Posted by Adam Kuban, December 16, 2005 at 1:32 AM
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Josh "Mr. Cutlets" Ozersky holds a David Burke slider. Side-on, you can see the crispness of the meat and the juices soaking into the mini English muffin. A presentation befitting these artful yet no-nonsense miniburgers; $8.95 for 3 "Cheeseburkers" and fries.
Josh "Mr. Cutlets" Ozersky raved earlier this week on Slashfood, and in an e-mail to me, about the "reinvented" sliders at David Burke's new café at Bloomingdale's in Midtown Manhattan. "You have to try them!" he said.
So try them we did. Yesterday at lunch, Matty and I met Josh at Burke in the Box, as the long, narrow, handsome space is called.
As is usually the case, Josh was right when he described these tiny hamburgers: "[this] sandwich approaches perfection on its own terms, and its outside deep crunch and rich inside softness are wildly dramatic, especially in a sandwich so small."
Burke, who stepped away from expediting orders at the take-out counter, took some time to tell us how he crafts these mini masterpieces (right).
First, he starts by cutting a mini English muffin about three-quarters from the bottom. The thick part of the muffin is then scooped out, and a hearty meatball of raw Creekstone Farms Black Angus beef is nestled snugly into this spongy bed.
Burke assembles a tray of these little guys and bakes them. As the fat renders out as juice (Burke uses 80% lean beef), it is absorbed by the muffin. You'd think this would make for a soggy "bun," but no: The muffin stands up to the juices, captures them for your pleasure, and actually becomes crisp on the bottom in the process. The meat is topped with a pickle slice and just the right amount of cheese. A cherry tomato half is speared atop the whole affair, but it's more garnish than an integral part of the burger.
Because they're baked in batches beforehand, you can't order them to your preferred doneness. We asked for ours medium-rare and were told they'd be more along the lines of medium. Still, looking at the cross section (left), you can see the soft, pink interior—and the copious amount of juice melted into the muffin bottom.
This slider is almost magical, packing all the taste, juice, and punch of a burger four times its size into a fun, tiny, two- or three-bite package. In fact, it's almost ludicrous to call it a slider, as that nickname derives from the way White Castle's original Slyder, all mushy and greasy, just seems to slip down your throat—and then out your other end a few hours later. Burke's "Cheeseburker," in contrast, is all crunch on the outside and smooth and molten inside, managing to avoid the pitfall of dryness that typically plague the beefed-up school of sliderdom.
From work, Matty has only a 10-block walk to Burke in the Box. I have a short train ride. I'm sure we'll be meeting there for lunch again soon.
BURKE IN THE BOX Location: 150 East 59th Street (b/n Lex. and Third aves.), Midtown, NYC Phone: 212-705-3800 Cost: $8.95 for 3 "Cheeseburkers" and fries
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Burke, who stepped away from expediting orders at the take-out counter, took some time to tell us how he crafts these mini masterpieces (right).
Because they're baked in batches beforehand, you can't order them to your preferred doneness. We asked for ours medium-rare and were told they'd be more along the lines of medium. Still, looking at the cross section (left), you can see the soft, pink interior—and the copious amount of juice melted into the muffin bottom.
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