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$25 and Under in 'New York Times' Takes on 67 Burger, 5 Napkin Burger, Joy Burger Bar

Posted by Adam Kuban, September 3, 2008 at 1:30 AM

A burger from Nick Solares's trip to 67 Burger.

In the "$25 and Under" column, where burgers have often been chronicled, the Old Gray Lady takes on three joints: 67 Burger, 5 Napkin Burger, and Joy Burger Bar.

AHT is already familiar with 67 Burger (reviewed here) and 5 Napkin Burger (reviewed here), but Joy Burger Bar has flown under the radar on this site. Probably because I don't make it up to East Harlem that often and when I do it's usually to go to Patsy's Pizzeria.

Based on the Times blip, though, I don't know if I'd want to waste my time. Writer Betsy Andrews disses the the "Munch" (3-ounce) and "Midi" (5-ounce) burgers but gives the "Maxi" (8-ounce) a lukewarm review. (In fact, it's hard to tell if she likes any of the burgers she's written about.) Here she is on Joy:

There’s plenty of the namesake emotion in the eight-ounce Maxi burger ($5.75), though. Started on the griddle and finished on the fire, it’s an amply seasoned, succulent chuck burger that’s just this side of plump enough.

Its spoiler is its thin bun, flame-grilled to fragility. Slather on chimichuri, and you’ll end up basically bunless — which is too bad because the chimichuri is the piquant champ of dressings at a place that prides itself on its house-made sauces. Runner-up is the Asian-style sweet chili.

Andrews then goes on to say that "Joy is a sweet hangout for the best patty for blocks." Doesn't sound like it to me.

Still, it's probably worth a trip, as there's another burger joint up there called Burger Inc. The AHT crew definitely needs to check these two out.

Joy Burger Bar

1567 Lexington Avenue, New York NY 10029 (at 100th Street; map); 212-289-6222

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Tags: 67 Burger, Brooklyn, East Harlem, Five Napkin Burger, Fort Greene, Hell's Kitchen, Joy Burger Bar, Manhattan, New York Times, NYC