2 Strips of Bacon away from Perfection

The Spotted Pig in the West Village has a lot of foodie/hipster hype surrounding it - and in this case - I believe it is rightfully so.

But before I begin raving, it should be known that I do recognize the ridiculousness of a $17 cheeseburger, even in NYC. However, this is the best burger I have ever eaten - and is probably only 2 strips of bacon away from perfection.

The restaurant has a homeyness somewhere between a small british pub and a small french bistro. The key word is small - maybe only 100 seats at most. We went early, around 6pm on Saturday (dinner only starts at 5:30pm), and the place was packed. However, our 1 hour wait was realistically only 15 minutes - and gave us some time to enjoy a Spotted Pig ale - served at room temperature and pumped by hand straight from a cask. Lots of hipsters and people looking to be seen - and it seemed that the main prerequisite to work there is to have more facial hair, flannel, piercings or tattoos showing than the guests.

The menu was arranged by Bar Snacks - of which we had the deviled eggs and marinated olives; Plates - of which we had the Beau Soleil Oysters; and Entrees - only 6 options here, the most popular choice of which is what we ordered: the Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort Cheese and Shoestrings.

Along with the appetizers, I tried the other cask beer available -- an Otis Oatmeal Stout from Sixpoint brewery - which is really an ideal beer to be served from a cask - warm, rich and strong.

On to the main event:

First, the Shoestrings. These are impossibly thin, and perfectly fried with Rosemary and thin slices of garlic mixed in. There is no elegant way to eat these since they are so jumbled and alternating in length - so don't expect to look pretty while dining. They reminded me of a homemade version of those Potato Stix snacks that kids got in their lunch boxes in the late 80's. The rosemary and garlic are elements of pure genius.

The burger is perfectly matched in size to the brioche style bun, which was grilled well on both sides. I would venture to guess that it is probably a 1/3 lb burger - which leaves room for the mountain of fries. Cooked perfectly, the patty holds together well when cut in half and is subtly seasoned - but perhaps a bit on the salty side overall. The Roquefort is a strong as could be expected, and spread evenly across the entire burger.

The burger and fries were all washed down by the first 'cold' beer of the night - and one of my all time favorites - a 12oz bottle of Saison DuPont, a belgian farmhouse ale. Small champagne bubbles and strong yeast flavor in a cloudy, otherwise well balanced, ale.

Now - I do truly feel bad for anyone who doesn't care for cheese - or even just bleu cheese - since that is the only topping served. No lettuce, tomato or pickles here. I have heard that they are happy to take away anything from their dishes, but not to add. This really highlights the best/worst part of the menu at this gastropub: if you don't think it is perfect as is, then it never will be. Case in point: Bacon. It is universally understood that everything is better with bacon. If this burger had 2 strips of bacon, I might return daily. Instead, I think I will just have to limit my consumption to a monthly schedule.