I'm no food critic—just a fashion girl who loves a good piece of red meat. Not one to let an opportunity pass me by, I created this column as an excuse to eat burgers while wearing jewelry on a regular basis and tell you about my favorites. Welcome to Burgers N' Bling—accessory features with a side of beef.
SPICY JALAPEÑO BURGER @ BILL'S BAR & BURGER, $10
85 West Street, New York, NY 10006
Pepperjack is an extremely underrated cheese. Zestier than cheddar and classier than nacho cheese, pepperjack deserves to be more than just the most overlooked cheese at the deli. Who the hell is handling the PR for pepperjack? Someone bring in the people behind those "PORK: The Other White Meat" and the "got milk?" commercials STAT before it disappears from our lives forever. But there's hope. Some people, namely the chefs at Bill's Bar & Burger, have taken notice of this dairy underdog and served it up in the best way imaginable—melted on a Pat LaFrieda beef patty and covered with jalapeños. Crisp, spicy (with a little extra fire from chipotle aioli sauce), and deliciously juicy, the Spicy Jalapeño Burger is a must-try for any adventurous beef lover—and don't forget the cheese fries.
Spicy Jalapeño Burger by Bill's Bar & Burger: roasted hatch chile and jalapeño, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, chipotle aioli
And because another burger on the menu, the Fat Cat, caught my eye with its "CNN Top 10 Burger Award" credential, we went ahead and ordered round two...
FAT CAT @ BILL'S BAR & BURGER, $11
85 West Street, New York, NY 10006
Boasted as one of the best burgers not only in NYC but in the entire country, I knew I had to try Bill's famous Fat Cat, particularly because its brief menu description already summed up my idea of the perfect burger. Served on an english muffin (my choice bun due to its petite size that allows one to focus on the savory fillings), the Fat Cat is just that—meat heavy and melty. Not one but two Pat LaFrieda patties are covered in gooey American cheese and caramelized onions, in a way where there's little need for condiments (and I'm usually a ketchup or die kind of girl). In fact, you don't even need the standard garnishes of lettuce, tomato, and pickles that come with it—with this kind of meat and cheese, the Fat Cat definitely punches above its weight.
Fat Cat by Bill's Bar & Burger: caramelized onion, american cheese, english muffin, ltp
[Photos by Christina Mannino]
