Stand Burger

[Fat Guy]

I got a thing in the mail a little while back, from the publicist for a new venture called Stand Burger at 24 East 12th Street, between Fifth and University. There was a card good for two free burgers in the envelope, so I folded it up and stuck it in my pocket (aka "the filing cabinet," as my wife calls it). Today I was down at NYU for a seminar, and then I went over to Astor Place to get my hair cut, and as I went to pay I noticed the card in my pocket, did a quick calculation and realized I was only a few blocks from Stand Burger. Free lunch, how bad could it be?

I was optimistic when I entered the place. It's a sit-down restaurant with table service and a bar, modern with about half black chairs and half padded benches in a color that I'm sure has a fancy name but is kind of mauve. On the table: Bertman's Ball Park mustard, Kewpie mayonnaise and Heinz ketchup. For $12 you can get a "classic" burger, small fries and a fountain soda. The burgers, alone, start at $9 for the classic without cheese -- it comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles and house-made ketchup -- and go up from there.

Things went downhill from there, however. Service, while friendly, was bumbling. I wasn't close enough to the open kitchen to hear exactly what was going on, but there was an incredible amount of repetition and confusion surrounding the orders -- and there were only maybe five tables seated (I got there right at noon when the place opened). It took about 20 minutes to produce my medium rare burger, and fries.

I fear the burger might have been cooking that entire time. It's emphasized on the menu, and again by the server, that the burgers are best medium rare, and that the kitchen defaults to medium rare. I ordered mine medium rare, just to be safe. It arrived well done. It was very pretty: nice bun, a pile of shredded lettuce, a not-bad tomato, good pickles. The burger's exterior was nicely charred. Unfortunately, so was its interior. There's nothing special about the meat as far as I can tell, and it's ground too fine.

The fries, which were also pretty and a nice thickness (like Belgian frites), had the opposite problem: they were undercooked, by a lot.

http://standburger.com/

[Holly Moore]

Out of curiosity, does the NYC health department take a stand on medium rare burgers? Nothing to do with the burger you had, just wondering what the rule is.

[Fat Guy]

I'm not aware of any New York regulation that requires beef be cooked to a certain temperature. I know they have such regulations in some places, but there doesn't seem to be one here. Or, if there is one here, it's widely ignored. After all, you can get steak tartare at hundreds of restaurants, and various raw beef dishes at Korean, Italian and other types of restaurants around town. As long as you don't put any trans fats on them, you're fine.

[weinoo]

I have to say I'm quite in agreement with FG. I went the week the place opened and didn't want to write about it as it was so new, but I was not impressed with burger, service or fries...which in my mind isn't so good if you're a burger place!

The best thing we had on the menu was actually the burger salad, which was a nice salad that came with three "slider" sized burgers cooked correctly - but not seasoned correctly at all.

Also tried BRGR (the same night), which I thought was a more fun space (Rockwell company designed, I believe) and enjoyed the burgers more - different style and price point, to be sure...more of a shake shack thing. The fries, however, were nothing to want to order again (I mean, if Keller's using frozen at Bouchon, these places should at least be able to produce a halfway decent fry - just cook it correctly is all!). It also appeared that they would have some nice beer on tap, but hadn't received their license yet - I don't think STAND has either.

Not rushing back to either place, to be sure.

[ned]

Well I've gotta chime in with a good word as all these reports aren't so much of institutional problematics as much as operational ones and the joint is just getting up and running. My burger came out cooked just right. I found it--and I apologize for saying it this way--not quite as good as the shake shack burger. That's high praise. Even better, they have pickled eggs. The eggs need some tuning but the fact that they're there at all is just great. They make shoestring fries. I don't totally understand the allure of them. I look like a pig when I eat them trying to get a mouthful worth chewing.

In any case I'll go back and I look forward to the day when I do. Servers were excellent and not bumbling in my experience, the space is cool. BTW I think the owners also own Republic Noodles.

[Fat Guy]

Hey I think Republic sued a client of mine once.

Ned, when I was there yesterday the fries were not shoestring. They were approximately 1/4" frites. The burger I had wasn't really comparable to the Shack burger. Shake shack makes a fairly small burger, whereas the Stand burger is a 7-ounce patty on an oversize bun.

[ned]

I guess I was referring to how good the burger was. Also while the bun looks big, it's actually pretty fluffy and will-o-the-wisp. If I could walk two blocks in January and eat a shack burger I would. . . but then I couldn't have a relatively uncreative (in a good way) chopped salad or a pickled egg.

In re the fries, maybe they've changed them. I don't know if you're familiar with the ones at the Spotted Pig. They were like the ones there.

Also as far as their beef and doneness, I always ask if the meat is ground at the restaurant. If it isn't I ask for medium well. If it is and the place seems like a good one food safety wise then I feel ok eating medium rare. Truth be told, I think if the farce is good and burger meat is essentially that, when it is taken seriously, then medium well should still be plenty juicy and delicious.

Edited January 27, 2007 by ned (log)

[Godzilla55]

On the table: Bertman's Ball Park mustard, Kewpie mayonnaise and Heinz ketchup. For $12 you can get a "classic" burger, small fries and a fountain soda. The burgers, alone, start at $9 for the classic without cheese -- it comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles and house-made ketchup -- and go up from there.

http://standburger.com/

←

Sorry to hijack the thread but your reference to Kewpie mayonnaise brought back memories. When I was a kid in Japan, I don't think I recall a single household where there wasn't a bottle (along with Bulldog's tonkatsu sauce, etc.). While it's not my favorite mayo, I do like them in Japanese sandwiches.

By the way, does anyone else use mayo on their burger? Most often, I use nothing but when I do, I use a thin spread of mayo (although I think Kewpie would clash with a burger). I never use ketchup or mustard.

[Peter B Wolf]

Quote:

" By the way, does anyone else use mayo on their burger? Most often, I use nothing but when I do, I use a thin spread of mayo (although I think Kewpie would clash with a burger). I never use ketchup or mustard. "

Mayo is a MUST with me, as are sliced raw Onion, Lettuce, Tomato and Dill Pickles.

Never Ketchup, Catsup or kitjap.

80/20 ground Chuck, 'charred' & medium rare, on a first buttered then griddled slightly crusty and chewy Bun. At 70 I still have good teeth.

(Salt & freshly ground Pepper should be right in the Meat)

Edited January 27, 2007 by Peter B Wolf (log)

[raji]

On the table: Bertman's Ball Park mustard, Kewpie mayonnaise and Heinz ketchup. For $12 you can get a "classic" burger, small fries and a fountain soda. The burgers, alone, start at $9 for the classic without cheese -- it comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles and house-made ketchup -- and go up from there.

http://standburger.com/

←

Sorry to hijack the thread but your reference to Kewpie mayonnaise brought back memories. When I was a kid in Japan, I don't think I recall a single household where there wasn't a bottle (along with Bulldog's tonkatsu sauce, etc.). While it's not my favorite mayo, I do like them in Japanese sandwiches.

By the way, does anyone else use mayo on their burger? Most often, I use nothing but when I do, I use a thin spread of mayo (although I think Kewpie would clash with a burger). I never use ketchup or mustard.

←

Kewpie's all we've got unless you go out to Mitsuwa. Which one do you prefer? I forgot the name of the other I buy. Is it true that a lot of the flavor is from ajinomono or is it a more favorable mix of oil to egg?

Kewpie is just great on a burger. I think original Hellman's usually tastes the best tho.

As far as I've seen east coast, or at least NY, = definitely a big spoon of mayo and ketchup on your burger. I'm basically the same as Mr. Wolf as I NEED all the fixings. I used to go to lunch with my friends in HS and they'd throw all their lettuce and pickles at me. I like a small garden salad on top of my burger. But, ketchup on top of the patty. I'm surprised so many ketchup-averse people here...

[Godzilla55]

Kewpie's all we've got unless you go out to Mitsuwa. Which one do you prefer? I forgot the name of the other I buy. Is it true that a lot of the flavor is from ajinomono or is it a more favorable mix of oil to egg?

Kewpie is just great on a burger. I think original Hellman's usually tastes the best tho.

I think the other mayo you may be thinking about is Kenko mayonnaise, in a similar kind of bottle. I don't know for sure but I think Kewpie uses more eggs than Hellman's. To my taste Kewpie is eggier, a little tarter and a little sweeter (although the latter two is probably due to the difference in the vinegar used). Okonomiyaki and takoyaki are great with a dollop of Kewpie but I think Hellman's would taste a little oily. Japanese potato salad's distinct flavor I think also comes from the mayo. As for a burger, I prefer original Hellman's as well.

It would be ironic if one of Kewpie mayo's ingredients were ajinomoto since Ajinomoto also sells mayo.