A Hamburger Today
Dear AHT: You Have to Check Out Bare Burger in Astoria
I had a great burger at Bare Burger in Astoria last night, thought I'd tip you off, I don't seem to find it mentioned on AHT. I think it is relatively new, thought you might want to check it out. I would have sent this to Nick "my nemisis is semantics" Solares, too, but don't have his addy.
It's an all-organic place, serving game meats (elk, ostrich) lamb, turkey, and fancy Piedmontese beef, with lots of variations as far as toppings go. You won't find a fast-food-style smashed burger there, and they don't have potato rolls. BUT, despite all that, I think you guys should check it out, I thought it was very very good. And although I'm a zealot for organic food, etc., as you know, I usually think fancy, cutesy organic burgers suck, because they end up straying too far from what a burger should be. I was very pleasantly surprised.
I got the Number 7 medium-rare, with Piedmontese beef; it was juicy, salty, savory, felt decadent, and felt true to the spirit of a burger, not hippified into being something it isn't by nature. Like a vegan in denial, who wishes her cat was a vegetarian too.
The burgers come with a choice of seven-grain, brioche or a wrap (WTF???) and I had to go with brioche given those options. I was fearing the worst. But I was pleasantly surprised at how soft, well proportioned and not too sweet it was. I generally think brioche is a bad choice, too substantial, too much to chew, often stale and tough. Not so here. I loved it. The fries were very good, hand cut and unpeeled, properly blanched first as evidenced by the creamy inside and crispy shell, but I thought should have been more salted. Onion rings were phenomenal.
They've got craft beers and milkshakes. If you've got the time, check them out, I'd like to hear what you think. I can also assure you that I'm in no way shape or form affiliated with these guys, not shilling, just a sincere heads up.
Best, and belated best wishes for the new year,
Simon
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Dear Simon,
Thanks for the recommendation. Did you see on Slice that I had recently moved to Astoria or is this just out of the blue? ;)
This is actually fairly close to my new place.
I think Bare Burger opened a year or two ago, and, yeah, we have been remiss in getting there to check it out. Partly because of the perceived fancification you speak of.
But, yeah, I know you from all your comments here on AHT/Serious Eats, and coming from you, this rec means a lot. And, of course, I don't take it as shilling at all.
I'll check it out as soon as I'm a bit more settled in.
Chars,
Adam
Bare Burger
33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106 (33rd/34th streets; map)
718-777-7011; bareburger.com