New York City’s love affair with hamburgers shows no signs of cooling. Japanese, Thai, and Greek restaurants have recognized the drawing power of a hamburger and have infused their own unique flavors into their offerings. Restaurants that have been around for years have retooled their menus to be more burger-centric. New restaurants open and almost immediately feature burger specials. Restaurants even try to get your attention with the most extreme burgers imaginable.
But one chef and restaurateur has proven his love for hamburgers extends beyond a gimmick or a craze: Daniel Boulud. His love for hamburgers is well documented. His restaurants feature unique takes on the traditional meal while showing their love for the classic hamburger. So it came as no surprise to me that Boulud’s special offer for National Hamburger Day, a complimentary glass of Krug champagne paired with an Original DB Burger at db Bistro Moderne, was extended throughout the month of June.
So while I don’t usually repeat Burger Adventures, I couldn’t help but take advantage of this offer and support a man who has gone out of his way to help make NYC a burger city. The restaurant has said that its sophisticated Original DB Burger, a sirloin patty filled with braised short ribs, foie gras and black truffle on a parmesan bun, deserves to be paired with a sophisticated champagne. When it comes to wine, I’ve always thought that red pairs best with a rich burger like the DB Burger. But while eating my meal and drinking my champagne, the effervescent Krug became evocative of a familiar, traditional burger and beverage. It brought me a lot of joy to find this simpler side of the sophisticated pairing.
As for the burger itself, this time around I was really taken in by the parmesan bun. It was crispy and full of flavor that accentuated the patty. I am still amazed that the patty comes served so perfectly medium rare, given the different meats and liver used. The tomato makes this tall bit of business a bit slippery, but was quite tasty (and that should mean a lot, as I generally despise tomato on a burger). The frites were outstanding, even better than the pommes souffléets that come with the DB Burger Royale.
You can get the Original DB Burger and Krug champagne pairing after 9pm for the rest of the month of June. Do yourself a favor and make it happen.
