Coral World Shark Bar – Iguanas Like Burgers Too!

Posted on 11/15/2009 by Rev

The Shark Bar at Coral World
http://www.coralworldvi.com/
6450 Estate Smith Bay
St. Thomas, USVI 00802

Burgers in St. Thomas – Part 3

Part 1 – Fat Turtle
Part 2 – Eat Like a Pirate at The Shipwreck Tavern

THE STORY
As part of my brother Matt and new sister-in-law, Gina’s wedding, they took everyone who came down to St. Thomas for an afternoon at Coral World. Located at the end of the Coki Peninsula, Coral World is an Ocean Park that offers snorkeling, SNUBA, swimming with turtles, shark feedings, underwater reef observatory and my favorite part a sea lion encounter!!! My Mom, 2 of her friends and my wife Cara all took the opportunity to swim with, train, play with and learn about sea lions. It was one of the most awesome things I have ever done. These South American born mammals were extremely friendly, fun and well trained. Weighing in at more than 400 pounds, I was surprised to find out just how gentle of creatures they are.

After we our encounter with the seal lions, we joined back up with the rest of the wedding attendees at the Shark Bar in Coral world, where Matt and Gina paid for everyone to have lunch. Guess what I got?

THE BURGER
I’ll be honest, the point of this post really isn’t about the burger, it’s an excuse to talk about swimming with sea lions. However, I am loyal to our readers so I willing ate a frozen patty burger cooked on George Foreman like grill just so I could share this great experience with you. For a store-bought, pre-made, frozen patty, this burger was actually decent. The sesame seed bun it was served on was soft and good. The patty was neither bland nor flavorless but more so was salty and tasted of a decent quality of beef. I wasn’t able to find out which frozen burger company they were serving but I didn’t care. Why? I GOT TO SWIM WITH SEA LIONS!

The fries? Also frozen but pretty bland. However, the onion straws (rings) were crispy and delicious.

What’s more fun? As soon as the burgers showed up, these iguanas surrounded the table as if they were the family dog begging for scraps. I couldn’t believe just how unafraid these things were. One even crawled up on top of one of our towels. There are strict rules (and signs everywhere) that do not allow visitors to feed these reptiles but either people have been breaking the rules or these things are underfed.

Either way, as the 1313th photo on this site, this picture of iguanas starring at my burger is easily the most fun picture I have ever posted.

Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_181_lizardsBurger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_1856 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_186Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_165Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_173Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_178Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_182Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_179_wanda_ciancio_cara_lynn_shultz

Activities at Coral World    Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_141Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_020Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_172_rev_kissed_by_seal Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_160Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_188Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_201_turtleBurger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_209Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_216Burger_Conquest_Coral_World_Shark_bar_St_Thomas_Matt_and_Ginas_Wedding_211

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The Shipwreck Tavern – YARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Posted on 11/14/2009 by Rev

Shipwreck Tavern
http://www.shipwreckstthomas.com/shipwreck-tavern/
http://www.shipwreckvi.com/
Havensight Mall, Building 18
Route 30, St Thomas, VI 00803

Burgers in St. Thomas – Part 2

The original story can be read on one o’ me favorite websites, A Hamburger Today.
Click here t’ read in th’ King`s English.

Below be a translation for me sea farin’ mates!

`Tis standard practice. I go somewhere new; I search ou’ a burger t’ eat while I be thar. That be exactly what happened while I be in St. Thomas in th’ U.S. Virgin Isles, arrr fer me brother Matt’s weddin’. Th’ trick be findin’ a time t’ fit ‘t in an’ convincin’ his new bride-t’-be, Gina, t’ let us go. When I found ou’ that th’ Michigan State University football game (Matt be obsessed) be on at th’ same time that Gina needed t’ get ready fer th’ ceremony, I seized th’ opportunity.

Th’ Shipwreck be located jus’ off downtown Charlotte Amalie, th’ major city in St. Thomas, in th’ Havensight Mall. Wi’ th’ gigantic Great White Shark, massive hamburger an’ Coors Lite keg abroadside, thar be nay way ye can miss ‘t. Th’ décor? Imagine if a college sports bar be inside a sea dog’s ship. Everythin’ be made ou’ o’ a dark wood an’ thar be lots o’ crazy things on th’ walls, funny paintings an’ signs, mannequins, flat-screen TVs an’ video poker games.

Th’ Shipwreck has a selection o’ burgers on th’ menu but I jus’ sailed’ wi’ the’r signature item, th’ “Shipwreck Burger” — bacon, cheddar an’ fried onions — prepared medium rare. Besides th’ standard toppings, ye can also get salsa, guacamole, jalapenos, a selection o’ cheeses an’ mushrooms. Th’ poop deck beef patty comes served on a sesame seed bun an’ wi’ a side o’ fries, which I chose t’ be havin’ covered in cheese.

Much t’ me surprise, me bun had 2 tops, which I thought be a really cool idee but then I reckoned ‘t had only happened t’ me sandwich. Th’ ¾ LB burger patty be massive, bigger than I expected but unfortunately over-cooked. Th’ bacon, cheese an’ onions be great. Th’ burger be made from freshly poop deck check an’ had that old school, grilled-by-yer-father-in-th’-aftyard taste. ‘t be juicy — although nay as salty as I would like — but still a good burger. As fer th’ fries, they be undercooked, flavorless an’ th’ cheese be barely melted. Admittedly, I still ate all o’ them.

Th’ burger be good an’ ou’ o’ th’ 3 burgers I ate (Fat Turtle, Shipwreck an’ Shark Bar at Coral World) ‘t be by far th’ best one. If ye go on Fridays, all burgers be half-off! Don’t forget t’ get yer picture wi’ th’ big shark!

Th’ entire event provided fer a nice getaway fer th’ fellas an’ on top o’ that, th’ Spartans defeated Purdue. Matt an’ Gina, think o’ this as me weddin’ gift: Ye’re now Burger Famous!
Ya lily livered lanlubber!

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Fat Turtle – Euro Burger, Island Style

Posted on 11/13/2009 by Rev

Fat Turtle
http://www.fat-turtle.com/
9100 Port of Sale,
St. Thomas, USVI 00802

Burgers in St. Thomas – Part 1

THE STORY
This bar and restaurant located in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, claims to be “popular favorite among travelers, yacht crews and owners, charter guests, fishing enthusiasts, and locals alike.” It also happens to the be the place my brother Matt and his bride to be, Gina, decided to have their wedding welcome dinner.

During the day and early evening, the Fat Turtle, acts as a restaurant but after 10, they whisk away the tables and it becomes a popular dance club, not only due to it’s downtown, water front location in Yacht Haven Grand but also because it’s open air. Frozen drinks, gourmet pizzas, seafood and the Fat Turtle signature burgers can all be found on the menu. When Gina told me they had selected 3 burgers from the menu for the dinner, not only was I excited to eat, but I was excited to call her “Sis.”

My favorite thing about the Fat Turtle? The drinks menu. You can see a photo below or click the link. You’ll notice that most of the drinks don’t have a list of ingredients, just how the cocktail will make you feel or act. My fave “Where the $%*! Did I Park My Boat; you’ll soon be stumbling down the dock looking for your vessel after drinking this elaborate frozen potion.” Clearly the Fat Turtle does not have the US FDA looking over their menus!

THE BURGER
I should’ve began to suspect something after we placed our orders and they very friendly server came back to inform us that the entrees on the menu Gina had selected were no longer on the regular menu. It wasn’t that they weren’t going to make them, they just didn’t know what was on them! I should’ve grown a little more cautious when 70 minutes after ordering, we still didn’t have our food. I chalked it up to having difficulty serving 36 wedding guests plus regular customers at the same time. Plus we were all having laugh chugging down the Fat Turtle’s signature drink, the “Tortuga Gorda.”

The Fat Turtle “Euro Burger” came with Swiss cheese, lettuce, fried onions and Guinness BBQ Sauce and was served on a sesame seed bun. I ordered mine, as always, medium rare. The sandwich appeared to be cooked correctly but a few bites proved it to be only room temperature. The whole thing was flimsy and barely held up in my bands. As a true lover of all things beer, I was pretty excited for the Guinness BBQ sauce but it was rather lack luster. A later Google search shows that this may have been some store bought product from Bull’s Eye. It totally overpowered the taste of the 1/2 LB patty which was probably better as the beef itself did not have an outstanding flavor.

The fries were crispy and good, the view was spectacular, the drinks were flowing, DJ Peter C was jammin’, the company was amazing but the burger was second-rate.


5 out of 10 ounces
-Rev
Matt and Gina however, get a 10 out of 10 for the effort!!



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Hudson Yards – Vegetarians Are Burger Eaters Too

Posted on 11/10/2009 by Rev

Hudson Yards Cafe
http://hudsonyardscafe.com/
450 10th Ave
New York, NY 10018

THE STORY
“If the creator of our world didn’t want us to eat beef, why did they make it taste so good?” I am sure a lot of you can get excited about that statement. I concur wholeheartedly. But, I do have some vegetarian friends and since this blog was started so all my friends could go out and have some fun together over food, I do like to accommodate my veggie compadres. There are some veggie burger reviews hidden in the sight, mostly in the comments, so don’t give me any gruff about veggie burgers, not being real burgers.

Past veggie burger sightings;
Thunder Jackson’s – New York, NY
Bill’s Bar – New York, NY
Yankee Stadium – New York, NY
Chat ‘n Chew – New York, NY
Ultimate Burger – London, UK
Burgers and Cupcakes – New York, NY

After eating the veggie burger at Burgers and Cupcakes and Thunder Jackson’s, my friend Jen demanded a Burger Conquest for what she considers “the best” veggie burger in NYC. Enter Hudson Yards, a European style cafe on the south end of Hell’s Kitchen in NYC. The bar is primarily inhabited by convention goes at the Jacob Javits Center, the leading convention center in NYC. If you’re there for a trade show or special event, Hudson Yards is really the only game in town. The restaurant boasts a small, yet diverse menu, but Jen, Rob and Ayla were here for one reason only.

THE VEGGIE BURGER
At Hudson Yards, you can order a beef, turkey or garden burger. Each of them comes with lettuce, tomato and onion. You can also add avocado, bacon, mushrooms, blue cheese, cheddar, Swiss or mozzarella. If you’re in the know, like Jen, you also know about the 2 non-listed items, both of which I ordered; American cheese and chipotle mayo. You also get a choice of fries or field greens salad, I chose the latter, which comes with a spicy mustard seed dressing.

Hudson Yard’s veggie burger is made of ground vegetables (as opposed to tofu or black beans) and deep fries them. The result, a crispy outside and mushy vegetable center with the consistency of mashed potatoes. They serve it on a fresh sesame seed roll and the result, I can’t lie to you, is damn good! So good in fact, that I almost order a 2nd burger!!! It has a great flavor, appetizing consistency and great burger to bun ratio. Be sure to try out the chipotle mayo, its smoky creaminess adds a nice touch to the sandwich.

Congrats Jim Reardon, this is “the best” veggie burger in NYC!

As for the fries vs. salad argument…the fries were crispy and good but the flavor of the mustard dressing was so good, that I would choose it. Ayla on the other hand, opted for the crispy spuds but only so she could dip them into a pile of black pepper disguising ketchup beneath. That is a serious commitment to a spice that Christopher Columbus grew so tired of, he set of to new lands looking for an alternate.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev


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Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville / Universal City Walk – Never Judge a Burger By Its Song

Posted on 11/08/2009 by Rev

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
http://www.margaritavilleorlando.com/
6000 Universal Blvd # 704
Orlando, FL 32819

THE STORY

Don’t lie, whether you like it or not, you know every word to the song…

If you have been to a Frat bar, college house party, Florida, wedding, bachelorette party, an ocean oasis, the beach, the “19th hole” or listened to a classic rock or easy listening station, you have heard Jimmy Buffett sing his #1 hit about being drunk on margaritas.

While I can’t say I am a fan of this South Floridian’s “island escapism” style music, you can’t deny the popularity, nor the sentiment of the songs. Drinking, sitting in the sun and eating cheese burgers? This is the life we all yearn to live. Perhaps that is why his greatest hits, “Songs You Know By Heart” was the ONLY CD my father owned.

The story goes like this, Jimmy was out on a boat trip gone bad with only peanut butter to live on. Their boat came ashore on Tortola in the US Virgin Islands. They approached a local bar and ordered a cheeseburger which, as legend goes, was over cooked and served on a burnt bun. But the experience was so good, it inspired the song. Several restaurants lay came to being that burger. Le Select in St. Bart’s, Ma Ruby’s in the Bahamas and the leader in the claims, Stanley’s Welcome Bar in Tortola.

Well somewhere along the lines, the people at OSI Restaurants decided to make these 2 very popular songs into dining establishments, Margaritaville and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Capitalizing on the myth of this magical burger, prepared in a fashion that no self respecting burgerist would enjoy, both of them carry the magical burger named in the song.

While at Universal Studios celebrating my 1 year anniversary my wonderful wife Cara, we worked up a sizable hunger after an afternoon of thrill rides. I suggested we exit the park and check out the food options in Universal City Walk. City Walk is the area that connects the two Universal parks and is filled with food, shopping and clubs. Unfortunately during the day, there aren’t really options for table service dining other than Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. But we wanted to sit, relax and have a drink, so we went in and got a table.

Having been down the path of chain restaurant burgers, my better intuitions told me to avoid getting a burger here. I was about to order a salad, along with my Mai Tai, when I decided to ask our waiter if the burgers were fresh or frozen. When he assured me they were made fresh, I just couldn’t say no. Damn it Dad!

THE BURGER
In attempt to not go totally overboard, I opted for a side salad instead of french fries. The red wine vinaigrette dressing I ordered was garlicky and delicious. I did not regret the decision. But when my Hickory Cheeseburger showed up, it came with fries anyway. So much for healthy options!

With much trepidation, I picked up the sandwich and took a bite. Hmmm. Was my mind fooled? Was I going crazy? Was this a burger as tasty as the song claims? I took another bite and another and another. Cara looked at me and asked “well??? How is it?” I can’t lie to you, this burger is pretty good! They cooked it medium-rare just like I asked. The salty beef patty was juicy, dripping with grease and filled with a fresh salty beef flavor. The Hickory sauce was not unlike that of the beloved Apple Pan in LA, a smoky ketchup /BBQ sauce hybrid. It was really tasty. The sesame seed bun, although a little big on top and a little small on bottom (perhaps just a bad slicing job) was soft and fit the sandwich just right. If you want to get a burger while at Universal Orlando, this is the spot!

I might not like the music but I can’t argue with the man’s sentiments; “Warm beer and bread they said could raise the dead.”


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev


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Confisco / Universal Islands of Adventure – “2 Amazing Theme Parks,” 1 OK Burger

Posted on 11/07/2009 by Rev

Confisco / Universal Islands of Adventure
http://www.universalorlando.com/Amusement_Parks/Islands_of_Adventure/Restaurants/confisco.aspx?intsrch=confisco
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

THE STORY
1 Year ago today, I was happily wed to my beautiful wife Cara. To celebrate the wonderful year we have spent together as husband and wife, we took a short trip to Orlando to have some fun at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. On the day of the wedding, I took all the wedding guests who had traveled from out of town out to eat a burger at the Iron Horse in Westwood, NJ. It was and still is the most attended Burger Conquest yet. So how to celebrate both of these events 1 year later? A Burger Conquest for 2!!

I really hadn’t planned on eating a burger while there. I had planned on riding The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, Dr. Doom, Dueling Dragons, The Mummy, Jaws, Men In Black, The Simpson’s Ride and the Hollywood Rip Rockit Roller Coaster. If you have ever been to Universal, you already know, no attention to detail is spared. When you are walking around Seuss Landing, everything, even the trash cans are themed to the island. In Jurassic Park, the food stands and restaurants are dinosaur themed. Even posters advertising the Universal Express Pass in each section of the park are themed to that Island or ride.

That’s not all! Find yourself bored to tears while waiting for your favorite amusement ride? Not at Universal! Even the lines are built as part of the attraction. While waiting for the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, you’ll stroll the newspaper offices of the Daily Bugle. That’s the newspaper that Peter Parker (the man behind the mask) works when he isn’t web-slinging across the city. Funny videos help entertain and teach you the rules of each ride. It’s pretty unbelievable how much detail has gone into the planning of the park.

But I digress.. When I happened upon a sing outside Confisco’s at the entrance to the park, that said “Specialty Burgers,” I began to reconsider.

THE BURGER
I had high hopes when the EXTREMELY friendly waitress asked how I would like my burger cooked, which of course was medium-rare. While I waited for the burger to arrive I sipped on what must’ve been the largest fountain Diet Coke I have ever had outside a 7-11. This is just a bad idea because if you put it in front of me, I will drink it…twice over.

The burger is served with a little pink plastic stick stuck into it, denoting that the burger has been indeed cooked medium-rare and on a sesame seed bun. I ordered mine with cheddar which much like the meat, was undercooked. However, in the world of cheese, this is no good. I can’t say for sure but I am willing to put a fiver that this burger was a frozen patty plucked from a stack that arrived in a large box. Thus being the case, a medium-rare cook is actually no good, especially if the burger has not been totally thawed. A let down indeed but honestly, not as bad as some of the other burgers I have had. As Universal is a MASSIVE corporation operating an amusement park serving thousands of hungry thrill seekers, one shouldn’t expect gourmet quality from the food.

If you want a delicious burger while at Universal Orlando, go here.


5 out of 10 ounce
-Rev


I’ll be very excited to return in 2010 when the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter opens (nerd alert.)






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Thunder Jackson’s – A Dirty Victory

Posted on 11/04/2009 by Rev

Thunder Jackson’s
http://www.thunderjackson.com
169 Bleecker
New York, NY 10018

THE STORY
When we picked a date for a Burger Conquest double date with our friends Dawn and Paul, I asked if we could go to J.G. Melon. At the time hadn’t even considered that the New York Yankees would be playing the Philadelphia Phillies for what could be the final game of the World Series on the same evening. As big Yanks fans, there was no way we were going to miss out on watching the game. Even though J.G. promised me the game would be on, the long wait, cramped bar and quick turn over of tables just wasn’t going to work for prime game viewing.

Enter Kyle and Ian, owners of Thunder Jackon’s. Thunder Jackson’s, the so called “Urban Roadhouse” and purveyors of the “Dirty Burger.” This little bad boy and it’s dirty wings, ribs, fries and other friends are a unique approach to spicing up a burger, but you can read more about all of that from our last visit. TJ’s also worked well because Dawn is a veggie and according to my pal Jen, has the 2nd best veggie burger in NYC. My friend’s Scott and Gary hit me up to see where we planned watch the game and when I told them TJ’s, it was officially a party.

THE BURGER
Admittedly, I did order the Dirty Turkey Burger so at least I had something new to talk about but the burger Gods were just not having it. The kitchen was extremely busy, there was barely even standing room in the over packed bar, so I forgive them for serving me beef. Besides, how can beef over turkey ever be considered a loss?? Great as always, my burger was cooked perfectly with just the right amount of spices to give it a unique flavor but not overpower the beef itself. The extremely squishy bun holds up just enough to not melt under the meat and makes for one delicious sandwich.

Be sure to order your fries “dirty” and don’t miss out on the homemade ketchup or truffle butter. All good eaters relish in the beauty of dips and Thunder Jackson’s does not disappoint. Of honorable mention are the hot wings (go “pissed” if you like them hot) and the fall-off-the-bone tender BBQ wings. So good are the dips, fries and wings, that I made a little “fat sandwich” of all of them. WINNER, just like the 2009 World Champion NY YANKEES!!!

The food was great, the company was awesome and the victory was oh, so sweet. When the Yankees won, the place went absolutely bananas! TJ’s ended up being the perfect place to watch the game.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev



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Bar Americain – Always Bet on Bobby

Posted on 11/04/2009 by Rev

Bar Americain
http://www.baramericain.com/
152 W 52nd St
New York, NY 10019-6004

THE STORY
At 12:19 AM last night, I get an email from my friend Scott who works at Chrysalis Music. Here is the whole email;
________________________________
From: Scott
Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 12:19 AM
To: Rev
Subject: Been to The Burger Joint?

Wanna go manana?
Let me know
________________________________

I was a little surprised because Scott lives in LA, but he’s referring to The Burger Joint at the Parker Meridien Hotel in NYC. It’s a great burger but when Scott suggested a 1 pm lunch, I told him no way. The line would easily be 60-90 minutes and I just didn’t have that time in the middle of the work day. Scott loves himself some beef and I did not want to disappoint so I suggested celebrity chef’s Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain. We had business to chat about anyway, even though Scott was in town to attend the Yankees World Series games. Bobby started his career off at famed New York City theater district’s Joe Allen’s on restaurant row at the age of 17. From there he attended school at the French Culinary Institute where is now a master and has gone on to create a string of successful restaurants and cook books, none of which I have ever eaten at or read. It was time for the shame to end. Bar Americain is Bobby’s American Brasserie and since the guy also has his own burger chain, I figured it was a safe bet.

THE BURGER
After a quick peek at the menu, I looked at Jackie and said “damn! That Grilled Pizza with Smoked Bacon, Caramelized Onions and Toasted Garlic sounds great!” Jackie agreed and we chose to go, as my Dad used to say, “justa-justa,” on the pizza and a Burger Americain with Gruyere. The burger arrived on a platter with 3 sauce pots (ketchup, mustard and roasted reed pepper) in sauce pot holes, I thought that was pretty nifty. The burger was cooked absolutely perfectly and was a site to behold on it’s sturdy yet soft sesame seed bun. I was a little weirded out by the grilled onion that was refrigerated and decide to 86ed it from my sandwich.

Mmmmmm. It was juicy yet not greasy and full of quality saltiness that one expects in a burger. Gruyere is a great cheese and the slice on this burger definitely good but I wish I had opted for the more intense flavor of cheddar cheese. The red pepper spread was so good that I didn’t even bother with the mustard. I even took to dipping the greasy and delicious french fries into it.

As for the pizza…holy moley…I want to take this home and raise it like my own. It was amazing! The bacon was amazing and exploding with great salted pork flavor. Mix that with salty cheese and salty garlic and you have on savory party happening on your tongue! I don’t know what kind of olive oil they used to make it but I want to buy a bottle and never use any other brand again! I was really glad we decided to go halfsies on it!

Mr. Flay, you have made one tasty burger and I looked forward to someday eating at your burger palace.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev


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Bill’s Bar – The First Ever Burger Conquest Costume Burger Ball

Posted on 10/31/2009 by Rev

Bill’s Bar
http://www.billsbarandburger.com/
22 Ninth Ave
New York, NY 10014

THE STORY
You’ve seen “Back to the Future” right? Kid from the future has a crazy inventor friend who makes a time machine. In a random turn of events, he ends up in the past as a high school student at his parent’s school and is instantly the cool new guy on the block, thus changing his parents lives and in turn his own future? Well that’s kind of like the B.R. Guest restaurant in NYC, Bill’s Bar. Follow me…

About 3 weeks ago, Bill’s Bar opened and the Burgeratti all exploded onto the nets with praise and adoration; A Hamburger Today, Hamburger America, The Feedbag, Eater, Grub Street.
So Marty McFly = Bill’s Bar and High School = New York City, although I am not sure who is Biff Tannen in this comparison. Maybe Josh Ozersky (ha!) Actually, since he introduced me to Donna at B.R. Guests, I guess that makes him more like George McFly…but I digress.

Bill’s Bar is located in NYC’s where The Hog Pit used to be in the meat packing district. They use the ever popular Pat La Frieda for their ground beef and prepare their burgers smash style (wad of beef literally gets smashed onto the cooking surface) on a Keating Miraclean flat top griddle. So with the promise of tasty burgers and the need to come up with my own review but stand out from the rest of my burger buds, I emailed Team Burger and invited them too…

THE FIRST EVER BURGER CONQUEST COSTUME BURGER BALL!!

THE BURGER
13 of us rolled into Bill’s this rainy Halloween even ready to do some damage. The extremely friendly and accommodating staff lead us to 3 tables in the back where we stared to look over the menu. Bill’s serves up 6 choices of burgers including the Burgeratti fave, “The Bobcat.” The inspiration behind this burger topped with green chiles and jack cheese is from the famed Bobcat Bite in Santa Fe, NM. Which is what I ordered. When I asked “how are the burgers prepared” I was told that the 5 ounces patties are “cooked for about 90 seconds but we’ll try to get it as rare as possible for you.”

Served on a squishy sesame seed bun and with lettuce, this burger packs a tasty flavor. The meat is slightly crisp on the outside and had a very salty flavor, which is exactly how I like it! I expected the chiles to be a little hotter and a little smokier but the cheese really blended into the overall flavor of the sandwich. Maybe this bad boy was way too hyped up but I expected to love it more than I did.

And that is exactly why, I ordered a 2nd burger, this time with just cheese and lettuce. I am glad I did because the 2nd burger was fantastic. As much as I love a burger with bacon, egg, cheese, peanut butter and fried bananas (see Vortex), I’m really quite happy with a simple bun, lettuce, cheese and patty combo. The Bill’s Classic was fantastic and bursting with burgery goodness. In retro, getting both burgers was the right call, although I will say, the bottom half of the bun really held no support for the sandwich.

With a decent selection of beers, Bill’s offers more than just a great burger. We also tried the creamsicle shake which was creamy and delicious and an Oreo Shake with Jameson Whiskey in it. This thing was sent down to us from the food and liquor heavens and thank you to Tom for having the head space to order it. The fries were crispy and good but the real potato win was the NJ influenced “Disco Fries” smothered in cheese sauce and gravy. We also dove into a plate of boneless wings and as much I would like to tell you whether the sauce was good or not, they were simply covered in Frank’s Red Hot. How can you go wrong with that? The specialty food item of the menu, Crispy Veggie Fries. The name is a bit of a misnomer as these are more like tempura vegetables and are damn tasty.

With all this foodie goodness, I have to tell you the absolute winner here, and Matt will agree with me, especially after his double patty chili covered monstrosity (I love you Matt) that the Beer Battered Onion Rings were the best God Damn Onion Rings on the planet! I have never had better tasting, more perfectly fried O-Rings in my life. Don’t you hate it when you bite into them and the stringy onion comes slopping out of the fried batter like a tape worm trying to escape a hole? Gross. NOT THESE SUCKERS! Every bite goes right through to give you a perfect mix of onion and batter.

Thanks to the Bill’s Bar staff and B.R. Guest for a great time and a great meal. Thanks to Team Burger for eating in costume. Me, I am the black colored robot from the future named Bronar, shoving a burger into my mechanical face.


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev





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Stand – Getting Sucked In AGAIN By the Weissman

Posted on 10/30/2009 by Rev

Stand
http://www.standburger.com/
24 E. 12th St
New York, NY 10003

THE STORY
After eating burgers or steak for 6 days straight, I swore I would eat healthy today. I had been doing really good until I got up from my desk to go get a soda at the University Place Gourmet and ran into my business partner Mark. Mark is one of the nicest and most passionate people I have ever met. When he gets into something, he goes the full distance and commits himself 110% It makes him a great business man, friend, husband and father of 2. It also makes him an absolutely fiendish, crack-like addicted fan of Stand. While Matt, Adam and I were on our way to the bodega, we bumped into Mark who begged us to go get lunch with him at Stand. This has happened before so I really shouldn’t be surprised.

THE BURGER
While I had already eaten a grilled chicken and green beans Lean Cuisine, I wasn’t all that hungry, but if you know me, I can’t turn down a burger. I ordered a mini-burger with white American. It’s served on a tiny little brioche with ketchup and pickles, both of which I asked to not be on the burger. I also asked for the burger to be served medium-rare which at this size, is a pretty difficult task. Now don’t get confused, these are not sliders (generally served smashed and greasy) this was literally a smaller version of their regular-sized burger. The cheese to burger ratio was on the heavy side, due to small size of the patty, but I had no complaints about that! It was a tasty little treat and honestly made me want to go back a 3rd time and finally get the real deal.


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

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