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