My trip to Europe: Greg and Jerry's Burger and Fries in Grenoble, France

I am always curious to see how food is evolving in France, French cuisine being considered one of the best, and French people being very protective about it. Each time I go to France, I see a change: there are more and more fast food, whether it is kebab places (I saw one called "Batman Kebab"!), pizza with chains like Domino's or Pizza Hut, or fast food like MacDonald's, the latter being very popular with the younger crowd. I read recently that Burger King will make a comeback soon after more than a decade of absence, now that they see a profitable market, not anymore dominated by MacDonald's. KFC is also very popular there and plans to open many restaurants across the country. 

Another phenomenon I noticed in the past few years is the emergence of delivery: when I was living in Paris, it was only limited to pizza and paella. Now, more and more, I see delivery for sushi, pizza (I even saw a pizza ATM!) and burgers. 

In fact, I discovered Greg and Jerry's on a flyer at the hotel we were staying in. It is a burger place that serves ice cream from Ben & Jerry's, hence the name, that has been opened for more than six years, but relocated to that place two years ago. 

Very colorful with its red banquette and stools, they try to transport you to the heart of America; normal considering that they only serve burgers. Geared towards carnivores (no veggie burger there), they propose a nice selection of specialty burgers, some similar to the one we have here, like the classic cheese that we tried:

Others reinvented with a French twist, like the Best Mountain, made with reblochon cheese, bacon and potatoes, or the Parisian, made with emmental, chèvre (goat) and blue cheese, that we also tasted. 

The way it works is that you first order at the counter, and then, they will bring it to your table. 

When we opened the box, we were a bit disappointed by what we saw, the bread having a sad look. It is like a sourdough bread, that was a bit dry. In fact, the proportion bread / meat patty was unbalanced in favor of the bread. The meat was good and did not have this grey color that the burgers at MacDonald's had when I went there. But again, too much (dry) bread for the quantity of meat. 

The classic cheese had too much onions, salad and tomatoes, so I barely tasted the meat. However, we ordered the Parisian without lettuce and tomatoes and it was very good. They would use a better bread, this could be a killer sandwich. 

With our burgers, we ordered Idaho potato fries that were cooked skin on, cooked all the way through and deliciously crispy. 

They also had onion rings, that were good, but would have been even better if crispy. There, no special sauce besides mayo and ketchup. 

If you do not like burgers, you can try their chicken nuggets. 

I did try one: it was just ok. 

Full at the end, we did not try any ice cream, that anyway would not have been that original... I think Greg and Jerry's was a nice try and they could definitely beat MacDonald's that is few steps away if they were changing their bread, as well as the price: the menu for a burger, fries and a drink being priced at 12 Euros (more than $17), making it expensive for what it is. 

Greg & Jerry's

105, cours Jean Jaures

38000 Grenoble, France

www.gregandjerrys.fr

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

5 Napkin burger in Union Square, NYC

Our friends from Denmark, Anne and Klaus came recently to visit New York with their kids Signe, Emile and Jonas. We spent some time with them and had to live up to our reputation of foodies (I hate that word). So we picked few places, some of them really representative of Americana. So, of course, we went for burgers. We had to take into account few things: first, there needed to be vegetarian options, Jonas being vegetarian. Second, there should be, a least, a classic cheeseburger. So we de facto eliminated Burger Joint and Umami Burger (although I still salivate like a Pavlov's dog when thinking about the truffle burger there). 

So, we picked 5 Napkin Burger. I went already to the original one in Hell's Kitchen, but never to the one in Union Square. No surprise there: the decor is similar, representing a slaughterhouse, the cleanliness indicating that it represents it after the slaughter. One cannot miss the hooks hanging

Or the multiple scales displayed all over the restaurant. 

If you have never been to 5 Napkin Burger, let me explain to you how it was born. It all started at Nice Matin, a French restaurant located on the Upper West Side. One of their most successful dish was a burger where the meat was so juicy that you needed five napkins for your hands. The owners of the restaurant Simon Oren and Andy D'Amico then got the idea to open a restaurant where their signature burger would be the star. Since then, it has been a success story, with few restaurants in the city, as well as in other cities. 

But do not imagine that the menu offers only burgers, as it's name could lead you to: they serve other dishes, including salads and...sushi! Interesting! Not sure I would think about ordering sushi there. 

The Kroners got their burgers, but, of course, we did too...Jodi ordered the classic cheese, an 8 oz. beef patty served with American cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles, on a sesame brioche bread. 

It was very good, the meat being juicy and very tasty, topped by a nice amount of cheese. 

But it did not measure up with the 5 Napkin burger that I ordered. 

The beef patty was literally smothered with Gruyere, caramelized onions and rosemary aioli. 

A bit messy for sure, but who cares? Certainly not me who needed more than 5 napkins to clean my hands, the juiciness of the meat adding to the delightful mess.

To go with the burger, I of course ordered a milk shake. Usually, I order a vanilla one, but I got tempted by a cookies and cream that had little pieces of oreo cookie in it.

Everything was fantastic there and it was the perfect introduction to the next few meals we planed for our friends! I certainly did not regret the choice of 5 Napkin Burger: this is definitely one of the best in the City!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

There is a new burger place in town! Yes, Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries opened a week ago, replacing Bombay West an Indian restaurant that closed. At first, I thought it was another place to celebrate the Jersey Shore, like the now defunct WindMill tried to. But in fact, it refers to the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland, where the owners, brothers Dave and Fran DiFerdinando use to go to get fresh hand cut fries that gave them the idea to open their first establishment, serving mainly French fries, cooked at different temperatures in peanut oil, giving them a nice taste and slight crunch, keeping the inside soft. But customers were asking for more and they decided to add burgers to the menu. Today, this franchise has locations in Georgia, California, Maryland, Texas...

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

And now a brand new location in Hoboken that, despite the Art and Craft Festival, attracted the crowd.

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

The way it works is that you order at the counter: you can either pick one of their signature burgers or build your own. They will then give you a number and bring your order at your table.

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

It came fairly quickly. First was my vanilla milkshake that I could not resist to order.

milkshake at Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

I admit that I hesitated between this one and the cookies and cream. I should have had the latter because the vanilla one missed some taste, probably because there was not enough vanilla syrup.

Then, Jodi ordered a patty (you pick between one and two), cheddar cheese, sautéed mushrooms and avocado.

burger at Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

On my side, I ordered a double patty with American cheese, grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms, ketchup and mayo.

burger at Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

burger at Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

We ordered one order of those delicious fries that were cooked skin on and delivered their promises. I wondered why the patties did not look perfect; it is because they are made with fresh ground meat (not frozen) and shaped every morning by hand. 

burger at Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries in Hoboken, NJ

And these burgers delivered too! The buns that were like brioche were fantastic, the meat perfectly cooked medium, juicy, with a nice char on the outside, and with cheese oozing from between the patties. Definitely great burgers and I cannot wait to try some other combinations as well as their cheesesteaks! So, you guess: I'll be back!

Enjoy (I did)!

 

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Umami Burger in NYC, New York

Ah, burgers! One of the most American dish ever, known all around the world, but unfortunately not always with a good representation (I am talking about the fast food chain). Well, I mentioned few times in this blog how teenagers and young adults love Mac Donald's in France, and I recently read that people are thrilled to hear that Burger King is going to make a come back in the country, planning to open 40 new restaurants. Seriously, if your benchmark for burgers are these fast food chains, then you got it all wrong. When I came in this country, I got it all wrong, craving a quarter pounder and eating some on a weekly basis, if not several times a week. Until I tried the Burger Joint, Corner Bistro, BLT burger and others. Now, I only go to Mac Donald's for the milkshakes and the fries that are some of the best.

But burgers are not reserved only to fast food restaurants or diners: more and more restaurants, sometimes high end, propose a burger, most of them trying to make it unique. For instance, DBGB from acclaimed Chef Daniel Boulud proposes one with pork belly confit and morbier cheese. Another of his restaurants, DB Bistro Modern, with foie gras. 

So, what would make Umami Burger unique, with lots of people saying that they have the best burgers in the City? That is what I was going to figure out. To learn a bit of history about this chain, know that it started in 2009 in Los Angeles, when Adam Fleischman, the owner, passionate about wine and cuisine decided to bring to the masses his twist on burgers. The logo is pretty amusing as it looks like lips made with a bun, hence their motto: get your lips around our buns.

We tried to go on a Saturday night, a little before 7pm, thinking that the crowd would come later. Big mistake! The place was packed with people waiting for tables. So we decided to go somewhere else and try this place the next day, for lunch. As we were not sure how crowded it would be, we showed up a little before 12pm.

The place was empty. As the time passed, we saw families coming, some of them with strollers, this time of the day being more kids friendly, and the only time when parents craving a burger would be able to come, skipping the expense of a nanny to satisfy and sudden urge for a burger.

It is a big place, with a slight industrial look thanks to the air conditioning system. Unlike lots of the burger places today, you do not order at the counter, but rather sit at the table where they will give you a menu; nothing fancy, just the delivery menu.

Umami is what is called the fifth taste, after sweet, sour, bitter and salty. At Umami Burger, they created some combinations that bring together sweet and salty. Because of this, they do not allow for any substitution. You will not find also a classic cheeseburger. There, everything is their own creation.

As we were waiting for our burgers, they brought us some sauces for our sides:

From left to right: jalapeño ranch (spicy with really a taste of jalapeño), aioli, spicy diablo (very spicy, it is their version of siracha sauce) and umami ketchup.

Then came the burgers. Jodi decided to try the Umami burger.

As you can see, the burgers are branded with a big U. The Umami burger is made of shiitake mushroom, caramelized onions, roasted tomato, parmesan crisp and umami ketchup. The bread is a Portuguese bun that has a bit of honey, giving to it a nice sweetness.

It was just ok for me, the taste being too sweet, masking the flavors of the meat.

On my side, I ordered the truffle burger.

Also on a Portuguese bun, it was composed of house-made truffle cheese and truffle glaze that were dripping. The beef patty was perfectly cooked medium, juicy and very flavorful, not overpowered by the hints of truffle that emanated from the burger. I split it with Jodi and we literally inhaled it.

With it, we decided to order their jumbo onion rings.

They were impressive and very good, although a bit greasy, delicious with the sauces they brought to the table. I admit that my favorite sauces were the jalapeño ranch and the spicy diablo, even if they were spicy.

I loved the truffle burger at Umami Burger: it is probably one of the best I had so far. They propose other combinations with truffle that I definitely will have to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Umami Burger
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	West Village / American New / Burgers
	* Street Address
	432 6th Ave. (Between 9th St. & 10th St.), New York, NY 10011
	* Phone
	(212) 677-8626

Brunch at City Bistro in Hoboken, NJ

If you come to Hoboken, there is one thing that you cannot miss: the number of bars in the mile square city. City Bistro, located uptown, is one the popular ones that has a big advantage over the others: its rooftop. Not that it is very useful in the winter, but in the summer, it is definitely the place to be and they sometimes even ask bands to come perform there. 

It was not our first time there, being there for drinks, but also a dinner few years ago, that I hated, not because of the food, but because of the noise level that very loud, not allowing me to understand a word of the conversation. So, this time, we decided to go for brunch, thinking that it was probably quieter. I am sure that there would be a game, it would have been a madhouse though...

It is a bar, so the decor is pretty standard: wooden floor, bricks, high and low tables. The first time we went, I noticed all the strollers at the entrance and a large number of families inside.

I had hopes for the brunch, because a lot of time, bars are proposing great comforting dishes. Their menu offers the classic choices you get for brunch, as well as their own dishes. The first time, Jodi went for the salade Niçoise, a French specialty made of tomatoes, hard boiled eggs and tuna.

The tuna, in the original recipe, is canned. At City Bistro, they made the salad using fresh seared tuna that made the dish more elegant. The tuna had this nice grill taste on the outside and the flavor was enhanced with some coarse salt. What I liked also is that they added their own twist by putting on the very top some fried onions.

I ordered the short rib grilled cheese:

For the side, I had the choice between fries and a salad. I went with fries of course!

The grilled cheese sandwich was made of short ribs, gruyere, baby arugula, caramelized onion on a country white bread. I liked it although the short ribs were a bit dry. Fortunately there was the cheese (a bit more would have even be better and would have balanced the sandwich) and the caramelized onions that gave a nice sweetness to the dish. 

The second time we went, Jodi ordered the crunchy French toast:

What made this French toast different from any other is that it was battered in corn flakes, giving it a nice crunch. The bread was also properly soaked in the batter. If you like French toast, this is definitely one I would not miss.

On my side, I wanted to try the burger. I hesitated between the Bistro burger (10oz. ground sirloin, lettuce, tomato, vidalia onion, choice of cheddar, swiss, bleu cheese) and the Hoboken burger (ground beef, fried egg, seared ham). I decided to go for the Hoboken burger, with cheese (they charged me for it).

The meat had a nice char and was juicy (I asked for medium).

I liked the egg on top, the yolk being runny and making the use of ketchup or mayo useless. With the ham, this was definitely a heart attack on a plate!

I really enjoyed the brunch at City Bistro: the menu is classic, but they were able to put some interesting dishes on it that will satisfy all palates.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

My nephew culinary visit: day 3 / part 1: 67 Burger in Brooklyn, New York

On Sunday, we went back to Brooklyn for some shopping and ended up at 67 Burger, a burger place located at 67 Lafayette street in Fort Greene. I remembered this restaurant because we went there few years ago, for my first immersion in Brooklyn.

Similar to lots of burger places, you can either order from their menu or build your own burger. Then, once you order, they give you a number and will bring your food at your table.

Our food came fairly quickly. As Valentin likes blue cheese, we ordered the Western burger, made with BBQ onions and blue cheese, cooked medium.

We also ordered a cheeseburger with Cheddar:

Jodi built her own and went for a veggie burger with avocado and goat cheese (great that they were proposing goat cheese as a choice: it is pretty rare).

All the burgers were good and juicy. I preferred the Western over the cheeseburger because it had more flavor. Jodi's veggie burger was also good and perfect with avocado and goat cheese.

For sides, we shared some fries that were cooked skin on:

And some onion rings:

I preferred the onion rings that were missing a bit if salt though, but were not that greasy, over the fries that I prefer crispier.

It was good although I would not go specifically for their burger, but if you are in that area, it is a good spot.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

The burger at DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

I could not resist to go to DB Bistro Modern to try their burger, The Original DB Burger! Yes, you can skip the menu and bring it to me! You are probably wondering what this burger is; it is a sirloin burger filled with short ribs, foie gras and black truffle! Of course, it is pricey and some may say that they would never pay $32 for a burger, but they would for a steak frites though and, considering the ingredients, the price might just be right. 

DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

So, here we are, at DB Bistro Modern! The place is...modern, with a nice balance between the dark wood and red leather that is also present on the walls. It definitely gives a warmth and elegance to the place. I loved the black and white photos that were covering one of the walls: simply beautiful!

coffee at DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

It took a while for somebody to take care of us, whether it was to bring us the menus or just water. I guess there were under staffed and our waiter was clearly overwhelmed, apologetic each time he was checking on us. Would that be a repeat of what happened at DBGB? Looked like it! 

sugar at DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

Fortunately my coffee did not take too long!

bread at DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

As well as some fresh bread, similar to pain de campagne.

bread and butter at DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

Our food took a bit if time to come...and it even came earlier than the table next to us that ordered 5 minutes before! Jodi got her Croque Monsieur, served with a salad.

croque monsieur at DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

It was made with Swiss cheese and there was a lot of ham. Unfortunately, the bread in the bottom was very hard to cut through because overcooked. Too bad, because otherwise it would have been a great one!

Then was my burger! It looked fantastic! The meat patty was huge (a bit difficult to eat...), and was resting on a Parmesan bun, with a tomato confit in the bottom and some red onions on top for a bit of crunch. 

burger at DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

It was conveniently cut in half, revealing a piece if foie gras. I ordered it medium cooked and it was perfect: flavorful and juicy, the taste of the short rib definitely went through. In fact, you could see the short rib meat in the patty. 

burger at DB Bistro Modern in NYC, New York

The first bite was divine: you could definitely taste the sirloin, then the short rib and finally the foie gras (when biting in the center). However, I did not smell or taste any black truffle, making me wonder if there was really some in it. 

Let's not forget the fries that were very good and served with mustard, ketchup and a delicious homemade mayonnaise. 

It was good, but for me, if I want to go eat a fancier burger, I will pick the one in the tap room at Colicchio & Son's!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

I went to Johnny Rockets for a second time: it is a place like no other, like traveling in the past! Everything makes you think about the 50's, from the decor to the music, although the first restaurant opened in 1986. 

Let's start first with the decor: You have two types of seats: at the counter or in a booth. The entire decor reminds me of American movies or TV series we use to watch in France, when I was a kid. TV series like Happy Days, called "Les jours heureux", a literal translation. 

Then there is the tiny jukebox in every booth: you put 5 cents (provided by the restaurant), pick a song and the choices from the patrons will play sequentially (hopefully...).

In term of food, they have a large selection of burgers, sandwiches and salads. We decided to start with some fried pickles:

They were pretty good, not greasy, crunchy, with a delicious sour taste.

Then, Jodi ordered the route 66:

A beef patty with fried onions and mushrooms. It was just ok: the onions were too big and a bit messy to eat!

On my side, I got the Smokehouse burger:

A beef patty with moked bacon, crispy sourdough onion rings, cheddar cheese and their special barbecue-ranch sauce. It was good with a nice crispiness coming from the bacon that added some smokiness on top of the one coming from the BBQ sauce.

With it, we shared onion rings and fries that were pretty good, especially the onion rings that were crunchy and not greasy.

Of course, I could not go to Johnny Rockets without trying their vanilla milk shake!

The presentation, straight from the 50's was fantastic and it was a very good shake: very tasty and not too thick. Know that they give you a lot of it!

It might not have been the best burgers, but I think that just the experience makes Johnny Rockets worth the trip!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Island Burgers and Shakes in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Island burger is a burger joint located in Hell's Kitchen. This place has been there for years and I probably went there 8 years ago! I think that at the time, the menu was simpler. This time, I was very impressed by the wide variety of dishes: they have close to sixty different types of burgers with names like Bourbon Street, Hippo or El Camino, each being prepared with different ingredients and a different level of spiciness. They also propose the same dish in two ways: burger or churascos, that is grilled chicken.

I decided to pick The people's choice burger, made with swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms and sauteed onions.

It came with slices of tomatoes, onions, pickles and lettuce. The bread was a potato bun with lots of sesame seeds, too many I have to say.

The burger was disappointing: the meat was flavorless and a bit dry (I ordered medium well because the waiter told me that medium would be pink in the center, but also all around). 

My friends Benny and Shaj ordered the Mulberry street churasco in ciabatta bread:

For sure the sandwich was big! I tried the chicken and it had a nice flavor coming from the grilling. Unfortunately, I found it dry.

Then we ordered fries:

as well as onion rings:

Both were very good. The onion rings were not too greasy, but some were a bit overcooked. The fries however were very good: crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside as I like them.

Last, to go with the burger, I decided to go with the black and white milkshake!

It looked beautiful and very appetizing. Instead of being a mix between a vanilla and a chocolate milkshake, it was chocolate sauce and a thick vanilla milkshake that was very tasty and had a perfect consistency. This was the best part of the meal in fact!!!

The dinner at Island Burger and Shakes was disappointing and pricey: I would have definitely preferred a smaller menu made to perfection. But it was not the case. The only highlight was the milkshake...I'll pass next time!

Enjoy (...)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

I have tried again the Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern in NYC, New York

If you recall, last year, I went to Minetta Tavern to try their Black Label Burger that is supposed to be the best of the best in NYC! This pricey burger ($26) is made of prime dry age meats: strip or ribeye, skirt steak and brisket, all coming from the Creekstone Farms (black angus beef raised and grazed in the US and USDA approved). Just reading this could make me salivate, unfortunately, I did not like it! The main reason is that I ordered it medium and it was very pink. However, the highlights of that previous meal were the fries (spectacular) and the coconut cake from Balthazar (they have the same owner). I think there is a psychological limit as to how much people would pay for a burger and $26 passed it, so it clearly gives people high expectations. 

I therefore decided to try again and we went with our friends Diana and Peter for this revisit. This time, the waiter clearly indicated how raw the meat would be if ordered medium, so I asked for medium-well.

And it was definitely how I should have asked the first time! Clearly, this burger is beautiful: thick and shiny, with its caramelized onions on top. The brioche bread was also very good, fresh and not dry, that is important because it is the first thing you will taste when you bite on the burger.

So it was good, although salty. With the burger came these delicious fries that I raved about last time: crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I finished them!

Jodi decided to go for the shirred eggs with black trumpet mushrooms:

Shirred eggs are baked eggs. The eggs were well cooked, but there was not enough mushrooms! Also, the portion was small! For $21, they could have thrown a salad!

We had a good time and good brunch at Minetta Tavern with our friends, but I still think that their burger, although good, is not the best in New York (Collichio & Sons and its $18 burger is far better, or the cheaper Corner Bistro) and it is not worth the $26 we paid!

Enjoy (I did)! 

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Burger or pizza at Bin 14 in Hoboken, NJ

It is no secret that I am a fan of Bin 14, the Hoboken Wine Bar of Chef Anthony Pino. I like the atmosphere as much as the food. We often go there for brunch as they have a fantastic brunch menu. I think I tried most of their menu, but there is one item that I never ate there: the burger. So, Jodi and I decided to go to remediate to this!

Once there, I ordered my Bin 14 burger:

The beef patty was delicately put on a piece of brioche bun (the menu said toasted, but it was not), with a roasted tomato, fresh mozzarella, arugula and pancetta. It was served with French fries, skin on, drizzled with pecorino cheese. 

First of all, the presentation was very appetizing and I just wanted to have this first bite that can be so comforting when eating a burger. The meat was perfectly cooked, juicy (I asked for medium) and did not seem to be full of fillers. It was a good burger, although not the best I had: the cheese had a too subtle taste to be really noticed, the pancetta was barely noticeable too and the arugula has a too strong flavor to go well with the meat as it has a tendency to overpower it.

The French fries were very disappointing: limp, not crunchy and not cooked all the way through. So sad...

Jodi had the truffle and creamy taleggio pizza.

This pizza is definitely a hit for us: they are generous with the cheese and the truffle and the crust is thin and crunchy, cooked divinely in their brick oven. 

I definitely recommend the pizza over the burger!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

A trip to Montreal - Part 9: Houston Steaks Côtes Levées Trudeau Airport

After a fantastic time in Montreal, it was time to go back. We showed up early at the airport to make sure we had enough time for customs and...lunch! Of course, we were not expecting the same level of food like the one we got used to in the past few days in Canada, but wanted to avoid fast food for sure! That is how we ended up at Houston Steaks Côtes Levées. 

Yes, this is a steakhouse and Côtes Levées means spare ribs (in Canada - in France it is travers de porc). I was not really motivated to have a steak there though and decided to order a burger:

It was the Houston burger, composed of a beef patty, BBQ sauce, herbed cream cheese, caramelised onions, capicollo and arugula. The bread that was a brioche bread was a bit dry and the arugula was so overpowering that I removed it. It was then just ok: not the best patty for sure! The onion rings however were real good, but there were only a few on the plate!

Jodi ordered the House salad:

It was composed of mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, endives, onions and croutons, drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette. Let say that it was just a salad! Nothing extraordinary...

Well, what can I say: we were not expecting fantastic food at the airport and it was an ok alternative to the fast food. If you are in a hurry, this is not for you: the service was slow and not that friendly!

Enjoy (...)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Burger at Black Bear in Hoboken, NJ

I went to Black Bear Bar last year to try their steak sandwich (check out the review of the Steak Sandwich at Black Bear Bar). This time, it was burger!

A lot of time, when we think burgers, we think chains or restaurants who only serve burgers, like 5 Napkin Burger, 5 Guys...But sometimes, bars offer a delicious option as this fantastic sandwich is the perfect bar food.

I might have gone a bit overboard while there as I ordered the deluxe burger that is on the brunch menu. It is composed of: bun, lettuce and tomato, beef patty, ham, bacon, egg, spicy sauce and onion rings.

It is not easy to eat and you have to imagine that your dentist is standing next to you and asking to open your mouth wide! It was good, especially when biting the yolk that I would have liked runny.

I liked the different flavors, making each bite slightly different from the other, because of the different layers. However, I wish the meat was juicier, that is the only, but very important negative there!

Jodi went for the Black Bear burger:

She asked for sauteed mushrooms and American cheese. The burger was good, but, this one too, not juicy enough.

Black Bear Bar is a nice bar with a large choice of dishes on its menu. The food is decent, but it is not where I will find the best burger in Hoboken!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
 

Japanese Burger at Kobeyaki in NYC, New York

A Japanese burger! Doesn't that sound cool? Well, that was something I had to definitely try! In fact, I noticed Kobeyaki few weeks ago, when we went to BRGR.

The place has a nice and simple decor that is a mix between a burger joint and a Japanese restaurant.

The way it works is that you first order the food and then pick it up at the pick up counter.

You can order burgers, rolls, bowls, salad or soups. We were there of course for the burgers! Once it is ready, just pick up your tray full of these nicely wrapped items you just ordered!

Each burger was served with  lettuce, cucumber, carrot, cabbage, scallions and kaiware (daikon radish). Jodi ordered the veggie burger:

It was made of grilled vegetables, portobello, cream cheese, panko, spicy mayo and nori (seaweed). It was good but quite messy to eat as it was kind of falling apart. It was also missing a bit of texture...

I ordered the Kobe beef burger:

It was composed of kobe beef, teriyaki onions, teriyaki ketchup and spicy mayo. I loved it! It was very good, tender and juicy, with some fantastic flavors that were with no doubt inspired from Japanese cuisine!

For the sides, I was a bit disappointed as the choice was limited! The fried item they had was the tempura sweet potato fries.

They were superb: not greasy and a bit crunchy. Interestingly, Jodi who does not like sweet potato ate few of them! To dip them, do not look for regular ketchup or mayonnaise! No, try the teriyaki ketchup, wasabi mayonnaise (my favorite) or the spicy mayo.

The burgers at Kobeyaki are quite good and a nice fusion between a standard dish in American cuisine, prepared with Japanese flavors. Definitely something to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Burger at Hoboken Bar & Grill in Hoboken, New Jersey

I was craving a burger and Hoboken, with its many, many bars, has a lot to offer. We could have gone to Five Guys, but I wanted to try something new. That is how we ended up at the Hoboken Bar & Grill on Washington street. The new part of the experience over there concerned the burger as we already ate there once. I remember that I had sliders and did not really like them because they were too dry; but I have to admit that cooking sliders is not that easy as the piece of meat is so small, it is easy to overcook it.

So here we are, in the dining room, close to the large bar. Of course, eating in a bar, the music was so loud that it was difficult to hear the conversation...

So, we ordered our food. Jodi went for the egg white omelet, made with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and goat cheese.

There were also some fruit and potatoes. The omelet was good and there was plenty of goat cheese! However, I did not like the potatoes that were undercooked and had a weird seasoning on it. I prefer potatoes cooked all the way through and a bit crunchy!

I ordered the One pound Angus Burger.

I hesitated with the blue cheese burger, but decided to go to what seems to be their signature one. The burger was made with bacon, fried jalapeno, pepper jack and cheddar cheese on a brioche bun (not toasted). It came with fries, black onion rings and 3 sauces: ketchup, honey chipotle and BBQ sauce.

When the burger came, it was huge (well one pound patty...)! It had a nice and appetizing presentation with the onion rings on top of it and the three sauces. I liked the fact that there was no lettuce and tomato as I am not a big fan of it! I cut the burger into two equal portions and saw that the meat was very juicy! The first bite was divine: first, you get the softness of the bun; then the crunchiness of the bacon and the subtile heat of the fried jalapenio. Then the gooey of the cheese (nice quantity) and the taste of the char on the meat. Last is the fantastic taste of the patty that was not overpowered at all by all the components of the burger. There was no need to add any sauce to the burger and I only used the sauces to dip the fries that were ok, not exceptional. My favorite sauce was the BBQ one, but I have to say that the honey chipotle was delicious too, but spicy!

The onion rings were well done: the batter was crunchy and the onion was cooked. It was not too greasy also. 

The burger at Hoboken Bar & Grill was spectacular and well priced ($15 at the time) for a big burger! I will definitely add it to my list of best burger places!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment!

Burger at BRGR in NYC, New York

It had probably been 2 years since I went to BRGR that used to be one of my favorite burger restaurant. You probably wonder why I did not come back if it was so good. The answer is simple: there are so many places that are serving burgers now, that I really wanted to try different ones. So, I was excited to go!!!

The restaurant is still the same: two large tables at the entrance (8 seats), seats at the counter or close to it, and the tables with a very colorful banquette made of cushion that looks like buns. 

Concerning the food, you first order at the counter and then they give you a number to identify where they have to bring the order. You can either pick the burgers they propose, or build your own. For this, you have to pick:

- the patty (grass fed beef, turkey or veggie),

- the bun (brioche or whole wheat),

- the cheese (cheddar, american...)

- the sauce (ketchup, mayo...)

- toppings (mushrooms, onions, pickles...)

Jodi got the beef patty with a brioche bun, cheddar, sauteed mushrooms and pickles.

I ordered a beef patty with a brioche bun, sauteed mushrooms, ketchup and mayo. Believe it or not: I completely forgot to ask for cheese!!!

Anyway, I got some of the burger from Jodi...The meat was very good: cooked medium, it was very tasty and juicy. Unfortunately, the bun, that was not toasted and although very good, was too thick and the proportion bun / patty was at the disadvantage of the beef. 

For sides, we got fries, sweet potato fries and onion hay. 

We got in fact what they call on their menu the trio. It was pretty good and not too greasy. My favorite is definitely the onion hay!

I was a bit disappointed by the burgers at BRGR, not because of the meat, but more the brioche that kind of overshadowed the beef patty that was good. What I like though is the fact that they propose several sides. Not on the top, but still to be mentioned.

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Burger at Colicchio and Sons in NYC, New York

Last year, we went to Colicchio and Sons for Jodi's Birthday and had a memorable dinner there! In my post (check out my review of Colicchio and Sons here), I mentioned this guy at the bar who ordered a burger that looked delicious. So this time, we decided to try it out! 

Imagine this burger, called the TC burger: the blend of meat (apparently secret) is topped with drunken onions (in wine) and aged pecorino cheese, and then gently squeezed between a homemade brioche bun previously toasted. 

The burger was served with homemade BBQ chips and a pickle.

The ratio patty / brioche was perfect and the burger was cooked to the requested temperature (medium) with a nice char outside. When I cut it into two, it rejected lots of juice: definitely not a dry burger and I enjoyed the juiciness of the meat until the last bite (sometimes all the juice is gone and you end up with a dryer piece of meat between your fingers). 

It had fantastic flavors and that day, there was truffle in it (not sure they put some all the time) that we could definitely taste. The meat had a strong taste and did not get overpowered by the aged pecorino or the drunken onions that liberated wine flavors that paired well with the meat. The first bite was divine, as were the ones following it. Quickly, you realize your plate is empty...so sad...

With the burger, were served some BBQ chips that were good, but I wish they were just homemade potato chips; it is just a personal preference though. 

What was great on the plate was the pickle that had a surprising sweetness. It reminded me of an episode of Top Chef where the contestants had to serve a dish where a pickle was the star. CJ decided to serve a burger that was, according to Chef Colicchio not that good. After tasting his, I understand why CJ screwed up...

I would like to mention the service also: I think that Colicchio and Sons knows what hospitality is! The service was courteous, efficient and made us feel welcome. Seems to be the motto there: hospitality! 

To conclude this post, I would say that the TC burger is for me the top in its category (burgers more than $15, this one being $18 at the time of this post). I will definitely recommend it moving forward to the burger fans I know!!!

Enjoy (I surely did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
 

MBG burger at Madison Bar and Grill in Hoboken, NJ

Madison Bar & Grill is a very popular Bar / restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey. We went there couple of times and had mixed experiences about it: their Sunday brunch buffet is fabulous! They serve a wide range of dishes that can satisfy any palate: from seafood, with fresh shrimp and oysters, to meat, to the fantastic creme brulee French Toast! If you have a good appetite or want to try plenty of delicious dishes, this is a good deal.

Then, we went to their first seating menu: for a little over $18, you get an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. When I went, I had the crab cakes, the free range chicken and the cannoli. This was a very average experience: the crab cakes were just ok and a bit greasy, with lots of filler; the chicken was dry and bland and the cannoli not good. 

But this time, I went specifically to try their burger! It is called the MBG signature Blue Label Burger. Such name is an invitation to indulge! 

As you can see on the photo above, they branded the brioche bun! So, the burger comes with skin-on French fries. I asked for the patty to be cooked medium and picked cheddar for the cheese (they also proposed Swiss, provolone or American).
The meat (dry aged beef) was perfect: medium as requested and very juicy, it had a bold taste making me think that they do not use any filler in it. There was a perfect ratio bun to meat and the bun was deliciously toasted. This was definitely a great cheeseburger! They just need to perfect the French fries that were good, but did not have anything extraordinary (you know what I mean if you went to Minetta Tavern).

On a healthier side, Jodi ordered the Warm Herbed Goat Cheese Salad:

It was made of mixed greens, carrots, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and dressed with an oven-roasted tomato vinaigrette. I liked the fact that it was a different take on a classic salad: it was not just goat cheese put on top of the veggies or on top of a piece of toast. It was like a croquette and a good one in fact: not greasy, it added a nice crunch to the dish. Perfect!

We finished the meal with the Chocolate Molten Cake:

The presentation was very appetizing! It had three components that worked perfectly together: the chocolate cake, a tahitian vanilla gelato and a strawberry sauce. It was good, but I was a bit disappointed because I was expecting the chocolate to ooze in the center; the cake was probably a bit overcooked! 

I did not regret giving another chance to the Madison Bar & Grill and was pretty satisfied at the end of the meal! It is definitely a good spot for brunch or for a good burger!

Enjoy (I did)!

Burger and Barrel in NYC, New York

It has been a while since I wanted to try Burger & Barrel, although more interested by the burger than anything else...One would think anyway that if you have burger in the name of a restaurant, the kitchen will be able to serve an amazing one! So, we were supposed to go to the Angelika Film Center to see the West of Memphis (that I recommend) and I proposed Jodi to go have a burger before the movie. It was late afternoon on a Saturday and the place was packed! The restaurant had a warm atmosphere with an impressive collection of wine bottles on the walls. 

So we ordered our burgers. I went for the Mushrooms and gruyere one. 

It had on top of it some caramelized onions. 

Jodi ordered the vegetarian burger that was composed of a patty made with chickpea. Apparently a recipe of the house!

Both burgers came with two large onion rings and fries. 

My burger was fabulous! Perfectly cooked medium and very juicy! It tasted meat for sure! The bun was a light burger bun, very soft and not toasted. You could taste a hint of salt from either the mushrooms or onions and it was perfect, just enough. I inhaled that burger! 

Jodi's veggie burger was just ok. It reminded me of falafel (normal: it was made with chickpeas), but it was missing some texture (see photo below). 

We finished the meal with a banana cream pie.

It has some chocolate chips on top that I did not really care about. The banana cream pie was made with a thick graham cracker crust (fantastic) and real bananas! It was delish! As a separate note, I am still wondering why the chocolate chip fell off the tart...

I was satisfied at the end of the meal and pretty excited to have found another great place for burgers! Definitely a place to recommend and that I will add to my favorites!

Enjoy (I did)!

Treats at Fortnum & Mason in London, England

Over the week end we were in London, we met with my cousins Catherine, Sarah and Flavien for a tea at Fortnum and Mason. In fact we heard about that place from friends who went there few years ago. The place is fantastic with all these never seen before items such as a music cookie box. But for sure, it was pricey! Pricey but crowded, I guess with people just looking around out of curiosity. Of course, as it was the Holidays, their windows were full of scenes such as the one below:

Fortnum and Mason has different restaurants, from the fancier to the more casual one. We ended up on the latter one, called The Gallery. It was a nice place with a nice causal atmosphere, surrounded by windows overlooking the street. We were lucky that my cousins arrived in advance and already had a table as the place was packed and there was a bit of wait (it was around 3pm). Of course, when we arrived, we could not miss the table full of cakes that I am sure was full of delicacies earlier that day! For sure it made us hungrier!

We could have done the full tea but it was too much food and we already had lunch. The "full" tea was composed of open sandwiches, scones, cupcakes and tea, for 22 GBP. 

So we had instead tea

A delicious hot chocolate (fortunately made with milk and not just water!!!)

And some pastries!!! We ordered a spectacular chocolate cake!

That is what I call a chocolate cake! The cake was moist and the icing really, really good. Not too sweet, it was a perfect choice. It has been a long time I did not have a nice chocolate cake like that!

We also tried the chocolate raspberry cupcakes.

This was also fantastic! The cake was also moist and the icing delicious. The pairing of the chocolate and raspberry was, not surprisingly, working! These 2 pastries are definitely recommended!

On the side, Sarah ordered as her lunch, the Goodwood Rosé Veal Burger topped with Fortnum’s Goose Foie Gras and Hand-cut Chips. 

They also provided some homemade mayonnaise. I never had a veal burger and I enjoyed it. Of course, the foie gras was a big plus! The meat was perfectly cooked and juicy. The taste was less stronger than beef for sure. The fries were crispy outside and soft inside. 

We really had a good time with my cousins and meeting there was a great idea. Fortnum and Mason's is the perfect place to meet family and friends for a relaxed afternoon! Just make sure you do not come too late as they close at 5pm...I thought tea was at 5pm!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!