Burger 42: Croxley's Fireman's Buffalo Burger

A Burger Bill RESURRECTION?!

Croxley's Ales, a small chain of six ale houses and restaurants located from New York City to Smithtown, are famous for their 60+ varieties of beers on tap, and their 20 cent wing specials on various nights and days during the week.  The burger section of the menu has a few burgers listed, and then one is in a bordered box.  That must be the one for Burger Bill.

The Fireman's Buffalo Burger: Fresh 1/2 pound, Char Grilled, Brioche Bun, Buffalo Sauce, Bacon, and Bleu Cheese

I know.  It is very descriptive.  More of a list of what is on it, then what the burger actually is.  Then again, that is where I come in.  To tell you what kind of burger this is and its worthiness ranking on the Billy's Burgers Scale Rating Guide.

The Beef: The beef was cooked medium, as ordered and a hint of pink could be seen on the inside of the patty.  The beef was juicy and delicious and oozing with anticipation of taking another bite.  3 out of 4.

The Bun:  The Brioche bun was great.  It was soft to the touch and to the bite and did not overpower the burger.  Have you ever bitten into a cloud that was cut in half and then toasted? This bun.  4 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  This BTBR ratio was great.  As I previously said the bun was not the typical massive brioche bun and did not take away anything from the burger.  Every bite had epic proportions of beef to bun.  If you're taking a bite, it is exactly how much meat and bun you want to be chewing on at any given time.  4 out of 4.

The Presentation:  The presentation was your average acceptable presentation with the open bun, bacon on top, french fries on the side, carefully placed bleu cheese on the top bun.  Nothing special, but nothing wrong with it either.  3 out of 4.

The Cheese:  The bleu cheese was in dressing form.  I would've liked to see crumbled bleu cheese instead of the easier way out of things using a giant vat of bleu cheese dressing spooned onto the top bun.  For this, I have to give a 1 out of 3 for the cheese.

The Sear: The char grilled patty could be tasted from Rockville Centre, to Smithtown, to Farmingdale, to Brooklyn, to New York City, to Franklin Square (all of Croxley's locations).  The crunchy outside sear complimented the chewy bacon perfectly, however, the seasonings (or lack thereof) could have been a little less bland.  2 out of 3.

Overall:  Overall, it was a good burger.  The bacon was cooked how I like it (chewy, not burnt), the burger and bun were great, the buffalo sauce could've used an extra kick along with a better version of bleu cheese.  This burger, encompassing all tastes receives a 3 out of 5.

BBSR: 20 / 27

Burger 41: Jimmy Hays' McCluskey's Bar Burger

Let's begin with Jimmy McCluskey.  Jimmy McCluskey was a legend of his time.  He successfully owned and operated McCluskey's, a steakhouse and restaurant, for close to 75 years before he left this world and moved on to another.  Continuing the tradition of a fine food and dining experience, Jimmy McCluskey's grandson, Jimmy Hays, is the proud owner of Jimmy Hays Steakhouse located in Island Park, New York.  Now if you're from far and wide, Jimmy Hays is, as the Sandlot boys would say, "the sultan of swat, the king of crash, the colossus of clout, the great bambino" of steakhouses.

With great power, comes great responsibility (feeling a little high on the movie quotes), and the responsibility to not only have great steaks, but to also have great burgers is a must.  I made the trip to Jimmy Hays and ordered McCluskey's Bar Burger with American cheese.

McCluskey's Bar Burger: Ground porterhouse steak served with lettuce, tomato, and white onion. 

The Beef:  Let me describe this beef for you.  Ordering this burger medium, and as it comes out and is placed in front of you, you notice already that the juices are escaping.  You take the first bite.  The beef cooked on the outer edges, the pink surrounding the majority of the burger and a touch of red in the center was a perfect medium.  The beef itself, the ground porterhouse steak, was absolutely amazing.  Apparently Jimmy himself hand picks the cuts of steaks, which I would assume include the cuts which are to be ground for hamburger meat.  He picked the golden ticket with this one.  4 out of 4.

The Bun:  To be honest, the bun was not anything crazy.  It was bready, and fluffy, and white, and nice, but really didn't jump out in any way.  It was not toasted, which made the aforementioned juices seep into the bread and create a soggy bun on bottom.  Does the bourgeoisie not get their buns toasted? Maybe had I been wearing my burger necktie, they would have toasted my bun.  3 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  As you can see from the picture, the bun is noticeably larger than the patty.  The bun is either too large, or the patty was too small in this situation.  I, personally, thought the patty was the perfect size, so this would make the bun a little too large for the ratio here.  3 out of 4.

Presentation: I wish I had a better picture, but let me describe this experience for you.  Let's call it...eating in the dark.  It was around five o'clock in the evening when I ventured to Jimmy Hays to rate the famous burger.  I walked in and felt as if I had gone blind.  The entire restaurant seemed to be lit by a single candle, and if there was the slightest breeze, that candle would flicker, and be extinguished causing eternal darkness in the entire restaurant.  What is the reasoning behind dimming the lights to the point you cannot see the person across the table from you? I did not understand.  Seriously, this picture was taken with infrared rays just so you could see it.  Maybe it was so I could not tell that my bun was not toasted.  But I could.  So the joke is on you, Jimmy.  The presentation was average.  Burger, Bun, Cheese, toppings, and a small portion of fries on a plate.  3 out of 4.

The Cheese: Wow.  Let's take a look at this cheddar cheese.  It was melted to the point it almost formed a liquid mixture atop my burger.  I have yet to have a cheese melted so perfectly, so gooey, and so delicious on my burger.  Perfect.  3 out of 3.

The Sear:  Obviously there is going to be an excellent sear at a steakhouse where searing steak is their specialty.  They sear that steak on a 900 degree grill like it is their job...well, it is their job.  So when I tell you that everything about this sear was awesome, hands down awesome, it is almost taken for granted.  But really.  The sear on this burger and the tastes accompanied with it deserve a 3 out of 3.

Overall:  Overall, I would have liked to see some more effort with the bun.  Also, I would have like to have something a little more detailed on the plate.  The effort put into presentation was definitely lacking, but then again, if it is too dark to see the plate, maybe it is not their priority.  4 out of 5.

BBSR: 23 / 27

Burger 40: Bungalow West's Buffalo Burger

A couple of years ago, the West End of Long Beach, New York was graced with the opening of The Bungalow West.  After continued success at the original location 3 miles east of here, The Bungalow West opened and began serving a variety of food immediately.  The menu consists of breakfast all day, which is top of the line, and lunch and dinner where you can order anything from tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, to panini sandwiches, protein shakes, and of course, burgers.

The Buffalo Burger: Our beef burgers are 1/2 pound, certified prime beef.  Burger is topped with buffalo sauce and melted bleu cheese.  

The Beef:  They were not joking when they said their beef burgers are 1/2 pound certified prime beef.  A lot of places may say this, and whether or not it be true is one thing.  But taking a bite out of this burger, I can assure you if there was a blue ribbon award from the Burger Bill Committee of One, this beef would be awarded.  The beef was cooked medium, with pinkness on the inside and cooked thoroughly on the outer edges.  The herbs and spices could be seen inside the patty which fell apart in your mouth as you took each bite.  This was, without a doubt (and very surprisingly), the best beef patty I have bitten into so far.  4 out of 4.

The Bun:  Brioche buns are often very dense and contain a lot of bread.  This bun was light and fluffy and did not overpower the sandwich in any way.  The toasted bun gave a nice crunch and a cloud-like softness with each bite.  3 out of 4.

The BTBR: While the bun did not overpower the sandwich, the bun was larger than the patty itself, creating some bites which contained bun and no beef.  For the portions that had equal amounts, it was made up for.  3 out of 4.

The Presentation:  This burger was ordered to go, but even in the to-go dish it was arranged exactly how it would have been on a plate.  Major props for taking time to make a to go order look presentable and not just wrapping it up and throwing it in a bag. 3 out of 4.

The Cheese: The bleu cheese was alright.  I've had better bleu cheeses on this burger quest, and I have definitely had worse cheeses.  So a 2 out of 3 is a fair rating for the fair cheese.

The Sear:  The sear on this burger was an optical illusion, as in, I do not know how they did it.  The inside of the burger fell apart inside your mouth and melted instantly.  The outside contained a firm, crunchy, bite that was present for every bite.  The grill must have been set to 1000 degrees to sear the outside of this burger so well while keeping the inside so tender and juicy.  3 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  Overall, the burger was great.  The buffalo sauce and bleu cheese could have been higher quality, and the bun a little smaller, or maybe a tiny bit more meat to compensate the size of the brioche.  This burger bellies a 4 out of 5 overall.

BBSR: 22 / 27

Burger 39: Michael's Porthole Bacon Cheddar Burger

Michael's Porthole, located in Oceanside, New York has been serving the community for multiple decades.  The restaurant and bar, located on the water, is set back where the average person does not simply drive by this establishment, unless they are lost or looking for it.  For me, I was looking for it.  This seemed like a great stop to pull in to stop number 39 on the quest for the perfect burger.  Was that perfect burger found here? Let's take a look...

Michael's Porthole Bacon Cheddar Burger: 10 oz. burger, topped with bacon and cheddar

(I agree, it is a very detailed description of the burger)

The Beef: The beef was cooked medium and contained some pink, slightly overcooked, in the center of the mass of meat.  The patty was thicker than most, and provided a nice juicy bite with every mastication.  3 out of 4.

The Bun: Just your everyday normal bun, toasted on your everyday normal toaster.  Nothing seriously special about the bun here except its cloud-like softness on the top half.  2 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio: The BTBR on this burger couldn't get more perfect.  Every bite had the golden ratio of meat to bun.  I guess it takes a 10 ounce patty to accomplish such a feat.  4 out of 4.

The Presentation:  The presentation of the burger was the average restaurant's presentation.  The burger was plated with toppings, fries, and a pickle, neatly and very appetizingly (yes, that is a word).  3 out of 4.

Cheese:  The cheese was perfectly melted, gooey, and dripping when it first came out.  Just your average cheddar cheese, and a little light for a 10 ounce burger.  Maybe melting another slice would give this the go ahead.  2 out of 3.

Sear:  The sear on this burger was great in the places it was great, and not so great in the places it was not so great.  The inconsistent sear balanced out with the capabilities this burger possessed gives the bacon cheddar burger a 2 out of 3.

Overall: One of the things that goes unnoticed about this burger is the bacon is melted into the cheese.  Normally you have a cheeseburger, topped with bacon.  This is an actual bacon cheddar burger.  The bacon and cheddar fuse to become one and form the perfect relationship on top of this ten ounce patty.  3 out of 5.

BBSR: 19 / 27

Burger 38: Lido Kosher Deli's The Pastrami Burger

Lido Kosher Deli, located in Long Beach, New York has been in business for almost 60 years.  The deli, which doubles as a restaurant serves many specialty dishes, and they also serve the staple which Americans crave.  The meat patty between two buns that makes the salivary glands of millions water.  The sandwich known as the hamburger.  Then, you take this monstrosity of a burger and add on more meat? I like it. Mazel Tov.

The Pastrami Burger: 12 ounce Angus beef patty topped with thick sliced pastrami on a kaiser roll

The Beef:  The Beef of this burger was very under-seasoned.  While juicy and tender, it was very bland to the palette and needed a few spices in there to give it a taste.  2 out of 4.

The Bun:  The bun was toasted but it was a kaiser roll.  I get my turkey sandwich from the deli on the corner on a kaiser roll.  These rolls are not made for hamburgers, and it took all the taste out of the already bland burger.  The tasteless beef turned into bread flavored beef.  2 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  The ratio on this burger was exactly what you needed with a bun so large.  A 12 ounce burger to put between the buns.  If not for this monster burger, the ratio would have been dismal, but the guys in the kitchen know how to handle their ratio and for that deserve a 4 out of 4.

The Presentation:  The sliced pastrami was placed delicately over the burger, and the bun off to the side.  The presentation was normal for ordering a burger at a restaurant, nothing too extravagant.  3 out of 4.

The Cheese:  Now I know it is not kosher to mix meat with dairy, but Burger Bill says it is NOT kosher to not put cheese on a burger!  Was the pastrami supposed to replace my cheese?  Do they serve cheese in this place?  They don't.  If I brought my own cheese in here would they object to me putting it on?  They would.  I'm not here to mess with religion, but if you're going to take the American (quite literally) out of the staple food, don't put it on your menu.  N/A out of 3.

The Sear: The outside of this burger glistened with lines that sang, "We are delicious, we want you to bite us." The inside was gray, and although cooked medium, I didn't really find any pink inside.  2 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  The pastrami was the main focus of this burger, and the burger was delicious.  And if you are going to not allow me to put cheese on a burger for a religious reason, at least make it the best burger I have ever eaten.  Come here for the pastrami, not for the burger.  3 out of 5.

BBSR: 16 / 24 (no cheese)

Burger 37: Speakeasy Prohibition Burger

Speakeasy, located in the West End of Long Beach is a local bar and restaurant that is themed around the prohibition era.  The decor reminds you of an old speakeasy, with brick walls, and decorations that are relevant to that time in history.

This burger was very plain jane, and it was called the Prohibition Burger.  The only thing prohibited about it was the toppings.  The burger came as bare as you can imagine.  No cheese.  No bacon.  No onions.  Nothing. Bottom bun.  Burger.  Top bun.

The Beef:  The beef was underseasoned and tasted like ground beef, not really a burger patty.  It was very appealing to the eye, but did not do much in the way of appeal to my taste buds.  There was no "wow".  2 out of 4.

The Bun: The bun was a smaller than small potato roll.  It was toasted but in accordance with my other ratings, a simple potato roll is worth the simplest amount of points.  1 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  The BTBR on this burger was great, but that was because the bun was so small.  There was definitely beef for every bite of bun, but at the same time there were some bites that had no bun at all.  Where I come from, we call that a meat-wad, not a burger.  3 out of 4.

The Presentation: The burger was simply plated with fries, and a side of ketchup.  No lettuce, tomato, or anything came as even a garnish.  2 out of 4.

The Cheese: n/a

The Sear: This was a redeeming quality as there was a nice sear, however, as I stated before there was no seasonings to be tasted along with this beautiful sear.  2 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  Overall a burger named after prohibition must mean its a burger of stuff you cannot have.  You cannot have seasoning, you cannot have lettuce, you cannot have tomato, you cannot have cheese, you cannot have anything except the burger and the bun.  Everything else is prohibited.  3 out of 5.

BBSR: 13 / 24*

*No cheese rating

Burger 35, 36: Keith's Grill at Citi Field

The New York Mets, the love of my life, play at Citi Field in Flushing, New York.  Enter Citi Field and take the escalator up through the Jackie Robinson Rotunda with hundreds of Mets fans surrounding you, talking about who will be starting for the game today, current injuries, and news about the team.  Take a left as you get off the escalator and walk straight through the field level seating, until you reach the left field reserved seats.  Behind the left field seating sits a small food kiosk called "Keith's Grill".

Keith's Grill, named for legendary Mets all-star, Keith Hernandez, only serves two menu items...the Gold Glove Burger and the Mex Burger.  Each burger, made with Pat LaFrieda beef, is cooked right in front of you on a flat iron grill.  Opened in 2009, with the suggestions made by Keith himself, this place always has customers devouring these two burgers.

The Gold Glove Burger: Exactly how Keith eats his burger: A six ounce LaFrieda burger on a toasted sesame seed bun with cheddar cheese, topped with lettuce, tomato, two dill pickles, raw onion, mayo, and extra ketchup on top, mustard spread on the bottom bun.  

The Mex Burger: Created by Keith & the Citi Field culinary team, a 6 ounce LaFrieda burger on a toasted sesame seed bun with cheddar and jack cheese, topped with bacon, guacamole, chipotle aioli and jalapenos.  

With the exception of the toppings, the two burgers were exactly the same, so I will be rating both burgers together.

The Beef:  The Pat LaFrieda 6 ounce patty was probably the best tasting beef patty I have had at any ballpark, basketball arena, or sports stadium.  The beef was juicy and tender and was a perfect size for sitting at a baseball game and eating a burger.  3 out of 4.

The Bun:  The bun, toasted on the same grill surface that cooks the beef, enhances the taste of the toasted edges by absorbing some of the juices and then locking in those juices by searing the edges of the bun. 2 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  A 6 ounce patty on a toasted sesame seed bun, yielded a great ratio.  Every bite contained a generous portion of beef on each piece of bun.  3 out of 4.

The Presentation:  The presentation for a ballpark burger was very well organized.  As the man grilled the burgers before me, the woman organized the toppings on each bun and set up each persons burger with a tootsie pop and a bag of chips as well.  The construction of the burger was not rushed, and again, for a sports venue, it was very nicely presented.  3 out of 4.

The Cheese: The combinations of jack and cheddar cheeses perfectly melted made a nice addition to each burger.  Before the cheese was placed on the burger it was actually placed directly onto the flat iron surface and melted a little before then being placed on the burger for more melting.  2 out of 3.

The Sear:  Each burger had a great sear from the flat iron which could be seen and definitely tasted.  The only thing being cooked all night on the flat iron are burgers so there are no tastes except the beefy amazingness on this sear.  2 out of 3.

Overall Taste: Overall between all the toppings and tastes there are certain things I enjoyed about each burger.  First, Keith is a genius for separating his ketchup from his mustard on the top and bottom bun.  It really brings out the taste in each condiment and is well worth trying.  The chipotle aioli was pretty awesome as well.  When topped with jalapenos and guacamole, this burger really was an unexpected delight.  4 out of 5.

BBSR: 19 / 27