….or I guess I should say Gott’s Roadside. Taylor’s has a new name, but the owners insist everything else – i.e. their delicious food – is still the same. Jeff and I make it a point to stop at Taylor’s every time we visit Napa and even though the sign says Gott’s now, the food is still fantastic! This St. Helena establishment is well known for its amazing burgers and all-around good food.
After placing our order at the walk-up window,
we wondered back to the picnic tables and waited eagerly…
Fish Tacos
~Fresh Mahi Mahi in spicy taco marinade griddled & served in corn tortillas with Mexican slaw, salsa & jalapeño cilantro sour cream.~
Bacon Cheeseburger
~American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles & secret sauce on a toasted egg bun.~
Sweet Potato Fries
~Chili spice-dusted & served with house-made ranch.~
These are the best sweet potato fries I’ve ever had!
I wish I had the recipe for the house-made ranch, it’s unreal!
(152 West 52nd, near 7th Ave)
Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain made Grub Street’s Burger Register – NY’s 82 Most Notable Burgers.
So, my work colleagues and I decided to give it a shot for lunch.
Vidalia Onion Soup, Parker House Crouton, Blistered Vermont Cheddar
~this soup was just ok for me. definitely not as good as the classic French onion soup at Les Halles.~
onion soup
Hot Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce
~the blue cheese sauce definitely made this dish~
hot potato chips with blue cheese sauce
Burger Americain with Cheddar, Fries with Smoked Red Pepper Mayonnaise
~This burger was….decent. But unfortunately, I don’t think it was worth the $19 price tag.~
Bar Americain burger with cheddar
(303 Lexington Ave. at 37th Street)
Turns out that Jeff and I aren’t the only ones in search of the perfect burger. Once a month, my work colleagues and I pick a new burger place to try. A few weeks ago, we wound up at Rare Bar & Grill – if you haven’t seen the menu, take a look. You’ll find an amazing array of steakhouse burgers, beef burgers, and even organically raised beef burgers. The cheeseburger features a weekly selection of Murray’s cheese (yes, from Murray’s Cheese Shop). You can chose from an assortment of burger toppings such as truffle butter or a fried egg.
We started with some fries:
French Fry Tasting Basket
Cottage, Shoe String, and Sweet Potato Fries
with New Mexican Chili Ketchup, Chipotle Aioli, Roasted Garlic Aioli, and Rare’s Homemade BBQ Sauce
and
Parmesan Truffle Fries
While all the fries were delicious, I couldn’t stop eating the Parmesan Truffle Fries – I love anything truffle!
Tasting Basket (top) & Parmesan Truffle Fries (bottom)
Now on to the burgers…
“All Natural” Classic Burger with Cheddar Cheese
~I ordered this organically grown beef burger. It was very good – juicey and cooked the way I like it. For me, the patty was a little thick – but I’m probably the only person I know who likes a thinner patty (like the In ‘n Out burger).~
“Rare” Classic Burger
with American cheese, caramelized onions, and a fried egg. plus onion rings.
~Well done, Steve! I must admit, I had a little burger envy when I saw Steve’s burger. If you’ve never tried an egg on your burger, you’re missing out.~
"All Natural" Classic Burger with Cheddar Cheese
"Rare" Classic Burger with Fixings
2118 North Damen, Chicago, IL
Last weekend we were in Chicago visiting friends and family. Our friends suggested Sunday brunch at Duchamp, a relatively new restaurant that took over the space where Meritage used to be. Since we had about a 45 minute wait for a spot at one of the communal tables, we sat at the bar and ordered Mimosas and the east-meets-west hot wings to tide us over.
Once we were seated, we ordered some tasty brunch/lunch dishes:
grilled chorizo and egg quesadillas with red pepper, onions & salsa
grilled flatbread with tomatoes, feta cheese, spinach & sunny–side up eggs
duchamp havarti cheese burger with tomato rémoulade – add egg over easy (yes, please)
Turns out the tomato remoulade was so good, we dipped just about everything in it.
grilled chorizo and egg quesadillas with red pepper, onions & salsa
grilled flatbread with tomatoes, feta cheese, spinach & sunny–side up eggs
Duchamp havarti cheese burger
1291 Third Ave. at 74th St.
Bacon Cheese Burger at JG Melon
This is Jeff’s favorite burger ever. He likes to add some thousand island dressing for a little extra kick. I have to agree, this is the best burger I’ve had in NY…..but it does not surpass In-n-Out, for me anyway.
In-n-Out is the best burger I’ve ever had (yes, I grew up on the West Coast).
Double-Double Animal Style (left) and Cheese Burger (right)