A Burger A Week: Rye’s Double Cheeseburger

Rye in Williamsburg serves up one of the best happy hour deals in Brooklyn: a $5 double cheeseburger.

The cheeseburger at Rye is not only delectable, it’s also a serious bargain.

The two patties are slider-sized, medium-rare and accompanied by a smattering of pickles and endive, and a healthy coating of melted American, everything held together by a crunchy grilled bun. This is the American classic done right.

Rating: 8. Rye’s double cheeseburger is so good–and so cheap–you’ll probably want two. Happy hour at Rye is Monday through Friday, from 5:30 to 7pm.

Cocktail Hour: Hotel Delmano’s Fogerty

Winter is for brrr-bon, and Hotel Delmano’s Fogerty will make you shiver with delight. We recommend you order two and stay awhile, for Cocktail Hour.

Sage syrup gives this scotch and bourbon concoction a verdant twist.

Cocktail Hour: Aurora’s Scirocco

This week, we are featuring Aurora’s Scirocco. This South-side hotspot has a romantic setting and a phenomenal bar, just in case your date isn’t up to par. The cocktail menu changes with the seasons, so head over and see what the mixologists concoct for you this evening.

The scirocco is sweet and spicy; the pepper syrup is balanced well with a citrusy bite of lemon and an Amaro finale. This is one of the most interesting rum cocktails we’ve tasted in recent months.

Aurora has an extensive wine list, as well as a handful of beers by the bottle.

Cocktail Hour: Gwynnett St.’s Order and Progress

This week we are featuring Gwynnett St.’s Order and Progress. Gwynnett St. does not host a happy hour, but saving is not in the cards at this cocktail spot. Cocktails are pricey, but the Order and Progress is just one of the amazing drinks that they can mix up for you. The Order and Progress is a fantastic rendition of the “caipirinha.” It is strong, refreshing, and not too sweet, so you get the best of both worlds.

Order and Progress: cachaca, passion fruit, pernod, and lime.

We highly recommend ordering a couple of cocktails ($12 each) paired with their infamous whiskey bread ($5) for a special cocktail hour.

The Commodore in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

The Commodore will always hold a special place in our hearts–it was the site of our first date–but the reason we keep returning is because of the impressive (cheap!) food and the classic, Nola-inspired drinks. Of course, nightly viewings of 80s classics (and not-so-classics) like Dirty Dancing, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Flash Gordon, an arcade machine that seems to alternate games every week, comfortable bowling-alley style snaking booths, and an eclectic mix of Joy Division and Best Coast (New Wave and … Wavves) on the jukebox only add to the experience.

The Pork Boats–pulled pork, baked beans, pickles, and coleslaw–on a soft potato roll–are a voyage well-taken.

Classic drinks–like this wonderful mint julep–are the staple of the colorful cocktail menu.

A bowl of verdant, garlicky kale is just what the doctor ordered. This–or the lip-smacking, creamy Kale Caesar Salad–is an ideal accompaniment for almost everything on the menu.

The Commodore made its name on fried chicken, and although we’ve had better (the nearby Brooklyn Star comes to mind), this twelve-dollar plate (the most expensive item on the menu) of thighs is not too shabby. Perhaps better are the moist, bite-sized biscuits and the house-made honey butter underneath all of it.

The Adult Cheese Sandwich is an ode to the classic lunchbox love of years past–a comforting ride down memory lane. It’s a sloppy trip, but each bite of the fiery poblano and oozing pimento is worth the numerous specks of bread that may be decorating your shirt by the end of the meal.

Pictures don’t tell the whole story; the affable bartenders can mix and match any liquor, mixer, and garnish you want for a customized cocktail.

The namesake drink is a stronger, more refreshing piña colada–without the cloying aftertaste.

After so many meals, the simple, unassuming Hot Fish Sandwich still surprises our palettes with each bite. Watch out; this one has a kick.

The Commodore is great for groups; the ideal neighborhood hangout.

The Commodore’s menu is ever-evolving; take this excellent summer chowder of shrimp and corn, with a hearty dose of potatoes, roasted vegetables, and chopped cilantro. Wait–this is “bar food”?

Grade: Outstanding.
Dish Tips: Hot Fish Sandwich, Adult Cheese Sandwich, Pork Boats, side of kale or Kale Caesar Salad, Shrimp and Corn Chowder, The Commodore, Mint Julep, and Sloe Gin Fizz cocktails.
Good For: Group dinner, drinks and sandwiches, or just a nightcap before you head back to wherever you came from.

St. Anselm in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

St. Anselm is not your daddy’s steakhouse, but since the comparisons to Peter Luger are unavoidable, we’d just like to set the record right: St. Anselm is cheaper, more interesting, and most importantly, has Brooklyn’s better steak. Unfortunately, it is about as difficult to get a table here as it is on Broadway, so come early (doors open at 5 p.m.) or grab a few Belgian blondes at the sister bar next-door, Spuytin Duyvil, while you wait.

St. Anselm’s menu is a mix of eclectic, farm-to-table offerings, and classic steakhouse sides–like mashed potatoes and spinach gratin–with a facelift.

A trio of eggplants–Thai, Chinese, and Italian–is elevated with fried goat cheese and caramelized onions.

St. Anselm places its chefs front and center on display: no matter where you sit, you’ll be able to watch them work their magic.

Shishito peppers had a nice range, from slightly-sweet to fiery in a bite, but still felt a little too one-note to compete with other dishes.

Mashed potatoes at St. Anselm are truffle-infused and pan-fried in a skillet right in front of you before they’re plated at your table. Simply fantastic.

We featured this $16 butchers steak on our The Best Thing I Ate Last Week, and for good reason. Cooked medium-rare and subtly-seasoned with parsley and garlic butter, this is the best skirt steak in Brooklyn.

Grade: Highly recommended. The price-point is fantastic, the decor is a mix of hip and rustic, the atmosphere is vibrant and fun … this is the anti-steakhouse steakhouse.
Dish Tips: Butcher’s Steak, Three Different Eggplants, Artichoke Hearts and Aioli, Scallions, Pan-Fried Mashed Potatoes and Truffle Oil.
Good For: Destination-dinner. St. Anselm has a phenomenal wine list–ever had “yellow wine”?–including selections from local distilleries in Red Hook.

Cocktail Hour: Hotel Delmano’s Ninety-Nine Roses

Williamsburg’s cozy, speakeasy-esque cocktail and raw bar, Hotel Delmano, serves up phenomenal drinks. This week we chose Ninety-Nine Roses.

Any time a bartender can fill a saucer to the very edge without spilling, you know they’ve got skills.

The slightly sweet, vibrant orchard pear might be the key ingredient of this fantastic drink for summer.

A Burger A Week: Diner’s Cheeseburger

This week, we tried Diner’s Cheeseburger–a pared-down, classic version dressed only with the aforementioned cheese (a $2 add-on), a smattering of pickled red onions, and romaine on a sesame seed bun; in short, old-school all the way.

This is one burger you are going to want to savor. The accompanying crisp, well-seasoned french fries and aioli (ask for seconds!) may even help you realize that goal.

The meat-to-bun ratio is ideal, the slimmed-down toppings account for a very accessible, non-sloppy sandwich, the meat itself is practically greaseless and yet juicy and full of flavor. Diner even takes the tired sesame seed bun and makes it work wonders. The Emperor’s old clothes somehow look so much better here. Skip Peter Luger’s down the block. Williamsburg’s Diner has the best burger in Brooklyn–and maybe even all of New York City.

Rating: 9.5

Cocktail Hour: Gwynnett St.’s Same Same But Different

spooninginthecity is not just about the best food we can find; a good meal is an even better one with a great cocktail. Every week, we’ll share our favorite drink–and let you know where we drank it.

Here is Gwynnett St’s Same Same But Different, which, as its name implies, is like nothing else you’ve had before. Unless you’ve had it twice, or three times–which we did.

Sweet–but not-to-sweet; a refreshing drink for summer and perhaps the best on the menu at this fantastic dining outpost in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Sugar and spice, and everything nice. Or: Cana brava rum, coconut palm sugar, thai basil, and lime.

Miranda in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Miranda is a hidden gem located on the corner of Berry and North 9th in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The location, tucked away from the center of Bedford Avenue, keeps this restaurant under the radar. Not only does Miranda offer a unique and well-executed menu with Latin American and Italian influences, but it also provides one of the most romantic dining settings in the neighborhood complete with waitstaff that actually open doors for you; ideal for an intimate occasion in Brooklyn. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is both charming and cozy, and the service is flawless.

It’s always a good sign when the complimentary bread is as good as the meal that follows it. The house-baked bread selection is delicious on its own, but it tastes even better once it’s smeared with Miranda’s sundried tomato paste and olive oil.

Miranda has an excellent pasta selection. All of the pastas are made by hand, including this Medialuna — wild mushroom and ricotta-filled “half moons” with white truffle oil. The rich flavor of the truffle oil stands out brilliantly, yet this pasta remains light and delicate.

The Pappardelle with mole-braised leg of lamb ragu and parmigiano Reggiano is one of the best dishes on the menu. The ragu is complex — a medley of sweet, bitter, and savory tastes.

Pictured above is a grilled branzino with organic quinoa, roasted red peppers, gaeta olives, Sicilian capers and lemon-achiote oil. The well-seasoned fish is complimented by the fluffy quinoa, keeping this dish light yet full of flavor. It is the ideal entree if you want to indulge in some pastas beforehand.

Grade: Highly Recommended.
Dish Tips: Pappardelle, Grilled Churrasco, Medialuna, Arancini.
Best For: Romantic dinner.