The Experience: A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Red Hook and ate the burger at Grindhaus. It was great. Great enough that it earned a spot on my best of list for 2015. Grindhaus gets their meat from Fleishers Craft Butchery, so it should come as no surprised that when I was invited to visit their new shop in Greenwich, I jumped at the opportunity. I jumped especially high when I was told that the shop has a burger menu, and that I’d be feasting on a few.
The shop, which is in the neighborhood of Cos Cob, is about as cute as the neighborhood itself. A perfect day trip escape from the city, the train ride is only an hour and the walk from the train station is short and picturesque. The space is bright and clean and filled with more beef than you can fathom. Meat-geeks like myself will have their brains scrambled by the sights and smells.
Burgers Ordered: The Classic Burger, the Bacon Egg and Cheeseburger, the Pork Bánh Mì Burger, and the Lamb Burger.
The Taste: The meal started with a classic cheeseburger, which gave me the opportunity to taste Fleishers ground beef without too many distractions. That is, except for a side of wedge fries, which were wonderful. From there, the pork and lamb burgers were served at the same time. The Bánh Mì Burger was another great example of an Eastern influenced burger that doesn’t go too far and alienate Western palates. The pickled toppings were distinct but not jarring. But it’s the Lamb Burger that I really want to focus on in this review.
Left to right: The Classic Cheeseburger, the Pork Bánh Mì Burger, and the Lamb Burger.
My hot take was that the Lamb Burger at Fleischers was the best of its kind that I have ever eaten. Given a deep search into my soul, that claim might turn out to be hasty, but as of this writing I cannot think of a ground lamb patty that I want to revisit more. “This burger tastes like a nap,” was my instinctual declaration after the first bite, as I felt warm all over and cozy enough to sleep in a strange place after tasting it. The patty was tender, with an unmistakable lamb flavor that didn’t make my taste buds twitch the way gamey meat often does. The minty, cilantro yogurt combined perfectly with the diced cucumbers, and the bun never wavered even as the moist elements of the burgers swam everywhere.
The meal was capped off by an interesting breakfast burger. Called a Bacon Egg and Cheeseburger, the bacon here was actually ground into the patty. Egg, cheddar, and jalapeño blanketed the burger, while the aioli and bun balanced the incredibly savory pieces with a nice sweetness.
The Verdict: What a feast! This place is perfect for a little getaway from the city, and a must-visit for folks in the Greenwich area.
Fleishers Craft Butchery is located at 160 East Putnam Avenue in Cos Cob, Connecticut.
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