Island Getaway

The BURGER CLUB ventured out to Island Burger on 9th Avenue in Manhattan for a sunny getaway from what was supposed to have been a very chilly first week of February.  The fact that temperatures went well into the 50's only made the meal more festive.

For those who haven't seen the Island Burger menu, you may want to sit down and put on your reading glasses.  From the Frog to the El Camino, the list is entirely comprehensive and surprisingly creative.  The burgers are thick and heavy with the cooking skewing rare (my medium came as a bright, fleshy pink).  The buns are everything from ciabatta rolls, to sourdough bread, to plain old white flour buns.  Although Island Burger once proclaimed themselves to be french-fry free, they now serve them in a variety of ways (with and without various combinations of cheese and chili).

Although I've been relatively unmoved by Island Burger in the past, this time I was entirely swept up in the combination of flavors -- including that of my chocolate shake.  It may be that the secret to Island Burger is going over the top, the taller the better, the more enticing the flavor.

The waitstaff is genuinely friendly, making the entire experience a vacation.  The BOTTOM LINE is: go big or go home.


* Frog: bacon, boursin, and caramelized onions on a regular bun.
**El Camino: bacon, jack cheese, and ranch on sourdough.