Articles tagged ‘pub’

The Fat Cat

March 11th, 2011 by Richard Chudy

You can’t blame a burger for trying. I always root for the underdog, in this case the cheap-o pub burger, hoping that someday an under $10 burger will be memorable. The Fat Cat is what I like to call the burger with too much “stuff.” Namely a crazy amount of lettuce, a huge and offensive looking (and tasting) tomato, and huge discs of raw red onion. If I wanted a salad I would have ordered one. The basic burger with “stuff” costs $8, and additional toppings are generously priced at .50 each. I happily add Manchego Cheese, rarely seen on burgers although it should be seen more frequently, and some bacon. The cheese is oddly grated, not really tasting like the glorious Manchego I know and love, and not adding all that much to my burger enjoyment. The bacon, while not crispy, has great flavor, and they did not skimp on the quantity, it’s pure bacon goodness, and it makes the burger.  continue reading »

The Publick House

December 17th, 2010 by Richard Chudy

I’ve come to expect sub-par service based on specific locations, Brookline being one of them, as poor customer service doomed sister restaurant American Craft a few months ago, a visit to The Publick House wasn’t that much different. And it’s a pretty similar burger experience too, although admittedly better and less pretentious to boot. The burger options are pretty similar, nothing is pre-set, you’re pretty much on your own to create your burger, this time with more mainstream condiments. $12 will buy you a hamburger, and all other topping come in at a mere .75 cents, which I can live with. I go with cheddar and a chili aioli, just to mix things up a bit. All served up on a pretty typical Bulkie roll, it’s a pretty typical Pub burger with a much better beer list. continue reading »

Charley’s

December 13th, 2010 by Richard Chudy

You have to do better than that, folks. Charley’s is fine, but anyone who has suggested this as the “best burger in Boston” has to be kidding themselves. Look. there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with this Newbury Street operation, it’s a saloon, with an old-school, plain-Jane menu that happens to have a couple of burger options on the menu. But barely, you can order a hamburger, cheeseburger, bacon cheeseburger, or an au poivre burger. (which oddly does not mention pepper in the description) All served up on a Pletzel roll, (no not a typo, could have fooled me too) with cheddar cheese, and pathetic lettuce and tomato pushed to the side. The bun is actually decent, dressed with poppy seeds, it is not too thick and not too thin, with a good chew but lacking any crispy crust. continue reading »

Do People Actually Like Burgers?

April 9th, 2010 by Richard Chudy

I’m convinced most people are indifferent towards burgers, they just don’t know it. It’s more the pleasure of biting into a big piece of meat (get your mind out of the gutter, please) than it is actually tied to any beefy taste. Yes, a steak is quite “beefy,” and massive, that’s why we love it, but I strongly believe most burgers err on the side of bland, how often does a burger actually taste like beef? Based on my recent findings, rarely, if ever. Too often we’re blinded by toppings, when a burger, is it’s simplest form, is nothing more then beef, a bun, cheese, and maybe some lettuce and tomato. So why aren’t there beefier burgers out there? Why isn’t there more emphasis on the beef, and less on loading it up on toppings that just cover up the meat anyway. continue reading »