while unconcerned wait staff chitchat instead of serving. You gotta like that. My burger was cooked right on the money to medium rare, which is something I consider a bit of a crapshoot at fast food style Burger Joints. Nice to see that goodburger makes it a priority.  The patties are char-grilled for that back yard flavor that our Dad’s raised us on. The grilled Onions added a nice sweet balance to the Burger’s mild tastes. Most places like this rely on a heap-top of salt to add flavor to the burger but not here. What you taste is the actual Meat, Veggies, and Condiments on Buns. Is the Burger better than the last time I had it? Definitely. It’s significantly less messy and less greasy, has better flavor, held together and had more natural Beef flavor. goodburger does lose points for one change though, they got rid of Coke Zero on tap.

What did Kenny think?
“Being a vegetarian, and occasionally a vegaquarian, I have to say that I’ll stick with the Crabby Pattie over the Veggie Burger when it comes to Goodburger.”

If you’re looking for a “good burger” on a quick lunch in the city, goodburger is a better and fresher option than any fast food joint out there.


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
340 Burgers

Feb. 17, 2011 – 1:15 PM

For Immediate Release:
January 24th, 2011
 
Tom Galis Knows How New Yorkers Eat
 
New York, NY— New York City restaurateur Tom Galis’s goodburger chain is one of the city’s favorite burger joints. His goodburger was recently voted one of the three best in New York City, but now he will be making a few changes to create, if possible, an even tastier goodburger with brighter and crisper green leaf lettuce, a thicker, juicier roma tomato, and a tastier bun. This is all part of goodburger’s ongoing mission to bring customers the best inexpensive burger in NYC, as well as other great, fresh foods.

So who is the man behind goodburger?  Aside from New York food industry insiders, few know Tom Gialamboukis (Tom Galis as he is popularly known.) Yet his is a quintessentially New York success story, rooted in every aspect of the city’s fast food and quality casual food business. And he, more than many realize, has played an important role in shaping the way that New Yorkers eat. In addition to being the proprietor of the popular and successful goodburger chain (yes, “Home of the Goodburger”), if you’ve eaten in a Café Metro, Oxford Café, Food Merchants or Food Exchange, chances are that it’s one that Tom Galis created. Tom has opened some thirty eating establishments in the city over the past dozen years; he named Fresh and Co., founded Crave Sandwiches, and recently brought Peter’s Since 1969 Rotisserie Chicken to Manhattan. Just to firmly establish his New York City street cred beyond any doubt, Tom got his start selling hot dogs from his family’s cart in Times Square.

With the launch of goodburger in 2005, Tom helped kick off the current frenzy of quality inexpensive burgers. The New York Times and others raved, and goodburger began a rapid expansion with a total of six restaurants now open in Manhattan. As he has developed and expanded his burger domain Tom Galis has maintained strong opinions about how to cook a great burger and how to run a great New York burger joint.

Tom may grind his own beef, but he doesn’t mince words when it comes to how a burger should be cooked. “Cooking on a open flame the way we do it at goodburger is the only way to get the best taste from a burger,” he says. “Plus it melts off fat that people don’t need to eat while allowing that fat to flavor and tenderize the burger. I just don’t get people who insist that griddle frying burgers adds flavor. Sure that adds fat, those burgers are cooking in puddles of fat, and that imparts a different greasy flavor, but it’s not proper beef flavor. Also, those mashed-on-the-grill burgers are too thin to be cooked to order the way we do. When you ask for ‘medium’ at goodburger, that’s what you get.”

Of course the primary reason for Tom Galis’s success with goodburger is the quality of the food and the thought he puts into presenting what he and many fans believe is not just a good burger, but the best inexpensive burger in New York City. Tom knows that it all starts with the ingredients and he sources, selects, butchers and grinds his Hereford beef at Pat La Frieda’s famous facility. All ingredients in his restaurants are as fresh as possible and everything is made to order: they don’t even own a microwave oven. The shakes are made the old fashioned way with real ice cream, and goodburger even makes its own root beer, and lemonade in-store, as well as good old-fashioned egg creams, Lime Rickey’s and Arnold Palmers.

Tom’s concern for offering foods that are of the highest quality, and prepared in the most intelligent way carries through goodburger’s entire menu. Their grilled chicken and turkey burgers are made only from fresh antibiotic-free Bell & Evans poultry. Their veggie burgers and crabby patties are made from fresh veggies and fresh crab. Tom even cooks his shoestring fries in 100% pure canola oil (and did so before it became law), and all the goodburger restaurants are green certified.

Goodburger is a truly New York City owned and operated business, it recently finished in third place in the Midtown Lunch poll of Best Hamburgers Under $10 in New York, behind only national chain, 5 Guys, and media darling Danny Meyer’s nationally-expanding Shake Shack. “We’ll stand out on taste, and we compete on price,” says Tom Galis, “and we think that will speak for itself. We intend to catch them and end up first next year!”

For more information about Tom Galis and goodburger please visit: www.goodburgerny.com.  For any press inquiries please contact Ashley Lutzker at AMP3 Public Relations via 646.827.9594 or goodburger@amp3pr.com.


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