More NYC favorites…
little gem caesar
black label burger
Tag Archives: Burger
NYC – 12/19/17 – Augustine
I had high hopes for the whisky burger at Augustine based on other reviews but found it to be oddly flavorless which was completely disappointing considering the very high $27 price point. Thankfully the fries were quite good. I also did not get the accompanying shot of whiskey that I thought came with it and others at the bar were served. Such likely would have helped! The waldorf salad was a bit basic and nothing I would order again considering I have made many far better versions at home. I love the space and the energy was fantastic. But in the future I will stick to the lobby at the Beekman (which is gorgeous) or Fowler & Wells.
Waldorf salad – honeycrisp apples, toasted walnuts, celery hearts, Greek yogurt dressing
Whisky burger with single malt scotch braised onions, Comte cheese and pommes frites
Princeton, NJ – 8/23/16 – Mistral
As seems to happen at least once a month I somehow did not note descriptions of any of these dishes. Perhaps because we sat at the bar and ordered a dish or two at a time, or perhaps because we had original intentions of only a snack but everything was so good that we kept ordering. Everytime I come here I think that it gets better and better. The burger was absolutely killer and I do not say that lightly (despite the non-Heinz ketchup on the side).
NYC – 4/25/16 – Salvation Burger
I suppose good timing that I was able to visit before their kitchen fire but not good timing to finally be posting this now. This may have been some of my favorite giardiniera and I would absolutely have a double order on my next visit. And while in photos the burger patty appears to be a bit too ‘perfect’ I thought it was quite good and I loved the ramp butter. Fingers crossed that it will re-open soon.
Giardiniera
Salvation Burger – roasted ramp butter, taleggio cheese
Chicago – 2/12/16 – Au Cheval, Cold Storage, CAA, Aviary, and Next Alps
Au Cheval
Where else to start a whirlwind one day tour of some of my favorite places in Chicago than at Au Cheval? I know I have had burger blinders on for years and have largely ignored the rest of the menu venturing only as far as the raw vegetable salad. A huge thank you to our server who told us that the beef cheek marmalade could be ordered as a side dish. How I have lived without this I don’t know. Next time I may thrown caution to the wind and add it to my burger.
pickles
beef cheek marmalade and toast
cheeseburger with egg and bacon
Cold Storage
Some travel days call for a double lunch, and not only a double lunch but going big with the large seafood tower. After visiting Swift & Sons a few weeks prior I was looking forward to checking out its more casual inner restaurant. Fantastic hospitality. How we ate this all I don’t know.
Chicago Athletic Association
For years before the Chicago Athletic Association opened as a hotel, I looked at the amazing facade from across Michigan Avenue on many of the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s walking tours. I just love everything they have done to maintain the original details and character and can’t help but walk through whenever I pass it. Unfortunately the cocktails in the grand lobby were far from fantastic, but ambience almost made up for it.
Sidecar and Negroni 
Aviary
As anybody who reads this blog likely knows, Aviary is my favorite place in Chicago. Not only have I met many people here who have become incredible friends, but I am always blown away by something new on the menu. I am always nervous bringing somebody new here, afraid that they won’t like it as much as I do or I have talked it up too much. But when the person gets it and is as excited about the experience as I always am, these are the best visits of all. Many, many pictures missing somehow.
Loaded to the Gunwalls
Next Alps
This was an absolutely frigid day which made the Next Alps menu the perfect dinner. A very fun menu separated into six sections – the French farmhouse, the German beer hall, the warming yurt, the top of the Swiss mountain, intro to Italy and Austrian sweets. While there wasn’t necessarily one stand out dish for me as there has been on previous menus, anytime you can have raclette is special and this is definitely a menu that I would happily repeat.
stone soup
gratin of Beaufort and trumpet crozets
game pie
tourton of salsify and apple
gateau de St. Genix avec du beurre de chevre
pork belly schnitzel with cherry and black walnut
pretzel, sausages and pickles
Raclette with potatoes, fermented mustard greens, chestnuts, and black truffles
Augustiner Brau Edelstoff lager
chocolate with black truffle and milk crisp
preserved summer berries with cognac and honey
smoked arctic char with cauliflower and juniper
goulash of beef and Barolo with sour cornbread
bitter green salad with pomegranate and fennel ice
Salzburger nockerl
pie spiced ice cream
apple strudel with clove and cinnamon
And as if this wasn’t enough in one day, missing from the photos are cocktails at Grace as well as post dinner in the Office.
Chicago – 5/31/15 – Au Cheval and Next Tapas
Au Cheval
This will officially be my last blog posting that includes Au Cheval. Why? Because I love it too much, visit too often, and while I can look at this burger all day every day, I’m guessing some of my readers may become a bit bored with it. Chances are it will remain my favorite burger anywhere and I will be eating them just as often though!
Next Tapas
After the outdoor preview two nights prior I was very much looking forward to this menu. While I have liked and appreciated every Next menu for different reasons, I can admit that there are only a few that I have loved enough that I immediately wanted to repeat. This is definitely one of them. The contrast of the more simple dishes, like the absolutely perfect tortilla, with the very complex, such as the patatas bravas, was fantastic. I never cease to be impressed!
anchoas y aceitunas
coliflor asada con chorizo y coca cardona
hongos y cebolla
mejillones enlatados
pulpo y berenjena
cerdo y romesco
cebollas a la parrilla
yema de huevo frito
aceitunas de albert adria
brandada crujiente
datiles con jerez y chocolate
pomelo quemado y pinones
un plato de jamon iberico de bellota
esparragos y sepia
patatas bravas
chuleton
tortilla
gambas con fresas y habas
caramelo de aceite de oliva
chocolate con arandanos y avellana
fartons
tarta de queso
NYC – 4/29/15 – Costata
I couldn’t be happier that the White Label burger is finally available outside of Ai Fiori. I have no idea why this burger doesn’t end up on more best of NY burger lists other than maybe too many people haven’t had it. Hands down one of my 3 favorite burgers in NYC. Everything else was wonderful, but I can be honest and say I was just here for the burger.
Carrots
Oysters
Artichokes Alla Giudea
White Label Burger – bacon marmalade, mcclures pickles, American cheese, fries
iwillmakeualist 