Beacon

The Meat: Short rib, chuck, tri-tip, and dry-aged steak trimmings

The Cheese: Choice of cheese

The Bun: Brioche

Flip Tip: They make bargains available. Don’t pay retail.

Beacon is a tempting place to take a co-worker on a date: its location, its “after-work special,” and its widely-acclaimed burger. However, if you want a second date, pick another restaurant. This burger was over-cooked and dry; the fries were cold; and, the service was a circus headache. The whole experience was one I would expect from a Hilton Hotel restaurant that is trying to be "upscale cuisine."

However, in Beacon’s defense (and giving your date the benefit of the doubt), the alcohol was plentiful and palatable.

Minetta Tavern

Minetta Tavern's Black Label Burger

The Meat: Chuck, skirt, short rib, brisket, and 45-day dry-aged ribeye

The Cheese: None

The Bun: Sesame Seed

Flip Tip: The Black Label Burger.

One month later after my visit to Minetta Tavern, the sweet, oniony taste of their legendary Black Label Burger (26$) can be conjured in my mouth almost instantly. Its highly distinctive, rich-in-sodium-high-in-deliciousness makes it fit for King Arthur's table (oops it's french, King Louis'). Stacked between two brioche buns, this meat (chuck, skirt, short rib, brisket plus 45 day dry aged ribeye), caramelized onions, cigarette fries (piled high) combo satisfies all burger receptors at first chomp. Hang on for the next few and the butter laced gout coma settles in. Nurse your new medical condition with a dark-and-stormy and cancel any planned evening activities.

-EB & LS

Extra juice:

If dry-aged steak isn't your thing, try the Minetta Burger, a more conventional but seriously delicious [read: cheesy] Minetta creation.

Blue Ribbon Bakery

The Meat: 100% chuck (all natural, grass-fed cows in PA)

The Cheese: Choice of cheese

The Bun: Sesame Seed Bun

Flip Tip: Admire the bakery in the basement; it claims one of Manhattan's oldest ovens!

The burger at Blue Ribbon Bakery was very solid. The bun was one of the tastiest buns I've ever had; made in the restaurant's own bakery, it's a hybrid between a brioche roll and a sesame seed bun. The meat was savory and shaped into a manageably sized patty. The fries were crispy but soft, salty but not too salty. 

This was not a messy burger; in fact, it was notably easy to bite and hold. Moreover, this is the perfect burger for picky eaters because they leave the veggies on the side and allow you to pick your cheese. Finally, however, while each of the components was well executed, the burger failed to be more than the sum its parts -- the ultimate test of a burger.