AHT reader and newcomer to the foodblogging scene "Beef Aficionado" Nick tips us to the fact that yet another Goodburger is opening in Midtown, this one at 45th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue. (Nick also hipped us to the impending opening of the Union Square Goodburger late last month.)
This brings the rapidly expanding Manhattan minichain to four stores since the first one opened in October 2005. Is it expanding too fast, though? Says Nick, "Can they possibly maintain quality as they expand? We shall see."
Adam -- Nice try on the Juicy Lucy. It's tough to make. I'm a Minneapolis native stuck in South Carolina. I'm a dedicated Matt's Bar patron. Each time we go back to Mpls, we hit Matt's for some Jucy Lucys, greasy french fries and cheap beer. It's a treat. Anyway -- Here's a little information about Matt's you might find interesting: Matt's is a hole-in-the-wall, sort of dumpy, friendly bar in an unpretentious 1920s-era neighborhood in south-central Mpls (fairly residential.) Wonderful Juke Box as well: All Mpls faves: Replacements, Husker Du, et. al. Though it purportedly is the creator of the Jucy Lucy, you can find the burgers at just about every venerable burger dive in the area. Each restaurant does it a bit differently, but all are pretty good at producing consistent, quality burgers. Now, about the burgers: Must be ground chuck, 80 percent is perfect. They use salt, pepper, worchestershire as primary seasonings. Patties should be identical in size, very flat, about 1/8 pound each. Cheese must be American - not skim american, either. Good old fatty ghetto american cheese. Fold it in half, not quarters. You MUST seal the burgers on the sides by pinching and folding, then tossing again, like you would when you're forming any patty. This makes sure the cheese does not seep out until you bite into it. Flip twice. Once every 1.5-2 minutes. Though the burger won't be "medium" like many burger lovers desire, the cheese on the inside makes up for it. The restaurant uses an old fashioned griddle. I still haven't found a way to make one as well at home. But, I found that using a regular, 9-inch All Clad frying pan with a bit of butter or preferably beef fat heated until starting to smoke, works best. Cast iron doesn't work well (burns), and non-stick is a joke. Buns are important. Must be plain (no sesame seeds), unhealthy, a bit sweet, white flour buns. (Think of the cheapest you can buy in a grocery store, then without the preservatives). Must be buttered (with soft butter) and toasted on the grill (or pan). Onions must be diced very finely and fried in burger fat and/or butter. Also, should be applied liberally. Of course, you can order them with tomatoes, raw onions, lettuce, etc. But the real Jucy Lucy is just burger, cheese, bun, fried onion. And it's ridiculously good. I hope this helps, and if you need a reviewer in the Dirty South, please don't be afraid to ask. I'd love to chip in.
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Adam -- Nice try on the Juicy Lucy. It's tough to make. I'm a Minneapolis native stuck in South Carolina. I'm a dedicated Matt's Bar patron. Each time we go back to Mpls, we hit Matt's for some Jucy Lucys, greasy french fries and cheap beer. It's a treat. Anyway -- Here's a little information about Matt's you might find interesting: Matt's is a hole-in-the-wall, sort of dumpy, friendly bar in an unpretentious 1920s-era neighborhood in south-central Mpls (fairly residential.) Wonderful Juke Box as well: All Mpls faves: Replacements, Husker Du, et. al. Though it purportedly is the creator of the Jucy Lucy, you can find the burgers at just about every venerable burger dive in the area. Each restaurant does it a bit differently, but all are pretty good at producing consistent, quality burgers. Now, about the burgers: Must be ground chuck, 80 percent is perfect. They use salt, pepper, worchestershire as primary seasonings. Patties should be identical in size, very flat, about 1/8 pound each. Cheese must be American - not skim american, either. Good old fatty ghetto american cheese. Fold it in half, not quarters. You MUST seal the burgers on the sides by pinching and folding, then tossing again, like you would when you're forming any patty. This makes sure the cheese does not seep out until you bite into it. Flip twice. Once every 1.5-2 minutes. Though the burger won't be "medium" like many burger lovers desire, the cheese on the inside makes up for it. The restaurant uses an old fashioned griddle. I still haven't found a way to make one as well at home. But, I found that using a regular, 9-inch All Clad frying pan with a bit of butter or preferably beef fat heated until starting to smoke, works best. Cast iron doesn't work well (burns), and non-stick is a joke. Buns are important. Must be plain (no sesame seeds), unhealthy, a bit sweet, white flour buns. (Think of the cheapest you can buy in a grocery store, then without the preservatives). Must be buttered (with soft butter) and toasted on the grill (or pan). Onions must be diced very finely and fried in burger fat and/or butter. Also, should be applied liberally. Of course, you can order them with tomatoes, raw onions, lettuce, etc. But the real Jucy Lucy is just burger, cheese, bun, fried onion. And it's ridiculously good. I hope this helps, and if you need a reviewer in the Dirty South, please don't be afraid to ask. I'd love to chip in.
Hamburger Pete at 6:09AM on 05/21/07