Minetta Tavern - NYC

by Roaming Panda

Apologies for the gaps in postings. Life has been keeping me busy and the holidays certainly doesn't leave much free time. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy (upcoming) New Year. Our next food stop in New York brings us to Minetta Tavern. We landed here after several searches for the "best burger in NY" resulted in Minetta Tavern continually popping up. Their Black Label Burger seems to be quite the hit with locals and visitors alike.

The restaurant has been around since 1937 and has boasted guests such as Ernest Hemingway, Dylan Thomas, Ezra Pound, and a slew of other writers and poets. The inside is dark and cavernous with an old-timey tavern/speakeasy feel. Aside from the burger, I didn't do much research on the rest of their menu, but it was sophisticated AF. You know you're about to spend a pretty penny when a place calls their French fries "pommes frites" and their green beans "haricot vert". I would probably describe Minetta Tavern as a high-end European steakhouse. Had I known beforehand, I wouldn't have just come for a burger, but that was the plan so we're sticking to it. 
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​We had the Roasted Bone Marrow appeti...I mean...hors d'oeuvres to start. Bone marrow is one of those dishes that sound intimidating and borderline disgusting but by the beard of Zeus is it good. Spread it over some toasted bread with a pinch of salt and you are in for a treat. The Black Label Burger was the star of our show. It looked simple enough, just a normal looking patty with some caramelized onions on a sesame seed bun, but they use prime dry-aged beef and it is the sweetest, softest, and most tender bite of a burger you can take. Fantastic. For $33, was this the best burger I've ever had? No, but that question is always hard to answer. A good burger is a good burger and I enjoy them all. This was no exception. It was worth the experience to me. 
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Roasted bone marrow with baguette soldiers and shallot confit

Black Label Burger with dry-aged beef, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and pomme frites

We finished our evening off with a nice warm Chocolate Soufflé and we were on our way. Minetta Tavern offers so much more than just a delicious burger. I had a goal to dine at a Michelin Star rated restaurant while I was in NY and thought I had failed since we ran out of time. What I didn't realize was Minetta Tavern has one Michelin Star. Mission accomplished. ​​
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Warm and fluffy Chocolate Soufflé