117 Second Avenue, New York NY 10003 (at 7th Street; map); 212-777-1086 Cooking Method: Grilled Short Order: Doesn't taste like a regular burger, but it's damn tasty. Want Fries with That? Comes with satisfyingly crispy fries. Price: Burger and fries, $7
One night while walking down Second Avenue, my eyes caught sight of something at 7th Street that compelled me to stop and clumsily whip out my brick-like camera. The sign outside of Song 7.2 proclaimed to have "THE BEST BURGER IN NYC." Song 7.2 is a Korean restaurant/bar. Home to New York City's best burger? Really?
While I would usually ignore such claims, curiosity got the best of me, and confirming or debunking the claim would only set me back $7. Hey, I love Korean food; this could be interesting.
The burger features a hefty eight-ounce patty with grilled onions, shredded lettuce, and fat pickle slices on a soft, lightly toasted white bun smeared with a ketchup/mayonnaise mix on the bottom bun.
Although I asked for medium rare, methinks the waiter didn't acknowledge my request. But it didn't matter, because despite that the meat was cooked all the way through, it didn't exhibit the negative qualities of overcooked meat. Juices unexpectedly oozed forth from the meaty crevices, and the patty had a soft texture with a bit of char on the outside.
And then it got even better when I took my first bite: It tasted like bulgogi, a key characteristic that wasn't mentioned on the menu. And bulgogi is delicious. And thus this burger was delicious. Admittedly, I didn't realize why it tasted so good until I asked out waiter what was in it. "Soy sauce, sugar," he started, then after some silence simply said, "It's like bulgogi." The flavor of bulgogi comes mostly from the combination of soy sauce, sugar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Looks like this patty had onion bits in it as well.
Besides that the patty was a juicy bomb of savory-sweetness, it went well with the sweet onions, tart pickles, smidge of creaminess from the sauce, and soft bun that was just the right size and weight.
While this burger may not be the best in the city and wouldn't fulfill a craving for a regular burger lacking seasonings up the wazoo, it's one of the tastiest takes on a burger I've had and a great deal for only $7. I'd definitely eat it again.
Note: I have yet to try the bulgogi burgers from New York Hot Dog and Coffee, but I heard good things about them. I shall get them into my tummy soon.
It's a fantastic deal, not going to lie. I had it during their fall special when it was 5 dollars. That being said, the sauce was a little off-putting to me. I like Korean foods and flavors, and I LOVE burgers, but together it was just kind of...eh. I'd order it again if my friends dragged me to Song 7.2 (and it is a cute space, especially on a sunny fall day), but it's not something I'd make a special trip into Manhattan for like I would for Shake Shack.
Bulgogi is amazingly versatile! In my city in Canada, we have a great pizza guy, Phil, who does bulgogi pizza ... He's practically a celebrity here, the pizza is amazing. Huzzah for Korean food!
Thanks for commenting! Your comment has been accepted and will appear in a moment.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it pleasant. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
Print
5 Comments:
I also pass this sign daily
I guess I will be trying it next time
Jason NYC at 10:55AM on 10/28/09
That's a mighty good looking meatloaf patty.
ratbuddy at 2:03PM on 10/28/09
Will have to give this a try. Bulgogi is really showing up everywhere these days!
chillonthecheap.wordpress.com at 3:58PM on 10/28/09
It's a fantastic deal, not going to lie. I had it during their fall special when it was 5 dollars. That being said, the sauce was a little off-putting to me. I like Korean foods and flavors, and I LOVE burgers, but together it was just kind of...eh. I'd order it again if my friends dragged me to Song 7.2 (and it is a cute space, especially on a sunny fall day), but it's not something I'd make a special trip into Manhattan for like I would for Shake Shack.
divinebovine at 11:09PM on 10/28/09
Bulgogi is amazingly versatile! In my city in Canada, we have a great pizza guy, Phil, who does bulgogi pizza ... He's practically a celebrity here, the pizza is amazing. Huzzah for Korean food!
jojojo at 7:55PM on 11/01/09