Fried Onions Make Everything Better at 12th Street Bar and Grill in Park Slope
Posted by Robyn Lee, September 8, 2009 at 10:30 AM
[Photographs: Robyn Lee]
12 Street Bar and Grill
1123 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215 (map); 718-965-9526; 12thstreetbarandgrill.com Cooking Method: Grilled. Short Order: It's juicy and comes topped with fried onions. Win! Want Fries with That? The burger comes with a mountain of golden, crispy skin-on fries. Good stuff. Prices: $11; toppings +$1.50
Across the street from the subject of my last Park Slope burger review, Johnny Mack's, is another restaurant with a promising burger, 12th Street Bar & Grill. Accompanied by the same burger-loving friend as last time, we went to the bar (the restaurant is split into two parts: a formal dining room at 8th Avenue and 12th Street and a casual bar around the corner on 12th Street) to find out which burger would win in the battle of "Burgers at the Intersection of 8th Avenue and 12th Street."
12th Street Bar & Grill won. Here's why, after the jump.
The eight-ounce burgers ($11) come with "frizzled" (breaded and deep fried) onions, crisp lettuce, chunky tomato slice, thinly sliced onions, and your choice of cheese (American, cheddar, Swiss, or blue) on a grilled bun. Mushrooms, bacon, or caramelized onions are available for an additional $1.50.
My medium rare burger came topped with a melty blanket of American cheese. I put on the lettuce and fried onions—raw tomatoes interrupt my burger joy, and raw onions make my mouth feel like death—and dug in.
Juices flowed freely from my bisected burger. Score. The patty was sufficiently salted, but even if it hadn't been I don't think I would've minded because of the presence of fried onions, automatically my new favorite burger topping for its flavor and crunchiness. (It's also my favorite hot dog topping.) Fried onions should be offered more often as a burger topping—you can't really go wrong with salty fried crispy bits-o-something on top of a meat patty.
The plain bun was a good fit for the burger—just a smidge smaller than the patty, hearty enough to stand up to the burger's heft and juiciness, but soft enough to not interfere with the meat and toppings.
Burger with cheddar and mushrooms.
My friend said his burger cooked to medium was also plenty juicy, in case you prefer something a little more well done.
The burger comes with either fries or a salad. The skin-on fries are crispy and salty; unless you're craving a salad (it happens) or have an aversion to fried starch, get them.
While Johnny Mack's makes a tasty burger, 12th Street Bar & Grill wins the game—for being cheaper (Johnny Mack's burger is $11, but doesn't come with cheese), for using a better bun, and for coming with fried onions.
I used to drink there. I stopped eating there when one of the wait staff vehemently informed my wife and myself that the critter attacking us while we tried to eat was a palmetto bug and not a cockroach because it could fly. In fairness that was probably eight years ago.
THANK YOU! thank you for posting this! ate this lovely little masterpiece of burger-dom for dinner tonight, it was transporting. . I live dangerously close to this establishment, and I would go back tomorrow if I thought my body would put up with it!
Awesome! So glad you checked it out. I mentioned that I loved a 12th Street burger in response to your Johnny Mack review. Truth is, I've never had one at JM, but now I don't need to waste a burger away from the beloved frizzled onions. Thanks, Robyn!
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7 Comments:
Damn....Tuesday morning after Labor Day and that Looks unbelievable!
Gimme Gimme Gimme!
I'm done with Ribs, back to the the burger.
Scoreboard44 at 10:36AM on 09/08/09
I used to drink there. I stopped eating there when one of the wait staff vehemently informed my wife and myself that the critter attacking us while we tried to eat was a palmetto bug and not a cockroach because it could fly. In fairness that was probably eight years ago.
bobbob at 11:40AM on 09/08/09
Palmetto bugs are scary critters
redfish at 11:58AM on 09/08/09
that burger is freaking golden...
twoshoes at 12:56PM on 09/08/09
THANK YOU! thank you for posting this! ate this lovely little masterpiece of burger-dom for dinner tonight, it was transporting. . I live dangerously close to this establishment, and I would go back tomorrow if I thought my body would put up with it!
MirandaR at 11:05PM on 09/11/09
@MirandaR: I'm glad you liked it! :) If you have any other burger recs in the area let me know!
Robyn Lee at 11:15PM on 09/11/09
Awesome! So glad you checked it out. I mentioned that I loved a 12th Street burger in response to your Johnny Mack review. Truth is, I've never had one at JM, but now I don't need to waste a burger away from the beloved frizzled onions. Thanks, Robyn!
jbrach at 11:11AM on 09/18/09