Gotham Burger Social Club (Gotham Smash Pop-Up at Ray’s Bar)
LES, Rivington and Chrystie
This beautiful burger is the brainchild of Gotham Burger Social Club, (roving) home of the Gotham Smash Pop-Up, which I was lucky enough to stumble upon grilling it up (with a decent, respectfully socially-distanced crowd) outside of Ray’s Bar on a very sunny Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago.
I’m writing this post because it was probably the best burger I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t say I’m particularly burger-obsessed, but I’ve downed my fair share of burgers as an American who (as regularly as he can) attends BBQs and other outdoor grilling events (and likes the caveman-romantic notion of fire meets meat yielding something delicious and hand-held).
My advice: if you can find these folks, take advantage, and go for the double, which will run you a very reasonable $12.
What makes it so special? Process. They start off with round balls of raw hamburger meat. Then add a heaping helping of onions on top. They then apply a custom-made “burger press” (a giant hunk of metal with a handle and flat end) to smash the burgers down flat (yeah that’s where the name comes from). This lets them get super crispy on the grill (and cook pretty quickly). Add cheese, and double-up on the layers, and you have yourself the proper ratio of meaty thickness to crispy texture.
Truth be told, it reminds me of a gourmet, larger, White Castle burger. These folks have upped the ante, realizing the power of the thin-smashed burger for the sake of crispy texture, and the advantage doubling-up for the sake of 2x volume and 4x crispiness.
Anyway seriously, try these; you will be happy. They appear to move around a decent amount (rotating among a few spots), so your best bet is following them on Instagram @gothamburgersocialclub.
Here’s one last picture from the top:
