Whole Foods Bowery Burger

[weinoo]

As I mentioned in this topic, my local Whole Foods has entered, at least for the time being, the burger wars.

I first spotted the Bowery Burger sign a couple of weeks ago; at that time, I wasn't able to give it a try, because I had just come into the store to pick up a few things and was in a bit of a rush. But I returned earlier in the week, once again to do some shopping, but also to try the burger.

Whole Foods sells some excellent quality stuff...that's why it's probably my main food shopping destination. I don't generally buy beef at the store, though, because I prefer a butcher's shop or the green market for that sort of stuff, though they do sell locally raised grass-fed beef at the meat counter, at least in this store. And that's what the burger was made of - beef from Jersey raised, grass-fed cows. And it did have some nice flavor - but man, the cooking technique needs some work, as I wrote about on my blog.

Basically, they cooked the living hell out of this patty, rendering it barely edible - tough, dry and everything you don't want from your burger. There are plenty of places doing this style of burger (thin patty, griddled, etc.). My advice: seek them out instead.

[liuzhou]

What does "Jersey raised" mean? Where I come from it means raised in Jersey, which would hardly make it "locally raised" in NYC.

Am I missing something here?

Edited April 22, 2012 by liuzhou (log)

[SylviaLovegren]

What does "Jersey raised" mean? Where I come from it means raised in Jersey, which would hardly make it "locally raised" in NYC.

Am I missing something here?

NJ agricultural lands are probably closer to Manhattan than farms in the state of New York are.

My experience with Whole Foods is that their ingredients are good but their cooking is generally not so good. The cooked food sections that I've tried have mostly offered dishes that don't taste very good.

[weinoo]

What does "Jersey raised" mean? Where I come from it means raised in Jersey, which would hardly make it "locally raised" in NYC.

Am I missing something here?

Yes, you are.

Simply Grazin' Organic Farm is about 55 miles from the Whole Foods on Bowery. I consider that local.

[liuzhou]

I consider that local.

Er? But not Jersey. Jersey is in the Channel Islands near France. That's where the cattle breed came from. Hence my confusion.

Edited April 22, 2012 by liuzhou (log)

[weinoo]

I consider that local.

Er? But not Jersey. Jersey is in the Channel Islands near France. That's where the cattle breed came from.

OK. When we say Jersey in New York, we mean New Jersey.

[liuzhou]

Thank you. Confusion cleared up. As you were.

[davidkeay]

Pretty much sums up my experience as well - an oversmashed steamed burger with too much bun!

I'm with SylviaLovegren RE: their ingredients being good, but not loving the cooked food. I got a rotisserie chicken from the bowery whole foods a few days ago and it's been a slog to get through- not well seasoned, and plenty dry.

[annabelle]

I've got to say that is a most unattractive name for a hamburger.

[weinoo]

Pretty much sums up my experience as well - an oversmashed steamed burger with too much bun!

I'm with SylviaLovegren RE: their ingredients being good, but not loving the cooked food. I got a rotisserie chicken from the bowery whole foods a few days ago and it's been a slog to get through- not well seasoned, and plenty dry.

It looks like they just want to totally eliminate any possibility of a customer saying they got sick from something that wasn't cooked enough.

[SylviaLovegren]

I'm with SylviaLovegren RE: their ingredients being good, but not loving the cooked food. I got a rotisserie chicken from the bowery whole foods a few days ago and it's been a slog to get through- not well seasoned, and plenty dry.

Yeah, their rotisserie chicken was a huge disappointment, as you say, dry and not tasty. I found the A&P version to be much better, by far.

[LPShanet]

Pretty much sums up my experience as well - an oversmashed steamed burger with too much bun!

I'm with SylviaLovegren RE: their ingredients being good, but not loving the cooked food. I got a rotisserie chicken from the bowery whole foods a few days ago and it's been a slog to get through- not well seasoned, and plenty dry.

It looks like they just want to totally eliminate any possibility of a customer saying they got sick from something that wasn't cooked enough.

This, of course, greatly increases the probability of a customer feeling sick because the food is so crap.

NB: I've been mostly unimpressed with their seafood offerings as well. The fish isn't nearly the quality or freshness that is found at Citarella and some others.

Edited May 31, 2012 by LPShanet (log)

[weinoo]

Pretty much sums up my experience as well - an oversmashed steamed burger with too much bun!

I'm with SylviaLovegren RE: their ingredients being good, but not loving the cooked food. I got a rotisserie chicken from the bowery whole foods a few days ago and it's been a slog to get through- not well seasoned, and plenty dry.

It looks like they just want to totally eliminate any possibility of a customer saying they got sick from something that wasn't cooked enough.

This, of course, greatly increases the probability of a customer feeling sick because the food is so crap.

NB: I've been mostly unimpressed with their seafood offerings as well. The fish isn't nearly the quality or freshness that is found at Citarella and some others.

I think this depends on what you're buying. As with all seafood, it's buyer beware and knowledge of how to pick nice, fresh fish.