THE BOWERY BURGER VERDICT

Tuesday 29 March, 2011 at 8:52 pm / 0 comment

THE BOWERY BURGER VERDICT

Bowery claims to have “LA’s Best Burger.” That’s big talk for a gastropub with New York roots. BEU had to put that claim to the test. Bowery offers only one burger, but it comes with an array of toppings you can pile on for a small fee.

The cheese selection includes: Gruyere, Bleu, Cheddar, St. Andre, Herb Goat Cheese. Other add-ons: Bacon, Red Onion Confit, Fried Egg, Caramelized Onions, Sauteed Mushrooms, Onion Rings, Avocado and Fried Jalapenos. They also offer sides of house-made Thousand Island, Aioli or Ranch.

In an effort to let the star of the show shine bright (that’s the beef for all you vegetarians), I decided to go with a relatively modest lineup of toppings. My burger was comprised of Gruyere, Caramelized Onions, Fried Jalapeno and a side of Aioli. Also, I requested a medium rare temperature for the burger.

The server must have known that I’d be writing the review as my burger was one of the first to arrive to the table. Like any gentlemen, I waited for no one and began to devour it while it was still hot. The first thing I noticed was the use of an english muffin instead of a traditional bun. I won’t lie, it seemed questionable to me. The second thing I noticed was a pretty thick piece of beef resting in between the buns (wait, did that sound… never mind). I cut it in half before I ate it (yes, because I’m a pansy, but I also wanted to see how the burger looked on the inside). The meat was cooked to perfection.

Before I knew it, I was stuffing the final bite into my mouth before other BEU members had even received their food. (that’s not a knock to their service, we surprised them with a party of 16 – delays were expected). To put it simply, the Bowery Burger was delicious. The meat was juicy and tender. The fried jalapeno added a nice texture and subtle kick. The english muffin worked well. I was worried the flavor of the muffin would distract from the burger, but it was softer than a baby’s butt and complimented the flavors and textures well. I heard the fried egg was a nice addition to the burger as well.

All in all, the Bowery burger is top-notch. Though, I’m not ready to crown it the best burger in LA, it’s definitely in the running.

Out of 16 total BEU members in attendance, here’s how Bowery fared:

Burger appearance: 8
Cooked properly: 8.5
Overall taste: 8.5
Creativity: 7.9
Bun: 7.75
Toppings: 8
Value: 7.8
Service: 7.5

Overall Rating: 8.031 out of 10