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From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

Kenji - for your leftover patty, make a nice half pound burger and top with cheese and the bacon patty for the ultimate bacon cheeseburger.

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

Too bad about Mark. I just hit up White Manna this weekend and already have a craving going and was hoping Mark might be able to hit the spot. Guess I'll have to wait til my next trip to Hackensack.

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Recent Comments | Response to Comments

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

Kenji - for your leftover patty, make a nice half pound burger and top with cheese and the bacon patty for the ultimate bacon cheeseburger.

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

Too bad about Mark. I just hit up White Manna this weekend and already have a craving going and was hoping Mark might be able to hit the spot. Guess I'll have to wait til my next trip to Hackensack.

From Serious Eats

Sous-Vide Cooking with Heston Blumenthal

@J. Kenji - I have always wondered why I have never come across a burger cooked sous-vide and then quickly seared for the crust. I'm looking forward to reading about your results.

From Recipes

Dinner Tonight: Patty Melt

@Meat guy - Do you not cross the street because there is certainly a risk you will get hit by a car? If you want to eat meat well done, knock yourself out. That doesn't mean everyone else has to or you can't show medium rare burgers.

From Recipes

Dinner Tonight: Patty Melt

@hungrychristel - I never use a binder for my burgers and I pack them very loosely. I find that refrigerating the patty for at least ten minutes after forming helps them stay together while cooking.

From Recipes

Dinner Tonight: Pasta Carbonara with Ricotta

@ChefTodd - don't drain the fat!! the beauty of the dish is the melding of the fat, cheese, egg and pasta water.

From A Hamburger Today

Video: 'Should Americans Banish the Burger?' on 'Larry King Live'

I'd rather endanger myself than eat a burger cooked to 160 degrees. At that point, you might as well just make a meatloaf sandwich.

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

@Allison Hemler - You're alittle far south for me. In Essex County...
Versaille Diner
Livingston Diner
Ritz Diner
Tick Tock Diner
Tiffany Diner
Land and Sea Diner (RIP)

From Serious Eats: New York

Coffee Chronicles: Growing Up Jersey With Diner Coffee

I'm a born and raised Jersey boy, so diner eating is in my blood. Even though I enjoy good coffee and regularly hit up the Grand Central Joe the Art of Coffee during the week at work, there is always a place for diner coffee. During the weekends, I tend to hit either East Side Cafe (23rd and 1st) or Cosmos (23rd and 2nd). I also like Sunflower but its too hectic in there to be comfortable. Both serve endless cups of coffee and a decent enough plate of eggs or pancakes.

BTW.. you missed a whole heap of diners around Murray Hill/Gramercy. It seems like its the highest density of diners in Manhattan.

Euro Diner; Moonstruck; Sunflower; Lyric, Cosmo; East Side; Coopertown Diner all within 10 blocks of each other.

From A Hamburger Today

Lamb Burgers from Eleven Madison Park

@gustoct. I'd say the more appropriate question is how big does a meatball have to be to become a meatloaf. If this is just ground lamb, i'd call it a mini-burger. If it has filler, binder, or anything then you can call it a meatball.

From Serious Eats: New York

Char No. 4: Bourbon, Barbecue, And Pork In Cobble Hill

thanks, now me wanty BLT and bourbon... perfect craving for 9:30 am at the office.

From A Hamburger Today

How E. Coli Travels from Beef Processing Plant to Burger

Moral of the story, go to a butcher (or the butcher counter at a supermarket) and get fresh ground beef, ground in store if not in front of your eyes. At the supermarket by my parents house, this option is only about $0.50 more per pound than the shrink wrapped stuff.

From Slice

Are Artichoke Basille's Sicilian Slices Shrinking?

I'd assume they are using the same pans as always... If i can remember correctly, they used to get eight slices out of the pan. Cut in half length wise and then three cuts horizontal.

I assume they're still using the same pan which means to be smaller, they'd have to be making one additional cut... this may require some on-site investigation skills...

From Serious Eats

Tesco Busts Teenage Girls for Squeezing Muffins

After reading about 17 yr old girls and muffin tops... that was not the story i was expecting!!!

From Serious Eats: New York

Eating Out Alone in New York

Waterfront Ale House and Molly's. Apparently I like to eat burgers and drink beer alone

From Slice

Pizza Hut Releases New Stuffed-Crust Pan Pizza

Whats next, cheese stuffed pepperoni? A cheese pan

I'd have to imagine that pretty soon, they're gonna run out of places to shove more cheese.

From Slice

Papa John Gets Camaro Back; Chain Offers Free Pizza to Camaro Owners Today

Free pizza for Camaro owners? That should make the entire state of NJ very happy.

From Serious Eats

Taste Test: Greek Yogurt

I usually go Fage 2% with the little side cup of honey. Never need more than half of the honey to polish it off though.

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

P.S. - I am blind for not seeing the links.

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

@jpacella

Thanks!

There's a link at the top and bottom of the stories that leads to a separate page with the full recipe for both the patty and the bun.

Let me know if it works out!

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

Kenji, this whole post just reeks of AMAZING. The part that has me just DROOLING is the bun. You went over the "basically", but would you be able to post an actual recipe for the bun? Thanks!

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

Nick-I though that the care and ingredients rivaled Kenny's, though I would agree that the onions may need work at Mark. Also agree on the condiments but thought they were interesting. Also have to factor in the convenience factor-Mark is always accessible, Kenny's very limited with the addition of being able to use my cell phone at the Mark without having things thrown at me.
On a separate topic, are you willing to defend the laudatory comments on this site for Bill's Bar & Burger? http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663834
---Guttergourmet

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

@NYC Food Guy Believe me, I want Mark to succeed as much as anyone (well maybe not as much as the owners) and I hope that my review will help improve things. However, I think it is fair to hold them to the standard set by White Manna, especially because the restaurants reps go out of their way to reference Manna: http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2009/10/burger_battle_steak_n_shake_st.html

I will also give Mark a second try.

@raven37457 You are right, I should have clarified the burgers to order,I actually meant to link to my original WD of Clark review which would have done so. Here it is:

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/07/clark-white-diamond-sliders-hamburgers-new-jersey-nj.html

@tasty trekker Thanks - it is on the radar.

@guttergouret With all due respect, you told us that they rival Kenny's but you didn't tell us why. Is the beef juicier? The bun steamed better? I don't think the fancy ketchup adds much - a properly cooked slider requires nothing in the way of condiments. Regarding the picture of the slider on Always Hungry - the cheese doesn't look melted and the onions look too charred. But to each his own.

I will return to Mark and I hope that they can approach the standard set by the great slider institutions of NJ that I have spent so much time documenting as of late.

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

Sorry Nick-gotta disagree with you. I think Mark is comparable to Kenny's.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661856
As mentioned in the link, my crew at Alwayshungryny.com also liked Mark.
-------Guttergourmet

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

Ridiculously awesome. Thanks for the post Kenji!

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

DANG.
Dang.
Man, I am so happy that you have come to reside at Serious Eats.

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

I'm at a loss for words at how awesome this sounds.

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

i am speechless...incredible....truly...wowsers

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

I am pro foods with exclamation points at the end.

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

Suggestions for the leftover bacon patty:
1. Use it in a sandwich with sliced turkey and some lettuce and tomato. You can use the bacon mayo if you wish, and toast the bread or bun, of course!
2. Add it to a grilled cheese sandwich with a slice of tomato and the bacon mayo.
3. Break it up and sprinkle it into some scrambled eggs while they are cooking. You can make a nice sandwich on an English muffin or with rye toast, or your favorite biscuit.
(I guess I know lots of ways not to waste bacon... .)
Cheers!

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

You. Are. Crazy. (In a good way, of course.)

From A Hamburger Today

The Burger Lab: Bacon Attack!

Homer Simpson's dream come true. (My son happens to be dressing up as Homer for Halloween)
Your cooked ground bacon could be used for twice baked potatoes or potato skins, stuffed mushrooms, or perhaps mixed with some herbed goat cheese for nice spread for crackers or even stuffed in a chicken breast.

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

Nick and NYCFoodguy,

Just a heads up about another slider possibility in the area. I was at Dempsy's bar the other night and got some amazing good sliders there. Maybe they blew me away since I wasn't expecting much but they were a perfect size, juicy and cooked probably the best medium rare I have ever had on a slider. Just another option nearby in the East Village.

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

Hello Nick,

I see the comments are quite lengthy for defending/justifying the Mark brand, which I mind you I have never tried. My intention is to leave Mark behind all of us and move this topic of discussion back to the motherland of slider/slider hamburger concoctions.

After driving to my favorite wine super store Joe Canals in Woodbridge, NJ and picking up a bottle of Argentinian Malbec, I figured what best to satisfy my craving for meat by visiting the newly opened White Diamond in Rahway, NJ. (Please note, I am an omnivore but I rarely consume beef product which is not grass fed and I do not eat meat on a daily basis)

Anyway, I just finished eating the slider/burger concoction and I was thoroughly impressed with the burger and the accuracy of your post. Also, I keep using the term slider/burger concoction because the owner stated to me that she would not classify this product as a slider. She proceeded to say "Well, if anything, it is a combination of a slider and a hamburger". Taking into an account the size and cooking method. With this said, the beef is fresh. Unfortunately, I did receive some cartilage or fat pieces which were not fully ground. One can look at this as good or bad. I tend to think it is good and it backs your statement that the beef is fresh ground chuck.

Keep in mind I purchased the small version (which I thought were just right). However, I am surprised you did not mention the different sizes of burgers offered. There is a large burger which you can purchase on a poppy seed roll.

All in all a good experience which brought back memories and satiated my craving for a good old NJ hamburger.

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

Nick,

Good to hear back from you and point well taken. I just WANT to like Mark because its the closest I'll get to sliders late night. There's room to improve and I appreciate the fact that you support that, just would have liked to have seen that kind of forgiveness in the actual review. Seems like you're holding a place that hasn't claimed to recreate perfection to some pretty high standards (i.e., White Manna).

Veselka burger has fallen off big time and its especially worse every time I've had it after 1AM (never cooked to order and inconsistent bun offerings) and Blue 9 is meh. Too bad Back Forty's not open at 1AM although that would be a bit sacreligious eating a burger than high quality after a drunken night. I've had Crif and it's also just OK. What did you like about it? What's your top late night burger in the EV as of now? Either way, I digress.

I haven't had Shopsin's sliders yet (talk about sacrelig) but the ones I see on Beef Aficionado are what you call "charred" onions, just like Mark, and nothing like the deliciously succulent ones at White Manna.

I'm going to have to agree with you that maybe a blend as fine as the one at Mark may be better utilized in the form of a full-size burger, where the flavor and texture of the porterhouse ends and short rib can truly be appreciated.

It's also tough to compare the immediacy of the attention given to Bill's Burger, a place with a year's worth of R&D behind it from a millionaire restaurateur, to Mark, a place from a couple of guys who are giving a talented Bobby Flay-trained line cook a chance to work some magic in a sliver of a spot on St. Mark's.

I'll be giving Mark a 2nd and probably third chance, if not for the sliders, than for the crispy russet fries with some of that fiery jalapeno sauce alone. The sliders weren't bad, they just weren't the best. As NYers and Web Surfers, it's what we've come to expect.

From Recipes

Dinner Tonight: Patty Melt

This is my favorite grilled sandwich!

I used to eat them at Astro's, in Los Angeles. (The one on Santa Monica Blvd.) They do not use Swiss cheese, but as I cannot eat it anyway, that was fine. I ordered them with their unbelievable onion rings...large, homemade, and served in a generous portion.

To make them at home, I'd go to Canter's deli on Fairfax, and get the rye bread from their bakery section, (It wasn't always easy to find a good rye, once upon a time, at least where I was.) and then pretty much make them as instructed above. Mmmmm! :)

For those who mentioned bison, I switched to it several years ago, and buy the meat from a local ranch. I don't care for the pre-ground, so have been grinding all of my own meat since the 80's, and don't find the bison we eat too dry to form into patties which hold together. I use sirloin steaks/roasts the most often, and use a heavy-duty food processor with the metal blade. Perhaps you would have better luck grinding your own, too?

Patty melts are on the menu for Friday....I can barely wait! :)

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

As far as I am concerned, Mark has the only sliders worth eating in the the east village. As someone who has been waiting for/ craving a spot like this, it could not have come at a better time. I usually don't post comments on these sites, but I have to come to the defense of my new favorite little slider-spot.

From A Hamburger Today

Forward to the Past: New Sliders from White Diamond in New Jersey and Mark in NYC

@NYC Food Guy Always good to hear from you and I appreciate the time you took to raise some important issues.

I don't ever consider that my word is the last one irrespective of whether the place has been open for 2 weeks or 20 years. It is just the opinion of one person. You are right that 2 weeks is probably not enough time for a place to nail down everything but, for better or worse, that is the world wide web that we live in. NY Mag just reviewed Bill's Bar & Burger in their first week of business. Also since we are talking about a single dish here at AHT I think that reviewing a place sooner than one might if one was doing a full restaurant review is permissible.

I find the notion that just because Mark is the only place selling sliders in the neighborhood that that somehow makes it OK that they are not so good curious. There are plenty of other burger spots open at 1AM in the EV - Veselka, Blue 9, PDT/Grif Dogs to name just a few - that offer better burgers, although admittedly not sliders. Believe me, you won't find someone more passionate about sliders than myself, I have spent an awful lot of column space on covering them lately, but I would rather eat a decent regular burger than a poor slider. For the record I think Shopsins sliders are far superior, they may not be available at 1AM but they are far closer to White Manna. As for the onions I think that divergence of recipe is fine, but not when it interferes with the desired effect (in this case cooking the onion all the way through) it is pointless.

We both agree that the place is not White Manna and also that it is OK for it not to be so. There is much room for improvements at Mark, I hope my criticism helps. Nothing would please me more than having world class sliders in my neighborhood.

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