Berger Review! Happy National Hamburger Day: Smashburger, Wantagh, NY

Today is a great day to be a Berger, a Burger or any kind of "burger" variation.  Why you might ask?  Because it's National Hamburger Day which equates to free burgers at Smashburger. 

Today I am also thankful for social media because I received one Facebook post and one Facebook private message with the awesome tip, plus a late breaking email from Grub Street, New York magazine's food and restaurant blog.

The deal is simple - 1 free classic burger when you show a burger-affiliated ID.  I knew very little about Smashburger, we are more In-n-Out, Steak N' Shake or Five Guys people when it comes to chains, so I was ready for a taste. 

There is a Smashburger that is sort of on my way home from work.  And when I left work late, saw the rain and corresponding traffic, I knew that a somewhat circuitious route on side roads would probably not take much longer than sitting in a parking-lot like parkway.

I called JB and he agreed to the plan, with a caveat.  He wanted one, too.  I reiterated the 1 burger per burger policy, but JB, ever the loophole-finder texted me a photo of his license. 

The restaurant was pleasantly bright, especially with the gloomy rain outside, and full of families (other Bergers perhaps?) enjoying their meals.  Smashburger is a "Fast Casual" establishment, meaning you order your food at the counter, pay, take your seat and await your server who deposits said food on your table.

I explained my fate to the counterpeople, flashed my ID and presto, I had two free burgers.  The official deal was 1 Classic.  I opted for 1 Classic with the works and 1 Classic completely plain. 7 minutes later my food was deposited at a stand up bar and I was on my way.

Both burgers had an excellent egg bun but just an average burger.  The burger was much bigger than a typical fast food burger, but it lacked taste.  The bun was greasy and buttery.  JB's works included

American cheese, smash sauce, ketchup, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion.  The smash sauce tasted remarkably like mustard, but who can complain - it was completely free. 

 

Since it's a chain, I'll add it to the list of stops on a future road trip.  I think big Z and little D (aka the sliders) would like it, too. 

 

Until our next Berger,

KLB

 

Smashburger - Wantagh

1223 Wantagh Ave

Wantagh, NY

516.308.4772

 

You can have Smashburger all over the country.  Find your closest location

 

Egg-xtra, Egg-xtra, Read All About It:Thomas's Ham and Eggery, Carle Place, NY

Excuse the pun, but I rarely go out to lunch on a workday (except to pick up my bacon tofu salad at Fairway), so I needed to share my excitement. 

Thomas's Ham and Eggery is a diner institution near the shopping mecca known as Roosevelt Field in Carle Place on Long Island.  It is a classic diner via it's style (retro booths & tables), service (gruff & slow) and food (eggs & such, hence their name). 

So let's talk about those eggs.  All egg dishes arrive in their own skillet.  It's pretty genius if you ask me -- patrons love the kitschiness factor and there are less dishes to wash. 

Unfortunately, there were challenges with our order.  The egg white omelet with swiss and broccoli, came with cheddar instead.  It was nearly impossible to locate any chicken sausage in the leek and chicken sausage frittata. And the bacon in the bacon and eggs was devoid of any salt flavor. 

But mostly we were too hungry and eventually too full to notice.

It seemed there were a lot of regulars here.  Maybe if we became regulars they'd get our order right.  Maybe. 

Until our next Berger,
KLB

Thomas's Ham and Eggery
325 Old Country Rd, Carle Place, NY

516.333.3060

No website, click here to link to the menu

Not as “Wynnderful” as Expected: Wing Lei and La Cave, Las Vegas, NV

I am optimist.  I always have high hopes, but for anything at the Wynn in Las Vegas, I set the bar especially high.  Big Mistake, Big, Huge. 

Our first stop was Wing Lei, a Chinese restaurant that falls in the “Fine Dining” category at the Wynn.  We also learned that it’s the only Asian restaurant in North America to receive a Michelin star.  Yes, the room is opulent with gold lacquer and red walls, the service is close to the impeccable level, and the food is good, yet something was lacking. 

We started with several recommended appetizers to share: Crispy Prawns, Pot Stickers and Spare Ribs. The server delicately placed one of each item on our plates, and this is where the disappointment began.  The prawns were crispy, but overly dry; the pot stickers were fine but nothing special and the spare ribs were just gloppy (if that's a word). 

Mains were better.  My massive portion of the General Tao's Chicken, was delicately fried, spicy and, finally, in the very good category. I had a bite of the Garlic Beef Tenderloin which had delicious garlic undertones, although I think it would have been a more appropriate dish at the steakhouse down the hall.  At the urging of a neighboring table, we requested a late order of the Braised Eggplant.  The eggplant was super hot from a temperature perspective and therefore tough to discern much of anything at all.  Surprisingly, the star of the evening was pork fried rice. Usually an afterthought, this was full of flavor, not too greasy and the pork to rice ratio was pro-pork (which is always a plus). 

Our dinner concluded quickly, as we learned that the restaurant stopped serving dinner at 10PM.  We all found this odd, even for a Wednesday, this was Vegas after all. 

This neighboring table said they come here a few times a year and that the Peking Duck is stellar.  Too bad they were out of it, that may have changed things.  I should mention though that Wing Lei, like most things at the Wynn, is very expensive.  Am I glad I went, yes.  But I would go back? Yes, but only if someone else was paying. 

The next night, was the second chance.  We chose La Cave, which deems itself a "Wine and Food Hideaway" in the "Casual Dining" category. I think that's code for, "prices may be somewhat reasonable - somewhat".   I actually ate lunch at La Cave last year and I recall a delightful lunch at the bar with my friend Cathy watching our food prepared before our eyes in the "Cave"-like front room.  This time we had a large party and sat deeper in the restaurant which ironically is more airy and opens onto an outdoor dining area.  

Just like the night before, I thought everything was good, but nothing really wowed me.  La Cave's concept is tapas style with small plates. They suggest 2 plates per person and then sharing.  Sharing is not as easy as you'd think though since the plates really are small.  And the service here was spotty at best.  It took a while to get our water, even longer for our wine, and when the cheapest wine is $70 a bottle, you'd think it would sprint over itself.

With the 2 plate suggestion, I ordered the cavatelli with short ribs and the hamachi cubes.  I also had a craving for the onion soup, but thought that would be too hard to share.  My hamachi arrived first and was perfectly sized - for one person.  I gobbled up the sushi, offering tastes, but it was so small that no one wanted to take from my tiny dinner.  Luckily my second selection, was much bigger and actually quite heavy.  I didn't love it as much I thought I would so I pushed it into rotation with my tablemates.  In return, I did get a few great tastes: namely the sliced sirloin steak and the grilled shrimp.  Simple usually wins at place like this; I should remember that.  Others at the table enjoyed the flatbread pizzas and salads.  Again, the simple stuff.

We had the same issue here with the kitchen closing at 10PM (and this time on a Thursday!) so we pre-ordered one of each dessert.  The S'Mores flatbread sounded like a good idea, but in practice it was sickly sweet with not enough chocolate.  They probably used up all the chocolate on the chocolate risotto, as it had so much that it was like a chocolate rice soup -- definitely a miss.  The other two desserts were the creme brulee and the beignets with multiple dipping sauces, these were the better choices by far. 

Another lackluster meal that could and should have been "Wynnderful". 

Until our next Berger,

KLB

La Cave

and

Wing Lei

WYNN LAS VEGAS AND ENCORE HOTEL

3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South

Las Vegas, NV

702.248.3463

www.wynnlasvegas.com/Restaurants

 

Mother's Day Treats: First and South, Greenport, NY

When the topic of Mother's Day came up in my house, Big Z with his 4-year old generosity said "Mom, I will get you treats." He never defined treats, so I defined them for myself, which meant a trip to the North Fork for wine and food, in that order. 

The first stop was the always lovely McCall Wines in Cutchogue.  While we love going to any vineyard, many of them are too commercial and frankly, not that kid-friendly.  McCall is open only seasonally and it is essentially a barn with a few picnic tables scattered on the lawn, with amazing wine.  JB purchased us a lovely bottle of 2010 Pinot Noir and we were able to imbibe while the boys were relatively well-behaved.  Their selection is not huge, but it is stellar.  Check it out  - mccallwines.com.  They have a new wine club, that we joined (and JB tried to convince me that was my Mother's Day present). If you can't make it there, they will get the wine to you.

After corking up our nearly empty bottle, thanks mainly to me, we drove further east to Greenport for a late lunch at First and South.  Greenport is an old whaling and ship building town that is somewhat of a destination for both daytrippers and vacationers.  The restaurant scene is always improving and I'm happy to say that First and South is contributing heavily to that.

Set a few streets back from the main drag in Greenport, on you guessed it, the corner of First and South, the restaurant is in an unassuming house shaded by cherry trees.  We heard acoustic Pearl Jam as we approached the entrance and immediately felt relaxed.  (The McCall Pinot Noir probably helped with that, too.)

We were lucky enough to score an outdoor bar table where we sat under one of the aforementioned cherry trees.  And were even luckier to have one sleeping child.  We didn't need any more drinks, other than water, so we focused on the food.

We had arrived at around 3, sort of straddling a late brunch and an early dinner.  JB cobbled together a brunch-type meal with a mason jar full of steel cut oats plus a side of applewood bacon and a side of grain toast.  It was eclectic to say the least, but JB is a sucker for anything in a mason jar. 

Big Z and I both had the burger.  On their menu, it's called the "Really Good Burger" and it is.  But besides the awesome brioche, the gooey cheese and the pickle pile, the best part of the dish is the kimchi slaw.  If JB is a sucker for mason jars, then I'm a bigger sucker for kimchi; the spicier the better.  Fortunately, Big Z didn't want any of his (no surprise for a 4-year old) so JB got a taste, too.

And let's not forget the fries.  Hand cut fries are their specialty, so much so that you need to order them separately. The boys indulged in a salty mound of almost-perfect fries.  Even little D ate them cold when he finally woke up. 

We skipped dessert for frozen yogurt in the village, but I saw homemade cookies on the menu for next time.

Speaking of next time, we need to go back for dinner.  The dinner menu appears to have some interesting bites like crispy duck tongue and a pickle plate that I know little D would adore.  And I am fairly certain, I could go for that burger again, and all of its accompaniments, too. 

Until our next Berger,
KLB

First and South
100 South Street
Greenport, NY
631.333.2200
firstandsouth.com

Date Night with my Parents: Erminia, New York, NY

Time for my parents to get blogged.  Hereby known as Bubba (my mom) and Best (my dad) because that is what our boys call them. 

So, Bubba suggested dinner and a Broadway play for Best's birthday.  Date night with the parents - who could resist. 

The issue became where to eat.  I immediately started researching ethnic spots in the Theatre district -Indonesian perhaps?  Maybe some good Persian.  Bubba shot my ideas down.  For them, pre-theatre dining needs to be safe and not laden with any potential gastronomic anomalies let's just say.

The next consideration was noise, or the lack there of. Best likes it quiet.  Bubba likes a scene, or better yet to be seen. 

With all of these stipulations, we decided to expand our search and I settled on Erminia on the Upper East Side.   Erminia is one of those places that you always hear about, but never go to.  It's a tiny, and I mean 12 tables tiny, Italian restaurant, by way of Rome.  It's romantic and candelit, perfect for Best's auditory preferences, yet still has an air of exclusivity to it, which met Bubba's requirements. 

A 6PM on Saturday night, we found ourselves at one of only two tables filled at the restaurant.  Less people meant we had the full attention of the waitstaff and Bubba loved it. She practiced her "Italian" and lingered while making her dinner choices.

Apparently Bubba had a, let's call it, well-saturated evening the night before, so she skipped the cocktails and appetizers portion of the meal. So the three of us worked on the wines by the glass - the three Pinots as the waiter called it - Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir and Pinot Chianti.  (Yes, an Italian waiter joke.)

Best and I split a garlic/basil/olive oil Calamari alla griglia appetizer that was light and tasty.  JB indulged in the Carciofi Alla Giudia (artichoke) as he usually does when he thinks we are at a real "Roman" restaurant.  They lacked seasoning and crunchiness, but they were tasty. What isn't when covered in olive oil.  FYI, if you ever go to Rome the best carciofi we've ever had is at Al Pompiere in the Jewish District. Go.  alpompiereroma.com. But first, back to Erminia. 

For our mains, 3 out of  4 of us went the pasta route.  Bubba had the house specialty -

Rotolo di Pasta - which is a rolled pasta stuffed with spinach, ricotta and mozzarella.  She generously shared her filling dish which was sweet and delicious.  I opted for the Bucatini all' Amatriciana, a thick linguine in red sauce laden with pancetta.  And JB's Farfalle alla Capricciosa had too much of an olive taste for me, but he managed to polish off those bowties that also had capers and sun-dried tomatoes. 

Best surprised us all by ordering the Scaloppine Di Vitello Con Carciofi E Funghi

since he's usually the two appetizer king.  We think he was off his mark since the restaurant was beer and wine only, i.e., no vodka, so he splurged on an entree. He did not surprise us, however, when he didn't offer tastes to anyone (although Bubba managed to steal a bite off his plate). 

As curtain time loomed, it was coffee and dessert time.  Chocolate mousse pie for JB and me was just OK and Bubba and Best chose the tartufo, which I think received the same OK-grade.  

All in all, though, it was an excellent choice for a quiet dinner and I do recommend it.

I also recommend the play - Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike - only on Broadway through the end of June.   

Until our next Berger,
KLB

Erminia
250 East 83rd Street
New York, NY
212.879.4284
erminiarestaurant.com

A Mistake in Googling: Greek Island Diner, Wading River, NY

I have a problem.  I am always looking for a new restaurant and sometimes I get led astray.  Take for example yesterday, when I'm at the doctor for an evening checkup in Wading River which is about 25 minutes away from home.  Close enough that I know where I am, but far enough where I don't really know the culinary landscape.  So in the waiting room, I Google.  And waiting in the office, I Google.  And then I text JB saying I've found the perfect takeout.  1 hour and $30 later, we have a mediocre falafel sandwich that resembles a chicken cutlet,  decent fries, and a Greek Salad big enough to feed a family of 10. 

So lesson learned, sometimes Google is not your friend. 

Until our next berger,
KLB

Greek Island Diner
6324 Rte 25A # 6  Wading River, NY 11792
631.886.1989
greekislanddiner.com

A Miami Must: The Bazaar, Miami Beach, FL

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to find myself on a girls weekend that was all about sun, rosé and restaurants -- in that order.  Seriously, after 10 hours on the beach on Saturday and a few bottles of the pink stuff, we headed to what would be the best meal of our trip and probably one of the best meals I've had in recent history. 

We teetered in our heels a few blocks from our hotel to the Hotel SLS and were immediately entranced by the scene of beautiful people.  After an attempt by the hostess to seat us in the bar/lobby area (don't you hate how hostesses always try to give you a bad table first? Even other reviewers on Yelp say the same thing about their experience here), we found ourselves in the best spot in the house. 

The room is awe-inspiring with a massive coral-like chandelier and books painted on the walls. Our table had a couch in lieu of two chairs with side tables flocking the couch.  It almost felt like we were in someone's living room, almost. 

By definition, Bazaar is a tapas restaurant.  The Spanish-born José Andrés, however, created not just Spanish choices but also Asian, Italian, American Comfort Food, you name it.  The menu is daunting.  Fortunately our Frodo-looking waiter, Christopher, provided some guidance.

Per Chistopher's recommendation, we ordered 3 to 4 plates per person.  It seems like a lot, but the servers space it out and trust me, you are able to savor everything.  Just think of it as your own tasting menu where you get to choose everything. 

Most dishes were both delicious and gorgeous, and really just a few misses. 

Here was our tally (with descriptions from the menu in italics):

HITS:
- Kueh Pai Ti Singapore’s favorite street food - shrimp, peanuts, chili sauce: Christopher's recommendation was messy after the first bite, but its tough to complain when you combine shrimp, peanuts and chili sauce.
- Japanese Taco grilled eel, shiso, cucumber, wasabi, pork chicharrones: I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one and was pleasantly surprised.  The star of this was the cucumber "taco shell".
- Dragon Fruit Ceviche tuna, pecans, lime, hibiscus: I think this was the all-around favorite.  Tuna-style sushi covered in foam all inside a carved out dragonfruit. 

- Not Your Everyday Caprese

cherry tomatoes, liquid mozzarella:  Christopher practically insisted on this one.  The cheese was burrata style, almost straight from Capri and the tomatoes were on a bed of amazing pesto.  I considered licking the plate.

- Brussels Sprouts lemon purée, apricots, grapes, lemon air, banana: A big hit in our group, the brussel sprouts were light, tasty and, yes, foamy. Again, with the foam.
- Papas Canarias salty wrinkled potatoes, mojo verde, mojo rojo: These potatoes were a suprising hit.  Tiny potates that were almost air-popped had two spicy dipping sauces.  I let this dish rest right next to me so I could keep partaking.
- Sautéed Shrimp garlic, parsley, lemon, guindilla pepper: Simple, yet excellent.  Shrimp is also an easy sell with this crowd.

- Banana-Mojito

Mojito sorbet, mint and caramelized bananas: We didn't even look at a dessert menu, but we had to pick one and this was Christopher's rec.  Looking back at the menu now I probably would have preferred to get Key Lime Pie which is my all time favorite dessert, however, this creation was good, too.  I enjoyed the graham cracker crust over the mojito sorbet immensely, but I skipped the carmelized bananas. 

- Drinks: How could a pitcher of white sangria and dessert wine ever be a miss??

MISSES:
- Pollo al Ajillo Cubano slow-cooked chicken leg, black garlic: OK, so this might not be fair.  Ever since my niece Jessie said at around age 5 "Who would eat a chicken's leg" - I don't.  So this gets an automatic miss for me.  
- Cuban Coffee Rubbed Churrasco passion fruit: Disppointing and boring, and its rare (no pun intended) that I don't like a steak dish.
- Cubano’ In Honor of Café Versailles: Again, not really fair, since I'm not a ham person, but still it didn't make much traction on the table.  It did come at the end though, when we reaching capacity.
- Black Rossejat paella-style pasta, squid ink, shrimp, alioli: Another disappointment.  From the menu description we almost ordered two of these, but Frodo told us one would suffice and he was right.  The paella-like pasta was overwhelmingly fishy and really, I usually love squid ink. 
- Empanadillas de Bacalao salt cod, honey: These were quite forgettable. Sweet and airy is an odd combination for cod. 

There were so many more items on the menu we could have had.  If only we could have stayed in Miami one more day. 

Bazaar is an experience.  It's not bizarre, it's amazing. And best of all, they are expanding.  There is currently another Bazaar in Beverly Hills AND they are planning to also launch in New York and Vegas within about a year. 

If you ever get a chance to go here, do. 

Until our next berger,
KLB


The Bazaar
1701 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 455-2999
sbe.com/thebazaar

Worth the Trip Thai: Ayada, Elmhurst, NY

I am constantly on a quest for the best Thai food. We may have found it today in Queens or, specifically, Elmhurst, at Ayada Thai. Let me explain.

Since we have young boys, we often have to go out of our way to find activities that will entertain all of us and, hopefully, tire them out.  Today we went to the Kids NY Tennis Expo at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center which allowed our boys to play on US Open tennis courts and then be exhausted enough to sit through lunch.  A perfect plan. 

In my former life I was spoiled by Chicago Thai food, so whenever I hear about a superb Thai establishment, I try to go.  Guided by GPS, we found Ayada and a parking spot, too.  On the way, I read aloud an old New York Times review of the restaurant and JB's mouth starting watering.

We arrived around 2 on a Sunday to a small, clean and bright storefront filled with Asian diners (an excellent sign to us.)  We were able to secure a table and start skimming the very long menu.  And as a somewhat funny surprise, they highlight the New York Times-recommended dishes.
We had a small feast:

- Papaya Salad: JB is always obsessed with this dish whereas I rarely even ask for a taste.  It's a simple salad of shredded papaya, this one had dried shrimp and cherry tomatoes with chopped peanuts lodged inside.  Yum!
- Sticky Rice:  Apparently, sticky rice is a customary side to papaya salad.  Sadly, JB did not offer this one up.

- Tom Ka Chicken Soup: We often get this at our local Chinese/Japanese/Thai hoping that it will be good, and we are usually disappointed.  Not here.  JB did allow me a taste of this delicious coconut milk soup -- I avoided the mushrooms -- as he slurped down the rest he pronounced it perfection.

- Raw Shrimp Salad: Yes, that's correct, raw shrimp salad.  This was one of the "recommended" dishes, so I felt compelled.  About 10 large shrimp heavily seasoned with chili, lime and garlic covered the plate.  It is super spicy.  I found myself alternating between this and the papaya salad to calm down the heat.  After a few bites though, I was able to really enjoy this delicacy.  I recommend this recommendation.

- Pad See Ew with Tofu:  Pad See Ew is my favorite Thai noodle dish, so I had to try their version.  Wide rice noodles with soy sauce and broccoli are typical for this usually mild dish, but I was feeling adventurous and asked for it spicy.  This spice I could handle and the tofu was the perfect complement. 
- Jasmine Rice: This was for little D only.  Big Z had devoured a concession stand New York soft pretzel after tennis and paid attention mainly to JB's iPhone throughout lunch. 

Our lunch bill came to $34 which was a small price to pay for such a treat.  JB wanted to order food to take home for dinner, but we decided against it and started the long journey home.  As Big Z said, as we got in the car, "I wish this were closer." Me too. 


Until our next berger,
KLB
Ayada Thai

78-03 Woodside Ave. (Woodside Ave & 78th St)
718.424.0844

ayadathaiwoodside.com

A Season Opener: Starr Boggs, Westhampton Beach, NY

Some background for those of you non-locals (Hamptons locals feel free to skip this part).  We live in a resort area. There are more and more people who live here year round, like us, but there is still a "season".  In season, our formerly quiet village becomes a madhouse, and personally, I love it. 

There are two annual season openers that are a must.  We recently got to partake in them both.

1.  The Dockers Kickoff Party
The biggest appeal of this event is that it is free. Dockers does have a beautful waterfront setting and decent food, but it's usually too cold to stand outside for more than one drink at the kickoff party and they don't serve the real restaurant food at the party.  I recommend going for the 2 hours of free drinks and free food and then taking your buzz elsewhere.  I don't think it would be fair to judge Dockers by what they give away, so I won't.  Let's just say, free drinks=no brainer.  Get on their list so you can go next year.  dockerswaterside.com

2.  Starr Boggs Opening Night
This is a tough one. Given my upcoming travel schedule and not wanting to leave JB home alone with the boys, again, I almost didn't go and then changed my mind.  I needed to go to see my friends, to participate in this annual tradition, and, of course, for the sake of the blog (thanks, blog).  And as you get to know the Bergers, you'll know we hate to decline an invitation to go out.  So off I went.

Since it was opening night, there was a special commemorating the year - $20.13 for any appetizer and entree off the menu.  This is a tremendous deal considering most of their entrees hover in the $30 range and apps around $15. There were a few supplemental charges, but I chose the standard fare, that may have been where I went wrong.

I had the caesar salad which was delicious after I picked the anchovies that were supposed to "only be in the dressing".  For my main, I chose the Lamb Trio.  I usually go for the flatiron steak at SB, but since I'd had steak for lunch (no joke my office cafeteria makes a mean skirt steak), I chose something different.  Lamb is usually one of my favorites - not tonight.  The trio consisted of moussaka (too much cinammon or allspice or something like that), lamb sausage (too oily) and lamb loin (completely rare).  So my order was a flop. 

Everyone else seemed pleased with their dinner but no one in our party of 8 was gushing.  We had dessert, too, an unremarkable flourless chocolate cake. 

Starr Boggs is a good restaurant, JB and I had an excellent meal there last August at the height of the season.  When I got married, we had my bridal luncheon here.  This time, it missed the mark. 

The restaurant is beautiful, the service is always great, and they have a stellar wine list - we had a lot of that, too.

I will go back later once the season has picked up and so should you.  Just be wary of what you order. 

Until our next Berger,
KLB

Starr Boggs
6 Parlato Drive
Westhampton Beach, NY 11978
631.288.3500
starrboggsrestaurant.com

Edible Food Truck Derby: Riverhead, NY

After a rainy morning and a cancelled soccer session- we thought what better way to re-kickoff our Bergers and More blog than with a good old-fashioned Food Truck-athon?  The Food Truck Derby, to be precise, was put on by the local foodie magazine, Edible East End.  The location was the Tanger Outlets parking lot in Riverhead, that we often frequent on the weekend.  Food and Shopping? We were in.

The promotional emails from Edible promised a variety of food trucks, from Korean BBQ to the local oysterman, and not everyone showed (flat tire, maybe?), but we still managed to score some tasty treats:

Food:
- Morris Grilled Cheese - morrisgrilledcheese.com: This truck had the longest line, so JB went here first.  We each got a classic which is NY Cheddar and Landaff on two slices of buttery, griddled bread. Truthfully, I really wanted the Delicate Cheese, which was an excuse for truffles with my grilled cheese - and JB denied me.  I'm still a little mad at him about that.
- Silver Spoon Specialties - silverspoonspecialties.com:  Big Z and little D each had a basket of fries from this truck, so I can't personally vouch for the food, but considering it made them sit calmly for at least 15 minutes, I'm a fan.
- Van Leeuwen Ice Cream - vanleeuwenicecream.com: Whoa, one of the best ways to ever spend $5 is on a cup of their vanilla ice cream.
- Sebastian Cakes - sebastiancakesllc.com: Ok, this wasn't a truck, but instead an area of local vendors selling baked goods, pickled items, etc.  I stumbled upon some egg-free chocolate cupcakes for little D who has a mild egg allergy and they also happen to be gluten-free and dairy-free, too.  Again, I didn't try these, although from the amount of chocolate on their faces (Big Z also happily had the cupcake) I'm pretty sure it fit the mark.

Drink:
Note: No one told me the best part about the Derby - free drinks!  If I had known, I might have gotten there earlier. 

- Greenport Harbor Brewing Company - harborbrewing.com: We each had a small glass of one of their fresh brews.  JB went for the Spring Turning and I had something IPA-like.  Next time we are in Greenport, we will be stopping by.  A trip to the carousel and some beer, I like it.
- True Believer Cider - empirestatecellars.com/standard-cider-co-true-believer-hard-cider-beerhard-cider-p-1692.html: This was my favorite item of the day - sparkling hard cider - who could argue with that.  We actually had the True Believer and the True Companion, and both preferred the Believer version.  If you see this, buy it.
- Hampton Coffee - hamptoncoffee.com: I can't forget to mention JB's free coffee from our local Westhampton shop.

Had the boys sugar rush stayed away for a few more minutes, we would have more - drinks for sure, and probably food, but alas, we had already crossed that Derby finish line.

Until our next Berger,
KLB

Edible East End sponsored the Food Truck Derby - edibleeastend.com.  There is another event later this summer sponsored by a their sister publication.  Check it out: ediblemanhattan.com/event/the-great-food-truck-derby-2013

An Old Favorite: Cafe Mingala, New York, NY

Many moons ago, before I even was a Berger, JB took me to a tiny, non-descript Burmese restaurant on the Upper East Side called Cafe Mingala. At that time, I had never had Burmese before, and I was blown away.  If you were to combine all of the best things about Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese food, you'd get Burmese.  When we lived in the city, we were addicted, and would either go or order from here at least once a week. 

I've been in serious Burmese withdrawal for years.  There are days that I dream of their string bean salad.  And today, we happened to be in the neighborhood and we stopped by for a trip down our culinary memory lane.  We didn't have much time, so we just ordered two dishes:

- Peah Thee Thoke, the aforementioned string bean salad.  It's a cold salad of string beans, peanuts and crispy onions with some lettuce, carrots, and unbelievable (but unknown) dressing.   We gobbled it up.  If anyone is on their way from the city to the East End, please bring some for me!
-  Nungi Kyaw, a hot rice noodle dish in a garlic scallion sauce that we got with tofu and vegetables. We, or really, I picked this one because I have a current obsession with tofu.  Trust me, I am a serious meat eater, (bacon, anyone?),  but when I saw tofu, I had to have it.  And I was happy with my choice, although I could have used more tofu. 

Mingala is one of the places where you really should just order by number, because you have no idea how to pronounce anything, but if you're feeling daring, feel free to ask for them by name.

Like I said, this is a sliver of a restaurant, its definitely not the place for a happening Saturday night. I think their most popular drink is water and trust me its the perfect match for the string bean salad. 

Until our next Berger,
KLB

Cafe Mingala

393 2nd Ave, New York NY 10021  (Btwn 72nd & 73rd St)

212.744.8008

Too old school for a website, but you can find their menu at menupages.com

7 Years Later - The Bergers are Really Back!

The Bergers are back - can you believe it? We've been thinking about restarting our blog for awhile, but something always got in the way, like a baby.  But we have new inspiration and it's time to go accomplish what we've always dreamed of - eating well and spreading the word. 

A quick recap on our life for our followers, we've been out of NYC full time for almost 7 years, living on the East End of Long Island, a place rich with farmstands, wineries and over-priced restaurants. There are now 2 more Bergers, Z and D, who (lucky for us) are both burger fanatics. JB did a few chef stints and now says he works full-time as a private chef for the three of us in between his SAHD duties.  I still have the day job that occasionally takes me to some interesting, foodie places, like Indianapolis (seriously, I do love going to Indy). What hasn't changed is our love for food, how we research every foodie opportunity that we face - be it what to cook for dinner or where to stop for lunch on a road trip. 

 For those of you new to Bergers & More here are a few details about how Bergers & More works:

1. We love to share our restaurant experiences, from dives to fine-dining, we are up for anything but our fave is to go out for burgers. We get extra excited when we have a "Berger Review".

2. Sadly we don't go out to eat as often as we did at the inception of B&M, so we will also feature any amazing meals that JB makes for us (Note: you will not get any amazing cooking tips from me unless you want to hear how I recently caught the broiler on fire or melted Saran Wrap). Or perhaps some awesome snack that one of us uncovers on our travels.  Our goal is to post at least one review a week, even if it's been one of those weeks where you just get takeout every night. 

3. You can be a part of Bergers and More, too. The easiest way is to go out with us!  Or give us a recommendation and we'll try to go and review it! 

Now about our signoff, when we started in 2005, we closed all of our blogs with "until we eat again". I'm not saying anyone stole my idea BUT now there is a much more prominent blogger with the same sign off who uses the same closing, so I'll be the bigger blogger and simply say:

Until our next Burger...
KLB

P.S.  - For kicks, take a look at some of the old posts. I know I enjoyed re-reading them.

Bergers Are Back...Soon!

Readers,

Its been awhile and a lot has happened since my last post in June 2006. The Bergers have moved out of New York City to the up and coming culinary land that is the East End of Long Island. So while we still eat great and interesting meals, many of them come from our own kitchen.

We've spent the past 7 months exploring new restaurants, markets, farms, vineyards and more in our new neighborhood. we have lots to share and we will share it soon -- please be patient - the best is yet to come.

Until we eat again, KLB

Cafe D'Alsace, 6/22/06

As our week of eating continued, we headed uptown for a dinner with JB's mom. We hardly ever cross paths in the summer, so this was our farewell dinner.

With no reservations, we decided to try Cafe D'Alsace which has received some recent raves. Lucky for us, we snagged the last outdoor table on 2nd Avenue at 7:30 to enjoy the longest day of the year.

JB's mom had been a few times and recommended the burger. It was Burgers all around for the Bergers. They come with grilled onions, muenster and fries. Simple, perfect. Wait, this is a Berger Review!

But Cafe D'Alsace is more than a burger place, it's a beer place. They have TONS of beer. JB had a Trappist Ale which I learned is 11% alcohol making my 4% Hoegarden a measly sip. JB wanted three beers but could barely finish the one (lightweight).

We also shared some homemade duck sausage (JB's mom is much better sharer than mine) and a goat cheese tartlet. I didn't care for the sausage but JB loved it. So I took charge of the goat cheese. And we all took charge of the molten chocolate cake which had just enough molten, for once.

As the evening continued, we enjoyed people watching and soaking in the Frenchbistro ambience. So much so that we did not notice the slow as molasses service - maybe that's why it is so hard to get a table. Or maybe it is the food, which I strongly recommend.

Until we eat again, KLB

Kittichai, 6/20/06

Coming off the horrible dinner at Gramercy 24 (see below), I had superhigh expectations for Kittichai. It had been on my list for almost 2 years and when my mom asked where I wanted to go for my belated birthday dinner, it sprung to mind.

Kittichai was early in the Asian pioneers, before Spice Market, before Buddkhan, before Buddha Bar. It is Thai by nature, even though all Asian fusion places tend to follow similar themes.

The restaurant is in 60 Thompson, a boutique hotel on Thompson Street where you often read that celebrities hang their hat. The restaurant is celebrity-worthy, with a pool in the center of the room complete with floating candles and orchids, it is a downtown Four Seasons Pool Room.

My parents, not the best sharers, rose to the challenge and shared every dish. I had done the requisite research and ordered for the table. Appetizers were crispy rock shrimp with eggplant, seared tuna, foie gras and chocolate spare ribs. Sea bass and wok fried chicken rounded out the meal along with fried rice and asian greens.

All dishes were tasty. Highlights included the seared tuna which you cooked on a hot rock on the tabletop. The chocolate ribs were fun to watch being eaten -- my dad's face was covered in chocolate -- than to eat. I did not have the foie gras which JB especially loved and my mom devoured the shrimp.

I found the mains on the small side, especially the chicken, however, since we had a lot to start we were sated. And the extensive cocktail list helped, too.

Dessert included banana spring rolls and honey ice cream. The honey ice cream was a standout. A nice reminder of summer.

Until we eat again, KLB

Gramercy 24, 6/19/06

This was quite possibly the worst dinner in New York city in my lifetime. I knew to question the crowd which was small and obviously from out of town. But I had hope for the chef and the restaurant. Hope was not enough.

It wasn't entirely my fault. We had agreed to go to a seafood place. I nominated Tides on the les or Ditch Plains in the west village. It was kimberly who suggested something closer. And that's how I found gramercy 24.

A seafood place in the gramercy park area - how bad could it be?

At least the wine list was good. A nice bottle of reisling was reasonably priced. When we finished dinner JB asked what everyone's favorite of the worst was - matt's was the wine, confirming that he is indeed the smartest of us all.

I'll talk about the food in order of bad to worse. Kimberly had the linguine and clams which were sort of safe, Matt and I each had the tuna burgers, which were small, overcooked and taseless. JB had pizza for reasons no one could explain. Seriously, why order pizza in a seafood place? But he had a craving that was not satisfied. Elio's would have been better.

Also on the menu was a lobster club which was my first order. When ordering I specifically asked if there was celery, being a celery-hater. I was told a definitive no and wouldn't you know it, the club came packed with celery. I sent it back, but not before JB tasted it and declared it equally awful. At least they were consistent, consistently awful.

Until we eat again, KLB

TBD, 6/15/06

OK, so this makes for interesting restaurant reviewing, since the restaurant is so new it has yet to be named.

It is located on Little w. 12th Street, and can't go by its number because that would be ripping off One Little W. 12th Street, a restaurant took its addresss first. And so in its place, it will now be called the great, new restaurant where we had Matt's birthday dinner.

Now that we've cleared that up - let's discuss food.

Aubrey had organized Matt's birthday dinner in a beatiful back garden, nearby their equally beautiful new apartment in the West Village. Each place setting had a single hydrangea defining our assigned seat. The menu choices were simple -- to start: a simple salad or a tuna ceviche or shrimp in black sesame paste or tomato and mozzarella salad. To middle: filet or swordwish or spaghetti alla vongole. To finish: chocolate crunch or do it yourself tiramisu or, darnit, something else with a coffee flavor. (This is why I should take notes and not relinquish my menu or both!)

JB and I were both thrilled with our meals. When you have a new, really new restaurant, you always need to be wary of the food while they get their feet wet. Since this place began as bar, they had a head start. Although their were a few service questions that took awhile to be answered. For example, it took our waiter a few trips to the kitchen to leanr the main ingredient of the ceviche. He tried to convince me it did not have any fish in it, which by definition, is always the main ingredient.

Nonetheless, the ceviche was delicious. The other starters I tried were even more so. I typically love tomato and mozzarella salad, but have had a few unripened tomatoes of late which is why I skipped ordering it. Big mistake - huge! That cheese reminded me of capri and the tomatoes were right on.

I did order better on the main with the filet that was accompanied with three sauces, a balsamic, a bbq and a terriyaki. I stuck with the terriyaki, of course.

We shared lots of sides including asparagus and hand cut french fries.

After all of the wine and champagne (and food), dessert was almost an afterthought, but my few bites of the chocolate crunch were tasty. JB demolished his make your own tiramasu and starting making more tiramisu off of Aubrey's plate.

As the evening progressed, the bar area spilled into the outdoor restaurant and we found ourselves in a veritable hot spot, which is when we left for the more laid back atmosphere of Matt and Aubrey's rooftop and more champagne (obv).

To bring it full circle, I'd like to offer up the first suggestion for a name for the new restaurant - Matt's, in honor of his birthday.

Until we eat again, KLB

Dinosaur BBQ, 6/6/06

Let's just say that it took me a full two days to recover from the amount of food consumed two nights ago at Dinosaur BBQ. This is not a joke. Never have I ever had such a vast quantity of such delicious food that I could not stop eating. Let's begin at the beginning.

Dinosaur BBQ is a local restaurant in Syracuse, New York that opened a Manhattan, Harlem actually, branch last year. To get there is no easy feat, you must take the Subway up to 125th Street and walk over to 12th Avenue and then up to 131st Street. Luckily, 126th - 129th street do not exist that far west, or as our friend Jenn noted they must have been "stolen", so the walk is shorter than you think.

Inside, it looks like a large bar with tables one step up from picnic. But seriously, who cares.

There were four of us, which was the perfect number for the appetizer sampler of friend green tomatoes, deviled eggs, spicy shrimp and wings. One for each, with some extra shrimp to share. The FGTs were particularly good, and surprisingly, so were the wings.

I was dead set on ribs and got the smallest portion available which was subsequently huge. I got 2 sides, mac and cheese, adequate, and salt potatoes which came in a butter bath. JB and Jim both had platters of brisket, ribs and pulled pork. Everything fared well and Jenn especially liked her pulled pork which was her only meat.

As if that wasn't enough, we had key lime pie and peanut butter pie, not mention several beers from their huge selection.

The next day, I told everyone I knew to check it out. But the problem is, I can't go for awhile. I'm still full!

Until we eat again, KLB

Berger Review! Zip Burger, 6/5/06

It's been ages since I've done a Berger Review, but even longer, it's been a year and a half since I'd seen my friend Jeramie.

Jeramie and I started working together in 2000 and then when he moved jobs, I followed suit. And we were at the same place when he left in May 2004 to follow his dream and move to Australia.

What I miss most about Jeramie are our food discussions. We both love food in its simplest form, especially burgers.

And so, it was almost fate that Zip Burger, the newest "foodie" burger joint to hit Manhattan, opened last week mere blocks from my office on 52nd & 2nd. Jeramie had asked to have lunch near my office.

I had, of course, reviewed the menu in advance. It is simple -- burgers only -- beef, veggie, turkey and salmon. Pick your bun, your cheese, your sauce and any extras. Fries and shakes complete the menu. And hamburger salad -- right.

All ingredients are high quality which is why our two burgers cost over $20 at this takeout place.

My burger was topped with Vermont cheddar and grilled vidalia onions wrapped in a lettuce wrap. I don't recommend the lettuce-wrapped burger, it just falls apart. I do recommend the vidalia onions.

Jeramie chose a more extravagant bunned burger of guacamole, bacon and cheddar.

We had similar opinions: excellent toppings (next time I want to try the goat cheese burger), decent beef and at an average price. Both burgers, though, came underdone at medium, so I'd order up.

And get there early, the lines can be long and last week they ran out of meat!

Until we eat again, KLB

Hosteria Mazzei, 6/3/06 (Port Chester, NY)

I needed a reason to get back into the Berger Blog and what better way than a Berger birthday. Well technically, my mom is not a Berger, but it sort of counts.
For my mom's XXth birthday, my dad, generously, took several of us to an Italian restaurant in Port Chester. We knew it would be good because my Uncle Jim recommended it and nothing comes between him and fine Italian cooking.

The meal was, to my father's liking, not conduive to sharing. So I can only report on my dishes and JB's, my ever-willing dinner partner.

The options ran your typical Italian fare, from antipasti to grilled meats to delicious pastas.

I started with an insalate caprese, a constant favorite of mine. I've been wary of it lately since tomatoes are not yet in season, but the fresh mozzarella was tempting. The cheese was tremendous, very fresh and the tomatoes were almost there. JB's stewed calamari starter was too fishy for me, I had anticipated a Batali-like calamari and was let down.

I opted for a pasta special of homemade cavatelli with lamb ragu for my main. It was tasty and hearty. I think from now on I will only eat pasta if it is homemade. Otherwise, it is just not worth the carbs.

JB chose one of my all time favorite dishes -- rack of lamb. It was not a huge portion, nor was the pasta, but my (small) taste was good. Not as good as I've had elsewhere, though JB seemed to gobble up the four grill-marked chops.

Dessert was somewhat of a lowpoint, as it often is, my apple cake was just too muffiny. JB did like his panna cotta although what's not to like about a gel-formed milk.

Regardless, it was a festive evening for all and another Italian Job well done.

Until we eat again, KLB