BurgerClub

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(our one year anniversary! - Dec. 10th 2005)

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lets eat!

I posted this up in the other section but wanted to put it here. The only reason I gave Keen'd an A instead of A+ is that I cannot comment on the bun I didn't eat a full hamburger..
I ordered the Miss Keens. It is bunless. I am embarassed to have done so because I am a classic burger fan. But it sounded sooo good and I wanted to taste this famous steakhouses' burger without distraction. And it was the tastiest burger I have ever eaten.
I ordered Medium rare, it arrived perfectly browned slightly crispy on the outside, and truely medium rare on the inside. The burger had all shades from pink to dark brown. I deteched just the right amount of sea salt on the surface. The thin strips of potato that accompany it were heaven. The salad was a frisee - also a pleasure.
Lastly... I was sitting at the bar and in front of me was a dazzling aray of the best scotches and bourbons I have ever seen. To my right, at the door which has frosted glass sections that let in a soft beautiful light, were the cognacs backlit like in a movie.
Needless to say I can't wait to take everyone I know there!
Burger Club must!

Ok so yes the meat was fresh, grade A even - but isn't there a bit more to the burger experience than just high quality meat. It wasn't grilled - the grill always makes a difference regardless of salt and pepper - the bun (well, let's not even get into the whole, why would you scoop it out) if the bread's no good, there goes the burger, otherwise just send me the lady keen burger - no carbs. Of all the burgers I've had so far, it was a B. Cooked to specs, high quality meat, but nothing over the top. But I LOVE the restaurant and the ambiance, service, and the idea all get an A.

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PazzinaBurgessa
Sr. Rare Carnivouretta

It had all the makings of a great burger... the meat was amazing, fresh, tender and perfectly cooked. but alas to many things started to go wrong. first of all the bun dominated the burger. it was too hard and too filling. it made eating for than half the burger a herculean task. the second thing was that even though the quality if the meat was excellent and it was cooked perfectly i felt that it lacked any seasoning or flavor. thats why it gets a B-. lets go to the bistro next.

dude! RoyalWithCheese, good to have you back! where have you been all my life?

Happy one year BC!

Keen's is one of those places you just feel good about when you walk in the door. Like Luger's, these people have been doing something right, and doing that for a very long time. Part museum, part old friend, this chophouse/smoking club has been open in this same location serving hungry actors, writers and pipe-smokers looking to rid “evil homourse of the brain” since 1885... what the heck is "homourse" ?



We initially gathered at the Keen's bar... a cozy wooden and tiled floor room that makes you feel like you've entered old New York. If you like single-malts (over 200 types) and a knowledgeable bar staff, you've found nirvana. On our way to the table, in the waiting area, you pass a couple display cases of pipes. Pipes smoked by legendary peeps like "Buffalo Bill", Teddy Roosevelt, Albert Einstein.... when you walk into the main dining room, you see even more pipes, like thousands more... all tacked up to the ceiling.



Like the other reviews before this say, this ambiance and staff are all tops for a steakhouse. And like a top steakhouse, the quality of the meat here is mmmm mmmm good. I've already mentioned the drink... but the starters, at least my iceberg lettuce blue cheese guy was also yum. The table also ordered the tomato onion plate, which also comes with their special blue cheese dressing... both classics for a steakhouse.



We were fortunate to have the kind people of Keen's make a special exception to the rule by allowing us to all order burgers outside the Pub Room... they even made the effort to let us know via the bow-tie guy, that this is not a common thing. So I guess we won't do it again. Which is cool, cuz I would be happy to eat in the Pub Room while gazing at all the whisky... and if I were to come back into the dining room, Prime Rib has my name all over it... no, not the



The burgers we all ordered came out in perfect form, cooked to as requested, and accompanied with a helping of crisp fries, tomato, red onion, bib lettuce, and a half pickle cut length wise. Although the fries were nice and crisp, they were a bit cold... probably cuz they sat around waiting for the 17 some burgers to all be plated. I ordered mine med. rare with Cheddar (white), the other choice being Swiss. I forgot to inquire about the weight of the burger, but I would say it's probably in the 10-oz family... pretty standard for most NY pubs and steakhouses.



Although I commented on my last review of McHale's how these BIG patties are too filling, this patty was not too hard to put down... seasoned well, great quality, ground, texture and juice factor. However, as Pazzina and Royal mentioned, the bun was a big disappointment... all the A grade elements of the meat were overshadowed by the bun. It looks lie a fine bun in the pictures, but in reality it was too dense and hard, not in a good toasted way... If you took the pillow like Fanelli's bun and used it on this guy, now that's good eats. And why was I the only one out of 17 or 18 that didn't have sesame seeds? I'm sorry to say, but it's the burger as a whole that makes the grade, not just meat alone. Maybe that's why magBurgler gave it such a high score... she got the bun-less burger.

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lets eat!

Can't believe I forgot to mention this:
For those of us who had the pleasure of Keen's bloody mary
the most inventive and original blend ever!
Balsamic Vinegar
Finely Chopped red onion and jalapeno peppers
and I swear there's sea water or oyster juice in this thing not to mention a secret blend of herbs and tomato make it the best bloody mary in New York possibly...

Keens is a slice of old New York - classy without feeling stuffy, an old-school, charismatic waitstaff, pipes adorning the ceiling, whispering its history...and best of all, a fireplace that makes it all the more cozy. The burger itself, though, was not as good as the steaks it serves. The meat was superb quality, and I was pleased when it arrived cooked perfectly medium-rare...with just the right amount of red juicy goodness...But the overall experience was not all it could be - this was primarily due to the dense, hard, crunchy bun that was so dense, even, that the top half had to be scooped out. And although I am proud to say I usually leave a BC meeting having devoured my entire burger, this time I left half on the plate...maybe it was the bread, or the fact that it was fried and was slightly greasy, but I was full half-way through...I do have to give points to the perfectly crisp fries that accompanied it, though. OHHH! And how could I forget to mention the BEST Bloody Mary I've had in Manhattan yet.

Keens is a fantastic place, and i think everyone agreed on two things: the setting is a great example of classy style chop/steak house in a district once famed for their jazz and gentlemen clubs. The burger fell short. The rest is just an attempt at repeating what's been very well described above.
I will only add that the 200+ single malt selection is rare, at least to me. Nothing better than sitting by the bar on a leather plush stool, sipping on rare Islay malt. But again, the bun was too big.
Maybe i should mention the great in-house ale they serve over there, with the right amount of bitterness. But good lord, why wasn't my bun scooped? And why was the Prez-Sicko's bun without sesame seeds? Why?
I think we are going to have to live without those answers. And the Keen's steakhouse will have to live without an A rated burger. This is a B+ burger.

Now here is my perpectual dilema. I usually find places where the patty underdelivers but I enjoy the soft seasoned bun. Now Keen's was one of those establishments where you knew you were in good hands if you ordered anything but the fish. This steakhouse knew good meat and this was reflected in the burgers.

Now the meat was divine - delicious cut, grade, seasoning, texture. But I should have orders a Miss Keen (which consisted of a burger minus the bun). I don't think this was simply a choice for low carb lovers but for anyone in their right mind who would order a burger from Keens. The bun was terrible! Dense, heavy, flavorless and truly a detraction from the patty.

All in all, this was an ok burger - would have contended with the best, however, if not for the bun. But I do have to say that it was a terrific evening out with my hubby on his birthday and the year anniversary of the burger club.

Happy Birthday Pork Chop!