New York might well be one of the best places in the world for food. The City has been the gateway to the USA for over a century with over a third of all Americans able to trace their ancestry through Ellis Island, and with such an astonishing mix of races and peoples from all over the world, diversity is the watchword in NYC. It’s no surprise that all these peoples kept their local cuisines going – many of them have managed to keep whole languages going!
With so much choice in food in New York, it can be hard keeping track of it all. You would certainly be forgiven for thinking that Pizza was devised here, the way it has taken hold… But the only, really, truly American food, has to be the humble hamburger, which like so much of US culture, seems to have gone on to dominate the World! Like all food that has found its way to New York, it seems to be popular, and there are now so many interesting hamburger restaurants and joints, and variations on the concept it can be impressive, if not rather overwhelming.
I had the pleasure recently to try one of the newest and more rapidly developing restaurants selling their own version of this timeless classic, Bareburger. After an initial start in Brooklyn, this small but rather excellent little chain is now franchising across the city. I had the pleasure of trying it at 85 2nd Ave along with my better half; Bottom Line Up Front: Tasty burger. Do you need to know more?
The restaurant itself is on a fairly quiet corner, a few blocks down from St Marks. It is a really bright space, decorated with a slight, modern twist on classic rural Americana – though the fork chandelier made me feel slightly wary! The service was quick, pleasant and very knowledgeable. The hamburgers themselves are close to a design-your-own set up, where you can specify the meat and the bun with selections including Beef, Turkey, Elk, Boar, Portabella Mushroom, Brioche Bun, Lettuce Wrap, Wheat Flour Wrap or a Multi-Grain Roll. Wanting to get the best comparison, I took a classic beef/roll combo, but I’ll have to return to try the Elk now…
A Classic American Feast!
Aside from the content, there is also the style to consider, with a further fourteen menu choices for your burger. I took the ‘Supreme’, while my date went for the Maple Bacon Cheeseburger. We were not disappointed at all. The presentation was really excellent and both burgers were juicy, tasty and different enough that we could be certain Bareburger has its own signature and style. The food came in the classic basket, with a simple bu t very effective selection of sides – we took the onion rings and fries. Even the beverages were organic, and my blueberry soda went really well with the whole meal, that unusual, organic edge of a healthy drink (without being so-called ‘health food’) perfectly complimenting the natural food.
Food Goes in Here
You do not get hamburgers in the UK like you do in New York, and I love them. I have a running list in my head of the top 5 places, but it just doesn’t seem like enough (or even reasonable to try and rank them!), and now I have another one to juggle in there. Bareburger has nine (soon to be ten) outlets across the City. If you like your hamburgers, if you like to support good organic food, and particularly if both, you need to check them out. We have a student discount coupon for you right here!
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Walking into Reserve, on 3rd Ave between 28th and 29th, I felt all the chaos and exhaustion of my day melt into the warm, red walls. A low light hovered over each table, with wine bottles stacked in every which direction. Even the bottoms of bottles protruded from the walls around the bar in the back, somehow without cluttering the small restaurant, but tinting the ambiance with the theme: a Thai inspired wine bar. While Thai restaurants are known for spicy foods in cozy nooks, Reserve adds an unexpected twist to the Thai experience: wine. I’m sure you’ve been to a number of Thai restaurants and been remiss about the quality of beverages, well, partner Luck Watanasuparp felt the same way. Luck’s family owns a number of Thai restaurants throughout New York, including All Luck and Thai Select, but this is her own venture in the restaurant business, at which she is doing amazingly well and loving it. Luck wanted to pair the four flavors of Thai food: Spicy, sweet, sour and salty with fine wines that would enhance each other when combined. The restaurant serves over fifty different wines, all within affordable ranges with a few higher priced bottles tossed in.
