The Experience: Sorry for the extra bright photos in this post, but we at Burger Weekly are positively BEAMING over our burger night at Harlem Public. In my ongoing quest to eat burgers in the previously untasted (by me) neighborhood, I went with the most recommended place in Harlem. I gathered a crew for a Saturday night Burger Adventure, and it just so happened that we arrived during their Oktoberfest celebration. Harlem Public is a mid-sized joint, and a great place for such an occasion. The waiters, in their lederhosen and hats, got us seated quickly even though the place was crowded. Points already.
Burgers Ordered: The Public’s Burger, Peanut Butter Burger, BBQ Pork Burger, and Sourdough Parmesan Crusted Burger
The Taste: Simon’s BBQ Pork Burger was a journey in both deliciousness and structural problems. The branded bun was not enough to hold barbecue pork butt, coleslaw, and onion rings that topped it. Most of the meal ended up being eaten with a fork. However, though unruly, this burger’s taste could not be denied. The pork butt was tender, and the sauce on it sweet. The onion rings added a nice touch as well. The slaw on top was also very good, and mayonnaise-based.
The Peanut Butter Burger comes topped with its namesake, thick brown sugar bacon, and New York State cheddar cheese. It was called one of the best burgers eaten by Burgermeister Lindsay. She said that the sweet saltiness of the peanut butter went well with the salty greasiness of the bacon. The burger itself was moist and well seasoned. The bun held up well through the whole burger eating process and was nicely toasted.
The Public’s Burger is a build-your-own option. Alison, our BYO experimenter, went with bacon and avocado. Maybe it was the rabbit food that comes with the standard Public’s Burger, or maybe it was just bad luck, but this particular burger was rather soggy all around. The bacon, the bun, and the fries all dripped heavily with grease no less than a minute after the meal was set on the table. The avocado and the patty were tasty, but this particular burger was a bit of a letdown.
On the other hand, the Sourdough Parmesan Crusted Burger that I personally dined upon was delicious, and tasted unlike any burger I’ve had before. The namesake bread was insane. After eating this meal I’ve begun to think that every carb imaginable should be Parmesan crusted. The patty was delicious, and the mayo added just the right zest. There was an abundance of rabbit food, but I understood what they were going for. My only gripe is that the bread was far larger than the already large patty, but such is the nature of such a combination.
The Verdict: One disappointing burger does not a bad outing make, and three outstanding burgers make Harlem Public a must-try burger joint. Get a group together and try all of their signature burgers. And someone please let us know what you think of the ones we missed during our Burger Adventure.
Harlem Public is located at 3612 Broadway in Harlem, New York.
