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

Burger 34: Corry's Ale House Bar Burger

Corry's Ale House, located in Wantagh, New York, is a simplistic pub and restaurant that features hand-crafted burgers on its pub oriented menu.  The six different types of burgers all make each other unique in taste and size.  Corry's offers a smaller 4 ounce burger, and also a larger 8 ounce burger.

I went to this location after work one day (yes, Burger Bill does work, he just doesn't work out) with a co-worker who told me that this burger was a must have.  He ordered the burger for me in advance so I had no choice in the burger.  Had I offered my opinion, I would have ordered the Corry's Ale House Burger (since it is named for the establishment), which is an 8 ounce burger stuffed with bleu cheese and scallions.  Instead, I was ordered the 8 ounce cheeseburger with a double slice of American cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato.

Regular Burger (customized): 8 ounce lean beef grilled to your taste...with American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato.

The Beef: The beef on this 8 ounce patty was tender, juicy, and cooked medium with a little bit of pink in the center.  The quality was higher and would be classified with higher end burger meats.  3 out of 4.

The Bun:  This bun was strange.  The bottom bun was toasted nicely but the top bun was borderline stale.  It was not toasted, instead it tasted as if it was left out overnight and served with my burger the following day.  1 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio: Another golden ratio was found on this burger.  Every bite contained an inch high of beef, with a perfect ratio of beef to bun.  The bun covered the beef and the beef covered the bun in every spot possible.  4 out of 4.

The Presentation & Cheese: It wasn't very appetizing.  The cheese looked as though they chose to melt a piece of yellow plastic over my burger.  The entire burger was covered in this hard shelled, plastic, double slice, of American cheese and no burger was visible.  The plate was a plate of mediocrity.  2 out of 4, presentation.  1 out of 3, cheese.

The Sear: The sear had flavors and a noticeable texture.  It was worthy of earning points for sear, but not all the points since it was the mediocre sear.  2 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  Overall, this burger was mediocrity to a "t".  3 out of 5.

BBSR: 16 / 27

Burger 33: The Burger Spot's Custom Creation

The Burger Spot, located in Garden City, New York is a localized counter service restaurant specializing in...you guessed it...burgers!  The majority of the menu allows the customer to create their own burger from a selection of patties, cheeses, toppings, and add-ons.  The burger is ordered, and then delivered to your table after it is cooked to suit your customized preferences.

My Customized Preferences: 6 oz beef patty served on a brioche bun with bacon, pepper jack cheese, and ranch dressing.  

Beef: The beef was a higher end average beef.  The burgers are actually starting to meld themselves into four grades of beef.  The 1's, the 2's, the 3's, and the yet to be seen 4's.  In this case, the Burger Spot fell into the 3 category.  3 out of 4.

Bun: The brioche bun was just enough and not overwhelming.  It was soft and toasted on the grill to give it a nice golden-brown color and an even nicer crunchy texture on the inside, with a super-soft outside.  3 out of 4.

Beef to Bun Ratio: I only got a single, but for $10+ I figured a single would be enough.  It was lacking in the beef and meat department.  2 out of 4.

Presentation:  The burger was served half wrapped, so the actual burger could peek out of its blanket and seek out the mouth it plans on taking over and conquering with its tastes and textures.  The toppings, sauces, and fixings were all in order and neatly presented.  3 out of 4.

Cheese: Pepper Jack cheese that is melted is good.  Pepper jack cheese when melted only minimally creating a plastic like texture is not so good.  1 out of 3.

Sear:  The grilled burger was nicely seared in some spots, and average searing in other spots.  2 out of 3.

Overall Taste: Once again, this establishment was "cute" and friendly; not just the waitresses, the atmosphere as well, but it lacked a special quality that sets it apart from other places.  Originality.  Basic burgers are sold here for basic people.  3 out of 5.

BBSR: 17 / 27

Burger 32: Snaps American Bistro's Snap Burger

This was the first place on the list of burger spots that Burger Bill was recognized.  Burger Bill often tries to remain hidden among the masses, but as he eats each new burger, he is starting to become the masses, which is quite massive.  The hostess sat us at a table, and asked, "Are you here for the burger thing?"  I was in love.  That somebody out there, had been following my burger blog, and was awaiting my arrival at the restaurant where they worked.  Or...they are friends with me on Facebook and we graduated high school together.

I prefer to remind myself it was the former, except the love part of cours.  There is only enough room in my heart for burgers.  And eventually when all that love (or c-h-o-l-e-s-t-e-r-o-l as they like to spell it) fills up my heart, I will die the happiest man alive.  So as our hostess sat us, she gave us our menus and awaited the waitress to take our order.

Snap Burger: Char Grilled Angus Burger, Bacon, Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle

Although I would've liked to try another burger this burger was named after the establishment so that means this is their go-to burger. Snaps features the Piggy Back which is the same as the Snap Burger but topped with pulled pork.  They also feature the Flat Liner, which is the same as the Piggy Back but served on two bacon grilled cheese buns.  Yum.

Beef: The beef on this burger, cooked medium was juicy (and not from grease).  The actual juices from the burger flowed forth from the source into the delta of Burger Bill's mouth-hole.  The tender meat, cooked to perfection was a little under-seasoned, but overall the beef was great.  3 out of 4.

Bun:  The bun lacked a certain texture.  I can't place what texture it was, but it definitely did not lack sogginess.  The non-toasted bun absorbed all the juices you wish were not there as soon as the bun hit your taste-bros (for me, they're more than buds).  2 out of 4.

BTBR: The beef to bun ratio on this particular burger was decent and well measured.  Since there could have been meat in some places where there was an a'bun'dance of bread (pun intended), this burger gets a 3 out of 4.

Cheese: The Cheddar cheese was your average slice of melted cheddar cheese.  Not bad, not amazing, right in the middle.  2 out of 3.

Sear:  Wow.  The sear was clearly visible to both, the eyes and the mouth.  The almost crunch on the outside of the burger contrasted well with the softer inside.  3 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  To be honest, overall this was your average burger.  if you name a burger after your establishment, make it unique, make it pop.  This burger lacked that pop I was looking for in a burger.  3 out of 5.

BBSR: 16 / 27

Burger 31: Althouse 1848's 1848 Burger

The Althouse 1848 of East Rockaway, New York is located off of the main scene of restaurants and shops in the village.  It is set back and positioned so it's dining room and patio overlook the canal it borders.  The restaurant itself only has a few tables inside, the majority of its tables on the outdoor patio.  The bar has three sides for sitting and takes up the majority of the dining room.

Why 1848? The building the restaurant is housed in was built in 1848...or when James K. Polk was President of the United States of America.  Although the restaurant was not in existence when the building was built, people may be telling their kids one day that the Althouse was opened when Barack Obama was President of the United States.

The menu is extensive for a bar, and the Althouse 1848 offers a variety of burgers on their menu.  The burger special for Saturday is a burger and a pint for thirteen dollars.  I ordered the 1848 Burger and a Krombacher.

The 1848 Burger: Eight ounce beef patty with cheddar cheese, bacon, balsamic ketchup and onion straws.

The Beef: The beef patty ordered was medium, however there was no pink to be found inside the somewhat dry meat.  The beef was higher grade than your average restaurant, and the dryness was canceled out by the balsamic ketchup.  I would have liked to taste this patty not so overcooked.  3 out of 4.

The Bun:  This was the bun of all buns.  The foccacia bun was absolutely amazing.  If I could have one bread for the rest of my burger quest, this bun would be it.  The bun is a recipe of the chef's which is made in a local bakery and delivered daily.  The bun was soft, but what made it so special was the outside was coated in corn meal giving each bite extra texture to contrast with the soft elements inside.  4 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio: The ratio of this burger was good.  The thickness served its purpose, but there were some bites where there was bun and no burger (which wasn't necessarily a bad thing considering the bun).  3 out of 4.

The Presentation: The burger was served on a plate with freshly cut potato fries on the side.  A small serving of ketchup and cole slaw was also included on the plate along with your customary pickle.  The burger was presented in a fashion that made me want to eat it and not leave anything leftover.  3 out of 4.

The Cheese and Sear:  The white cheddar cheese served on this burger was melted nicely and the sear was done well on a flat top grill.  2 out of 3 for each.

Overall Taste:  Overall, this burger had a very pleasant taste.  The juiciness, meat, the toppings, and most of all the bun which gave an amazing taste and texture to the overall rating.  4 out of 5.

BBSR: 19 / 27

Burger 30: Dirty Burger's Original Dirtyburger

Dirtyburger, located in Plainview, New York, is a fast casual eatery which specializes in...burgers!  Upon walking into this establishment you have a couple of options.  There is a counter for take-out orders, and there is a wait staff for those who would like to stay and eat their meal.  

The menu consists of all different types of burgers.  And to specify all different types, Dirtyburger offers a burger made from your choice of: beef, turkey, chicken, lamb, bison, salmon, ahi tuna, veggies, portobello mushrooms, or tofu.  On top of all of these choices of burgers, the restaurant also serves appetizers, entrees, salads, shakes, and more! 

What makes Dirtyburger special is the fact that all beef used in this establishment is all-natural, hormone free, additive free, Angus beef.  Whether some people like to eat that pink slime (as I have done so many times before) or some just like to indulge in a somewhat healthier option of a burger, you have to respect the restaurants that make sure to use the best possible products and do not settle for less.  

Reading the menu, I had to ask why everything was "dirty".  Everywhere you look there is dirty descriptions, and dirty preparations, and at first I figured it was just their brand name on each of the menu items, but I soon learned (after asking the waitress) that this was a whole technique of making their burgers.  If you get a burger "dirty-dusted" the burger is seasoned with a blend of nine different seasonings, then grilled.  If you get your burger "dirty-dipped" the burger, after taken off the grill, is dipped into a honey-glaze and placed on the bun.  

Suggestion: Get the White Truffle Mayo, and put it on everything.  I had to ask what it was, after eating it like it was ice cream.  I put it on my fries, I put it on my burger, I put it on my fingers and licked it off.  Whatever white truffle mayo is, it is a must have if you go here. 

The Original Dirtyburger:  7 ounces of all-natural,  hormone & additive free Angus beef, Dirty-dipped and honey-grilled on a steamy-soft, DB sauced bun. 

The Beef: This so-called 7 ounce patty seemed like a much bigger monstrosity.  The patty was large, and cooked to order.  The beef was tender and juicy with a touch of pink in the center.  Biting into this beef, a noticeable taste was imminent.  The GMO-free patty is something I was not used to, but gave off a completely different taste than your average burger.  The flavors, due partially in part to the nine seasoning blend, exploded every way possible and conquered my taste buds for a well-deserved 3 out of 4.  

The Bun: The "steamy-soft" bun was exactly as advertised, but I don't know why you would want a "steamy" bun.  Steam is water which has turned into a vapor resulting from being heated.  Who wants a "hot water vapor bun" with their burger? Personally, not me.  It makes the bun meld together into a saturation of soggy bread.  1 out of 4. 

The Beef to Bun Ratio: Since the patty was so large, and the bun was mushed smaller because of the "vaporizing technique" advertised, the beef was a really prominent part of this burger.  3 out of 4. 

The Presentation: The presentation for a fast casual type place was well prepared.  Nothing too extravagant and very, very simple.  The burger and fries were plated together, and nicely put together.  The look of the cheese bumps this presentation up a point on its own.  3 out of 4. 

The Cheese:  The cheddar cheese on this burger was at least a double slice.  The melty cheese perfectly oozed over the edges creating a cheese monster that dripped and drizzled over the edges of the burger.  2 out of 3. 

The Sear: Between the grill marks and the nine seasoning blend, this burger had it all.  The kick, the sweetness, the spice, the nice, the mean, everything you wanted was on this burger.  3 out of 3.  

Overall Taste:  The honey glaze gave the burger an extra hint of sweetness.  Additionally, the cheese and bacon bits added to the positives attributed to this burger.  The bun's texture was not so pleasant, being very soft and mushy in some places due to the juices of the burger and whatever "steaming" was done to it.  3 out of 5.

BBSR: 18 / 27

Burger 29: P.S. Burgers' P.S. Paris

From what I can assume based on my preliminary detective skills, P.S. Burgers opened in January of 2012.  Currently, there are two locations.  One location is in West Village, New York, and the location I visited was situated in Mineola, New York.

The options of burgers are beef, bison, turkey, chicken, veggie, lamb, and salmon, but let's be honest, burgers are made of beef.  Everything else is just an impostor.

The theme of the menu goes hand-in-hand with the name of this small burger joint which comfortably seats twenty-four people at eight tables.  Each menu item, begins with "P.S." which gets somewhat repetitive quite quickly, and finishes with a country or city in the world.  The P.S. Venice is a burger with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, gorgonzola, and pesto sauce.  The P.S. Mexico contains a fried jalapeno, avocado, pepper jack cheese, and chipotle sauce.  The P.S. Canada has Canadian bacon, caramelized onions, maple goat cheese, tomato, and mixed greens.

Something I admire about this place is that each burger is something totally different and unique from the next burger.  It is not just a different combination of the same five toppings that makes different burgers here, but a whole new set of toppings that all work together and coincide with the theme of the restaurant and also name of the burger.

One thing, however, that irked me while I sat down to eat, was the name of the restaurant itself.  The entire time I ate I thought of different letters people compose to each other and how they end.

Example 1:
"The Statue of Liberty tour was amazing, I can't wait to see the Freedom Tower tomorrow! 
Love, Abigail
P.S. I miss you."

Example 2: 
"We will be joining with 15,000 more troops tomorrow in Iraq, then it will be only 8 short weeks until I am home with you.
Love, Private Ryan
P.S. I love you."

And then there's this...

Example 3:
"Until we see each other again, I will always be thinking about you.
Love, Daniel
P.S. Burgers."

I do admit it would be a boss move to end a letter with "P.S. Burgers" but it makes no sense whatsoever.  Creative, but not well thought out.  Anyway, the burger I ordered was the P.S. Paris.

P.S. Paris: Beef burger patty, topped with fried egg, sautéed spinach, gruyere cheese, smoked bacon and Dijon honey mustard, served on a brioche bun.

The Beef: I believe the perfect place to begin reviewing this burger is with the beef.  The ratings and ravings only go up from there.  The beef patty was clearly a pre-made patty, most likely frozen until cooked, and grilled until done.  The beef itself had the pre-formed, processed texture where the outside of the patty actually tastes a whole lot different than the inside because the inside hasn't been exposed to the freezer for nearly as long.  2 out of 4.

The Bun:  When I say soft, I mean soft.  I mean this brioche bun (which is usually dense and very bready) was soft and fluffy.  How soft and fluffy was this bun?  If I had a choice of jumping in a pile of pillows, leaves, or these brioche buns, I would pick the brioche ten times out of ten.  Softest, fluffiest bun so far, yet they realize this and compensate by toasting the inside to prevent it from getting soggy from the burger juices.  3 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  While my mouth just perfectly fit around this burger it wasn't because of the beef.  This is where this rating gets tricky because any larger amount of beef would have made this burger unbearably large.  So does one take off toppings and put on more beef?  After all, it is a burger.  I am confused how to rate this burger given the circumstances and going strictly beef to bun, it receives a 2 out of 4.

The Presentation: The burger was served on a plate with a wooden spear toothpick holding everything together.  The fries, spilling over the plate were enough to make it appear as though there were a mound of crispy fried potatoes before you.  3 out of 4.

The Cheese:  The double slice of Gruyere was a nice touch to this already stacked burger.  Although, the cheese could have been melted a little more (as seen in the picture), having gruyere instead of classic American was a nice change for the taste buds.  2 out of 3.

The Sear: The burger had lines seared into the patty, but other than that the sear was not consistent enough to be a perfect 3.  The seasoning on top of the outside sear made this burger a solid 2 out of 3.

Overall Taste: This burger contained so many different tastes and textures, yet somehow they all joined together to give you the P.S. Paris.  No single taste overpowered the other.  The sautéed spinach was a nice green to top the burger with.  The spinach was super fresh, buttered, and tasted amazing.  I would eat more of this spinach in one sitting than Popeye ate in a year if given the opportunity.  The bacon was perfectly cooked.  Crunchy with a little chewy fat marbled throughout made the flavors explode in your mouth.  The egg was fried, the yolk barely runny, but just enough for it to trickle down to the rest of the burger after the first bite.  The Gruyere cheese gave the nice mild taste, while the Dijon honey mustard supplied your sweet kick to the palette.  This burger was a 4 out of 5.

BBSR: 18 / 27

Burger 28: Bobby's Burger Palace Crunchburger

Bobby's Burger Palace is a fast casual chain restaurant established in July 2008 by the culinary legend, Bobby Flay.  The first location was located at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, New York.  As of 2015, there are eighteen locations that range from New York, to Las Vegas.  In addition to these eighteen locations, Bobby also owns Mesa Grill (Las Vegas and Bahamas), Bar Americain (New York and Connecticut), Bobby Flay Steak (Atlantic City, NJ), and Gato (New York).  

Walking into Bobby's Burger Palace, I immediately noticed the tables.  Instead of many individual tables, there are only a few tables.  Some long and straight, and some long and curved.  People sit wherever they choose, which could be right next to total strangers, or it could be at a section of a table by themselves (depending on how crowded it is).  

On each of the tables are some not so ordinary sauces available to put on your burger.  There is the traditional ketchup and mustard, and then some more creative ones.  The chipotle ketchup is a worth a shot, ketchup mixed with a smoky barbecue sauce worked very well with the french fries.  The jalapeno hot sauce delivered a nice kick that wasn't too spicy, and tasted great with anything it was put on top of.  And finally, there was burger sauce.  The burger sauce comes in a darker bottle, comes out almost black, and has a funky taste.  If you're up for adventures, try the burger sauce!   

Each order is placed at the counter and a number is given to the customer.  The food is then cooked to order, and brought out to the designated number stands on each table.  There are various different burgers named for different cities, such as the L.A., Dallas, Carolina, Philadelphia, and Vegas to name a few.  Each burger has its own unique twist to allow itself to stand out from the others.  Like every great burger place, there is the burger that the place (or palace, in this case) is especially known for.  Bobby's Burger Palace is home to the Crunchburger.

Crunchburger:  beef patty, topped with double American cheese and potato chips

The Beef:  The beef, cooked medium, was pink around the edges and a hint of red in the center.  The tastes that emanated throughout this patty was remarkable.  Especially being a chain restaurant, the seasonings and juiciness of this burger was outstanding.  The burger was, I believe, a pre-portioned or pre-shaped burger, which takes away from each patty's uniqueness.  3 out of 4.  

The Bun:  The burger was served on a sesame seed bun.  Nothing special here about this bun except the cooks did take the time to toast it to give it a pleasant crunch.  2 out of 4. 

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  The patty was thick, which is unusual for chain restaurants, but I wouldn't expect anything thinner than this patty from Bobby.  Bobby is a man who knows what size burger the average human craves, and Bobby is a man who knows good proportions of beef to bun.  Bobby gets a 3 out of 4 for the BTBR.  

Presentation: The burger came on a separate plate from the fries (I also had to order them separately, so it only makes sense).  There was an oversized toothpick holding the burger together, ensuring that the burger stayed in place from the kitchen to the table.  The fries were served in their own dish, with a side of sauce made especially for the fries.  3 out of 4. 

The Cheese:  The burger used basic yellow American cheese but the cheese was perfectly melted around the entire outside of the burger.  A perfect rating for yellow American cheese would be when bitten into you see the yellow strings clinging from burger to mouth and do not want to let go.  The cheese was amazingly melted, but there were no stringy-cheese-melts.  2 out of 3.

The Sear:  The burger contained a grilled look, containing parallel grill marks on both sides of the burger.  Unless these lines were painted on (like the grilled chicken at Subway), which I am 100% confident they were not, this sear was done very well, along with all the seasonings in and around the patty.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste:  The burger does not have to be a monstrous burger with 57 toppings to have a great overall taste.  Some burgers may have that great taste containing only a slice of cheese and some Heinz 57.  This burger, with that added crunch of potato chips, really wowed me.  Something so simple to give that contrasting texture with the soft meat, bread, and cheese, made the burger an entire different experience for ingestion.  The melted cheese, the tasty, juicy burger, and the crunch of potato chips with each bite made this burger a solid 4 out of 5.

BBSR: 19 / 27  

Burger 27: Jake's Wayback Burger Triple Triple

The first Jake's Burgers opened in 1991 in Newark, Delaware. Serving handcrafted burgers and milkshakes, the owners saw the opportunity to expand and seized it.  Today, the name is Jake's Wayback Burgers, reminding people that they can still receive a quality burger (not like those hockey puck frozen burgers served at many fast food chains), like "way back" in the earlier years of operation.  Operating over 80 different locations today, Jake's Wayback is a very successful fast casual chain.

On my way to Jake's I was prepared to get a normal double cheeseburger, maybe a triple if I was feeling crazy.  I must have went out of my mind, and should have been sent to the mental asylum for what I ordered.  A friend of mine told me before I went that if I went to Jake's Wayback, I had to get the Triple Triple.  I thought this was something he made up, so I shrugged it off and focused on my double cheeseburger.  I walked inside the restaurant and standing before me was a six foot cardboard cutout of the massive Triple Triple (not actual size...but close).  If this is their selling tactic it definitely worked on me.  I walked in expecting to eat two patties, and walked out having ate NINE patties.  Nothing says give me a heart attack like eating a nine patty burger, with each of the patties cooked in a half inch of grease.  

Let us examine the monstrosity of the Triple Triple...

Triple Triple: 9 patties, 9 slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato

The Beef: Of these nine patties, zero of them were ever frozen.  The meat comes in pre-sized "balls" of ground beef, which are placed on the flat top and smashed flat, then cooked to amazingness.  The fat ratio in this meat must be high because of the amount of grease that these patties were producing.  The taste was the taste of a nice, delicious, greasy, burger that you expect when you go to a chain restaurant.  3 out of 4. 

The Bun:  No bun could contain this burger.  But it was a typical white bread bun, not toasted, but then again, nothing could be done to this bun to hold the weight of this burger.  1 out of 4. 

The Beef to Bun Ratio: How do I begin to evaluate this burger?  It is a beef to bun ratio.  So we technically have way more beef than bun, but does this mean the perfect burger has this much meat? No.  I cannot determine a rating for this burger, because sadly, there is such a thing as too much meat.  It didn't kill the burger by putting nine patties on it, but it didn't help its cause either.  While most would expect this burger to receive a 4 out of 4, this burger will receive a 3 out of 4.  

The Presentation: The manager came out of the back and made me this creation himself.  He grilled the burgers and supervised as the young lady placed the 9 cheeseburgers on the single bun.  She placed three at a time on the spatula, and held them over a corner of the grill to allow the excess grease to pour out.  She placed the three patties on the bun, and the manager instructed her to fix them since they appeared to him to be a fraction of a millimeter off the center of the bun.  She did this twice more until my tower of nine cheeseburgers was ready to be topped with the second bun, lettuce, and tomato.  The perfectly balanced creation was then wrapped up and delivered to my hands.  The methodical process in which the manager and worker handled this situation made me think that these two should be sculpting masterpieces of art, and not building burgers.  But hey, I don't blame them for wanting to build a perfectly aligned, massive burger.  3 out of 4.

The Cheese:  The cheese was yellow American, but perfectly melted between each patty releasing the ooey gooeyness within each patty and, in turn, within each bite.  2 out of 3.

The Sear:  Each of the nine patty was made fresh from ground beef which was flattened into a patty on the grill before me.  Each patty had a distinct sear, and a great texture.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste:  These are the tastes I experienced while biting into this burger.  Ready?  Here we go... Bread, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Meat, Grease, Cheese, Bread.  Maybe a hint of lettuce and tomato.  2 out of 5.

BBSR: 16 / 27

Burger 26: Burger Bite's Titan Burger

Burger Bite, located in West Hempstead, New York, opened in June 2009, with one mission in mind...to re-create your backyard burger.  Pulling into this establishment, and walking inside, I had a genuine feel that this place could have great potential.  I looked up at the menu and couldn't decide which burger to get.  

The Cowboy Bite features sautéed  mushrooms, caramelized onions, provolone cheese, and barbecue sauce.  The Kickin' Spice Bite is topped with jalapeno peppers, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and buttermilk ranch.  The interesting Big-Mash Bite has a homemade mashed potato on top.  I couldn't decide, nor would I allow myself to decide Burger Bite's fate by taking the risk of choosing the wrong one, so I put their fate in the cashier's hands.  She suggested the Titan Bite.  

The Titan Bite: Gourmet onion rings, crispy bacon, lettuce, American cheese, special sauce

The Beef:  When I think of a backyard burger, I think of a hand-packed wad of beef that is flavorful, thick, and juicy.  Though this burger might have been handmade like Burger Bite claims, it had the taste of one of those hockey puck frozen patties you often see at diners.  I could not tell the difference between this patty and ones I have experienced at various diners.  The beef did taste good, but the beef could have been a much greater quality.  2 out of 4. 

The Bun: The bun was fresh out of the package, and you see the bags and bags of burger rolls peeking from the kitchen.  No toasting, no browning of any kind.  The bun went from bag to plate, which sort of made it lack its full potential for a bun.  2 out of 4. 

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  The BTBR on this burger did this burger justice.  The size of the patty, compared to the size of the bun lined up on par.  What makes a great burger is not being afraid to use a proper amount of meat on the patty.  3 out of 4.  

The Presentation: I was asked if my burger was "to stay" or "to go" and even after I said "to stay" they insisted on wrapping it up as if it were "to go".  I suppose Burger Bite wraps all of its burgers because they know the feeling of unwrapping a burger is like unwrapping a present on Christmas morning.  The toppings were placed all contained inside the bun, but besides that, there was not much else going on.  2 out of 4.  

The Cheese: The yellow American cheese stared at me, as it has so many times on this journey.  I do not have a problem with using the cheap squares of yellow American.  I love it.  But if you aren't going to make sure it is melted on that burger, then don't put it on.  The cheese has a completely different taste and texture when melted versus when it is not melted.  In this case, this cheese fell short.  1 out of 3.

The Sear:  These burgers are chargrilled to maximize that "backyard" experience.  If these burgers were handmade and not once-frozen-discs the chargrill would be on point, however, it creates an entire different taste when grilling frozen patties.  The sear was visible, and the lines branded into this beef looked very nice.  2 out of 3.  

Overall Taste: The taste of this burger encompassed everything it advertised.  The American cheese, the lettuce, and the special sauce were all clearly imminent in the burger.  Then on top of these toppings there were onion rings, where each bite contained the crunch of the deep-fried breading, and the snap of the onion within, and the crispy bacon, which might have been the best part of this sandwich.  The bacon was flavorful, crispy, and tasted like it was made on your stove at home on a Sunday morning.  This burger was a very solid 3 out 5.  

BBSR:  15 / 27

Burger 25: The Texas Ranger's Ranger "Special' Burger

I'm going to begin this post a little differently.  I'm going to take this mini-franchise's story straight from the website and use that to base this post...

"The Texas Ranger of Freeport NY has been a family staple in communities across Long Island for decades. We are proud to inform you that we use 100% Fresh All Natural USDA Certified Beef.

Our secret? It's not one, admittedly. The best ingredients is a big part. An unrelenting love for the burger is the other big part. Between those two, we pretty much have our burger bases covered.

Turns out we also like people, though. We're not making these delicious, one-of-a-kind burger creations to not share them with our human species brethren. We hope to share them with you, in fact. And soon. So head on in to the nearest (heck, it could even be the furthest) The Texas Ranger location and feast your eyes on the greatest burger ever made. You won't be sorry you did."

Let's focus particularly on the last part...and feast your eyes on the greatest burger ever made...false.  You won't be sorry you did...also, false.  Look at the picture I took of my burger.  Is that appetizing? Do you even see a burger under that gallon of mayo (or "special sauce" as they call it)?  I don't.  I tried looking for it.  I felt like Stanley Yelnats from Holes digging through the mayo to get to the burger.  And when I finally reached the patty, it wasn't all that rewarding.  

Let's take a closer look...

Ranger "Special" Burger: Topped with shredded cabbage, tomato, onion, Special Sauce, and special seasoning.  

The Beef:  The beef was almost impossible to isolate from the mayo, but I managed to save a piece as it was drowning in the lard substance and see what kind of beef this place was using.  100% Fresh All Natural USDA Certified Beef.  "100% Fresh" means the beef is not growing mold on it.  "All Natural" is stating that they are using beef and not some chemical compound.  "USDA Certified Beef" does us no good, because Taco Bell is "USDA Certified Beef", heck, dog food is certified by the USDA as well.  2 out of 4. 

The Bun:  The bun was not toasted, taken straight from the package, and put onto the plate (or aluminum foil).  It was a white bread bun, with no redeeming qualities...the equivalent to using a potato roll.  1 out of 4.  

The Beef to Bun Ratio: Biting into this burger was a challenge, I must admit.  Staring down the mayo (excuse me, "special sauce"), I dared myself to do it.  I told myself, "Burger Bill, after these 100 burgers, you'll most likely be dead anyway. Why not speed it up by ingesting inordinate amounts of mayo?"  I winced, closed my eyes and took a bite.  Surprisingly, the mayo burger had beef on it.  2 out of 4. 

The Presentation:  The presentation really irked me.  Look at the picture.  Does it look like something you'd order?  Does the amount of mayo on that burger make you say, "Ooh la la"? If you had picture choices, is that the first one you would point to and want to eat?  Me neither.  But this burger is spot on how The Texas Ranger advertises its burgers.  The picture on the right is taken from The Texas Ranger's website.  If you were planning on putting a picture up of your product, wouldn't you at least make it look appetizing?  I'd be ashamed to put up a picture like this and then expect to draw a crowd based on this burger.  You don't even see a burger! 1 out of 4. 

The Cheese:  There was a slice of yellow American cheese barely melted on top of this burger.  1 out of 3. 

The Sear:  Scraping the mayo off the burger to examine its outside, I discovered the edges had been seared from the flat-top grill they were cooked on.  However, the top and bottom of the patty had no such sear.  2 out of 3.  

Overall Taste:  I was hesitant to take a bite of this burger, and it did not contribute to my assumed growing health situation.  But underneath the mayo (mind me, "Special Sauce"), the burger wasn't terrible.  It looked terrible, but it did not taste terrible.  I would give this burger a 2 out of 5.  

BBSR:  11 / 27

Burger 24: Eat Gastropub's 50/50 Burger

Eat Gastropub, located in Oceanside, New York, opened in early August of 2014.  The restaurant and bar is very modernized and sophisticated when it comes to presentation of the food and of the establishment.  There are 24 taps all in a line along the back wall of the bar, which is excellent since no taps are blocking customers from the bartender.  If you are planning on going here with a group of more than four, definitely make a reservation, regardless of the night of the week.

The menu is apparently available in the restaurant only.  I say this because I was planning on mentioning a few menu items, but the menu is no where to be found online.  The gastropub's website is "under construction" but if this place was opened almost a year ago, the website should be functional and we should not be resorting to their Facebook page to see posts of their brunch menu and guys sticking up their middle fingers (check it out, you'll see it).

The 50/50 Burger: 10 ounce blended beef patty (50% bacon, 50% house-ground, grass-fed, Piedmontese beef), topped with cheese, and crispy potato sticks, served on a pretzel roll.  

The Beef:  After inquiring with the waitress, the bacon is cooked before mixed in with the beef.  I asked how it should be cooked, and was told medium was the way to go.  The burger came out and medium tasted like well-done.  The combination of the pre-cooked bacon, mixed with the very lean ground beef, did not give off the taste of a great burger.  It was a bold strategy for them, but I don't know how well it paid off.  The beef was dry, and very grainy as it fell apart with each bite.  Although the grade of beef was excellent, the taste did not satisfy its demand.  3 out of 4.

The Bun:  The bun was a pretzel roll which was not too thick, and very well-toasted on the inside.  The subtle hint of soft pretzel was nice with this burger, since a normal bun would have been weighed down and crushed by a ten ounce burger.  3 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  This ratio was excellent.  The bun plays a huge part, as does the beef (obviously), but as I said before the bun really made this ratio something special.  Any more beef on this burger would have made it overwhelming.  Any less bun with this burger would have agreed with my previous statement.  This is the golden burger ratio of all golden ratios.  4 out of 4.

The Presentation:  I was looking for something crazy to give the first perfect presentation to, and this is it.  The burger came out on a cutting board with the Eat logo branded onto the board.  I like the cutting board idea because your food is not contained in a certain area, there is no lip or edge holding your food in one place.  It gives an entire new aspect of food presentation by eliminating something that is almost seen everywhere.  There is some sort of pipe that protrudes from the cutting board and inside the pipe-like structure is a piece of paper rolled into a cone-shaped container for the fries.  The fries sit in the this container very nicely and take up virtually no space on the plate (since they are elevated in the air, see picture).  The toppings are served in two ladles on the cutting board instead of only on a plate, or in a plastic container.  The presentation was definitely well-thought out, and is very different than anything I have ever seen.  4 out of 4.


The Cheese: For a ten-ounce burger, one slice of cheese was not enough.  It wasn't even decipherable through the taste of the bun, meat, and crunchy toppings.  It took extra work to even find it underneath the bun.  I was not impressed by the amount of cheese.  2 out of 3.

The Sear:  The sear here was just okay.  It was seared well in some places, and not so well in others.  The outside was under-seasoned, hoping the bacon extravaganza would pay off.  It did not.  2 out of 3.

Overall Taste:  I really couldn't get past the fact concerning how dry this burger was.  And I wasn't alone.  There were five of us.  Four of us ordered the ten-ounce 50/50 burger.  All of us received dry burgers, lacking the juice you expect to pour forth after your first bite.  It did taste great, but I'm going to have to bump this rating down to a 3 out of 5 because the main part of the burger, was essentially ruined.

BBSR: 21 / 27

Burger 23: Point Ale House's Black and Blue

The Point Ale House, opened in 2014, is located in the quaint hamlet of Point Lookout, New York.  With twenty-one taps, and equally as many flat screens, this restaurant is very comfortably situated on the corner of the main road.  Below "Steakhouse Burgers" on the menu is a phrase that reads, "Best on Barrier Island". 

Rule of Thumb: If the establishment does not have "burger" in its title, or it is not a recognized chain, then I visit these establishments off of referrals.  I am more than pleased with this referral since the burger was absolutely incredible. 

Black & Blue: Cajun dry rub, blue cheese

The Beef:  The juicy, gigantic, serving of beef was crushing the bottom bun with its overwhelming size.  Cooked medium, the center was perfectly colored, and tasted amazing.  The juices oozed out as each bite was taken, and as my arteries clogged just a little bit more, my stomach looked up at me and smiled.  3 out of 4.

The Bun:  The burger was served on a brioche bun.  The bun was toasted to perfection on the inside, however it was cut a little unevenly since the bottom bun was considerably smaller than the top bun.  3 out of 4.

The Beef to Bun Ratio:  Any other bun would have given this burger a perfect rating.  Since the brioche is so thick and dense, it bumps this BTBR down a notch to a 3 out of 4, since the bread slightly overtook the beef.

Presentation: The amount of pleasure this burger contributed to my pupils caused them to dilate tenfold and stare at amazement at this burger.  The fries were served in a mini deep fryer basket, and the burger served...on one of those trendy metal trays, which I still don't see the fascination with.  3 out of 4.

The Cheese: The crumbled and creamy bleu cheese on this burger, was placed over the top of this burger and then broiled until the cheese browned on top of the burger.  This bleu cheese was done correctly.  3 out of 3.

The Sear: The sear on a burger of this magnitude is difficult to accomplish, yet Point Ale House did a pretty decent job.  The outer edges of this burger were browned and in some cases blackened and wonderfully seasoned.  The top and bottom was lightly seared, and could have been a little darker, and crisp.  2 out of 3. 

Overall Taste: I started off thinking, "Hmm...I'll eat most of this burger," which instantly turned into, "Where did my burger go?"  The mouthgasms associated with this burger were on a high level of excellence.  Each bite was delicious, and to find such a great tasting burger in an unexpected place is the true definition of happiness.  4 out of 5. 

BBSR: 21 / 27