HungryHamptons: Bobby’s Burger Palace (Lake Grove, NY)

Jeff Zalaznick — July 10, 2009

Bobby Flay’s Crunchburger (Double, American Cheese, Potato Chips)

It’s not well-known, but Bobby Flay has a tri-state burger chain called Bobby’s Burger Palace (site) with a menu inspired by his travels. All but two burgers are named for American cities or regions. His Long Island outpost is a ten minute detour off the Long Island Expressway in Lake Grove’s Smith Haven Mall. As at any fast food joint, you order at a counter, but here food is brought to you in the dining room.

There are four BBP outposts: Smith Haven Mall (Lake Grove, NY), Monmouth Mall (Eatontown, NJ), Bergen Town Center (Paramus, NJ), and at Mohegan Sun (Uncasville, CT).

Restaurant: Bobby’s Burger Palace (view site)
Address: 355 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove, NY, 11755-1201 (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: B+
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Crunchburger, Miami-style

The most obvious choice is the Crunchburger (top, right), a double with American cheese and potato chips. The meat was a little overcooked but well-seasoned— overall a very good burger. Its presentation is amazing. This isn’t a couple of potato chips we’re talking about— this is about two to three inches of chips, which surprisingly, crunch down pretty nicely. Incidentally, all burgers can be “Crunchified,” a term Flay has trademarked.

In addition to the Crunchburger are the following:

Palace Classic Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion
Blue Burger Blue Cheese, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato
Dallas Burger Spice Crusted – Coleslaw, Monterey Jack, BBQ Sauce, Pickles
Philadelphia Burger Provolone Cheese, Griddled Onions, Hot Peppers
Buffalo Style Burger Red Hot Sauce, Blue Cheese Dressing, Watercress
Miami Burger Pressed with Ham, Swiss Cheese, Pickles, Mustard, Mayonnaise
Santa Fe Burger Queso Sauce, Pickled Jalapeños, Blue Corn Chips
L.A. Burger Avocado Relish, Watercress, Cheddar Cheese, Tomato
Napa Valley Burger Fresh Goat Cheese, Watercress, Meyer Lemon Honey Mustard

 

Burgers can be substituted with ground turkey (excellent) or chicken breast (boring). I loved the griddle-pressed, Miami Burger with Turkey (above), Flay’s take on a Cuban sandwich.

 

French fries were mediocre. Beer-battered Onion rings were soggy and not that special, although they passed my first test in that they stayed together (the onion string doesn’t come out). There are also several sauces. The Jalapeño hot sauce is excellent— it has a very strong Bobby Flay feeling to it, with great vinegary flavor and the perfect level of spice without being offensive. The other ones weren’t worth mentioning. There are some unique milkshake and malted flavors (Black & White, Blueberry-Pomegranate, Mango and Cola) and an interesting margarita, Frozen Cactus.

 

If you’re burgered out, BBP does a Grilled Cheese (disappointing because the cheese wasn’t fully melted), a Griddled Cheese Deluxe (brie, goat cheese, tomato and bacon) and the Topless Burger Salad, a burger on top of baby greens. Way to make to make a boring salad sound cool, Bobby.

 

As we’ve mentioned before, BBP is a great pit stop on the way out to the Hamptons. Just get off the LIE at exit 56, take NY-111 to NY-347 (Smithtown Bypass) and make a right into the Smith Haven Mall.