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| (The Yankee) |
Oh Daniel Boulud. Your culinary cleverness and authority has culminated in quite an interesting little addition to the LES.
Located in the heart of the Bowery, just down the street from the infamous remains of the punk rock mecca, CBGB, you added your own little mark to this notoriously gritty and seedy locale, aptly named: DGBG.
Staying somewhat in trend with the general mood of the area, the interior of DGBG is dark and eerie, with a vast back room and plenty of seating (even some tables on the sidewalk, but beware of crazy passersby…though that kind of comes with the nostalgia).
The menu is rather sophisticated, which the Fiend assumes is a smart yet bold marketing strategy. Classic French staples adorn the menu, such as burgundy snails, ham rillette, tripe and pate, and the Fiend offers kudos to one of the most impressive selections of sausage rarely seen outside of a high-end butcheria: a true snout-to-tail offering.
And this now brings us to the burgers that I’ve been hearing about from the lovely, sordid locals of the LES. Alongside his trusty new NYC burgering companion – the Burger Bandit – the Fiend was pleased to set out and conduct a tasting from one of the more revered chefs of our era.
In typical burgering fashion, the Fiend and the Bandit (a DGBG denizen of sorts) decided to split two of the three main burger offerings – The Yankee and The Piggy – both adding bacon and Vermont cheddar.
The Yankee was the standard offering on the menu, including iceberg lettuce, tomato and onion. One could tell there was thought put into the meat blend, though the Fiend couldn’t exactly pinpoint the cuts because on this evening the burger was seasoned a little too liberally, though traces of steak trim was detected. Cooked perfectly to medium as ordered, the Bandit vowed the Yankee is the way to go "with bacon and cheddar of course, and do not skip the fries – the combo is a must."
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| (The Piggie) |
The Piggie was the next victim: topped with BBQ pulled pork, jalapeno mayo and mustard-vinegar slaw, the burger had a lot going on which ended up being a little messy, but still decent. The Bandit agreed it was good, but felt the concoction was a little too flavorful considering all the ingredients at play.
Overall, the burgers were good but not great. The quality and thoughtfulness was present, but by general rule the Fiend has a serious issue with high-end restaurants serving a 6oz selection at such a steep price point (average $17+).
But if it must be done, steakhouses are a great example of how to execute this in a quality fashion, typically offering a burger upwards of $20 or more. However 9 times of out 10 you know a few things will be automatic upon ordering a steakhouse burger: a) the chefs are pros with handling protein, so it will be cooked to perfection b) the quality of the meat will likely be prime and perhaps even a specialty cut or blend, and c) the patty will be at least a half-pound at a minimum, up to 10-11oz.
The Fiend is always willing to pay premium prices for a burger, regardless if it tastes bland or exquisite when it’s all chewed and done, however there’s an inherent trust going into the union that you’re getting the most for your money (let alone product costing, but let’s not even go there).
Walking away from the burgering, the Bandit offered the best summation of the experience: "I’ve definitely had more delicious burgers, but if you are looking to go on a bit of a fancier burger date night, DGBG delivers. It’s in a good area, the burgers are pretty swell and it’s a Daniel Boulud restaurant so that’s a plus."
299 Bowery (near Houston)
New York, NY
212.933.5300
www.danielnyc.com/dbgb
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