Hedwig? The Little Owl [On The Road/BurgeReview: NYC]

NYC burger scene is one of the best without a doubt, excellent options spread across the different boroughs, one place always on the top is The Little Owl, a small café style diner in West Village. They even made the Food and Wine magazine list for best burgers in the US so it was a no brainer to give them a visit. 

The little place on the corner

The owl

The place is small and intimate just a handful of tables and four seats in a tiny but nice bar, apparently the favourite spot of chef and owner Joey Campanaro, just to be on the safe side book in advance. Mediterranean menu, American influences, simple but warm décor, huge windows gives an excellent light to the place, Annie Lennox on the background completed the atmosphere. 

Windows

Inside

We ordered the sliders and the burger. The starter a gravy meatball slider, a blend of beef, pork, veal, and pecorino. Full of flavour, nice combination, the gravy tomato based was lovely, excellent size not too big or small, one of the top sliders I have had for sure. 

Slider time

Aerial view

The burger, an old time American favourite, old school cheeseburger with bacon, nice flavour, perfectly cooked medium rare, juices all over, the meaty bacon British style, the heavenly melted Kraft style cheese definitely American, nice bun absorbed all the juices and held like a British stronghold. 

Burger time

Cross section

Great burger, awesome sliders, excellent place. 

The little owl remind me the Seinfeld episode “The Little Jerry” 

Jerry: Is that your chicken making all that noise? 

Kramer: Oh, Jerry loves the morning 

Jerry: Who? 

Kramer: Little Jerry Seinfeld. I named my chicken after you 

Jerry: Thanks, that's very sweet, but that is not a chicken 

Kramer: Of course it is. I picked it out myself 

Jerry: Well, you picked out a rooster Kramer: Well, that would explain Little Jerry's poor egg production

Little Owl

T: +1 212 741 4695

Mediterranean

Approx Damage: $30pp

Area: West Village

Borough: Manhattan

NYC

Twitter: littleowlnyc

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Best Burger in NYC

It’s difficult to say that a burger is the best one you have had, I see the search of it as the one for the Holy Grail, but in some occasions as soon as you have a bite you know for sure that is in the top of the list. I was in New York and the restaurant scene there is massive, with plenty of options, so many restaurants in my list to visit, by just luck I read about this place in food and wine magazine, a pub in West Village that serves an outstanding burger,  and has one Michelin star, so I had to try it. 

First try

The place a gastropub called The Spotted Pig, celebrity owners that includes Jay Z and Mario Batali but they were outshine for sure by chef April Bloomfield with her British cuisine influence that gave the Spotted their culinary level and even one Michelin star. The place is pretty packed no matter the time you go, the first night I couldn't find a table but I returned during brunch hours a couple days later, so plan in advance. A cool atmosphere, full of food décor with pictures of pigs, vegetables and fish all over the place, slow motion ceiling fans that were making me mental, but also it might have helped the hangover of the night before. 

Pig memorabilia

Second try

Inside

Reflected menu

Ordered a Bloody Mary and the burger, the Mary wasn’t good, at least I didn’t like it, it was too bitter. The burger a chargrilled with Roquefort and shoestrings. 

Bloody Mary

I had the first bite and it was heaven, food porn, magic, just awesome. The patty is a Pat LaFrieda blend made with brisket, rump, and chuck, the flavour is perfect, clean, the meat speaks by itself, nice juices, perfectly cooked medium rare, bun toasted beautifully, blue cheese not too overpowering just the perfect amount. Shoestrings all over, not too greasy, good flavour not too crispy for me, but the burger and the overall plate was huge and tasty. 

Spotted Burger

Spotted is burger heaven, now I know why is one of the favourite places of chef Fergus Henderson. 

The pig

A close up to the beauty

Pigs always reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Bris” when Kramer gets in the wrong room in a hospital. 

Kramer: Pig man! It's a pig man! Pig man!

The Spotted Pig

T: +1 212 620 0393

Gastropub

Aprox Damage: $23pp

Area: West Village

Borough: Manhattan
Twitter: spottedpignyc

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