Burger Recon: HAMBURGER HAMLET
Posted by: Mallory Sacks in New York City on Jul 14, 2010
Caliente: Pepperjack cheese and caramelized onions balance each other out well. The Serrano chili spread (looked like pesto) oozed out a little on the sides. It tasted like a taco- but it was a burger. But it tasted like a taco! It was all very confusing.
Hickory: Excellent smoked flavor with crisp bacon. Not quite as strongly flavored as Apple Pan, but still an excellent choice.
Classic: Played right into my love of American cheese on a burger. It was the definition of its name with great flavor and texture.
Steakhouse Bleu: I like bleu cheese, but not quite this much. If you are a bleu cheese fan, this is YOUR burger, you’ll be in heaven. I just brushed a little off and ate some more!
Each burger had a dense, doughy bun, grilled to add texture. Loved the shredded lettuce, and a few of the burgs had red onions, which were just too strong to keep on the burgers. My dad pointed out that the tomatoes were the perfect size and cut in such a way that they seemed to cap whatever sauce or cheese they rested on. Fries were absolutely delicious. You can have regular or mesquite, and I love a nicely seasoned fry, so mesquite it was. They come with ketchup but you can ask for whatever you prefer, and the ranch was excellent. They have a few specialty sodas and shakes on the menu, but I was headed to the spa and didn’t want to consume too much.
Service was superb. The maitre d’ was kind and gracious; waiters and busboys were polite and efficient. We ate on the patio, but the inside is all leather booths and has a separate dining room where a pianist plays at night. It was about $15 for each of us, but if we’d been looking to get shakes and appetizers, it would have been a little higher. The restaurant was pretty empty to be honest, but I’m sure it’s packed during the week days since it’s surrounded by office buildings, right across from BOA. I’d recommend making it a lunch spot or coming at night for the piano. Given the choice, I always want the option with the full effect, and sometimes the crowd can make or break a place.
