13 Sep Fussy Burgers That Litter Menus Worldwide
Fussy burgers are burgers that have a lot of fussing over behind them. You wouldn’t call McD’s fare fussy, and I don’t mean that in a snide way. The meat is inspected, sent through a grinder, made into patties in a machine, tested by technicians and shipped. It’s then grilled and served with standard toppings. It’s all very straightforward.
But what about a burger that uses hand-trimmed, aged and handformed burgers that you’ll find in gourmet restaurants? Here’s what I call fussy, and thankfully so.
Black Label Burger, Minetta Tavern
NYC
Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern.
This burger is beautifully fussy. The ungodly beauty of the Black Label burger lies in the prime dry-aged beef which is carefully chosen by the chefs, aged for six or seven weeks, and seasoned. Then it is seared on a plancha with clarified butter, so it develops the most glorious crust. It’s then slipped into a sesame brioche bun, along with caramelized onions and fries. It’s juicy, well-seasoned, and truly makes you forget the world. It will set you back by $30.
The Original Burger, Louis’ Lunch
New Haven, Connecticut
The Original Burger at Louis’ Lunch
If you thought a $6 burger in a small red brick diner couldn’t possibly be fussy, you have to try the burger at Louis’ Lunch. This is possibly the restaurant that ‘invented’ the burger, I don’t know. But the meat here is cooked on vertical grills, so that the fat drips off it. It is then served on white toasted bread, like it used to be a century ago. If you ask for cheese, you might be offered some Cheese Whiz spread, though the meat is so good the diner sneers at additions. And if you ask for ketchup, they’ll hand you a bottle of red thread. Now if that’s not fussy to the point of ketchup-hating bigotry, I don’t know what is! The meat is some of the best I’ve had in a burger of this price, though.
Man’s Man Burger, Romer’s Burger Bar
Vancouver, Canada
The Man’s Man Burger at Romer’s Burger Bar.
The Man’s Man burger from one of Vancouver’s top burger joints has maple smoked bacon, vine ripened tomatoes, crispy onion strings, amber ale cheddar and smoked alder salts. The fussy ultra-gourmet ingredients work really well together. Though the naming is a mystery to me.
The Whiskey Burger, Augustine
NYC
The Whiskey Burger at Augustine.
If you’ve ever craved whiskey with your burger, you have to try the New Age dinner option of Whiskey Burger at this new New York restaurant. The $27 offering is built on a 7 ounce brisket blend from Pat LaFrieda. The patty is seared on a flattop and then finished on the grill. This makes it slightly smoky. The caramelized onions are braised and deglazed in single malt scotch, and reminds you of campfire cooking. The whiskey brings out the sweetness of the onions, while making it slightly acidic. This perfectly undercuts the meat. The Comte cheese adds a perfect creamy tang to the burger. I’m totally backing the fuss on this burger.
Candy Bacon Burger, Mother Flipper
London, UK
Candy Bacon Burger at Mother Flipper
Mother Flipper is quite fussy about the flavors in the Candy Bacon Burger. The sweet, crispy candied bacon is teamed with a tangy, vinegary ketchup, juicy beef, pickles for tang, mustard for a kick, and tender sesame bun. The flavors are melded carefully. The tomato is omitted for a reason, to avoid watering down the texture.
Jucy Lucy, Matt’s Bar
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jucy Lucy at Matt’s Bar
No, I didn’t miss the ‘i’. That’s how Matt’s Bar spells Juicy Lucy, and claims any other Minneapolis burger with the same name is a ripoff. Whatever they call it, the deceptively simple $7.25 burger is made only with high quality beef. The beef is hand-formed after being freshly ground. The first bite of the burger will send a spillage of molten cheese into all your happy tastebuds. This is probably the best inside-out burger to come out of Minneapolis and notoriously difficult to make.
Are there fussy burgers you’d like to add to this list?
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