Midtown Lunch » City Burger

BREAKING: City Burger to Become Schnitzel Shop?

Zach Brooks — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:30:38 +0000

This just in from Lunch’er Tigerbot:

“Just went to go to city burger (on 39th & Broadway) and found that it was out. Apparently the Schnitzel Glatt Kosher Express is moving in instead… Sad day!”

Called City Burger to confirm and their answering machine says “Closed For Renovations”, but when I called the Abitino’s (City Burger’s owner, on Broadway btw. 40+41st) the lady who answered the phone said that City Burger was sold. And with that, Midtown Lunch’s closest connection to Pat LaFreida is gone.

Black Label

Zach Brooks — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:30:53 +0000

More on the City Burger saga in the comments, courtesy of Josh Ozersky: “Actually, it was Black Label when they started, but then La Frieda gave the exclusive to Minetta. They came up with a new and inferior, but still very good mix to replace it. The problem with CB has always been its execution, not its supply. -Josh”

City Burger Doesn’t Actually Serve LaFrieda’s “Black Label” Blend

Zach Brooks — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:30:26 +0000

The Under $25 column in today’s New York Times takes on three newish burger places (Flip, Black Iron Burger, & City Burger), and drops this LaFrieda bombshell about the burger that City Burger (on 39th & Broadway) calls the “Black Label”.

“City Burger’s menu says it uses LaFrieda’s aged Black Label blend in some burgers. But Mr. LaFrieda told me he sells Black Label only to Minetta Tavern and that City Burger’s blend, which he calls City Black mix, isn’t aged quite as long.”

Uh… that’s good to know (I guess?) You could say it’s just a matter of semantics, but to burger aficionados it could be an important distinction.

Five Napkin Beats City Burger at the TONY Awards

Zach Brooks — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:00:58 +0000

In what would be considered a huge upset by many Josh Ozersky, the just out of bounds Five Napkin Burger (on 9th Ave. btw. 44+45th) won the Reader Choice award for “Best New Hamburger” at the Time Out New York Eat Out Awards last night. The other nominees were Black Iron Burger, Petey’s, and Midtown’s own City Burger (on 39th & B’way)

City Burger Pops Up on Nightline

Zach Brooks — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:30:04 +0000

Profiled Midtown Lunch’er Josh Ozersky (Editor of The Feedbag, and author of “The Hamburger: A History”) appeared on Nightline last week to talk about burgers. And while most of the 8 minute piece was pretty uneventful (Spotted Pig, Shake Shack, Pat La Frieda’s), the last few minutes took place inside City Burger! With all the things being said about this place when they opened, could anybody have imagined that just 8 months later, this hamburger place would be singled out on national TV? It just goes to show what a special Pat LaFrieda blend can do for your business.

Check out the video after the jump…

[via A Hamburger Today]

AHT Calls City Burger’s Black Label “Best Burger in the City”

Zach Brooks — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:00:08 +0000

It took them long enough, but A Hamburger Today finally weighed in on City Burger’s $10.95 black label burger, and it reads more like a manifesto than a review. The gist of it? It’s not an “expensive burger as much as a cheap steak. In these times of economic austerity don’t be surprised if you see Wall Street executives, their expense accounts suspended, lining up at City Burger to satisfy the cravings that they used to sate at expensive wood-paneled steakhouses. For the steak lover, particularly those on a budget, this is the best burger in the city right now.”

Original City Burger Better Than Black Label? Combo Comes Down By $1

Zach Brooks — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:50:37 +0000

Earlier this week I had an email exchange about the new changes at City Burger(on 39th just East of B’way) with Josh “Mr. Cutlets” Ozersky. Not only is he editor of The Feedbag, but he is also the self appointed president of the Pat LaFrieda fan club:

Josh: “You better get on down to City Burger… Went there with a few other people the other day. It is SICK! Really, really good now.”

Me: “I don’t know. [The black label burger] is a little pricey for my cheap-ass blood… but yeah, I’ll probably break down and try it this week. Have the regular burgers changed at all?”

Josh: “Listen to this! I like the regular burgers BETTER than the black label. They’re top-three burgers in town right now. They got rid of the grills and brought in griddles…started warming the buns… oh man I wish I had one now.”

That is a bold statement… top 3 burgers in the city?!?! (Not even just Midtown?) The truth has been narrowed down to 2 possibilities. 1) City Burger has significantly improved their burger. Or 2) The Abitino Brothers (who own City Burger) have some serious dirt on our good friend Mr. Cutlets.

Only one way to find out which is true…

Regular City Burger w/ the Works

I admit I am no burger expert, but the regular City Burger has definitely improved with the change from the grille to the griddle. What used to be a hard hockey puck is now greasier, way juicier, and as a result much more flavorful. And most importantly, it was cooked perfectly (a big issue when they first opened.)

Innards

They’ve also heard the cries of the Midtown Lunch mob, and reduced the price of a burger/fries/soda combo from $10.55 to $9.55. It’s still a little overpriced for my taste, especially because I think the burger is now a little thinner, but I still applaud their effort. I also will admit that it is comparably priced to Good Burger and the Burger Joint at the Parker Meridien… but that doesn’t make me any happier to pay $10 for a burger, fries, and a soda.

What about the new Black Label Burger, you ask? It’s completely against everything I believe in to pay $11 for a take out burger for lunch, but after Danny’s description last week, and some of the other posts I had read, I couldn’t help myself. I think it was the term “funky” that piqued my curiosity the most…

It doesn’t really look any different…

And funky it was… not in a weird way, but in that you-know-you-are-definitely-eating-some-serious-beef kind of way. To put it another way, it has a very pleasing, very strong beef flavor that makes your mouth water as you eat it. Really, really enjoyable. Worth the $11+ for lunch? Fuck no. (What can I say? I’m a cheap ass through and through.) It also doesn’t help that it is a small burger that doesn’t fill you up, and after spending all that money, you still have to pay extra for cheese. That being said, I agree with Danny and the commenters who said it is worth trying once.

And with the regular City Burger vastly improved, and half the price, it’s tough to disagree with Cutlets. Top 3 burgers in the city? That may be going to too far… but certainly a worthy (albeit slightly overpriced) Midtown Lunch.

City Burger, 1410 Broadway (on 39th Street just East of B’way), 212 997-7770

Your First Real Look at City Burger’s Black Label Burger

Zach Brooks — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:42:37 +0000

Danny (from the blog Food in Mouth) went to City Burger and got them
to serve him their new black label burger (even though technically it
doesn’t debut until tomorrow.) He forwarded the picture along and had
this to say in the comments:

"I think there are a variety of ways to look at this burger. From the
Midtown Lunch perspective of a $10 lunch… I would guess a $13
cheeseburger is not for everyone."

"From a cheeseburger to cheeseburger comparison perspective, this is
definitely worth trying. Yes it’s an expensive take-out burger but it
tastes different. I can’t tell you if it lives up to this black label
hype, but it definitely has a completely different taste. If you’re
really into trying the various burgers in this city, you owe it to
yourself to at least try this one. I think of those that do, many will
come away with a kinder impression of City Burger.

With all that said, there was no line when I went, so the criticism of
the service may still stand."

Good first impression…especially coming from Danny, who got to try
the burger as a regular customer, rather than at a special tasting for
reporters. (He clearly didn’t mention to them that he was a blogger,
or else they probably wouldn’t have served him a day early.)

City Burger Reinvents Itself With Black Label

Zach Brooks — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:00:09 +0000

Some big news reported by the Feedbag yesterday… City Burger, which has gotten mixed reviews since they opened on 39th St. just East of Broadway, will reinvent themselves starting tomorrow as “a temple to classic burger cookery. Griddles have replaced the grills, the menu has narrowed, and the focus is now on the glories of La Frieda beef.”

According to the owner “We’re cooking the city’s best burgers! Our rivals aren’t Wendy’s and McDonald’s. They’re Shake Shack and The Spotted Pig and Corner Bistro and the city’s other great burgers. And I’ll put ours up against any of them.”

Part of the transformation? City Burger will be one of the only places you can get the special La Frieda “Black Label” burger blend, made from skirt, brisket, short rib, and a secret cut that is dry aged. The only downside? It will be $10.99 just for the burger, making it just a little too expensive for lunch (imho)… but I will admit a bit of curiousity about this ”Bentley of burgers.”

As for the “transformation”, there is no question that replacing the grills with griddles will help the dryness issue that many have complained about- but City Burger has always used meat from La Frieda’s in their regular burgers, so I’m very curious to see how the overall quality of the place is going to effected. Either way, it’s kind of exciting to have this kind of attention placed on a Midtown Lunch joint. Early adopters, feel free to check it out tomorrow and respond in the comments.

At Lunch Now: 99 Cent City Burger Madness

Zach Brooks — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:56:24 +0000

Here we go again! The scene at City Burger $1 burger day (on 39th just
East of Bway) is vaguely reminiscent of opening day with a few key
changes. Only 1 person at the register so the cooks don’t get
overwhelmed, and the orders seem to be coming out a little faster… but
there is still a general disorganization, and orders are coming out
wrong (not surprisingly.)

Got in line at 12:15, ordered at 12:30, food came out at 12:45 (although
the guys after me got their food 5 mins before I did, and they ordered
their burgers cooked medium, and I ordered mine medium rare. Go
figure.) All in all, not terrible… unless yours was one of the orders
they screwed up. Line is a little longer now at 12:45, but not by much.
“Sister Christian” playing while I waited for my food certainly
helped… not a complete shitshow- but the potential is there. You
have until 3pm (and of course there is next tuesday and the tuesday
after.