Archive for 2012

Matt Murphy’s

May 3rd, 2012 by Richard Chudy

As much for a change of pace and for my equal love of lamb, I decided to venture over to Matt Murphy’s for a taste of their Lamb Burger. A charming little restaurant where you instantly feel at home and comfort is the key. The menu is driven by (mostly) classic Irish Pub fare, but a few notches above your typical neighborhood establishment, and the price reflects that too. You pay for the upgrade, certainly not phenomenally high, but when was the last time you paid $19 for a Shepherd’s Pie? I suppose you could make the same argument for a high priced burger too, but I digress. The aforementioned Top Round Lamb Sirloin Burger is topped with feta, red onion jam, and minted yogurt and sits in between a fluffy Focaccia “bun.” Yes, I said fluffy. A house-made ketchup sits alongside the burger and fries, a noble attempt but it’s much too watery and lacking any flavor to speak of. The burger is hit-or-miss; some elements work well, while others are lackluster. continue reading »

Wahlburgers

April 24th, 2012 by Richard Chudy

 

Photo by Katie Barszcz

I wouldn’t say Wahlburgers is hyped so much as it is interesting and talked about. We all know the story; Chef Paul Wahlberg is the brother of the famous Mark Wahlberg, (you could throw Donny into the mix too) and just like everybody else, they wanted to open up a burger joint. I wouldn’t say they are just trying to cash in on their name, but of course it’s all part of the gimmick and the reason why some might check it out to begin with. I can’t say I blame you, curiosity got the better of me too. I was dubious at first, but after reading this review, my expectations increased ever so slightly. I would love to take this opportunity to shoot down the notion that I only like “expensive” burgers. We’ve talked about that before and I will certainly talk about that again, but expensive means different things to different people. True, some of my favorite burgers (Craigie on Main, $18, Back Bay Social Club, $23) are exceptionally pricey but worth (almost) every penny. But the majority of my favorites land somewhere in the cheap to affordable spectrum (The Avenue, $8, The Gallows, $10, JM Curley, as cheap as $10.50) and while Wahlburgers is respectable, it is not in the same ballpark as the top burgers in the city. Of course, Hingham isn’t exactly “in the city” so you could make the argument that it’s a stand out in the South Shore, but fair or unfair, I’m comparing it to the other burgers I’ve had, most of which have been in the city. continue reading »

Citizen Pub

April 19th, 2012 by Richard Chudy

There’s always been something slightly off about Citizen Pub for me; a seemingly hip place with a great Whiskey list, I know many who adore it but I always found the service to be lackluster and the food and cocktails uninspired and painfully ordinary. A great effort and with past dishes and meals, it was serviceable but just a notch below similar restaurants in the city. I’ve been after their burger for a while; however, it’s always looked great as it passes through the dining room and I’ve received more than a few email endorsements on its behalf. The description of the burger on the menu doesn’t do it justice, and that’s a compliment. Simply listed as “Ground Sirloin Burger, local Cheddar or English Stilton, Golden Fries, $14,” makes it sound ordinary. But make no mistake about it, this is one beefy and delicious burger. continue reading »

Hillstone

April 13th, 2012 by Richard Chudy

Hillstone has a vintage feel; part of a chain of restaurants that includes Houston’s, it sits right in Faneuil Hall but is far more appealing on the exterior and the interior than many of the tourist-trap establishments surrounding it. $16 will buy you a burger, seemingly of the straight-forward variety, consisting of cheddar, tomato, lettuce and onion. It’s freshly ground Chuck on a homemade bun, and you guessed it, another Big Mac model. It makes sense, it’s a riff on the most popular burger in the world, but not as cleverly done as I’d like it to be. If you think about it, most burgers these days are different versions of the fast food model, after all that’s where it all started. But the missed opportunity here was the chance to elevate that classic burger, start with beef and add the usual condiments, but why not try to spin them in a unique direction instead of just re-hashing what we’ve already consumed a billion (trillion?) times over. But maybe that’s not the name of the game at Hillstone, it speaks to the classic look of the restaurant and they aren’t out to re-create the burger wheel.  continue reading »

Casey’s Diner

March 27th, 2012 by Richard Chudy

Photo by Katie Barszcz

Stepping out of my comfort zone from the fancy and upscale to the rugged and humble, I ventured over to Casey’s Diner in Natick with some fellow burger enthusiasts to experience a burger as simple as you can get. Walking into Casey’s is like a time-warp; with about eight seats at the counter, seating is limited, and the option of grabbing your meal from the take-out window is available too. Hot Dogs and Burgers are the focus here, and you can smell them a mile away. But I’m a burger guy (shocking I know) and only having a few minutes to eat, I was carefully instructed to order a burger with onions cooked into the patty, and don’t forget about the bacon. What they do to the onions and bacon is what makes this burger; reminiscent of White Hut, it’s all about the crust, the grease and the simplicity, the beef is not the star but it really doesn’t matter. continue reading »

Let’s Meat-Up!

March 25th, 2012 by Richard Chudy

Here’s the deal; I’ve partnered up with Google Places to co-host a fantastic Burger Event coming up next Thursday, March 29th at Back Bay Social Club. It’s an exclusive event, and the only way to win a seat is to start writing reviews on Google Places. The more places you review (and the quality of reviews) will increase your chances of winning, so get on it! We’ll be enjoying four courses of their delicious burgers paired with some of their signature cocktails, it’s going to be an amazing night!! The Back Bay Social Club Burger is one of the best in the city, it’s burger perfection sent down from the Burger Gods, so if you’ve never had it before, (or if you have and you love it) this is a great way to experience Burger Greatness with some fellow burger lovers. The contest closes on Tuesday, so get those reviews going and hopefully I’ll see you there!! Just follow this link and you’re on your way!

Griddler’s

March 19th, 2012 by Richard Chudy

Oh, Griddlers, you give my dearly beloved Griddled Burger style a bad name. Even though I’m fully aware that sometimes not all burgers have to be gourmet to be good, a place like Griddlers comes along and sort of makes my point about the “expensive” burgers. Often, the cheap burgers are just that; cheap, all grease and no substance, but maybe that’s all that we crave for our burgers. Me, I want a little more, even if that means breaking down something that’s a little less flattering and showing a hell of a lot less finesse in a food category that should be lowbrow all the way. There are numerous examples of quality burgers for an affordable price, but this is not one of them. Better suited to the confines of a drive-through than the upscale surroundings of Beacon Hill, this was a miss, and the very infrequent occasion where we didn’t even finish the burger. continue reading »

JM Curley

March 2nd, 2012 by Richard Chudy

What makes a great burger? It’s not a big secret, most restaurant dishes, especially of the comfort food variety, succeed because they are not shy with salt or fat. Burgers are no exception; season aggressively and don’t skimp on the fat and you’re off to a delicious start. Burgers aren’t a diet food, better stick with the salad if you want something healthier, the ideal burger shouldn’t be good for you. Which isn’t to say the burgers at JM Curley are overly greasy or salty, it isn’t, although it is in fact, a strong contender for one of my new favorites in Boston. continue reading »