Articles filed under ‘Reviews’

Masa

February 3rd, 2012 by Richard Chudy

For all my talk about “everyone having a burger on their menu,” I still get charged up whenever I find one at an unsuspecting restaurant. Is it the thrill of discovering the next great burger that no one is talking about? I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a factor, and after nestling into the bar at Masa for a quick snack before the next meal, I quickly spotted a burger on the menu and I couldn’t pass it up. Sounding different and exciting, it had all the makings of a substantial burger. Then again, much to my dismay, it turned into one of those “looks good on paper” burgers that are common and disappointing. The Masa Burger is topped with Monterey Jack Cheese and comes with smoked bacon, sliced avocado, pickled onions and Guajillo ketchup. Or so one would think.  continue reading »

NYC

December 27th, 2011 by Richard Chudy

In what may end up being the best idea we’ve ever had or the worst idea, the SBK and I headed to New York City for a couple of days to eat. I wish I could tell you we had accomplished something else, but no, this trip was all about the food, although a healthy mini-marathon of walking all through the city probably made it a little easier. Certainly multiple burgers were in order, and having not been to New York for a couple of years, I knew we had to do some of the classics. Here is a (not-so) brief guide to the burgers and everything else we consumed in a matter of days: continue reading »

Met Back Bay

December 7th, 2011 by Richard Chudy

If you’re going to talk the talk you’d better be able to walk the walk, and the Dry-Aged burger at Met Back Bay clearly has issues walking and talking at the same time. The epitome of a burger that sounds really friggin’ good on paper  (Dr-Aged beef, sharp cheddar, double smoked bacon, port wine onions, organic sesame seed bun) but is a colossal disappointment. There’s no debate that a higher price tag has to yield higher expectations and the opportunity for more critiques. It’s not nitpicking, that’s just the way it is, and this burger, priced at $18, fails in just about every aspect. continue reading »

Bocca Bella

December 1st, 2011 by Richard Chudy

I receive burger recommendations from people everywhere I turn, and my parents are no exception. Being  a natural born cynic, if it’s a restaurant I’ve never heard of or there’s very little buzz about, I’m hardly in a rush to go there. After being pushed for months to check out Bocca Bella, I finally ventured back to my Newton roots to see what all the fuss was about. Billed as a “Cafe and Bisto,” the lunch menu is dominated by sandwiches while the ever-changing dinner menu is predominantly Italian influenced. And there sits the mighty hamburger, once again a mere pawn in the dinner game, overshadowed by heartier fare and almost to the point of being off-menu, aka not the focus. But why should the burger be the focus, aside from being delicious, the burger isn’t exactly sophisticated. Sure, upscale options abound on menu’s all over, from the fancy to the faux fancy, like a cold sore, the burger is always there and not always so easy to get rid of. continue reading »

Towne

November 28th, 2011 by Richard Chudy

Beware the gourmet burger they say, expensive burgers can’t be trusted. If people start talking about a burger, there’s probably a reason for it, although in the case of Towne, most of the chatter seems to have vanished after a hot start. Priced at $16, I’ve somehow avoided this burger for months, but like most things, this was worth the wait. To make the upper tier, you must nail execution, flavor, and offer something that other burgers can’t. Ironically labeled the “Deluxe All-American Bacon Burger,” it’s all about the meat, but for the gourmet crowd it should go without saying. How premium the entire package is and how much value is attributed to a hefty price tag is the question. continue reading »

Bergamot

November 7th, 2011 by Richard Chudy

I’m done with expectations, the next time I hear great things about a supposed great burger I’m going to ignore it. The problem with mostly eating burgers is that in the case of a higher end restaurant, the burger is a perfect barometer to judge any future meals at the same establishment. Fair or unfair, if they can’t properly cook a burger, what hopes do they have to cook any other dish? Served only at the bar, the Bergamot burger is rumored to be a beef blend consisting of marrow and brisket, but it was so salty and cooked so poorly I could have been eating a turkey burger. Ironically, we waited close to an hour for what was promised to be a very thin, medium cooked, and incredibly juicy burger. For such a slim patty, which should have taken mere moments to cook, the wait was far too long, but that’s what happens when you’re banished to the bar, our backs turned to the rest of the dining room. continue reading »

Catalyst

November 2nd, 2011 by Richard Chudy

I have no doubt William Kovel is a supremely talented chef, his food has been well received for years and he’s put his heart and soul into the opening of Catalyst. I’m confident his Chicken Liver Mousse is divine and the Roasted Cod is lovely, but the burger, at least on my visit, was far from adequate. Customer service is a huge factor in the restaurant world, of course the food is top priority, but great service should be a no-brainer. But far too often I can’t help but feel like it’s a complete afterthought; maybe if I was twenty years older and dressed in a suit perhaps I’d get the respect I deserve. I hate the ageism, it has no place and this was evident from the cold and silent greeting we received upon arrival, the snobby bartender who was disappointed that his attempts to up-sell were denied, and the hostess who refused to wish us a good night as we vacated. And it wasn’t even a busy night at the restaurant, aside from one or two large groups it was mostly empty as we dined at the bar. Curious that the bartender felt the need to only suggest the most expensive items on the menu to us, and the faux-wisdom presented to us as he explained such pedestrian menu items to us such as the shape of a pasta or the type of cheese used in another dish. Does this happen to all patrons or just the “younger” crowd? I know what Taleggio cheese is and just because of my age (31, for the record) or the size of my wallet, I shouldn’t be spoken to like a nine year old. I doubt this happens to the 50-year old suit with deeper pockets. continue reading »

The Sunset Grill

October 18th, 2011 by Richard Chudy

Much loved by unsuspecting co-eds, much loathed by everyone else, The Sunset Grill boasts one of the most extensive beer lists anywhere in Boston, while serving some of the most mediocre food in town. It’s hell on earth with a good beer selection. I suppose most people don’t come here to eat, and it’s hard to argue with the overwhelming options of imbibery. The burgers are steamed in beer, self-described as “famous” to “preserve its optimal flavor and juices.” But if you start with mundane ground sirloin you’re probably going to end up with mundane sirloin, no matter how much beer you steam it in. Luckily, the burgers are relatively cheap; $6 will get you a hamburger, but why stop there, most add-on’s are around $1, and the fries come a la carte for another $2. Still in the under $10 category, although I’m not so sure that makes much of a difference here.  continue reading »