The next session will be at Williamsburg haunt The Burnside, on Sunday, December 14th at 4PM. The speciality here (aside from cheap cocktails) is the Juicy Lucy, which has a patty filled inside with melted cheese - like a magnificent Hostess meat cupcake. Dress appropriately so that you don’t explode hot melty glory all over your Savile Row shirt...
This past Sunday was an intriguing session…10 of us gathered at Burnside Brooklyn to experience their Juicy Lucy - a veritable Mount Everest of a burger, if Mount Everest was made of a slab of beef concealing an interior of molten cheese, topped with onions and spicy mayo. Even with our sherpa-like basket of cheese curds to guide us, many weren’t able to finish the journey, leaving behind a trail of half-eaten, dairy-ravaged patties in our wake.
Lucy proved to be a divisive mistress of meat - some praised the creativity of the beef-encased cheese, others enjoyed the fusion of flavors that came with the middle-of-burger bites, and everyone reveled in the glory of fried cheese curds and the outstanding value of this $9 behemoth. Yet it was not all sunshine and roses…many were less than satisfied by the quality of the beef itself, and the necessity of cooking it to medium temp in order to melt the interior cheese meant that the flavor of the cow was sacrificed, and Taste and Texture ratings suffered accordingly. The venue had a good vibe and excellent (and affordable cocktails), plus strong music selection and kindly bartenders.
One thing everyone continues to be in unanimous agreement on is my general lack of character. While I got some praise for my fashionable pants and strong hair game, there were some harsh words about my conversation skills, my bourgeois cocktail-drinking and my (admittedly) less-than-rousing pre-meal pep-talk. My overall rating for the session was a 3.29. With time and training, however, I feel I can crack the glass ceiling of 4…
Andrew's ability to hold a conversation: 1.7
Sweet cheese curds! Solid little venue, and one mean, messy burg. Particularly enjoyed the American flag wet-one that accompanied the mess. Also, every time I thought the loosy was gone, a new pocket of magic appeared before Midwest eyes. As far as Andrew is concerned, despite him greeting me across the street and a wonderfully long, tender hug, I thought his pep talk lacked in most (all) regards. Solid 4. Solid. 4.
A unique experience for me, but the quality of the beef didn't hold up its end of the bargain.
Burger was great overall, but the meat was a bit dry. Value was really great and I see why fries were an extra, paid side.
Andrew's pant game was strong today, his hair was on point as well. He drank a cocktail which is pretty elitist, so he loses points there. Overall, Andrew as a person gets a 5.
Andrew is a prince amongst men. An arbiter of taste and dignity. A man empowered by both sartorial and culinary taste. I'm humbled by his presence.
Andrew as a person: 3.76/10. Cheese curds are fantastic.
I'm a Chicagoan. I lived in Wisconsin for 7 years. This is a mediocre burger, and definitely not the best Juicy Lucy. That said, I am not in Wisconsin. That's painfully obvious due to the accessible public transit, lack of portly gentlemen, and nearby beards (both kinds). So I threw an extra point in the taste category based on availability. Top notch curds plus Beast in a can makes this a place I'd come back to.
Good bar burger. Not life changing. Oozy cheese and the cheese curds speak to my Wisconsin heart.
Andrew seemed defeated today. I just wanted to give him a hug.
Re: the burger: I've never committed more to anything in my life than finishing this burger.
The burger is of great value. For the price it is especially good. The venue has a great vibe.
If you isolate the burger though, it is not the best I have had. It felt unbalanced overall, and a little dry.
For the price it is a solid, solid burger.