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 »

Bistro du Midi

September 21st, 2011 by Richard Chudy

An easy burger to peg, plagued by many of the same issues of wannabe burgers from the past, the Bistro du Midi burger is merely ordinary. Too bad, this $15, “Black Angus Burger” sounds fine, available at the bar only, in what is a well respected establishment. But, as is often the case with well respected establishments and their burgers, not much thought is put into it, yet the price tag is advanced based on location and reputation of adjoining dishes on the menu. Everyone wants to serve a burger, I get it, but where’s the love? We all want to join the Boston burger party but no one wants to be prepared. Maybe I’m taking this a bit too seriously, but then again, that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me or this blog. I’m serious about my burgers, maybe I should learn to lighten up. Then again maybe I’ll lighten up for the next one. continue reading »

Pops

August 15th, 2011 by Richard Chudy

The perfect example of “looks better than it tastes,” the Pops burger is a head turner. It’s one of those burgers that once someone orders it, half the people in the room will follow. And why not, a glistening burger with a huge cone of golden fries looks good to everyone, right? Looks can be deceiving, as many choices made with respect to the burger are puzzling and not up to par. The first (predictable) downfall is the use of the much maligned Brioche bun. Quite possibly the largest bun to date, it was mostly over-charred and incredibly sweet to boot, more reminiscent of Challah, but still a massive disappointment. Above average beef flavor couldn’t save this burger, poorly prepared mushrooms and bacon only add to my list of gripes. continue reading »

Local 149

July 1st, 2011 by Richard Chudy

The food at Local 149 can described as uneven; this after multiple attempts, a couple of very good burgers, and a couple less than stellar. The people behind The Biltmore in Newton take on a similar vibe in the new Southie spot, a very ambitious gastro-pub of a menu, that isn’t always triumphant. At it’s best, the Local Cheese Burger is a delight; with grass-fed sirloin, cheddar, pickled green tomato and seaweed salt fries. Trust me, this is as normal as the menu gets, which isn’t to say I don’t appreciate at least reading the menu, the flavors are often presented as bold and unique, but my taste buds don’t always agree. The Patty Melt is less successful; two all-beef patties, sauerkraut, Muenster and 24 hour ketchup. Yeah, there’s a lot going on, individually the components work, but never fully unify to become the great burger they could be. continue reading »

Aquitaine

June 21st, 2011 by Richard Chudy

You can try to play the role of a great burger, but if you can’t even cook it right, there’s just no hope. The Aquitaine burger looks like it could be a winner; bacon, cheddar, truffle mayo and pommes frites. But oh, that dreaded Brioche. But ah, that the brioche actually works and the beef does not is the real surprise. The truffle mayo is flavorful, say what you will about the authenticity of truffle oil, I enjoy the flavor even if it’s not the real thing. The bacon ceases to be crispy, despite evoking a good smoky flavor it’s chewy and lackluster. And that beef, with a fair amount of char and modest salt, is over-cooked and relatively dry. I long for the days of juicy burgers, cooked right, and seasoned to my absurd taste. It’s a straight-forward attempt, but never carried out in the execution department. continue reading »

Grafton Street

June 11th, 2011 by Richard Chudy

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It can be easy to forgive a few things; a slightly over-cooked burger, a less than perfect bun or a mediocre pickle, as long as the complete package works in the end. The reality is that it’s all about the flavor; bonus points for complete execution and a few carefully crafted “cheffy” tricks here and there. But to be solid, all you really need to is season up some beef, melt some cheese and call it a day. But the Grafton Street burger can’t do it, it’s simple, but to a fault. As Harold from Best Damn Buger and I soon discovered, the beef has little flavor and is way beyond the specified medium-rare. But it’s one of those burgers that probably would have been underwhelming either way, there just isn’t much character or personality in this burger. And as we all, know personality goes a long way. continue reading »