Gates (New Canaan) – Serves a Pretty Tasty Burger

Posted on November 12, 2014 by jfoodeats

Gates opened its doors thirty-five years ago and continues to offer an array of dishes that keep this “elder statesman” on New Canaan’s Restaurant Row bustling seven days a week. The entrance is guarded by ornate gates and once you enter you are immersed into a large, open dining area with walls adorned by murals by Janet Picard, paintings and large terra cotta planters. Wander to the left and you enter the bar with a long oak bar with 12 seats and several booths. Both areas are normally filled with locals partaking of a drink after work, families enjoying dinner and regulars having a good time with friends.

The menu includes many local favorites, but I normally focus on a the sandwiches (the Bellagio is my favorite) and the burgers. Choose from the Gates Burger with avocado, bacon and Jalapeño jack cheese, a Bacon Cheeseburger, or the recently added Gruyere Burger, which includes bacon, Gruyere cheese and onion rings. Fries are standard or substitute for onion rings or sweet potato fries for a nominal $1.50 (I always order the sweet potato fries).

I normally order a Bacon Cheeseburger with American cheese. The meat is delicious and the combination of Gate’s bacon, cheese and bun is almost a friendly reminder that a good bar is, well, a good bar burger. On my last visit I went a little off-script and chose the Gruyere Burger, medium-rare. When the burger arrived I was a little surprised. I thought the “onion rings” from the menu were a substitute for the fries, but these were “frizzled” onions sitting atop the patty. Sitting on the other half of the bun was a slice of tomato and lettuce. The regular fries completed the dish. After assembling the burger I cut in in half…it was perfectly cooked to medium rare. The beef was flavorful and the grind of the meat was still present. The melted Gruyere was good and the bacon was mild and crispy, both adding a bit of saltiness. The crispy onions were an unwelcome addition, they overpowered the other items. The grilled bun added a little sweetness. I removed the onions for the second half. The combination without the onions was much better…this was now a really good bar burger. The fries were good, if I knew they were included I would have substituted for the sweet potato fries, which are some of the best in the area.

On my next visit I will probably return to my normal Bacon-cheeseburger. In the end the only item I changed was the cheese, from American to Gruyere. As much as the Gruyere added a little nuttiness, my regular Bacon-cheeseburger with American cheese is still my favorite and maybe it will grab a slot on my next Best of Bar Burgers list.

Tierra (Westport) – Big Bold Burger

Posted on September 23, 2014 by jfoodeats

When someone says, “you gotta try this burger,” I place on the list and visit as many as possible. Last week a buddy told me that I needed to visit Tierra and try their burger, and on a beautiful afternoon I journeyed to Westport, grabbed a table outside and ordered the “Tierra Burger, Topped with Home-made Chorizo, Chihuahua Cheese, Pequillo Pepper Aioli.”

The burger was served open faced, accompanied by a mound of blue Terra chips. On one side was a generous patty topped with a thick layer of melted cheese…and I could see sautéed peppers and onions (not described on the menu) peeking from under the cheese. The other half was covered with a liberal swath of the aioli. I cut the burger in half and it was perfectly prepared to medium-rare, the darkish red of the interior glistening with juice. The kitchen also took great care in keeping the medium grind intact, avoiding the tendency to compress the patty.

I always taste a little of each of the ingredients. The beef was mild and not overly seasoned, while the crumbled chorizo, as well as the slivered sautéed Jalapeño peppers and onions were spicy and delicious. I wondered how it would all work in unison. The first bite was an explosion of flavors. The most notable was the chorizo, Jalapeño pepper and onion combination. Together these three items were fantastic. The Chihuahua cheese (similar to a mild cheddar) calmed the spiciness of these other toppings. The aioli also contributed a cooling aspect to the composition. The bun was one of the most buttery brioche I have tasted in my burger quest, but was out of balance with the other ingredients, almost fighting with them versus complementing.

Overall, the Tierra Burger is one of the most flavorful burgers in Fairfield County. The chorizo and Jalapeno peppers were the centerpieces of the combination. The beef patty was more a complement to these ingredients, versus vice versa. The Chihuahua cheese and aioli were great additions to soften the spiciness of the chorizo and peppers. If you are looking for a bold, Latin-inspired burger, Tierra is a great choice. For me, the combination of ingredients was more aligned to a fantastic taco than a burger.

Walrus + Carpenter Burger (Bridgeport): The Bar Gets Raised

Posted on August 24, 2014 by jfoodeats

A good friend over at CTbites told me that the WC Burger served at Walrus + Carpenter in Bridgeport near the Fairfield border was the best burger in the area. Those are strong words from someone I trust so I drove one evening and grabbed an outside table.

The menu is divided into several categories and each reads like a who’s who of comfort food. I was pleasantly impressed when I saw that the chef gave top billing in the Large Plates section to “WC Burger + Fries – Smoked mayo, bacon, bourbon onions, cheddar.” It was a simple decision and I ordered the burger medium-rare.

The burger was served on a metal tray accompanied by fries and small mound of pickle slices. There was a crisp char on the exterior and the texture of the interior was soft. I sampled the meat; it was rich in flavor, reminiscent of grass fed, the medium grind was still loose and it was moist without being overly juicy. It was an excellent patty. The first topping I tasted was the Bourbon onions. W+C slowly caramelized the sliced onions until they were sweet and soft, added bourbon, and reduced until the bourbon was thick and concentrated. The end result was incredibly complex onion mixture; the sweetness of the onions interplayed with the condensed bourbon. These were some of the most delicious caramelized onions I have ever tasted. There were several strips of bacon, each mildly salty, allowing the pork to complement the onions and beef. The melted Cheddar cheese was creamy and added just a touch of nuttiness; and the mayo a smidgen of smokiness. The toasted brioche bun was the perfect choice for this combination. It was sweet, buttery and the slight crispiness from grilling was a bonus. One bite of this entire combination…it was outstanding and delivered great balance. This burger is highly recommended.

The fries were excellent, crispy on the exterior and soft on the interior, with just a dusting of salt.

From the meat to the toppings to the bun to the fries, my friend was correct, the W+C Burger is one of the best in Fairfield County. There is now another serious contender for best bar burger in southwest Connecticut.

See the original review at:

http://www.ctbites.com/home/2014/8/24/walrus-carpenter-burger-the-bar-gets-raised-in-bridgeport.html

2895 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06605

(203) 333-2733

(This “WC Burger” is on the Dinner menu. There is a different combination that is served during Brunch and Lunch, a “Bacon, Egg and Cheeseburger”)

Redstone (Eden Prairie) – Consistent but Nothing Special

Posted on July 22, 2014 by jfoodeats

A quick customer lunch at Redstone was very good. The food is very consistent, nothing earth-shattering but you can count on the same dish every time you go. The servers at Redstone are incredibly trained to hawk the shared appetizers, they are pros at the sales pitch and in 100% of my visits, someone at the table says, “Oh yeah, let’s order a few.” It’s a great business model and my hats off to the management for the training.

On my recent visit we ordered the “CRISPY CALAMARI” and the “SEARED AHI TUNA” to share. The calamari shared the dish with a fried spicy pepper mix and a chipotle aioli. The dish included both rings and tentacles, breaded and fried to a crispy exterior while maintaining a soft interior. The flavor was very good. If you like a little kick, combine one of the fried pepper pieces with the fried calamari and cool with a little aioli. The tuna was crusted with sesame seed and black pepper, seared and served atop Asian slaw, with a wasabi and soy-lime sauce. This is almost standard fare these days and the thrill is somewhat gone from eating this recipe. Both of the appetizers are standard at Redstone and they prepare each of them consistently.

There are four burgers on the menu, two of them are beef. I wanted to order the “REDSTONE,” which includes cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon and barbecue sauce, but mistakenly ordered the “ORIGINAL” (medium-rare), which was served with shredded lettuce, tomato, mustard, mayonnaise and homemade pickles. As a side I ordered the French fries. The burger was cooked a little beyond medium, which was disappointing. The flavor was very good, not great but I am not a fan of mustard on a burger, preferring ketchup so I ate the patty without the top bun so I could add the ketchup. The fries were also very good, crispy on the exterior and soft on the interior. Again, there was nothing special about the burger, just a consistent product.

Overall Redstone knows what it is, it hustles the shared appetizers and delivers basic American restaurant fare…nothing special.

Rabbit Hole (MSP) – Could-a-been Great

Posted on July 17, 2014 by jfoodeats

Incredibly cool place. Enter the World Street Market from 10th street directly across from the parking lot. As you enter you will notice the open kitchen immediately in front of you and there is a series of tables overlooking the kitchen with high back seating. The booths are all enclosed with 5 foot dark stained wooden walls. They encourage graffiti-personalization of the booths as each has numerous “autographs” from previous guests. There is nothing haughty about this joint.

The host explains that when you need a server you merely press the button on the table and a server will arrive. There are four main sections to the menu “to share or not to share,” bop bowls,” “sammies,” and “goobers.” From the first section I ordered the Wangs ($9), which are Crispy Chicken Wings with a choice of one of the following a dipping sauces, Hoisin BBQ, Gochu, Jerk, or Roasted Scallion Ginger. I chose the Gochu.

The wings were outstanding. They were not breaded and fried but the kitchen transformed the skin into a spicy exterior delight…incredibly crispy with a good level of spiciness. The Gochu sauce was deep with pungency, a bit of additional spicy plus added umami. They were over the top great…a brilliant combination of flavors and textures.

For the main event I ordered the Omma ($13), medium-rare. The menu states a 6oz. Patty with pork belly, Parmesan, crispy onions, bacon jalapeño jam, lettuce, tomato, and pickled watermelon spread. Also included are French fries with a kimchi aioli dipping sauce. The burger was an explosion of flavors. If the kitchen would have taken greater care, it might have ranked in the top ten burgers I have ever eaten, but they were a little careless. My medium-rare arrived well-done, they forgot the bacon jalapeño jam and the tomato was stored in a place that was too cold and lost its texture. The patty was loosely packed and fell apart with my first bite so I went to my fork and knife to eat. The meat was very lean, dried out from the overcooking, but the pork belly added the required fat content. The sliced Parmesan cheese was melted atop the patty and added a great nuttiness to the dish. The bun was a good choice but the watermelon spread was more a Thousand Island dressing. The fries were either incredibly crispy on the exterior and pillowy soft on the interior or limp and undercooked. The kimchi aioli dipping sauce was very good.

I will have to return and be more assertive to receive a meal that I believe the kitchen can produce and if a substandard preparation is again delivered I will mention it to the server.

Olio “House Burger” (STM) – Excellent in Springdale

Posted on April 26, 2014 by jfoodeats

In my constant search for great burgers in Fairfield County for http://www.ctbites.com I found myself heading to Stamford to sample the new lunch menu at Olio that includes the Olio House Burger. And I am glad I did. Olio recently began serving lunch and it is slowly turning into the go-to location for many locals. The lunch menu includes a soup a few salads, and several sandwiches from chicken salad to steak, plus a pasta and sautéed shrimp. But I was there for the burger.

The Olio House burger is a unique combination of flavors and ingredients. It starts with a thick all-beef patty topped with Tasso ham, melted Manchego cheese, caramelized Cipollini onions, with a schmear of roasted tomato aioli, all encased in a Brioche roll from Eli’s. It is served with thick steak fries and a side of ketchup.

The burger is excellent. The meat was lightly formed with the grind of the meat still present. Although it was cooked a little past my requested medium rare, it was still this side of medium, a nice pink interior. The substitution of the Tasso ham for a traditional smoked bacon added a significant level of pepperiness and the mild Manchego cheese added a nice creaminess. The star of this combination was the caramelized Cipollini onions, they were fantastic, creamy, sweet, just a great addition. The roll added a good buttery complement.

The steak fries were perfectly prepared and finished with pepper and truffle salt. They were crispy on the exterior and moist and soft on the interior. The truffle salt added an earthy complement to the flavor. I am a purist on fries and would have been equally satisfied with just salt and a little pepper.

Overall the Olio House Burger is definitely a go-to burger and is one of the best in Stamford. Chef/Owner Steve Costanzo and his business partner Moira Hyland do an outstanding job at dinner and I anticipate that once word travels that lunch is available, the lunch crowd will equal the packed dinner crowd.

Vincent A Restaurant (MSP) – Outstanding Burger

Posted on April 10, 2014 by jfoodeats

At my last visit to Vincent’s over four years ago I was not impressed with the Vincent Burger. But four years later I am glad I returned because the burger I recently ate was one of the best burgers I have eaten in the Twin Cities.

To start my lunch I ordered a Caesar salad. It was a standard salad with lettuce, croutons, a single anchovy filet on top plus an interesting addition, diced tomato, all topped with a sprinkling of grated cheese. It was lightly dressed and good, not great nor memorable.

But I was interested to either confirm my previous impression of the hamburger or enjoy what others have told me is one of the best. I was both excited and cautiously optimistic when it was placed in front of me. The Vincent burger is a unique combination…a double-patty of ground beef is wrapped around braised short rib and smoked Gouda cheese; served on a brioche bun; it is a haut cuisine version of a Jucy Lucy. It arrives open faced with French fries. The burger patty was on one side of the bun that contained a thin layer of “special sauce” and the other half is topped with lettuce, tomato and raw onion. The ground beef was perfectly seasoned with just a touch of salt. The Gouda was melted and delivered a creaminess to the burger and then the short rib textures and flavors kicked in. This elevated the Vincent Burger from excellent to incredible. The brioche added a little butteriness to the presentation and the sauce gave a few sour background notes. The burger was incredibly delicious. The fries were not in the same league. They were tasteless, cool and bland, more than likely came from a big frozen bag, deep fried and added to the lunch plates.

Overall, the Vincent Burger is an outstanding combination of flavors and textures and ranks as one of the best in Minneapolis.

Bareburger (Ridgefield) – Cool Space; Not My Favorite Burger

Posted on March 10, 2014 by jfoodeats

My colleagues at http://www.ctbites.com did an opening piece on Bareburger so it was my turn to head over and give it a try. Bareburger offers organic cuisine in a very rustic and comfortable environment. Choose from one of approximately 50 table seats or opt to sit at the bar with 5 others. The interior includes reclaimed wood and brick walls, a reclaimed metal ceiling, and metal and wood chairs, all lit by soft lights from the ceiling.

There are several beers on tap including Purple Haze, Allagash White, Two Roads, Half Full, Ommegang, Victoria Prima, Lagunitas and Brooklyn Lager. Numerous organic sodas and Kelvin Natural Slush drinks are available as a non-alcoholic option. Each table has ketchup and mustard served in cuddly bear plastic containers plus individual salt and pepper mills.

The menu includes pre-determined combinations of burgers or design your own from a large selection of meats, toppings and buns. In addition to tradition beef and turkey, you can choose lamb, wild boar, elk, bison and ostrich. Each of these meats carry a surcharge. In addition, the menu includes a few non-burger choices and on Sundays, Bareburger serves brunch with a variety of egg plates and sandwiches.

For my initial visit I ordered a beef hamburger (medium-rare) on a brioche with fried onions, cheddar cheese and Applewood smoked bacon. I was surprised that French fries were not included so I asked for a small order, plus a diet root beer.

When the platter arrived I first sampled the fries and they were delicious, crispy on the exterior and moist on the interior. I noticed that they were without any salt, so I added a touch. These were excellent fries. I took a few sips of the root beer, it had great flavor but a little on the sweet side.

I next cut the burger in half. It was cooked perfectly, a good pink interior. I sampled the meat. My first impression was that it was bland and under-seasoned and had a spongy texture. The bacon was very thick, too thick and it had very little smokiness and very little saltiness. The Cheddar cheese was melted well but was also very bland. The few fried onions also contained no seasoning. The bun lacked the buttery goodness I anticipated and was very crumbly. Overall, the burger was very disappointing. Everything was bland and completely under-seasoned.

When the bill arrived, I knew that my combination would add up but when I saw $17.25 for my bacon-cheeseburger and fries I almost felt offended. Add the soda and a tip and my tab for a burger lunch was over $25…a family of four at Bareburger for burgers and fries could cost upwards of $100. I understand everything was organic, and others may think this is a reasonable price, but I thought it was very expensive.

Shake Shack (Westport) – What Happened?

Posted on April 6, 2013 by jfoodeats

What happened to Shake Shack? What I enjoyed during their opening week when I reviewed for http://www.ctbites.com, has completely fallen from favor, or should I say flavor. The Shack Burger is now some flavorless meat, cooked to medium-rare at least, with two slices of under-ripe tomatoes, a little lettuce on a soft bun. The bun is the best part of the burger. Hard to believe Meyer let this happen. And the fries are better than the opening week, but it is hard to get excited about some frozen crinkle fries thrown in oil and not salted.

Too many other choices in the area to want to go back.

Little Pub (Ridgefield) – Tasteless Burger

Posted on March 28, 2013 by jfoodeats

The place was hoppin’ when I arrived for my medium rare bacon-cheeseburger with sweet potato fries. I sat in the protected outdoor area and watched other guests seemingly enjoy their lunches. The restaurant was very understaffed and I felt bad for the servers who were running around, but each maintained an incredibly pleasant attitude under some pretty difficult conditions. Management should be ashamed.

The burger arrived, and I cut it in half. The interior was a little overcooked, probably more medium but was oozing juice. After one bite I knew looks were deceiving. The meat was juicy, but that is where the good news ends. There was no char, no flavor, no seasoning, nothing to separate from a basic diner slap on the flattop burger. The two slices of bacon were thick but overcooked and again flavorless, and the cheese was basic store bought American. The burger was served in a grilled Kaiser roll and again, no flavor, bland. And Little Pub is consistent. The sweet potato fries were crispy, but without flavor or seasoning.

Overall, there is nothing in this experience that is causing me to return.

Jfood Eats

Eating and Enjoying

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