BLT Burger

As you may or may not already know, I am a real burger fiend. For me, there's just nothing quite like a perfectly cooked, juicy burger loaded with melted cheese and possibly a pickle or two. In fact, if done correctly, I go sans ketchup and just enjoy the simple taste of cheeseburger. Over the last couple of months, I've visited BLT Burger not once, but twice. And for me, that's kind of a big deal. Since I write this little blog and thoroughly enjoy branching out to new places, it's rare that I revisit a restaurant unless it's packing really first-class grub. And BLT Burger just so happens to fit the mark. Named for its creator 'Bistro Laurent Tourondel', it's just one of many restaurants in the BLT family.

Conveniently located in Greenwich Village, just steps from the 9th street PATH station (my preferred mode of transportation back to the JC), BLT Burger is a cozy and inviting burger joint. And when I'm eating comfort food like this, I like to feel...well, comfortable. BLT isn't sprawling...in fact, it's quite small for its level of popularity, which makes it that much more charming. Oh, and even the giant bull's head on the wall kind of goes with the barn-esque decor. Kind of.

During my few trips to BLT, I've only sampled one burger...the BLT Burger with cheddar cheese. What can I say? When I go to a restaurant, I like to try the signature dish and this one just so happens to be quite delicious. Best cooked medium, this burger is dressed with, you guessed it, double smoked bacon, lettuce and tomato. Oh and some sort of 'special' sauce which in theory makes me a little nervous, but again...I try to just go with it. And once I did, I never looked back. It's that good.

The absolutely mouthwatering burger should not, however, outshine the appetizers and side dishes, which were quite scrumptious in their own right. We started the night with fried pickles, one of my most favorite fried foods. Crispy breading with a juicy, salty interior, fried pickles are really the way to go.

And what would a burger be without fries? Over the course of a couple of outings with others (no, I cannot take credit for ordering 3 baskets of fries for myself), I've tried the skinny fries, sweet potato fries and waffle fries. Though I'm typically a fan, I have to admit that my least favorite kind at BLT was the waffle. They were just a tiny bit too crispy for my personal taste.

And absolutely no meal would be complete without dessert. In true burger joint fashion, BLT dessert is all about the milkshakes. When my sister Kimberly and I went last week, we shared the Mocha Mudslide - coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup and an oreo cooke. Say it with me...'Mmmmmm'.

So there you have it. A little roundup of BLT Burger, the super deeelish burger joint in Greenwich Village. But what I really want to know is...how do you like your burger? All gussied up with the fixin's? Straight off the grill?

And if you're jonesing for even more burger tales, check out my adventures at Five Napkin Burger and Bobby's Burger Palace.

A Ladies Night Hot Spot: The Dove Parlour

As much as I love date night with the hubs, sometimes I just need a little girl time. Whether it's touring pizza venues like Keste and Grimaldi's or brunching at Hoboken's Elysian Cafe, somehow there is always a reason for girls night. And what would it be without some serious happy hour, consisting of wine carafes and cheese platters? Now that's a ladies night that I can get down with. And I did. At West Vilage's The Dove Parlour with my friend Nicole. 

A blink-and-you-miss-it bar that's located below street level, The Dove Parlour is a fairly small locale with a bar and some low-seated tables that run along a cushioned couch. With a bit of an opulent New Orleans vibe, a darkened space lit by candles, The Dove Parlour is the simply perfect low key place to grab an affordable drink.

Their happy hour consists of a $6 drink menu, ranging from wine carafes, martinis, margaritas and cosmos. Pictured above is my glass and carafe of Syrah. And for $6? It's really a steal since you do get way more than one small glass out of the deal.

And since it's imperative to eat a little something on any ladies night, especially when there's vino involved, we opted for the cheese platter. For just $18, we got to choose 4 cheeses to accompany fresh bread and crostini, apple slices, olives, Marcona almonds, figs, and apricot jam. The ladies at the table next to us literally turned a shade of green with envy and I'm pretty sure ended up ordering one of their own.

And I should note that beyond the delectable eats and truly affordable wine, the decor is upscale yet attainable. The super chic wallpaper even featured my favorite damask-style pattern, and it was flocked, no less.

And how charming is this little fireplace? Even without a real fire inside, it still warmed up the joint and gave me ideas for any New York and beyond apartments with fake, yet pretty, fireplaces.

So that's how Nikki and I spent ladies night. Sipping vino from our own personal carafes and filling up on bread and cheese. The perfect post-work girls night, don't you think? But what I want to know from you ladies out there - how do you do girls night?

Gray's Papaya dogs just can't be beat

Spring is a budding, and if there's one thing that I absolutely love about New York in the spring, it's the abundance of hot dogs (and some baseball too). And if you aren't doing the Dirty Water Dog (read: hot dogs from  street vendors which spend their days sitting in hot - and very highly likely dirty - water. Hey, I'm not judging...) or the ballpark dog, really the only other way to go is the Gray's Papaya dog.

A New York City staple, Gray's Papaya can be found in multiple locations around Manhattan and are open around the clock. Hot dogs are all they do and they do it well. If you know what's good, you'll get 'em fully loaded - saurkraut and relish with a little mustard.

And if you're going Gray's, you must be going Recession Special style - $3.25 for two dogs and a 14oz drink. Oh, and I should mention that really the only acceptable drink in this scenario is the papaya "drink". It's creamy and anything but of the diet variety, but when you're eating two hot dogs covered in salty saurkraut, relish and mustard, is a diet drink really necessary?

Grilled to perfection on a huge griddle, these dogs are juicy and wonderful. And I mean, really, can you beat this deal anywhere else in the city? Especially when they look good enough to eat, as they do pictured on the right.

Adding to the fun is that there are absolutely no seats at Gray's. Besides some super small silver countertops on which you can lean, you're pretty much forced to find the nearest park bench for your chowfest. And I'm not complaining. It's been the home of quick lunches, the best hot dog in New York, and even some movie sets (You've Got Mail) and in my opinion, fantastic New York City eats.

So there it is...a simple and delicious lunch in Manhattan for under $4.00. Can you beat it? But what I really want to know is...how do you take your dog? At backyard barbeques only? Covered in ketchup? Boiled on a stovetop? Do tell!