Bloggers who lunch. Doesnt quite have the same ring to it, but holds much truth. Bloggers love to eat, and unlike many others respect and value each lunch like their life dependent on it. There’s nothing more disappointing than a lunch fail, or checking the hours of a hot tip only to discover they open at 6 pm. Well, I guess I can think of a few things more disappointing (current Walking Dead season feels like the writers got replaced with real zombies) but you understand what I mean. Talking to some restaurant owners lately, like Bruno Pizza, you get a sense that they would really love to open for lunch but just dont have the talent to do so. Not to mention the slower lunch demand in residential neighborhoods like East Village and Hell’s Kitchen.
Even Yelp is confused on how to handle the current hours of Z-List noob American Cut, as its listing the restaurant, not the bar. But the “Burger Bar” is open in Tribeca and it might be NYC’s biggest lunch secret. You see for a while fellow Anguilla lover Marc Forgione and American Cut offered limited burgers at the bar. They would send a tweet each day at 4:20 to announce how many burgers were available. As a result, people started missing parole interviews and would forget to pick up their kids from daycare, in order to get a crack at the burger. After day care owners complained, and local senior citizens petitioned that they cant get there fast enough, American Cut decided to convert its bar into a Burger Bar with its own dedicated menu a la a less fancy NoMad Bar.
And as you can imagine, burgers dominate much of the menu. There’s a burger of the day, a “competition” shake shack like sounding burger (perhaps thats why its called competition), and a full 8 oz American Cut Burger. Gotta start this new relationship with the namesake, which is a proper steakhouse burger. A perfectly cooked medium rare patty of brisket, short rib and dry aged rib eye, with bourbon onions and beer cheese. Beer cheese! A common thing if you are from Wisconsin, but not so much in NYC. Some will scold at the idea, but if the option is there to add egg, I do it even on premium beef. This burger ranks high up there with the best of them.
And then there’s the MFC, Marc Forgione’s Chicken which I had on another day. Possibly the most outrageous fried chicken sandwich in a city suddenly filled with outrageous fried chickens. Buttermilk/Tobasco marinaded, sprinkled with a special spice blend from the spice master Lior Lev Sercarz, and coated with Chili peppercorn honey which you get more on the side. The chicken lies between two house made everything Biscuits lightly smothered with their own ranch, and pickles. It all somehow works nicely, with the juicy tender crispy chicken leading the way. Only caveat is that the sandwich is a little large and to eat it can be a little laborious. But the way I see it, to fully enjoy a Marc Forgione’s Chicken, you need to work it my friend! Ok ok, sounded funnier in my head
Another little issue with both the chicken and the burger is that the slaw you get on the side is a little too oniony (and i love oniony). And the fries the second time around were overcooked, otherwise they can be solid. Go!
American Cut Burger Bar
363 Greenwich St (Franklin/Harrison), Tribeca
Rating: Two Z’s (out of 4)
Stars range from Good to Exceptional. Simple as that
Eating With Ziggy 