MINETTA TAVERN
Greenwich Village, NEW YORK
photo Copyright Daniel Zwicke
The Minetta Burger
Better Than It's More Expensive Older Brother The BLACK LABEL BURGER
MINETTA BURGER "IT'S BETTER THAN THE BLACK LABEL BURGER"
Minetta Tavern, Greenwich Village, New York, NY
"Yes," Minetta Tavern's Second-Tier Burger, The "Minetta Burger" is without question thee "Better Burger" served at Minetta Tavern. Noted Foodie, Writer (The Hamburger) Burger Authority Josh Ozersky would disagree. Well, Mr. Ozersky is entitled to his opinion, as well as I and Thousands of others and the majority who like the Minetta Burger better than the now Highly Touted Minetta Tavern Black Label Burger, who some feel is the top burger in New York, even the World some say.
So, I'm wondering if some say the Minetta Black Label Burger is New York's Best and even the World's, does that make The Minetta Burger, according to myself and the majority of those polled, "New York's" even the World's Best Burger. "Not quite."
This is a very subjective matter and one of personal taste. I can see why Mr. Ozersky loves the Minetta Tavern Black Label Burger so much, proclaiming it New York's Top Burger and I believe he "May" said it is The Best in The World, but I'm not absolutely sure, so don't quote me on that. Yes it is a Good Burger, and if you feel it is Great, than Yes it is Great to You and Everyone else who says it is Great. As for me, without question the "Minetta Burger" is Better, "Hell, It's Tastier" and that's all that counts isn't it. And I'll tell you why it's tastier.
First off, the Blend and Quality of meat in the Minetta Burger is "Better for a Burger." Note that I don't say that the meat is just better, but better for making a Burger. Why? Well, Dry-Age Meat with it's powerful gamey taste is not the best taste for Ground-Meat and a Hamburger. Fresher Meat that has not been aged, is much Better for a Burger, an it Taste a Hell of a Lot Better than ground dry-aged beef which did you Know that in it's aging process is actually deteriorating? Some people like that taste. Fine. I do not, especially in ground meat and in my Burger. I'd much rather have my ground meat for a Burger Fresh.
And did you know that the Ground Meat Blend from Pat La Frieda for the Minetta Burger is a Blend of Prime Beef Short Rib, Beef Brisket, and Beef Clod, and this blend was La Frieda's "Premium Blend" before he came up with the Black Label Blend which is Dry-Aged Rib Steak, and cost a lot more, thus the more Expensive Price of Minetta Tavern's Black Label Burger at $26.00 for the Cheaper and Superior $17.00 "Minetta Burger."
Just because something is more Expensive, does not make it better, and the Minetta Burger vs The Black Label Burger is a Classic example of more Expensive not being better than cheaper.
Why? Well, because of our current state of a bad economy, New York Steak Houses, Restaurants, and Meat Purveyors such as Pat La Frieda and others found that expensive cuts of Beef like Prime Sirloin Steaks and Prime Dry Aged Rib Steaks were not selling as well as they used to. Expensive, people have less money. Put 2-And-2-Together. So, these meat purveyors found themselves not selling as much as the High-Ticket Cuts. What to do? Well, as a result of a Bad Economy and Boggers Loving Burgers for there Affordability and Blogability, Burgers have become Insanely Popular in the past four years or so. Pat La Frieda has a great idea, make and Market Ground High-End Cuts of Dry-Aged Beef, give it a Fancy name, "Black Label," and the rest is part of Hamburger History.
As for me, I'll take the Better Tasting Burger that just so happens to be substantially cheaper to boot, the Minetta Burger.
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke
R.I.P. JOSH
Sadly since this posting Josh Ozersky passed away ... Josh was greatly loved by Foodies and Gourmands everywhere, but nowhere more than from his home-town fellow New Yorkers who called Josh our own .. Josh had a wonderful down-to-earth every mans look at the World of Food and dining out, and as a food-writer Josh had no equal with his special brand of food-writing and reporting that was uniquely Josh Ozersky. You've sadly passed Josh, but you'd be happy to know your great food journalism is till remembered and much loved, as are you.
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