“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.
