Ohhh, Lucy!

“Are you coming in?” The man who seemed to be a waiter opened the front door to let me in from the first freeze of the winter season.
“I guess so.”
“Are you waiting for someone?”
“Yes, actually. Two people, there will be three of us.”

I expected him to direct me to a table OR, in more typical New York fashion, tell me to get back to him when my entire party had arrived.

“Okay...do what you like,” he quipped before wandering away to socialize with the only table on the first floor.

Fine, the welcome wagon wasn’t as welcoming I might have expected, but don’t let that dissuade you - the full service restaurant in the basement of teeny-tiny Whitman’s is a cozy treat. In fact, when I wandered my own way downstairs, I was immediately seated and offered a menu and a drink.

$4 beers on tap may have been the most expensive thing on the drink menu, of which I was more than happy to partake.

When it comes to the most important part - that’s right, the burger - Whitman’s offers three options. First, there’s the traditional burger fare: meat on bun. Then, you have the Peanut Butter and Bacon Burger - similar to that of Shake Shack (which we reviewed earlier in the year). Finally, the burger of my choosing, the “Juicy Lucy.” Now, I’m usually a burger purist; I avoid cheese when I can help it. However, the Juicy Lucy seemed like too unique a burger experience to turn down.

According to Whitman’s menu: “juicy lucy is very hot in the middle and might squirt.” Challenge accepted!

Described as a blend of beef short rib with the pimento cheese cooked INSIDE it, good old Lucy did not fail to please. That is, delicious? Yes. Juicy? Of course. Squirty? No (no offense to Lucy), but perhaps that’s for the best.

The burgers come side-free, but if you’re looking for a tip, I highly recommend the fried pickles. They’re not native to New York, but Whitman’s masters this unique recipe for a flavor experience to complement your beef.

Da Best Burger

Yes, I blinked again too when I saw the name of the place: Paul's Da Burger Joint. The heat must have gotten to my head - it's been over 100 degrees in New York for the past two days and tolls have been taken on all of us. Is there a noun and an article in that title? Or are those couple of stray letters just a typo gone too far? A most importantly, does it really matter?

The answer, definitively, is no. Not when your burgers taste this good.

The decor is kitchy, the music is spot on, and the cooks are short order. Paul's is certainly not short on P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L-I-T-Y. Luckily, they have the chops to back it up. The burger menu goes on for days: regular burgers, cheese burgers, Texas burgers, pizza burgers, mushroom burgers, and Philly cheese steak burgers. I personally went with the English burger - ground beef, lettuce and tomato on an English muffin (if you have never tried this bun option, please get off your computer and do so immediately).

Now, let me preface this by saying that I recently had dental surgery, am not able to bite into things with my front teeth, and was not expecting to particularly enjoy this burger. Boy was I wrong. Even cut up and eaten with a fork and knife I could taste that flavor that you rarely get in the city: char grilled meat. That's right, while most patty's are clearly made on a full metal surface, this one tasted as if it had been cooked over an open flame.

And what's more - steak fries! - another rare find in this urban jungle.

Cue Meg Ryan 's When Harry Met Sally deli scene...you know the one I'm talking about.

Top it off with a root beer, milkshake, or soda float and you have the perfect meal for a hot hot summer evening in New York City.

The Shack Shake-Up

I, for one, am shocked. I am speechless. I am amazed. As the official unofficial Shake Shack correspondent for BURGER CLUB, I could not pass up the opportunity to try the one-day-only offer of a peanut-butter bacon burger. Never having been a bacon-on-my-burger kind of girl, this meal was a true test of my dedication to accurate BURGER CLUB reporting.

The location was the Upper West Side and the line was surprisingly quick-moving. This place knew what they were doing. The crowd was abuzz -- could it be that is concoction, which bears a description that could turn the stomach, was actually mmmm-worthy? My lunch companion (who shall remain anonymous). I was overcome with trepidation at the sight of the thing, but with one hard gulp, took a big bite out of the burger.

The first word that comes to mind is rich. The combination of the salty bacon with the salty-sweet PB created a satisfying taste not unlike that of chocolate covered pretzels. I couldn;t resist diving in further for a second bite, then a third and a fourth. My companion was equally as voracious. We ate it up--literally!


Now, a word to the wise, or more specifically, to those for whom rich food fills you fast: you may need a buddy to finish this treasure. By the time I was mid-way through the burger, the PB Bacon combo caught up with my stomach and mouth and I found myself unable (for the first time in BURGER CLUB history) to eat it all. Furthermore, the chocolate shake, while decadent, added too much to the richness of the burger and failed to satisfy any kind of thirst. The fresh-brewed iced tea, on the other hand, provided the perfect compliment with which to wash it all down.

Bottom line? Try something new, if for no other reason than to say that you did.

Minetta Tavern: The Black Label Story

Oh Minetta Tavern, what woes you have caused. Our fearless leader had to try for weeks to get a reservation for a group our size (10ish) and after much scheming, which involved calling exactly one month prior to the date we hoped for, it all boiled down to just 5 of us. Another casualty of the reservation war was the heralded Burger Club schedule, through which we meet on the first Wednesday of every month to consume and judge every permutation of cow the city can provide. The regular meeting time, a staple of the (secret) society, had to be sacrificed. So the question I pose in this review:

Was it all worth it?

Let's begin with the pros.

The building itself, its decor and atmosphere is swank and very 'old New York'. Although I remember a conversation stating that Minetta Tavern was 'new,' i was pleased to discover that it actually opened in 1937 and was, well, a tavern. (Fun Fact: It was named after the Minetta Brook, which ran southwest from 23rd Street to the Hudson River, and clearly no longer exists.) It was frequented by the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, Eugene O'Neill, E. E. Cummings, Dylan Thomas, and Joe Gould, which clearly imbues it with a certain legitimacy, a badassery, if you will.

Until I did this research, the whole 'speakeasy' vibe would have fallen into the 'con' category, because there is nothing I hate more than a bullshit claim of authenticity. And much as I enjoy the fruits of the mixologoy movement (literally, muddled fruits are everywhere), the neo-speakeasy trend is, in my opinion, wearing out its welcome. So in conclusion, I was very happily surprised to learn that much of the saloon-era interior is intact, from the oak bar to the framed pictures in the dining room. This also makes up for whatever complaint I may have had about the very wee and cramped dining area.

I must say the burger was good. It did not blow my mind (as some burgers have), but I must admit that it is possible that I ate is so quickly that I don't remember. Furthermore, splitting was a terrible idea (sorry J). Though splitting a big, meaty mess is usually enough for me, I was so hungry that I was left wanting and found myself scrounging the fries of others. However, at a whopping $26, splitting the Black Label Burger was the economical choice. Described on the menu as "selection of prime dry-aged beef cuts with caramelized onions and pommes frites," the most notable absence was, of course, the burger's rightful partner in crime: the cheese. When asked if we could add cheese, we were informed that it would take away from the flavor of the meat.

Now, I am pretty sure that cheese has never done anything but elevate the appeal of that which is it placed or melted upon, but I am also a waitress, and I listen to what waitresses have to say, because I know it comes from the chef. If he or she wants me to eat this meat naked, then that's exactly what I will do. After demolishing my half of what I can only conclude is meant to be the American Express Black Card of burgers, I take their point about the subtlety of flavor in the meat, but I am underwhelmed. The burger was simply good. The caramelized onions were yummy, I was a fan of the fries but, simply put, I've had better. And I am a firm believer in cheese. Sourced from the same creature on God's Green Earth, the burger and its cheese are clearly a match made in heaven.

There were no outstanding cons that I can recall, and the souffle was a nice choice for dessert, recommended by the waitress. Although she was wildly incorrect, we did not need two of the head-sized chocolate puffs, and I'm glad we only ordered one.

Ultimately, I would say the experience was worth it, despite the trials and tribulations of getting a reservation--but that it falls into the category of "I'm glad that I went, because I live in New York, it's one of those places everyone talks about and now I can say that I went."

Crossed off the list.

Will I go back? Probably not anytime soon.

--Contribution by Katie

Lucky Number 5

On first entering Five Guys Burger and Fries I wasn’t expecting much – bright, fluorescent lights and red, white and black décor… it felt like a badly decorated school cafeteria. Walking up to the counter to order I noticed a small container of peanuts on every table – classy! My one tsk-tsk moment was that the sign warning about peanuts being eaten out in the open was not large enough, so those with nut allergies beware! Past the tables and right next to the ordering counter was a pallet of 25-pound bags of potatoes. Weird, but I can dig it since you know they are using fresh potatoes, not frozen. Right next to the potatoes, however, was a pallet of 25-gallon jugs of oil. Gross. I know my fries are fried, but I’d rather not see the frying oil in bulk. It works in Costco, not so much at a burger joint.

Finally I get to the counter and order my burger. I ordered the Little Hamburger ($4.75) with tomatoes, lettuce, onion and pickles, and skipped the fries on account of the lateness of the evening. Now don’t judge! I was heartbroken about my decision to forgo the fries after I saw they have vinegar in addition to the usual condiments. Big plus!

Now to the good stuff… the patty was indeed little but with all of the extras that you can add (for free!), my Little Hamburger wasn’t so little. The toppings were very fresh and perfectly complimented the hot, juicy burger. I am generally a big fan of smaller burger joints as opposed to full-service restaurants because I find my preferred burger quadrafecta: decent quality, flavorful meat, prices that won't break the bank, and a low-key ambiance. Indeed Five Guys was no different and the burger was cooked perfectly. The bun was sufficient – nothing special. An interesting tidbit: Five Guys does not spend money on marketing their goods; they rely on word of mouth from their devoted fans.

Special Note: A few weeks after the January NYBC gathering, I stopped in for a quick bite. While the burger itself warranted a repeat visit, I had to try those fries! The homemade fries ($3.19) were just what I expected – thick, greasy, bits of the skin included. And because I love vinegar on my fries, I drowned those suckers. This story would have ended with a ride off into the sunset, but while the vinegar smelled like it and looked like it, it did not taste like it. For shame Heinz, selling water and labeling it as malt vinegar… you’ll not fool me again!

Bottom line: Five Guys Burger and Fries is well worth a visit but bring your own vinegar!

--Contribution by Angel

No Fancy Titles for The Stoned Crow

The Stoned Crow is a happy example of that most venerable institution, the dive bar. If the movie posters on the walls (and in the bathroom!) don't quite tip you off to this, then the none-too-fancy tables and chairs in the back, by the pool table, probably will.

I do not typically eat at dive bars. I am usually quite suspect of their kitchens. However, when you have come for a burger, then bigod you order a burger.

I already was feeling favorable about this place when I saw the description of "The Crow Burger": 1/2 pound of ground beef topped with american or cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, white onion and pickles on the side. It was $12 but for the West Village, it's not so bad. Also, this is a half pound of meat. That is a BIG burger.

Now, many cheeseburger purists will be angry, but I have to say: I want a choice of cheese, dammit. I just don't like American cheese on my burger. There. I said it. I contend that "Cheddah makes it bettah".

My medium Crow Burger showed up perfectly cooked, with a little bit of crunch on the outside. The bacon added a lovely level of saltyness without being overwhelming (granted, it would take a lot to overwhelm 1/2 lb. of ground beef). The bun was too small & unsturdy for such a giant burger. A toasted hard roll might be a better option. About 3/4 of the way through, my burger was a bit of a mess, falling onto my paper plate. For taste, though, I'd have to say this burger is second only to my ever-beloved Shake Shack.

In Sum: Yum!!!!!! Will definitely visit again.

Other notes: The fries were good & standard. My beer (Harp) was enjoyable. Our midweek visit meant the bar was not very crowded. Visit the ladies room for pics of your favorite (?) stars, straight outta Tiger Beat.

-- Contribution by Beth "give me beef or give me death" Devlin