Good Enough for the Mayor.
Before we get to the review, please check out our YouTube channel. Most recently the Burgermeisters visited the Big Cheesy grilled cheese tasting. It was delicious and hilarious. We will be doing a lot more BurgerVlogging coming up, and have a few other surprises in store as well. Thanks for checking it out! On to Old Town!
Burgers Ordered: Brad – The Mayor’s Choice
The Experience: Every once in a while the review of a Burger Adventure will slip through the cracks. A burger will be devoured, photos and notes will be taken and a fantastic time may be had by all, and yet somehow the review will collect dust for months at a time. Old Town’s Mayor’s Choice Burger fell victim to this scheduling error. However, in the interest of letting every Little Meister know in as much detail as possible about every burger in New York City, the Burgermeisters are doing their best to illustrate the deliciousness of this hamburger triumph.
Hardcore Little Meisters who have followed us since our inception will remember a debate the Burgermeisters ignited through our Facebook page about whether a gimmicky burger, like the ones eaten at Motherburger, could ever be as good a traditional hamburger with traditional fixins. The question arose on a date that Brad went on immediately following his Motherburger Adventure in which Brad was gently accosted for comparing a Nacho Burger to the more traditional hamburgers that had preceded it on the blog. When pressed for her idea of a great burger, Old Town was the quick reply.
Brad didn’t get around to going to Old Town for about two months, and when he arrived he had no intention of eating the burger there. He was meeting a few friends the night before Halloween and his partner in burger-love was nowhere to be found. But as the night wore on Brad lost track of the amount of drinks imbibed, due mostly to the distracting costume-wearing patrons that came and went from the bar. It became clear that he needed something to eat. As he perused the menu a voice in the back of his head reminded him that Old Town had a fantastic burger. He tried resisting the urge, but it became greater and greater. Why was “the Mayor’s Choice” so appealing to him? Why did he feel like he had to have it. When it dawned on him that this was the traditional burger that spawned the Great Burger Discussion, he decided that he’d have to eat this burger solo and hope that Matt would forgive him.
Cheese Drizzle Brilliance
The Taste: There’s some story about why Old Town’s burger is called “The Mayor’s Choice” but Brad long since forgot it and neither he nor Matt were able to figure it out on short notice, even with Google’s help. In the end the story is less important than the taste of the burger. The first thing Brad noticed by sight and by taste was the sheer amount of American cheese oozing over his meal. The cheese was delicious, and complimented in texture by the medium sliced pickle chips that topped it.
The patty was grilled medium rare, and was juicy but did not make a mess. Brad was still in his Rabbit Food-free stage, so the lettuce and tomato were left off of the burger. What wasn’t left off was a healthy portion of mayonnaise and ketchup for both the burger and the delicious french fries. If he had it to do over again Brad probably would have taken it easier with the condiments, but in his less-than-sober state there was no stopping him.
The Verdict: Though eating a burger while others dine on grilled cheeses and nacho chips is a lonely experience for a Burgermeister like Brad, he has fond memories of the taste of “the Mayor’s Choice.” Old Town might not come to mind immediately for burger enthusiasts, but the Burgermeisters hope that this review might change that for some.
Old Town is located at 45 Eeast 18th Street between Broadway & Park Avenue.
