[Burger helper]

Has anyone ever tried to marinade meat, grind the meat and then make burgers out of it. I have never tried it, it seems like it can be done. Also, has anyone ever try to grind chicken breast?

Come to think of it, I dont think restaruants had such things back then.

The also did not have diet soda.

[Burger helper]

This is the logo in progress

I am in the process of making it look weathered

I am thinking of stickers to hold the butcher paper on the wraped burgers

I think it will look halfway decent on a cup and menus.

I am just wondering if I sould say burgers and shakes instead of dining car

[Burger helper]

No need to be alarmed. I figured what better way to serve vintage flavored food but from a vintage "establishment"

These were built back in 42, I think it will just add to the whole. This is more of what I will be working with.

This is why the food has to be fantastic. Every detail must be thought out with precision.

On another note. I would imagine back then, they served milkshakes in clear glasses. well, I have found a source for solo cups (starbucks like) with a dome lid. Do you think that would work.

[Burger helper]

Food wise I really like Jasons idea about keeping the menu limited. Although I have SOOOOOO many food ideas, it may be the case of spreading myslef too thin, (no pun intended).

Idea: I have a miro-brewery in town, I am going to check with them to see if they would not mind botteling some soda for me, or if they even have the capacity to do so.

I hear alot of good things about the shake shack, so I will try my hand at making milkshakes from frozen custard. Although the major competiton in that area in my neck of the woods is Ritters Frozen Custard. Otherwise I here that Ciao Bella has a great ice cream I can use.

I was also thinking about delivery but burgers and fries dont keep very well temp wise. No one in my area makes a fantastic cheese steak...there is one place that serves steakum

I also make my own marinade. I have a marinade for chicken, pork, beef and venison. There is not one restaurant that market there own sauces here.

[Burger helper]

Like the number nine I want my food of my establishment to be like no other. The number 9 is the only number that if you multiply it by any number, the sum of thoes numbers is 9. i.e 9x54=486, 4+8+6=18 1+8=9. I want my food to be somthing special, thats why I am digging for feedback, I want to be the best at what I do.

[Burger helper]

This is the trailer type that I am purchasing for the restaruant.

I think it fits with what I want to do.

Business Names I am thinking of

Number 9 Eatery

The trailer is not outfited yet, I will need to gut the whole thing, rewire it, and make it food ready.

No matter how far I move away from the East. Soda..will always be soda

[Burger helper]

Does anyone know the percent mixture of sirloin, brisket to fat of the shake shack? This sounds like a good mixture. Also, I cooked a burger that contained 30% fat, I was able to cook it well done and it was still juicy. I just have an issue with serving undercooked food with many people being lawsuite happy these days.

I saw the McDonalds site and this seems pretty straight forward.

As far as shakes go, I was thinking of using a good icecream with heavy cream instead of milk. I was also thinking of using a shake mixer instead of a blender. Soft serve ice cream would require a machine and they are a kings ransome.

[Burger helper]

Does any one know where I might start to look for Beef Tallow. It seems that this stuff is pretty hard to find.

[Burger helper]

Shakes in two or three basic flavors -- vanilla, chocolate, and maybe strawberry, tro. and I would use soft serve. Long, thin fries cooked in beef tallow.

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Question: where can one buy beef tallow? Is this a kind of oil or is this something that is added to the oil.

Sodas I would either procure old-style flavors in in retro glass bottles with crown caps or I would get premium syrups made only from sugar cane, and take extreme care with the mix.

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Retro glass bottles? what is a crown cap?

No chicken sandwiches, nuggets or veggie burgers. Forget breakfast. Extremely limited menu but do it well.

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I already have a chicken sandwich...I can forgo the nuggets but cutting out veggie food cuts out alot of customers in my area.

The meat grind and fat composition is important but not nearly as important as making everything fresh. You can certainly get good ground beef from a distributor if you dont want to grind it yourself.

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I dont really have a butcher that I can trust in re. to giving out the "secret" meat mixture to other businesses. On the other hand, It adds more stress on me trying to keep it a secret.

I presume you are going to griddle fry the burgers as opposed to broil/grill?

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I am going to use a thermostatic griddle all the way.

[Burger helper]

I would attempt to reproduce the original Mcdonalds hamburger from 1965. Down to the exact detail. You'd sell them like hotcakes. I'd go totally retro. Minimalistic. Shakes in two or three basic flavors -- vanilla, chocolate, and maybe strawberry. Long, thin fries cooked in beef tallow.

Sodas I would either procure old-style flavors in glass bottles or I would get premium syrups made only from sugar cane.

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Funny you say retro. I am going to base this business out of a 1945 spartan travel trailer. This trailer is all aluminum, open all year round. It is roughly 8ft wide by 33 feet long.

I also worked at McDonalds back in the early 80's. They used reconstituted onions. They were dry in a bag...we had to put them in a steam pan...add water and put them in the walk in refrigerator. They had every thing timed. The grill had beepers...put the frozen pucks down,...it told you when to sear, turn and take the burger off the grill. But how would I know how they did it back then... I was born in 69

[Burger helper]

I am looking to build the next burger empire. I am originally from Brooklyn but now transplanted in the Midwest. This empire can be built with the help of food lovers on egullet.

First...in order to build this empire I need a FANTASTIC! burger. I can make a good burger from a frozen puck by using my custome made seasonings and all of its embelishments, but good is not good enough...this burger will need to be "OUT THE GATE!" So I will need to be able to make these burgers in house.

I will also need to figure out how to keep these business secrets secret.

What kind of buns should be used? regular, potato, Should I toast them on the griddle.

Does anyone have any suggestions on doing so. I would like to know what types of meat to grind toghether along with percentage of fat content. I cooked a frozen burger with a 30% fat content and even when I cooked it well done, it was still very juicy. The only problem is that this quarter pound burger shrunk quite a bit making it the same size as a regular burger bun. Although it taste great, it did not look very impressive size wise.

In the process of serving the best burger, I am forced to serve fries. So I have to go for the goal of making some fantastic fries to go with the burger. Buying frozen fries from a distributor would be the easy route...I want to make fresh cut fries..DOUBLE FRIED. If anyone can lend a hand with this information that would be great. I would like to know what kind of spuds to purchase, what is the BEST oil to fry them in...veg oil, beef tallow etc. what are the degrees to double fry them and the over all process of making a great fry. I am not trying to win any awards for healthy food...I would rather have the food taste great than worry about how fattening it is.

This brings me to my last question. When It comes to shakes, The shake would have to be off the hook as well. Do I use a premium ice cream, or do I use a custard, Do I purchse the ice cream or custard already made or do I try and make them myself.

Soda...buy or make my own?

I want peole to walk away and say "that was the best burger, shake and fries that I have EVER had. I want my food to be a "no contest" when people are thinking about these foods.

I know this is a TALL order but I want to bring the quality and service of food back to what it once was.

Thank You

[Happy to Serv you]

I am from NY and I am opening a restaurant in Michigan. I was wondering if anyone knew where to get thoes coffee cups " We are happy to serv you"

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards

[French fry forks]

Try the following

www.wellscoffe.com

www.balpex.ca

www.ashwood-timber.co.uk

www.rofson.com

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I have found the forks!!!. Thank You so much.

[French fry forks]

Do you expect to have a large kosher contingent? Your food truck is obviously not kosher as you are serving cheese & meat together, so why the emphasis on kosher (parve) buns? It makes sense for the all beef hot dog, but I don't think it's necessary to have a beef polish sausage served on a parve bun. If it's a polish sausage, just make it pork.

Reply:

Well: I do have a large enough kosher contingent here. Although I do serve cheese and meat toghether, the kosher foods will have there own utensils as well as their own grill.

IMO, don't make the russian dressing for the reuben automatically on the side. Part of the essense of the reuben sandwich is the melding to melted swiss, kraut and russian dressing. If someone asks for it on the side, accomodate them, but no need to make it de rigeur. (Also, notice the spelling of reuben.)

Reply: Good point!

You're spelling kaiser roll incorrectly.

Reply: My apologies, I can't spell worth crap!

"City blocks: Three French toasted blocks topped... " Blocks of what?

Reply:

Well, I take a loaf of bread, Slice the crust off all four sides of the loaf, then cut it into long blocks. I then inject the blocks with a milk chocolate syrup then dip the block of bread into the french toast batter, then grill as usual.

[French fry forks]

I am also looking for thoes "we are happy to serve you cups. or I have plain white cups. The same ones as starbucks but with out the logo.

Which one would you ladies and gents use.

[French fry forks]

I would like to thank everyone for their guidance. I am located in the Michigan. I am in the process of opening a food truck. (No roach coach here!) This will be a restaurant on wheels with food cooked to order. I want to be able to rival most of the brick and mortars here in my town. I want to serve the BEST foods from New York that I can find for there are many people transplanted here from the East Coast.

I have realized that most of the “restaurants” have homogenized there food and or serve low quality food with high prices. The only people who loose in this situation are the consumers...and that really stinks.

I want to serve the best quality that I can. I want to do this because of the following.

I want to change the way people normally think about food trucks.

I know I feel cheated when I spend good money on food and it is just awful.

I feel if I am honest, make a good product, and charge a fair price, I will be successful.

I wanted the french fry forks because I remembered them as a child from Nathans while going to Coney Island with my parents.

This is what I have so far. I would appreciate your input. I would like your opinion because I know it would be unbiased.

Rush hour Breakfast:

New York Bagels:

Big toasted bagel with butter…..............................................

Big toasted bagel with a cream cheese and jam

Muffins

New York Breakfast Sandwiches

Two farm fresh eggs with cheese on a Kiser roll

Two farm fresh eggs with cheese on a Kiser roll with bacon or sausage

City blocks: Three French toasted blocks topped with your choice of

Confectionary powder or syrup

Hot Buttered Rum Toast: Three thick slices of bread,

Dipped in a special buttered rum batter grilled to perfection

East side grill

Grilled Cheese : .American, New York Cheddar and Monetary Jack cheese on thick toasted bread

Grilled ham and Cheese. Thinly sliced Genoa ham and American cheese on a kiser or onion

Grilled Ruben :Thinly sliced corn beef with kraut and Swiss cheese, served on rye with a side of Russian dressing

Vegetarian Ruben: Tofu with kraut and Swiss cheese. On rye with a side of Russian dressing

French dip: Hot roast beef served on a French bread with melted Swiss and a side of au jus

Wall St: Marinated Ribeye Cheese steak & cheese sandwich

Lil Havana: Thin sliced roasted lechon asado (roasted Cuban pork) , ham, baby Swiss cheese, dill pickles, yellow mustard, mayo, served on Cuban bread

Park Avenue: Grilled marinated chicken breast & melted baby Swiss cheese.

Served on bed of organic romaine lettuce, a slice of organic tomato on a Kaiser roll

Gourmet street food.

Brooklyn dogger 100% pure beef frankfurter served with your choice of toppings on a toasted parve bun…...........

Brooklyn brat: The best of the wurst served with grilled onions on a tailgate bun......................................................

Polo Ground: 100% pure beef. Kosher polish sausage served on a parve bun

Kosher Coney Island: ¼ lb kosher frankfurter served on a toasted parve

Bowery steak burger

Herb butter steak burger

Club 13 burger: 1/3 lb Kobe steak burger……………........................... ................................................................

.$13.00

cooked to your doneness! With a splash of white wine. Served on a bed of garden greens fresh vegetables on a toasted bun.

Fryers

Hand Cut French Fries

Hand cut Sweet Potato Fries

Onion Rings

Plantain Chips

Buffalo wings

Pier 21

Spiced Red fish sandwich

Breaded Butterfly shrimp with fries

Skyline sandwiches

Tuna Salad

Egg Salad……………………

Chicken salad……………..

Roast beef…………………

Corned beef…………………

Pastrami …………………….

Boiled ham……………………

Roast turkey……………….

Tri-borough (choose any three meats)

Gracy mansion: (thin sliced pastrami, corned beef, Munster & Swiss topped with cole slaw and Russian dressing…………

Midtown soups

Matzoth ball soup................................. 2.95

Manhattan Island Clam chowder……..2.95

Four onion soup…................................2.95

Beef tea……........................………….2.95

New York penicillin

(Chicken soup)…...........................…..2.95

Salads

Square garden

Mixed field greens

with fresh vegetables. Tomatoes, onions, cucumbers………………..4.95

Bowery salad

Mixture of cubed meat and cheese added to the square garden……. 6.95

Gourmet sweets.

Oatmeal Raisin cookie

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Double chocolate brownie

Thank You, The kid from Brooklyn

[French fry forks]

Hello, I am trying to find a supplier for french fry forks. Does anyone know where I can purchase them.

[Falafel, tricks in making]

Hi Xavier,

Following is a recipe (copied from the Middle East section, written by GC++) I tried it successfully many times (and so did others) I once did it in the USA on a short notice, without the dried CP and it was spread all over the oil...

The important thing is to keep it "dry" and not to boil the CP after the soaking and drying.

"My recipe of Falafel is from the time I worked at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

The Egyptian chef in charge of all Oriental cuisine (apart from the Chinese off course) gave it to me.

If you need a "falafel scoop" tool I have no problem in getting one for you , here in Israel and send you ASAP.(PM  me your details)

The list of salads you mention makes sense. The most common (in Israel) are cabbage (a little like sour krout) and fresh salad made of cucumber and tomato, along with leaves of parsley, Tahini, and some hot red Jalapeno sauce.

Lots of success,

Boaziko

Hello eGullet

I have a question. I am thinking about opening a falafel cart in Michigan and I was wondering...If I were to charge $4.00 for a Falafel sandwich...how many Falafel balls is the standard per sandwich. I will be using a falafel scoop to keep things looking uniform.

Thank You