AlwaysLearning: Are Critics Important?

The Gluttoness — October 08, 2009

From left: Danny Meyer, Lee Schrager, Mimi Sheraton, Jean-Luc Naret, Jean-Georges and Kate Krader.

On Tuesday, in honor of the 2010 New York City Michelin Guide, Danny Meyer, Lee Schrager, Mimi Sheraton, Jean-Luc Naret (director of the Michelin Guide), Jean-Georges and Kate Krader gathered at the Borders in the Time Warner Center for a discussion about the state of restaurant criticism. Moderator Mike Colameco’s first question didn’t mince words: do critics matter?

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AlwaysInvestigating: Burger Square-Off (Philly vs. New York)

The Gluttoness — October 06, 2009

SquareBurger’s Classic Hamburger.

Restaurant: SquareBurger
Address: 200 N 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (map)
Hours: Through October 31st, Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm; Sat-Sun 11am-7pm.
AlwaysHungry Grade: A
AlwaysHungry Recommends: SquareBurger, The Cake Shake, Classic French Fries

The proliferation of Philadelphia’s restaurant scene can be partly attributed to Stephen Starr. After tackling New York City and Atlantic City, he seems to have found himself back in the City of Brotherly Love. As his empire grows to encompass everything from soul food to steakhouses, he unabashedly draws inspiration from his most revered peers. His recent venture, Parc, a French bistro on Rittenhouse Square, is an obvious interpretation of Keith McNally’s Pastis or Balthazar. Starr openly toured the top pizzerias in New York and New Haven for his own Neapolitan pizza joint, Stella. This summer, in an obvious replication of Danny Meyer’s celebrated Shake Shack, he opened SquareBurger (view), a burger stand in Philadelphia’s Franklin Square just off I-95.

The small SquareBurger shack is nearby the Franklin Square Fountain.

SquareBurger is next to a beautiful fountain, but it’s in an area devoid of local foot traffic, which may explain why there were only five people there on a sunny Saturday. While there are differences between Shake Shack and SquareBurger, both pay their due to burgers and frozen sweets. Ultimately, it comes down to a direct comparison between Starr’s Classic Cheeseburger and Meyer’s ShackBurger, between a SquareBurger’s Classic Shake and Shake Shack’s Hand-Spun Shakes and Concretes. The question is, can Starr top Meyer?

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AlwaysHungryNY: Citi Field Fare

The Gluttoness — April 15, 2009

What a beautiful sight. It’s opening day at CitiField, and a famished, possibly drunken, New York Mets fan happily gnaws on a juicy spare rib. Not any spare rib. A Blue Smoke Spare Rib. In the footsteps of groundbreaking-ly gourmet sporting arenas like Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, the Mets’ new stadium has stepped up its game in terms of cuisine. Center field, in particular, houses some of the best bites, while the beauty of Blue Smoke and Shake Shack under one roof is a dream come true for bona fide meat-etarians. Ribs and burgers are only the beginning, as a night at CitiField is just as much about dinner as it is about baseball.

Aside from the succulent Spare Ribs ($10), the CitiField outpost of Blue Smoke is also serving up their smoky Chipotle Chicken Wings ($8) and a hearty Pulled Pork Sandwich ($9). Served on a brioche bun and topped with barbecue sauce and sliced pickles, the slow-smoked pulled pork is fantastically fatty and juicy. Good thing center field is equipped with standing bar tables and picnic seats since Blue Smoke’s messy meats require a little bit of elbow room and a lot of napkins.

The only reason one would opt for Box Frites’ thick-cut Idaho Frites over Shake Shake’s crinkle-cut taters is the array of savory sauces. Both small ($6.50) and large ($7.50) sized boxes come with one sauce for starters. Choices of condiment include Ballpark Mayo, Manzanilla Olive & Pepperoncini, Smokey Bacon, Chipotle & Garlic or Blue Cheese. AlwaysHungryNY diners should (naturally) opt for the whole shebang and combine dips for the ultimate effect.

Even with a slew of alternative vendors, Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack still manages to have the longest lines of them all—even David Wright’s grand slam didn’t deter serious eaters. All the staples are present, from Shack Burgers, to French Fries, to Milkshakes and Frozen Custard. In an effort to compete with Nathan’s, the Shack-Cago Dog, New York Dog and Bird Dog have come to CitiField as well, the latter offering a white-meat alternative for hot dog lovers.

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Danny Meyer’s Chicken Soup for the Soul

The Hungry Goat — March 06, 2009

For Danny Meyer’s “Chicken Soup” initiative, the restaurateur has challenged the chefs at his esteemed restaurants (save Shake Shack) to come up with their own spin on classic Chicken Soup. For every bowl that is sold during this promotion, which lasts through March 31st, $2 will be donated to City Harvest. The truth is, in these difficult times, a comforting bowl of chicken soup might benefit the diner just as much as the charity. Especially when the soups in question feature ingredients like sweetbreads, black truffles, and ricotta dumplings.

I took to the streets in the name of culinary benevolence to see how Meyer’s restaurants were interpreting this simple dish. What I found were five very different, very delicious, interpretations of chicken soup, each a reflection of the restaurant and the chef.

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AlwaysInformed: Danny Meyer Wants to Take You Out to the Ball Game

The Hungry Goat — July 09, 2008

Calling all Mets’ fans: if ballpark franks and ice cream served in a plastic baseball cap don’t quite measure up to your dining standards, then Danny Meyer has a solution for you. The renowned chef and restaurateur has announced that his company, the Union Square Hospitality Group, will be teaming up with ARAMARK and The Mets to provide fans with game-time grub from some of his most popular establishments. According to a press release, Citi Field will be home to new Shake Shack and Blue Smoke outposts, in addition to a taqueria and a Belgian fries concept. The USHG will also play a role in sprucing up the Sterling Club, which will now feature a casual cafe and market, a more formal dining lounge, and a bar complete with an impressive selection of international wines and specialty brews.