Lindy's (I think!), New York City

I'm not too sure how we ended up here, but I think it was after walking down from the American Natural History Museum (which was awesome by the way!). I wasn't too hungry, but obviously can never refuse a burger. Unfortunately, there is no menu available online, but the image is fairly clear. The burger was served open. I like this, it allows you to easily configure the burger the way you want. I opted for bacon (I usually do), and this was placed on the melted, yellow American cheese, which was on top of the pattie and one half of the bun. On the other half of the bun was fresh lettuce, average tomato, and white onion. There was also a pickle spear separate, but I ate that first. I can't remember what the sauce was, but I remember it being decent.

Although I can't recall the exact price, I do remember that it wasn't cheap ($18-20US). We were in Times Square though, so one can't complain too much.

Burger full of bacony goodness at Lindy's NYC

Meat:

The meat had a really good outer layer, crisp but not too burnt. It was a little over-done and dry for my liking inside, but still tasted fairly good. It was a little too lean also, but I'm guessing they cooked it on the same griddle/surface as the bacon etc., giving it a good flavour. Good, not great. 

Score: 3/5

Cheese:

The cheese was very yellow, and melty. I love this. The flavour was somewhat dull however - disappointing. It was still ok though. The bacon on top caused it to melt more once it arrived at the table. Good, but I'd prefer more of a cheesey experience.

Score: 3/5

Bun:

The bun was ok. It was rather soft, and tasted good. Soft buns allow the grease to soak into it, but if they are too soft, this causes them to fall apart. I got most of the way through the burger before this started to be an issue. As usual, the bun did it's job, but was nothing spectacular. 

Score: 3/5

Extras:

The extras (lettuce, tomato, white onion) were fairly fresh. The tomato was almost perfect, but slightly soft for me. The lettuce was nice and crisp (adding crunch to the burger) and the onion was not overwhelming. There was too much for me however. The extras were the standard burger fair, but done well.

Score: 3.5/5

Fries:

The fries were cooked for too long. They were too greasy also (yes, there is such a thing!). They did taste good though, but were over-salted. The decent flavour helped to redeem the otherwise average fries. Still, they were nothing brilliant.

Score: 3/5

Considering the dining options available in Times Square, I probably wouldn't rush back here (if I could find it). It was a solid burger, but didn't had that "wow" factor. It's not terrible though, so it's worth checking out!

Total score: 14.5/25

(Decent, worth a shot.)

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"Sliders" at the Sheraton Brooklyn (New York)

After 2 flights (about 6 hours flight time) from Vancouver, and a cab ride to downtown Brooklyn, we were rather tired, so decided to have a drink and something to eat at the hotel bar. The hotel was built mid-year 2010, so was rather new. The bar was amazing, and the bar tender very friendly (thanks Aaron!).

"Grubstake Bar" at the Sheraton Brooklyn, New York

After a few drinks at the bar, I spotted 'mini sliders' on the menu. Most burger puritans will tell you that sliders are not just mini burgers, but are burgers cooked in a certain way (often the pattie is cooked on top of a bed of onions). Regardless, I couldn't say no.

The sliders came with one meat pattie each, a slice of cheese, bacon and a slice of pickle. Basic, but great. They were quite tasty, and somewhat of a novelty for me, as I am yet to find sliders in Australia. There were 3 sliders in the pack, which came with fries. I can't recall the price, and there doesn't seem to be a menu online.

Slider - Sheraton Brooklyn, New York (screenshot from video)

Meat:
The patties were obviously small, but they were cooked well and were basic (a good thing). Due to the small size, they were cooked evenly throughout (with the crust being the exception). It's hard to praise something that takes 2-3 bites to eat, but they were good.

Score: 3/5


Cheese:
The cheese was ok. It was the standard yellow american cheese, but it seemed a bit more 'plasticy' than most. It melted ok, but seemed to stick to everything unusually. It tasted ok, but didn't differ too much from the Kraft Singles we get here.

Score: 2.5/5


Bun:
The tiny buns were ok. They seemed to be "Brioche" buns, due to the shiny top and rich flavour. They were a bit dry, and tasted average. Nothing to write home about, but they did their job.

Score: 2.5/5


Extras:
There weren't too many extras to comment on, as is normal with sliders, or mini-burgers. There was bacon, and a pickle slice. The pickles were good, tangy and crisp. The bacon was a bit soft, but had a good flavour. It would be hard to fit much more in these things, and I think they picked the right things to cram in.

Score: 3/5


Fries:
By the time I got to the fries, they were soggy. I like this though, so I didn't complain. They were well seasoned, and were quite tasty. In addition, the serving size was huge (but hey, it's America!). I've had better, but there isn't much to complain about regarding these fries - solid.

Score: 3.5/5

Two sliders (I think)...

To be honest, the best thing about these sliders was the novelty. Having said that, they were decent, and I did enjoy them. The cheese could be improved, and the overall freshness, but all in all they weren't too bad. I would likely try something else on the menu next time, but wouldn't be disappointed if I had them again. Maybe someone should introduce sliders to the Australian market!

Total score: 14.5/25

(Decent, worth a shot.)

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