http://thespottedpig.com/
314 W. 11th Street
New York, NY 10014
THE STORY
Our good friend Mark was coming into town from the Midwest and was begging to be taken on a Burger Conquest. Being a former resident and massive fan of Australia, we combined Mark's request and the celebration of Australia Day (their version of July 4th) with a visit to The Spotted Pig. Even though the restaurant claims it's cuisine as "Seasonal British & Italian," it's rumored to have one of the best burgers this side of the Atlantic. It's also rumored to be owned, in part, by U2's Bono which is perpetuated by their info page under the moniker of "pals." Need more proof? Check the last link on the lower right column.
It's a tiny little place in the West Village with 2 floors and decor that can simply be summed up with the word; pigs. Being quite the popular destination, expect a long wait but as you are about to find out, it's totally worth it.
THE BURGER
The "Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort Cheese & Shoestrings" comes one way and one way only, on a bun with cheese and fries. There is no lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles or as far as this occasion was concerned, fried eggs, beet root or pineapples and as our friend JJ found out, they won't cut it in half either. (They did allow a very spicy and delicious mustard however.) I call that dedication to a craft and after I took my first bite, I understood why....IT WAS AMAZING. I immediately wanted to order a 2nd just to take home and whisper sweet nothings too. Cooked to a perfect medium rare, the meat was juicy, tender and filled with flavor. Roquefort was interesting choice, having a pungent smell and over powering taste but it really complimented the burger, much like peanut butter does to chocolate.
Side note, if they are serving their mulled wine when you visit The Spotted Pig, stop, do not pass go and order a glass. I have never had anything similar taste so good and on a cold night, it was exactly what doctor ordered.
8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev
Posts
Amazing review. I am still kinda bummed that the chef wouldn't cut my burger nor give me lettuce! Good time I had!
ReplyDeletethe decor is pigs!!! I give the burger a 9 out of 10. I want to go back right now please.
ReplyDeleteAgree with nona* on the 9 out of 10 for the burger! Would have been a 10 out of 10 if there was bacon...and for a little self-promotion about bacon: www.baconjew.com
ReplyDeletein order to get a 9, you have to have bacon, and come close to old homestead
ReplyDeletelooks sooooooo tasty
ReplyDeleteThe Spot(ed pig) was a nice treat. The bar staff was friendly, the drinks were well put together and unique. I found it interesting that the kitchen would not deviate from the burger as it was laid out in the menu. Cheese or no cheese were the options. I did enjoy the burger. The Cheese did ultimately mask a lot of the flavor of the burger itself but the combination was still good. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the perfect burger, i would give this a 7.75.
ReplyDeleteAs you can tell by the photo, I inhaled mine whilst everyoen savored theirs.