When I lived on 57th Street and 10th Avenue, I wasn’t wild about any of the restaurants in my immediate vicinity. For the two years that I lived there, there was an empty space three blocks down from me. Last year, White Oak opened in that space, bringing comfort food, oysters, beer and cocktails to a stretch of 10th Avenue that was in need of a fun place to eat and drink. So I took to White Oak the other day to try the burger by Chef Steven Del Lima.Burger Ordered: White Oak Angus Burger
The Taste: The burger came topped with cheddar cheese, candied bacon, LTO, spicy aioli, and a house-made ketchup on a brioche bun. Ketchup is incredibly contentious for me, and I am wary any time a restaurant dresses a burger with it. In general, I feel that if people want to put ketchup on their burger, it’s their business but they’re making a mistake, so it should always be on the side. There are other restaurants in Manhattan that serve ketchup on their burgers, some that are good and some that are not so good.
The White Oak Angus Burger holds its own. The ketchup on this burger, which is flavored with coffee and molasses, is probably superfluous, but it doesn’t take anything away from the meal. The spicy aioli is enough sauce for the burger, and it is quite good. The bacon and the bun really stand out as highlights here, as the bacon drops in a nice, smokey flavor while the brioche bun is perfectly toasted and conforms nicely to the rest of the sandwich.
Also of note are White Oak’s truffle fries. Don’t be alarmed by the $14 price tag; you will be served a veritable mountain of fries covered in mozzarella cheese, truffle oil, and prosciuto, alongside a delicious parmesan-peppercorn aioli. They’re incredible, but beware, there are enough fries here for four people, and if you eat too many you won’t have any room for your burger.
The Verdict: Go to White Oak with a group, because you’ll want to get those fries but you won’t want to eat so many that you can’t also enjoy the burger.
White Oak is located at 818 10th Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
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