Minetta Tavern

Finally had a chance to try the famous Black Label burger ($26) at Minetta Tavern with its carefully designed burger meat supplied by Pat La Frieda.  And it was ALL THAT and more.  The burger was so perfect, the meat so juicy and tender that no sauces or condiments were needed to supplement this perfect little combo of pampered beef & custom brioche bun.  Making of the beef patty is a closely guarded secret, a unique combination of dry aged ribeye + skirt steak + brisket from prime beef sourced from Creekstone Farms, Kentucky.  However, Serious Eats has a great blog entry explaining the creation of the best burger in the world. We also had the dry aged cote de boeuf with finger-lickin' good roasted marrow bones. Like liquid umami... Mmmm.  I have never been so happy to be a carnivore.  Dinner ended with the best chocolate souffle i have ever had in my life - all lightness, air, and rich chocolate.

Pat La Frieda, Burger Genius

Now available at the Delta terminal at La Guardia airport - Pat La Frieda's own custom burgers, a heavenly blend of brisket-chuck-short rib-skirt steak.   You can grab one of these on the way into NYC and another one (or two or more) on the way out of NYC.  In fact, given that there are no Pat La Frieda burgers in Atlanta (and nothing close to it), I should've bought a dozen and brought them back to Atlanta with me.  Pat La Frieda is the genius who quit Wall Street to reinvent the burger (read more in this fascinating article from New York Magazine). These burgers at the Delta terminal are AS GOOD AS the burgers he supplies to Dan Meyer's Shake Shack, and I'm still waiting to try his Minetta Tavern burgers.