Upper West Side + Hell’s Kitchen: Burger at 5 Napkin Burger Disappoints

So popular was the 5 Napkin burger at Upper West Side bistro, Nice Matin, that chef Andy D’Amico decided to dedicate an entire restaurant to this primo slab of chopped beef.  Last June, he opened 5 Napkin Burger in Hell’s Kitchen.

The initial reviews for the new meat-eaters emporium were mixed.  Sorry to say, the burger I sampled a couple of weeks ago apparently hasn’t improved much from the June version

As culinary historian Andy Smith, who has just penned a new tome, Hamburger: A Global History ,says, “burgers need to be juicy” to reach their level of perfection.  The one I bit into at 5 Napkin, though ordered medium rare, turned out dry and overcooked.  Needless to say, this is not OK at a join that  bills itself as a specialist in the art of preparing a great hamburger.

As for the comte that tops the burger, I’ll take mine with cheddar.  That cheese, with its tangy bite, is a better complement to meat than the unctuous comte.

Another disappointment—the rolls.  They’re soft and squishy and add nothing but tasteless bulk to the chopped meat sandwich.

Other offerings at this cheery bistro include a cheddar bacon burger, and Italian turkey burger with mozzarella and an Ahi tuna burger.  Sushi is served and there are also salads, including a chipotle beef concoction and one made with shrimp and watermelon.

What were first-rate were the fries.  Liquidy and sumptuous on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside, these were some of the best potato slivers I’ve ever chomped down on.

A slice of blackout cake for dessert was as dry as kindling.  Where’s Ebbinger’s when we need it?

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