77 Sands Boulevard, Bethlehem PA 18015; map); 877-SANDS77; pasands.com Cooking Method: Grilled Short Order: Burger looks good on paper and in person, but it lacks flavor, and more importantly soul. Want Fries with That? Sure. Price: $14, comes with one side.
There is no conversion of an edifice more indicative of the transformation of the American economy than that of the Bethlehem Steel building into a casino. Founded in 1857, Bethlehem Steel was once the virtual epicenter of steel manufacturing (only US Steel in nearby Pittsburgh was larger). For the next century it produced the steel that allowed skyscrapers to thrust further and further heavenwards, the hulls that floated the ships for America's navy and freight lines, and the armor that protected our veterans through two world wars.
But by the 1970s, the company's fortunes declined in concert with the decline of American manufacturing in general, unable to compete with cheaper foreign imports. The company staggered on until 2003, losing billions of dollars along the way before declaring bankruptcy. When the Sands casino company purchased the land with the intention of building a casino, they faced an ironic problem: They had trouble finding enough steel due to a global shortage.
If you watched the Super Bowl last night or have been poking around the intarwebs today, you probably caught Google's "Search Stories" ad titled "Parisian Love." But if you skimmed through the rest of the ads online, the one called "Out of Office" gives a quick nod to In-N-Out at the 40-second mark.
Today's special burger at RUB BBQ is the Chili Burger ($7.50), topped with chili and cheese. It will be available for dinner starting at 6 p.m. 208 West 23rd Street, New York NY 10011 (map); 212-524-4300
We mentioned the Burgervetica T-shirt here on AHT when it was just a concept on Threadless. But it appears to have gotten enough votes that it's being made and sold. $18 from Threadless
Posted by Brad Japhe, February 8, 2010 at 11:00 AM
Brad Japhe has previously contributed a review of Flame Gourmet Burgers in Berkeley, and a recipe for a Father's Office-style burger. Today he brings another Berkeley review of Meridian International Sports Cafe.
[Photographs: Brad Japhe]
Meridian International Sports Cafe
2050 University Avenue, Berkeley CA 94704 (map); 510-705-1450; berkeleymeridian.com Cooking Method: Grilled Short Order: Good flavors made possible by original sauces and quality ingredients. Want Fries with That? Delicious duck fat frites are outstanding. Prices: 5-ounce cheeseburger, w/ choice of cheddar or bleu with parsley fries, $9.00 Notes: 24 Beers on draft including several noteworthy regional microbrews
If you live in New York or Los Angeles, you may know just how hip and trendy gastropubs have become. People pack themselves behind a crowded bar for the privilege of waiting an hour or two for a $10 beer to wash down a $20 burger.
And yet for all their flashiness, it can't be denied that many of these exclusive destinations back up the hype, offering gourmet hamburgers that have elevated the stature of a dish once regarded as a purely pedestrian meal. There's nothing pedestrian about dry-aged ground ribeye, crumbled Roquefort, onion-molasses compote, and lightly toasted ciabatta, some of the hamburger enhancements made popular by The Spotted Pig, Minetta Tavern, and Father's Office, to name a few of the nation's more notable gastropubs.
But within the significantly toned-down confines of Berkeley, California, there is a palpable resistance to all things flashy and mainstream. Although gastropubs have not proliferated throughout this notoriously countercultural community, there is Meridian International Sports Cafe situated on University Avenue in the heart of downtown. Meridian's non-pretentious vibe, inviting atmosphere, and original menu finally make the gastropub approachable for Berkeleyans by being comforting but not conforming.
