Richard C.'s Profile

What makes a great burger? It's not a big secret, most restaurant dishes, especially of the comfort food variety, succeed because they are not shy with salt or fat. Burgers are no exception; season aggressively and don't skimp on the fat and you're off to a delicious start. Burgers aren't a diet food, better stick with the salad if you want something healthier, the ideal burger shouldn't be good for you. Which isn't to say the burgers at JM Curley are overly greasy or salty, it isn't, although it is in fact, a strong contender for one of my new favorites in Boston.

An interesting menu with burgers that change depending on when you come in, the 5 oz. Griddled Burger is featured on the lunch menu, the larger 9 oz. Char-Grilled burger available at dinner, and both offered on the late night menu. It's up to you how creative you want to get with your toppings, (Peanut Butter, Spinach Spread, Duck Confit, etc.) but the house burger (Griddled or Grilled) is a fairly traditional patty topped with Grilled Onions, Cheddar, Pop's Russian Dressing and Pickles. It's straight-forward and simple, or rather uncomplicated, and that's what makes it delicious. I'm a burger purist and this is a burger I've been waiting for; great beef, nothing pretentious and just good without tripping on its own two feet, and the option is there if you want to go a little crazy. Priced at $7.50 and $14, respectively, this is a rare case of my preference towards the Grilled Burger. The Griddled is very good, juicy and a touch pink, it's slightly less beefy perhaps because it's just that much smaller. The Grilled Burger, however, really shines. Using beef from Kinnealey was a wise choice; it's the best in town and it's showcased at JM Curley, that and a very generous amount of Beef Suet make this one of the beefiest burgers in town. All nestled into a Piantedosi Bun, another adequate decision, and it's a winner all around, the bun fitting the burger nicely and not becoming a distraction that plagues many buns.

The fries are just about perfect, beautifully crispy and aggressively salty in that great way that makes a delicious Fry, the Shoestring are a better choice than the drier and blander Wedge option. The Grilled Burger is cooked the way I order it; medium rare, naturally, and it's rosy red from edge to edge. The juices in this burger are consistent throughout completion of eating the sandwich, and it's a beautiful mess. Some burgers are nice because the juices are contained within the patty, but here it's a combination of both sustained and fallen juices onto the plate and over my arm. You'd be hard pressed to find a beefier and better tasting burger, while not a complete original thought, I don't see the need to be unique with this burger, you just need a good design and the right execution, and luckily JM Curley is successful all around.

Unless you ditch the notion that a burger has to taste, look or feel a certain way, you're missing the point. It doesn't make a difference if it's big, small, grilled or griddled, the only thing that's important is that it tastes good. After all, isn't that really what we're judging?  A heftier price tag may make you think twice, but if it's $20 and it's incredible, who really cares? Lucky for you, the burger at Abigail's costs a mere $9, ($13 if you want to "double down" with an extra patty) and is a satisfying, unpretentious offering. Clearly a lot of thought went into this burger, but they weren't foolish into trying to gussy up a classic burger. No, it's not Shake Shack or In-N-Out, but it is a successful, thin burger that is more akin to a Big Mac than anything else. But that's not its downfall, it's more a testament to its attributes.

I suppose if Big Mac's or fast-food burgers aren't your thing, this may not be the burger for you. Topped with a special sauce, iceberg lettuce and American Cheese, it's eerily similar to the Golden Arches classic,  but in the best way possible. While everyone else in Boston is trying to put their stamp on the gourmet burger, it's refreshing to see a place like Abigail's take a chance with an underdog. It's not without flaws, however, and although it is comforting, it's hardly slapping you in the face with beef. The slim burger has flecks of pink throughout, and has a good attack of juices, and is a far cry from the greasiness that is the downfall of other burgers of its kind. The melted American cheese brings adequate creaminess to the sandwich, and the cooling special sauce (basically a Thousand Island type spread) balances it all out. The choice of a Martin's Potato Roll is no accident, it works perfectly for a burger of this size for obvious reasons; it's soft, not too squishy and has enough structure to fit the patty and not fall apart. But the burger is mostly understated; it's delicious in its own way, but nothing is over-the-top and it almost leaves you wanting more. Doubling down with an extra patty seems to do the trick, as is the case with any burger, more beef makes everything better. It's a neat little package, contained and flavorful, it's hardly messy but it hardly matters. The lack of a good crust on the surface of the burger was a minor letdown, as any caramelization could have gone a long way. The hand-cut fries are good and crispy with a soft and fluffy inside, although the crispiness is fleeting, eat 'em quickly or you run the risk of a less than perfect fry, but eating them fast shouldn't be an issue.

Overall the burger is solid, it won't blow you away but it certainly does't make you wish you had some massive pile of over-cooked beef on a stale Brioche bun either. It's a great version of what it is, nothing new or ground-breaking, just good, and that's all that matters to me.

Sometimes all I want is a normal burger; but the line between simple and boring can be hard to detect. It's not difficult to go from promising to adequate to disappointing. But, many past burger successes has been attributed to keeping it low-key, nailing the beef and letting the supporting cast do what they do best. The burger on the menu at Blue on Highland in Needham is fairly straightforward, and after cooking for some of our clients in the neighborhood, lunch was in order. I pretty much had zero expectations prior, but sometimes that's when I end up pleasantly surprised.

Nestled into a soft, Kaiser type roll, the roughly half pound burger fits the bun accordingly. Fully melted cheddar is a nice surprise, as it encompasses most of the surface of the patty. Although cooked a few shades past medium-rare, the meat is juicy but has that optimal feature that actually keeps the juices inside the burger and not gushing all over the plate. It has an average crust but is very well seasoned, as bits of salt tickle my taste buds and overall it has a commendable, if not over-the-top beefiness to it. The fries work and don't work all at the same time. Upgrading to Truffle Parmesan Fries (an extra $2), they were a little under-seasoned despite being covered in an obscene amount of Parmesan. Ultimately though it's the choice of the pre-grated, kinda phony Parmesan that is its undoing, devoid of the authentic good stuff, all it needed was actual salt to make it more enjoyable. Also absent was the promised truffle flavor, which seemed to be missing from the fries themselves, instead barely making their way into a creamy, yet lackluster mayo-based dipping sauce.

Reminiscent of some of my favorite burgers in the city, Highland Kitchen and Miracle of Science as examples, the Blue on Highland burger is a fine option. Forget about the suburban burger versus the city burger, this is a very solid and very good burger no matter the location, and one I would happily return to.

I'm done with expectations, the next time I hear great things about a supposed great burger I'm going to ignore it. The problem with mostly eating burgers is that in the case of a higher end restaurant, the burger is a perfect barometer to judge any future meals at the same establishment. Fair or unfair, if they can't properly cook a burger, what hopes do they have to cook any other dish? Served only at the bar, the Bergamot burger is rumored to be a beef blend consisting of marrow and brisket, but it was so salty and cooked so poorly I could have been eating a turkey burger. Ironically, we waited close to an hour for what was promised to be a very thin, medium cooked, and incredibly juicy burger. For such a slim patty, which should have taken mere moments to cook, the wait was far too long, but that's what happens when you're banished to the bar, our backs turned to the rest of the dining room.

The bartender described our burger as being "similar to In-N-Out," and would be one of the juiciest burgers we'd ever have. Quite the build-up, too bad it couldn't deliver. What we (finally) received was a pencil thin patty topped with far too many greens that were beyond overdressed, and all sandwiched between a house-made Milk Bun that easily weighed over a pound on its own. The burger was seemingly rushed, despite us waiting for far too long, it had no sear, no crust and was basically raw in the middle. The only flavors to come through were salt and salad dressing. Yes, salad dressing, as the overdressed greens became an overdressed burger, and a pool of vinegar and oil camped out on the corner of my plate. Juiciness? Not a chance, but greasiness? Absolutely.

The bun is a borderline disaster, I guess I can appreciate the homemade approach, but it tastes like a stale biscuit, and is at least ten times too big for the paltry burger. A tomato-bacon aioli is promised, as is cheese, but neither can stand up to the massive bun, and the oily/salty burger. French Fries are once again in the McDonald's mold, which are very satisfying and well seasoned, if not, once again, very uninspired. Needless to say this burger just didn't do it for me, and for $12 it was completely unremarkable and fairly unpleasant. Another poor burger mixed in with potential chef greatness, although it might be tough to convince me to come back.

Check it out!

I receive burger recommendations from people everywhere I turn, and my parents are no exception. Being  a natural born cynic, if it's a restaurant I've never heard of or there's very little buzz about, I'm hardly in a rush to go there. After being pushed for months to check out Bocca Bella, I finally ventured back to my Newton roots to see what all the fuss was about. Billed as a "Cafe and Bisto," the lunch menu is dominated by sandwiches while the ever-changing dinner menu is predominantly Italian influenced. And there sits the mighty hamburger, once again a mere pawn in the dinner game, overshadowed by heartier fare and almost to the point of being off-menu, aka not the focus. But why should the burger be the focus, aside from being delicious, the burger isn't exactly sophisticated. Sure, upscale options abound on menu's all over, from the fancy to the faux fancy, like a cold sore, the burger is always there and not always so easy to get rid of.

Even though I am largely a food snob, I can generally tell what I'm in for ahead of time. The Bocca Bella burger is pretty indicative of any suburban burger in a non-typical burger environment. Charming in its own way, the under twenty seat establishment boasts an open kitchen, complete with a singing chef/owner who can't help but put a smile on your face. The Angus burger is listed as 10 oz, but feels more like a half pound beast at best. The cheddar cheese is melted and the grilled onions are bitter and sweet, fairly traditional flavors that work in their favor. The meat boasts a couple of paltry grill marks, and the non-crusted exterior is one strike against it. But inside the meat is modestly flavorful, not punching me in the mouth with beefiness, but actually cooked to medium-rare and pleasantly juicy. Something the higher end places only wish they could do. I guess that's the funny thing, this bashful burger is cooked the way it is supposed to be (at least on the inside) and yet the supposed "best" restaurants in the city can't even claim that sentiment. Maybe that's only funny to me, but the irony shouldn't be lost on you either.

A Kaiser Roll is used as the bun, and it works, as the patty is long and tall enough to snugly fit into the bread vessel. Unfortunately no fries come with the burger, instead you'll only receive a bag of Sun Chips (I kid you not) to accompany your burger. There's certainly nothing flashy about this burger and it shows. But for $8.50 it's at least cooked to temperature and is juicier than most I've had. Hard to say it's worth a return visit, but for a little hole in the wall in the Auburndale section of Newton, it gets the job done.

Beware the gourmet burger they say, expensive burgers can't be trusted. If people start talking about a burger, there's probably a reason for it, although in the case of Towne, most of the chatter seems to have vanished after a hot start. Priced at $16, I've somehow avoided this burger for months, but like most things, this was worth the wait. To make the upper tier, you must nail execution, flavor, and offer something that other burgers can't. Ironically labeled the "Deluxe All-American Bacon Burger," it's all about the meat, but for the gourmet crowd it should go without saying. How premium the entire package is and how much value is attributed to a hefty price tag is the question.

A unique blend of Short Rib and Skirt Steak is used, which is about as fatty as you can get, probably why I liked it so much. The beef has a superior crust and very generous seasoning, funky enough to be different but not too far from the norm to sway any burger enthusiast. It's requested on the menu that you order it rare, which I do, and for the most part it's cooked properly. Certainly far from rare as the patty reaches the outer edges, the middle of the burger is perfectly rare without going into raw territory. Perfectly hand-formed and thus loosely packed, the meat sings with robust flavor in each bite. A curious sweet chili sauce tops the burger, not much more than a glorified ketchup that seems out of place, distracting from the meaty patty, the sweetness is a mere distraction. Melted cheddar and bacon round out the burger, the cheddar almost an afterthought, and the crispy bacon offering texture but little flavor. The bun is sort of a Brioche/Kaiser Roll hybrid and it works; slightly sweet and almost too large, it supports the massive patty and all its juiciness.  Very ordinary fries are almost a bore, especially after the delicious burger, they are very hollow and taste nothing like potato, albeit seasoned very nicely.

Towne boasts a burger that is to be reckoned with, it's all about the beef and rightfully so. The meat is exciting, different and wonderful, and as a complete package, it at least deserves any mention to hang with Boston's best. It's the same predicament as past burgers; expensive, and hard to justify too many return visits. Less delicious than the burger across the street at Back Bay Social Club, but $6 cheaper. Not as news-worthy as Radius, but definitely beefier. It's absolutely in the running, and worthy of a closer look by burger enthusiasts everywhere.

If you're going to talk the talk you'd better be able to walk the walk, and the Dry-Aged burger at Met Back Bay clearly has issues walking and talking at the same time. The epitome of a burger that sounds really friggin' good on paper  (Dr-Aged beef, sharp cheddar, double smoked bacon, port wine onions, organic sesame seed bun) but is a colossal disappointment. There's no debate that a higher price tag has to yield higher expectations and the opportunity for more critiques. It's not nitpicking, that's just the way it is, and this burger, priced at $18, fails in just about every aspect.

First and foremost, the promised Dry-Aged beef is frustratingly ordinary, how this costs $7 more than the straight up Prime Blend is beyond me. It tastes like no Dry-Aged meat I've ever had, instead feeling more like it was taken off of the scrap heap. It's also over-cooked, calling it medium would be generous (it's more like a medium-well) despite my ordering it medium-rare. Hard to defend this one, it's sometimes forgivable if the flavor is still there, but for the price tag and the fact that they have an entire menu focused on burgers, it's a tough one to overlook. Unfortunately there is very little flavor to speak of; dry, un-seared, and boring, the burger deserves more. The double smoked bacon is crispy but devoid of any serious smoke, fat or flavor, and the onions are watery and have no hint of the promised Port. I could care less if my bun is organic or not, but I do care if it's dry and seemingly stale. The skin-on Fries are borderline passable, with an oily interior and not enough salt, there was probably less than a dozen of them in the small basket it is served in.

It's an egregious burger for $18, over-cooked and bland, the suggestion of superior meat is an insult. Don't fall for the burger that over-promises, because it's most likely going to let you down. But don't think I'm mincing words; this has nothing to do with expectations or having higher hopes, the Met burger was lousy, on my one and only visit, fair or unfair that's what I have to judge.

The only good thing to come out of my experience at Kingston Station was my first experience using Level Up, I was surprised at the ease to which I was able to pay via my new favorite App, and even more surprised when I scanned through the numerous locations I had the option of checking out. Kingston Station had been on my short list for some time, and I eagerly ventured there with the promise of an exceptional burger. Maybe that was my first mistake; it's unfair to rule out a place based on vibe and service, but suffice to say the lackluster service and rugged atmosphere were the first hint of a dull burger to come. Dull can sometimes be spun into "classic," sometimes it's all you want for a burger, and generally what I covet most. Ordinary wasn't even the real problem here, with so many fundamental errors it's hard to even imagine how this burger is so beloved, and for $15 it was even more egregious. An off day? Please, this one offered almost no hope.

If you could handpick all the traditional errors on any given day for any given burger, this would be the one. Stale Bun? Check. Over-cooked, terribly under-seasoned beef? Check. Giant piece of flavorless Iceberg lettuce? Check. Over-cooked, stale and salt-less fries? Check. Rubbery bacon? Check. What more would you like to know? Usually a couple of tweaks (ie salt and pepper) can cure most burger ailments, but the burger at Kingston Station offered no hint of future satisfaction. The bun, half frozen and crumbly, was the first error, and paired with very bland beef with barely any juiciness to it, I knew this was going to be a hard one to recover from. The fries were interesting, seemingly crispy at first, they just became harder and harder throughout the meal. They reminded me of those rolls at Bertucci's, kind of good at the start of a meal, then rock hard by the end. Easy to decipher, the fries were obviously previously cooked and re-fried, or worse, re-warmed.

I almost don't feel like wasting a ton of time on this review, was this a complete anomaly? Is the Kingston Station burger supposed to be great or was I misinformed? An uncommon time that I didn't even bother to finish my burger or my fries, I might have to come back just to confirm that I'm not completely crazy. It may look sexy, but this was a big, big letdown.

Much loved by unsuspecting co-eds, much loathed by everyone else, The Sunset Grill boasts one of the most extensive beer lists anywhere in Boston, while serving some of the most mediocre food in town. It's hell on earth with a good beer selection. I suppose most people don't come here to eat, and it's hard to argue with the overwhelming options of imbibery. The burgers are steamed in beer, self-described as "famous" to "preserve its optimal flavor and juices." But if you start with mundane ground sirloin you're probably going to end up with mundane sirloin, no matter how much beer you steam it in. Luckily, the burgers are relatively cheap; $6 will get you a hamburger, but why stop there, most add-on's are around $1, and the fries come a la carte for another $2. Still in the under $10 category, although I'm not so sure that makes much of a difference here.

A rather bland, but very massive half pound burger arrives on a quasi-sweet bun, but it all feels too heavy. The meat is packed too tight, the bun is thick and overly substantial, there's a heavy hand on too many of the ingredients, just not on the seasoning. It's over-cooked but it's nothing criminal, it isn't exactly gushing with moisture, but it's far from dry either. It's just another run-of-the-mill burger, akin to an Applebee's and the like, wanting to be so much more than it actually is. Not every burger can be great, and The Sunset Grill is banking on inexperienced college kids hoping for a massive upgrade to the fast food that is unfortunately the norm. But the bacon is past its prime and chewy, and the curly fries are barely warmed and an insult to even be categorized as fries. They are bland, soggy and unpleasant all at the same time. Hey, at least they melted the cheese, something their burger contemporaries at other higher priced, classier restaurants can't even do. Still, it's hard to get past the tawdry interior, and what always ends up feeling like a cheap thrill; lots of beer, enormous menu and large portions to match. The food is an afterthought at The Sunset Grill, and it shows.