Tutu’s is a hip looking restaurant bar in Bushwick. Looks like a cool place for outdoor brunch in the summer. I went after work one night, during Happy Hour (which is until 8pm). Seemed like I should partake in the Burger and Beer Happy Hour deal $10, but went with what sounded really good to me –Braised Lamb Shank. It was just meh. Not worth $24 to me.
So then I ordered the Burger and Beer special $10, because fuck it. That’s a good deal and a pretty darn good burger. Just needed a little salt. But really good.
Tutu’s – 25 Bogart St (between Varet St & Rock St) Brooklyn, NY 11206
I came here really to just watch football, but ended up ordering the Bone Marrow Burger. It is freakin good. Buttery, rich. Probably ranks up there among some of the best burgers I’ve eaten, like at Fritzl’s. It does get a little messy because of the greasy goodness getting all over your hands, but it’s worth it.
Also look at this photo I took that Google decided to Googlefy for me. I never asked. Looks pretty cool. I assume they have some sort of algorithm that figures out if the composition is good and how to make it more creative/artistic. It’s interesting. I hope some day Google will just do everything for me. Who knows if I even took this photo. Maybe Google did it.
I’m happy to have Tio Wally (long-time Me So Hungry reader) aboard to send in his eating adventures from across America. Here he is in Richland, Washington.
A recent YouGov survey found Burger King and Five Guys Burgers and Fries tied for “Best Burger.†Am I missing something? Methinks the BK crowd has never been to a Five Guys.
My daughter once described Five Guys as “The Subway of … wait, that’s a bad comparison. They’re the Quiznos … no, wait. You get to choose whatever you want on your burger. So they’re kind of like Chipotle but it’s burgers instead of burritos. They’re my favorite.â€
With that in mind I went and met Five Guys and their burgers. And they are awesome. A little pricey but awesome. I loved it so much I had to go back again — I was actually jonesin’ for a FGs burger and I’m not a burger guy — with the kids (daughter, son-in-law and grandson) in tow for another fix.
She nailed the quintessence of the place with the selection aspect. There are 15 different options to put on your burger. It could conceivably take you some time to decide exactly what you want. That may be why FGs provides free salted in-the-shell peanuts to fiddle with while you figure it out. I thought that was a great touch because, well, I really like places classy enough to have peanut shells on the floor.
Once you opt your options your burger is made to order. When your burger is finished they put it on a square piece of aluminum foil (a wee bit of aluminium wrap if you’re from the Commonwealth), fold it diagonally corner-to-corner, then corner-to-corner again, give it a spin and, voilà , your burger is encased in what now roughly resembles a metal cylinder worthy of the prop shop for Plan 9 From Outer Space.
I ordered a regular Cheeseburger ($6.49), with mustard, ketchup, mayo, tomato, onion and grilled mushrooms. The older kids ordered Little Bacon Cheeseburgers ($5.79) with various fixins, and regular drinks ($2.19) they got from a high-tech sugar-water dispenser. We also got a regular order of fries ($3.49).
When ordering at Five Guys one needs to know basic things. For example, a regular burger is a double burger; the “little†is a single patty. And a regular size fry will feed three adults.
The fries are great. Skin-on, fried in peanut oil. That they’re served in a paper bag is a nice touch as it soaks up any excess oil. Five Guys may take great pride in their fries. They are great! They even have a sign on the wall informing you where that day’s spuds came from. (The aforementioned survey had McDouches, er, McDonalds fries at number one. Baffling.) And the kids did something I’d never seen before. They added malt vinegar to the little cup of ketchup to cut the sweetness. Brilliant, I thought. And incredibly tasty! Ah, the wonders of ketchup.
The burgers are, I think, nonpareil. All the toppings are free, the burgers are cooked to perfection, the veggies are fresh, ripe, and they have grilled mushrooms — Grilled Mushrooms! It’s impossible to go wrong. But I did, of course. I forgot to ask them to grill the bun. I suspect they would do that for me. Next time.
My son-in-law eats FGs burgers with a knife and fork. He says they’re messy. There could be a reason he thinks this but I dunno. My Punkin’ on the other hand holds her burger with two hands, just like dear old dad. Of course, to be fair, her beard is removable.
I’ve had many burgers in my life, including Back Yard Burgers, which are very similar to Five Guys’, and In•N•Out Burgers. I like FGs burgers better; I’d like them more if they were about a dollar cheaper. I’m still baffled that Five Guys tied with Burger King in the survey; third place for burgers, after Wendy’s(?), was In•N•Out Burgers).
While I may think Five Guys has a better burger than Burger King, the thick, creamy, malty goodness of an In•N•Out milkshake (not rated) was noticeably missing. Oh well.
And so we roll.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries, 2671 Queensgate, Richland, Washington
and 1,000+ locations throughout the United States and Commonwealth member states, like Canada, eh, and the United Kingdom.
Tio Wally pilots the 75-foot, 40-ton(max) land yacht SS Me So Hungry. He reports on road food from around the country whenever parking and InterTube connections permit.
Northeast Kingdom’s Burger is good. Mushroom Duxelles (what is that?), Tobacco Onion (I don’t know), Vermont Cheddar (this is cheese) $15. Good burger!
Northeast Kingdom – 18 Wyckoff Ave (btwn Jefferson & Troutman St) Brooklyn, NY 11237
Rusty’s been surfing hardcore at Rockaway for the past year (even in the winter). I went to check out his locker at the Rockaway Beach Surf Club. Apparently when it gets warm, it turns into a happening hangout. They have a food truck called The Cookout (from the people behind the Lodge and Urban Rustic in Williamsburg). I got the Backyard Burger (blend of ground short rib, brisket & chuck, aged white cheddar, red pepper relish $11) with a side of Sugar Snap Slaw. They gave me Matthew McConaughey table sign to find me for my food.
It was a lot of fun. People watching the World Cup. The bar was open. Kids from my neighborhood were being bussed in. A lot of hot chicks. And you also have some quality beach time. Just don’t feed the seagulls. There were a bunch hovering over this African-American family next to us on the beach. It was hilarious how they freaked out. It was like Martin (the TV show). I’m not sure if that’s racist, but it was funny.
Anyone that works in the Flatiron District knows that when you want a Shake Shack burger, you go when the weather is complete shit. There’s no line. Luckily, it was storming last Friday when they were offering the special 1-day April Bloomfield Breslin Burger for Shake Shack’s 10th Anniversary.
It was a Breslin beef-blend burger topped with all-natural applewood smoked bacon and Tickler English cheddar cheese sauce. It was really good. I think it’s better than Breslin’s lamb burger …and better than Shake Shack’s burger. They should just sell this all the time.
After Tim’s party, we ended up at Dutch Boy Burger in Crown Heights. The place is so deceiving. It looks small from looking at the front. But then you go through a back door into a big bar and then a huge outdoor patio. It’s crazy big.
I got the signature Dutch Boy Burger (cheddar, sauteed mushrooms and onions $9.50. The burgers are big and look great, but could use some salt. The Mac and Cheese was great though.
Dutch Boy Burger – 766 Franklin Ave (btw St Johns Pl & Sterling Pl) Brooklyn, NY 11238
It was really nice that when I came back from the restroom, the bill was already paid for. It happened the week before with my sister too. I think it was The Secret.
