Trust the Pig?
Burgers Ordered: Brad & Matt – The Chargrilled Burger
The Experience: The Burgermeisters made their second assault on the Spotted Pig this week, after a previous attempt left them with a two-hour wait to be seated. Last time they ultimately decided to eat at Tavern on Jane with mixed results. This time around the wait was only thirty minutes, something the Burgermeisters felt they could handle.
Space at the Spotted Pig is hard to come by, and the Burgermeisters were seated at a small table, close to their neighbors, in seats that had no backs (a bench and a stool). It was good for their posture if nothing else.
The atmosphere was warm and the staff was kind, if distracted by the amount of customers pouring into the restaurant throughout the dinner hours. However, the Burgermeisters do have a gripe with their waitress. When ordering their meal they excitedly selected to start with the Pot of Pickles. They feel, after receiving the appetizer, that the waitress probably should have explained that the Pot of Pickles were less actual pickles and more… this:
First bummer of the night.
The Taste: The Burgermeisters had to admit that the Chargrilled Burger at the Spotted Pig was probably the most aesthetically pleasing burger they’d seen in their travels to that point. The buns were grilled in a visually stimulating manner, both inside and out. The patties were heft, juicy and cooked beautifully. The mountain of shoestring fries made the Burgermeisters’ mouths water. But all was not as it appeared.
Looks aren’t everything.
The main problem with the burger is the signature Roquefort cheese that tops it. Not accounting for the cheese, the burger gives off an aroma that inspires instantaneous desire. However, once the Burgermeisters’ burger bites took them close to the center of the burger, the cheese became too much to handle.
Roquefort cheese is a form of bleu cheese, though unlike your typical bleu cheese it comes from sheep. It is incredibly pungent, as most bleu cheese is. When used in moderation this can be incredibly appealing, on chicken wings and french fries as well as burgers. But after a few bites of the Chargrilled Burger, the cheese is all you’re getting.
The secret of the ooze.
The fries also became a bit of an issue. While they are seasoned beautifully, they’re something of a challenge to eat. One might try eating through the mountain one fry at a time, but that might take forever an requires great restraint. Eating them in small clumps begins to feel like a tricky game. The Burgermeisters were most frustrated because the fries would break off in ketchup when they tried to dip them.
The Verdict: The Spotted Pig might be for more sophisticated palates than those of the Burgermeisters. The fries are plentiful but delicate and the burger itself is tasty, but that taste is masked by the overwhelming cheese. Brad and Matt are curious to discover what the burgers taste like without the signature cheese, but as they can’t repeat Burger Adventures while on their journey, it’s up to you Little Meisters to let them know.
The Spotted Pig is located at 314 West 11th Street on the corner of Greenwich Street.
