Burger Club

[elyse]

Maybe LJC should search Molly's and Tavern on Jane?

[JosephB]

Joe, remember we have a tentative date for a weekday burger at City Hall when you get back (after 11/6, right?).  We'll work it out publicly, so anyone else who's interested can join us. 

Just had an idea: Since Le Zinc (whose burger I know and love) is just up the block from City Hall, maybe we can coordinate ordering at each place and meet on the street between the two?        Well, then again maybe not. 

Any good burgers on Sicily?

Hi Suzanne,

As you can see from the time of this post, we are in jet lag mode. I think I'll skip lunch today and focus on Saturday's event.

[picaman]

LJC, we're not ignoring you.  We're just waiting for The Man With The Data (aka picaman) to notice your request.

That would be me. I'm back in the game now

Eval form for Tavern on Jane

Eval form for Molly's

More details on the .pdfs linked above--you'll need Acrobat Reader to view them. Not everyone agreed on everything, but in general, people felt that the Molly's burger was not salty enough. Many people took issue with the level of browning on the TOJ burger, and the bun was a "bun of contention."

It's early, folks.

Jamie

[elyse]

And I thought, if you're going to rate the burger at all, it has to come out pretty much the way you order it. Like if you order black and blue and it comes out brownish and pink, it's not a specimin to rate. That's rating the restaurant, not the burger. It is the same as if you order cheddar and get mushrooms. It's not what you ordered, should be changed, and then rated. More on this to come, but I'll be away all day.

Continue.

[LJC]

Thanks for the update. I look forward to more evaluations.

[alacarte]

Burger up!

[elyse]

You're still out this week? We have a guest speaker....

Anyone feel like PMing out usual suspects? My box is full.

Edited November 7, 2003 by elyse (log)

[bloviatrix]

I know the purpose of BC is for analyzing burgers, but would it be a problem if I stuck my head in and said hello?

As of now, I'm free on saturday night until 8:00 (curtain).

[elyse]

Of course. And I mean that only for you. (We have our reasons).

[alacarte]

You're still out this week?  We have a guest speaker....

Anyone feel like PMing out usual suspects?  My box is full.

'fraid so. I'm leaving for Madison tonight, gone for a week. Is there a branch of the BC out there?

guest speaker? do tell!

I'm bummed that I don't get to meet the famous bloviatrix either.

[Suzanne F]

Well, you can meet at the Pie Potluck in January, I hope!

[elyse]

Mr. Cutlets should be coming.

[MHesse]

I'm not in for this one. I regret not being able to meet Mr. Cutlets or bloviatrix and not seeing the rest of the gang. I'm off to California from 11/25 thru 12/2; maybe something will happen before then. Meanwhile I will learn to make a pie for January.

--mh

[elyse]

[SethG]

Joe, remember we have a tentative date for a weekday burger at City Hall when you get back (after 11/6, right?).  We'll work it out publicly, so anyone else who's interested can join us. 

Just had an idea: Since Le Zinc (whose burger I know and love) is just up the block from City Hall, maybe we can coordinate ordering at each place and meet on the street between the two?    Well, then again maybe not. 

Any good burgers on Sicily?

Hi Suzanne,

As you can see from the time of this post, we are in jet lag mode. I think I'll skip lunch today and focus on Saturday's event.

If all y'all are planning a BC meeting at Le Zinc or City Hall, please do it as a weekday lunch! I work in the area, and would love to join you.

[Suzanne F]

SethG: will remember that!

[MHesse]

I'm not in for this one. I regret not being able to meet Mr. Cutlets or bloviatrix and not seeing the rest of the gang. I'm off to California from 11/25 thru 12/2; maybe something will happen before then. Meanwhile I will learn to make a pie for January.

--mh

I'm back in! The "warden" has granted me an evening pass because I cleaned up my room. Organized and filed all my "important" papers that have been piling up since 1990.

See you at 6.

--mh

[picaman]

Here are the results from the burger at Le Parker Meridien. Final results pending submission of scores from evaluator JosephB.

The Parker Meridien burger had the highest overall score yet, with especially high average scores for juiciness and meat quality.

Dessert was thoughtfully provided by Suzanne F. I think I speak for everyone (with the possible exception of MHesse) when I say that spicy hot chocolate from the Chocolate Bar far outstrips the salty Tamarind Chile delight she provided.

Thanks for yet another great evening of Burger Club fun--I had a blast!

Jamie

Edited November 9, 2003 by picaman (log)

[elyse]

See, now I'm not convinced it was better than Jane's. At both places my burger was over cooked, and at both places, I sent it back. Second one in both places were relatively perfect (rare). I still believe that if people actually got their burgers the way they asked for them at Jane, they'd have had a far better burger experience. In my opinion, that's the patron's fault.

By the time I got my second burger, my fries were cold. The place was crowded, so I stayed by the order window lest the burger be chucked at my head from across the room. (No kidding, they were doing that. Fries too. They landed on the floor). Anyway, I had taken a bite of the burger, seen that it was pretty greyish, tore it in half (no silverware here) and walked back to the window. The guy took half the burger I showed him and at it! But then again, when someone ordered a shake, he'd pour a beer. If the person really wanted a shake, he'd drink the beer himself. The guy was a riot.

My second burger came with a big piece of beef char from the grill. JosephB wanted half, but I wouldn't give it to him. It was good stuff.

Two new members were a great addition. Felonius most impressed me when he got up to leave for dinner with someone. Excellent man. slkinsey and bergerka... feh. And lurker who-will-remain-nameless-until-he-decides-to-name-himself impressed me by having spoken to no one, showed up and found us. Excellent.

We who remained went outside to see the eclipse. It was cool. Great night all around.

Well, I'll have my fries and remaining half burger tonight for dinner. Age will improve them.

Oh yeah, Suzanne's 'pica' candy was just that not fit for human consumption. We all spit it out. Except for.... Foul beyond words.

Edited November 9, 2003 by elyse (log)

[R Washburn]

I had lunch yesterday at "burger joint at le parker meridian" (that is how it is listed in my 2004 Zagat, elyse), so I skipped the burger club meeting and had dinner at McHale's (46th st. and 8th ave.). I had the bacon cheeseburger. Everything was good except the actual burger, which was a giant (12 oz? I wish i had brought a scale) overcooked patty of low grade beef. I should have chucked the burger and made a BLT with huge pile of crispy bacon. The crispy steak fries were also quite good.

I assume that they have changed their beef source recently, since there burger has been highly touted on the board. It is very rare for me not to finish a hamburger, but the great size and poor taste forced me to make an exception.

[sherribabee]

Burger Join at Le Parker Meridian, according to Vindigo. I even whipped out my iPaq to show Elyse, but she refused to accept this. It will be a source of ongoing debate, I'm sure. The guys who worked there didn't seem to have a clue as to what the place was called, but then again, they probably would've struggled to recall their own names at that point. They were sufficiently toasted.

The burger was pretty good and was actually a managable size. The fries were gross, the giant pickle OK, and the shake was yummy.

It was great to meet some folks for the first time, JosephB and his friend, Felonious and Lurker. I look forward to seeing you all again!

All-in-all it was a fine way to spend a Saturday evening, except for the part where SuzanneF decided to confirm her doubts about a candy by sharing it with us all and gauging our reactions. We all barely got thig stuffin out mouths before we were spitting it out and looking for a way to get rid of the taste. Excedpt for MHesse, he ate the whole thing. We've pretty much concluded that he's a freak. I think the best way to describe it is it tasted like a nursing home smells, only salty. It was nasty squared.

Once again, I'm having trouble posting pics. I need to find a different place to store them online; a place that will actually be compatible with eGullet.

[Felonius]

Thanks to all in the BC for giving me such a warm welcome last night. I hope no one was offended that I was the first to leave, but I had to join my Dad for dinner (he' s in town for the hotel/restaurant show). Next time I'll be sure to stay and get my share of the spicy candy .

That was my first visit to "Burger Place" at Parker Meridien, and I will definitely return. The burger was juicy with high quality meat, and mine was cooked just as ordered (rare). Even better, the place is an absolute bargain by NYC standards. $4.50 for a decent sized high-quality cheeseburger, and and additional $2.50 gets you either a big homemade milkshake or a large cup of Sam Adam's on draft. I can't remember the last time I found a decent draft beer for that kind of price outside of the East Village.

Edited November 9, 2003 by Felonius (log)

[picaman]

All-in-all it was a fine way to spend a Saturday evening, except for the part where SuzanneF decided to confirm her doubts about a candy by sharing it with us all and gauging our reactions. We all barely got thig stuffin out mouths before we were spitting it out and looking for a way to get rid of the taste.

Oh, I don't know. I think it challenged my conception of what hard candy could be. I especially liked the way the flavor immediately soaked into my lips so that I was forced to experience wave after wave of salty tamarind chile vileness.

It's as if Adria got very drunk and flew on a whim to a candy factory in Mexico.

Jamie

[R Washburn]

Thanks to all in the BC for giving me such a warm welcome last night. I hope no one was offended that I was the first to leave, but I had to join my Dad for dinner (he' s in town for the hotel/restaurant show). Next time I'll be sure to stay and get my share of the spicy candy .

That was my first visit to "Burger Place" at Parker Meridien, and I will definitely return. The burger was juicy with high quality meat, and mine was cooked just as ordered (rare). Even better, the place is an absolute bargain by NYC standards. $4.50 for a decent sized high-quality cheeseburger, and and additional $2.50 gets you either a big homemade milkshake or a large cup of Sam Adam's on draft. I can't remember the last time I found a decent draft beer for that kind of price outside of the East Village.

I am glad you liked burger joint. It is near the top of my current list of favorite burgers, along with JUdson grill (best fancy burger) and Piper's Kilt (best bar burger).

[pnapoli]

The place was crowded, so I stayed by the order window lest the burger be chucked at my head from across the room.  (No kidding, they were doing that.  Fries too.  They landed on the floor).  Anyway, I had taken a bite of the burger, seen that it was pretty greyish, tore it in half (no silverware here) and walked back to the window.  The guy took half the burger I showed him and at it!  But then again, when someone ordered a shake, he'd pour a beer.  If the person really wanted a shake, he'd drink the beer himself.  The guy was a riot.

awwww, man. i'm sorry i missed that. well, maybe not.

sorry we couldn't join you. i did, however, have a burger last night in honor of the club. the so-called 'cuban burger' at la isla in hoboken. made of spiced pork, beef and chorizo, and topped with chopped raw red onion and tiny potato sticks, it was tasty but perhaps too unique for the club's purposes. and it did suffer from a very unsatisfactory bun-to-burger ratio. if we end up creating a splinter group dedicated to non-traditional burgers (oh no, another proposed splinter group), well maybe this could be added to the list. but anyway, glad you had a great time.