Testing hypotheses. 

Burgers Ordered: Simon & Rachel – The Hamburger; Brad, Matt & Richard – The Big Marc

The Experience: Last week the Burgermeisters went to Landmarc to try Marc Murphy’s Landmarc Burger. It was, by all accounts, a resounding success. So this week the Burgermeisters went to Murphy’s other restaurant, the surf-inspired Ditch Plains, to try his newest creation: The Big Marc.

Drawn in by a photo on Murphy’s Facebook page, the Burgermeisters knew they had to try Murphy’s signature Landmarc burger before they attacked this spicier version.

Amital, who had first disappointed the Burgermeisters last week by ordering a chicken sandwich instead of the burger, was booted out of this week’s Burger Adventure entirely for the violation. Simon’s friend Rachel joined in her place.

The BIG MARC!

Brad, Rich (making his second Guest Burgermeister appearance) and Matt decided to stick to the game plan and order the Big Marc so that they could compare it to the traditional burger, while Simon (making his sixth Guest Burgermeister appearance) wanted to compare Landmarc’s burger to Ditch Plains’ no-frills burger. Rachel (making her Burger Weekly debut), a conservative burger-lover, decided to base her opinion of Ditch Plains on their standard burger as well.

The Waiter Culture at Ditch Plains is relaxed in appearance but professional in demeanor. The Burgermeisters’ waiter was a very helpful and informed gentleman. And while the Burgermeisters know this is standard practice at Murphy-run restaurants, they liked this waiter even more when he brought them taffy at the end of the meal. But that’s getting ahead of things; first the meal must be examined.

Not Pictured: Tots from Heaven.

The Taste: Rich, Matt, Simon and Rachel all had issues with the temperature at which their burgers were cooked. All four had slightly overdone patties, putting a bit of a damper on their meal. Brad’s burger was cooked perfectly, which he felt was a karmic reward for enduring an overcooked burger at Tavern on Jane.

Rich and Matt forgave their slightly overcooked patties, mostly because of the bun on the Big Marc. They felt that the black pepper and cheddar bun had a fuller flavor than the bun at Landmarc, and along with the bread & butter pickles and spiked ketchup (spiked with vodka and Sriracha) complimented the patty perfectly. Matt said that the flavor ran through this burger like blood in the veins of a healthy human.

Brad enjoyed his perfectly cooked burger and all that came with it, but felt that somehow the whole didn’t equal the sum of its parts. Maybe it was a romantic memory of the Landmarc burger the week before. Maybe it was the fact that the burger was a little smaller than he expected. Maybe it was the fact that enjoying the way bread & butter pickles tasted amongst the other ingredients made him feel weird about himself. He enjoyed it, but in the war between Murphy’s burgers he gave the win to Landmarc.

The Shy Hamburger.

Rachel said that her hamburger was good, but that it didn’t wow her. Simon called his burger a “meatloaf burger.” Brad and Matt had a hard time getting him to explain just what that meant, but he said it wasn’t a good thing.

The real star of the meal was the side that came along with the Big Marc – the jalapeno cheddar tater tots. Matt gave Simon and Rachel one tot to split, and regretted it moments later when he realized he was out of tots more quickly than Brad and Rich. He gave them his “Da Bomb” seal of approval. For their parts, Brad and Rich also fiended for more tots once they were finished with the spicy potato balls.

The Verdict: If for nothing else, every Little Meister should go to Ditch Plains to get their hands on the jalapeno cheddar tater tots. They were absolutely out of this world. Skip the regular burger and go for the Big Marc. It is an enjoyable meal, so all you Little Meisters should probably get it while it’s still available (Murphy has said it will be available for the foreseeable future).

Ditch Plains is located at 29 Bedford Street in Manhattan, New York.

Marc Murphy Burgers, West Village Burgers