The bar at Henry's Majestic is all subway tiles, wood-paneling and exposed piping -- it's got the feel of old New York. On the night I pulled out a barstool, I was one of the first to arrive. I sat close enough to the mixologist's herbs to smell them, and I went straight for the "marrow spiked" burger. How could I resist?
I ordered it medium rare, per the bartender's recommendation, and it was quickly delivered. The Akaushi beef is doctored up with bacon, caramelized onions, aged cheddar, house pickles and served alongside thin, crunchy chips, a salad dressed in vinaigrette and a handful of briny pickles. It will set you back $13.
There aren't any veggies or condiments on this burger, and they aren't needed. The taste is meaty and earthy. One bite in, I was Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator, smeared in battle mud and wielding a torch. Here's a video rendering of me eating the burger:
Quiet. No talk, bartender. I eat burger now. It was primal.
Those caramelized onions met the pungent funk of the aged cheddar for maximum earthiness. I threw on a few of those pickles, which have a touch of heat, and some of the chips. The bacon was crisp enough to shatter if dropped.
Aside from the burger being slightly overcooked, I only had one other complaint: The brioche bun was crunchy, but nearing burnt. These quibbles were easy to look past though, given the dreamy blend of pork belly, bone marrow and beef. The patty's juicy core was a welcome change from the last two burger flops.
On the way home, a neighbor's dog barked wildly at me. Perhaps it could detect that I'd just consumed a bunch of different animal parts in one sitting. (Sorry!) I thought: Should I just move into the woods now? Make a bow and arrow and carve things? No, that would be too much. I'll just get another cheeseburger.
