August 17th 2008
Rare Bar & Grill – “upscale burger joint”
This is not your regular Pub/Bar Burger place. It has a trendy flare and is a great place to kick back with friends to enjoy one of their many beers on tap. I was expecting an overpriced, elegant, wanna-be burger place that gets away from the traditions of the All-American Burger. Rare is none of these. The price is just right and the burgers are packed to the brim.
Appetizer:
Beef Brisket Quesadillas with homemade salsa
Typically, I only eat brisket on Jewish holidays when it’s prepared by my mom, but this appetizer sounded very appealing. It was served with a fresh, chunky salsa, with great texture. Unlike normal salsa the tomatoes and yellow peppers were in huge watery chunks and mixed a sweet and spicy sauce…..DELICIOUS. The brisket was packed into each bite and had a sweet, tangy flavor with great moist texture. The dish was a little small, but enough for 4 people to each try a quarter slice.
French Fry Tasting Basket with a mix of cottage, shoestring & sweet potato fries with 3 dipping sauces
What is a PB & J without the jelly? I tell ya one thing..its not a PB & J. It’s the same thing with burgers and fries; the all American classic meal. If you go to Rare, you need to order this. With that being said, I cannot take full credit for this brilliant move nor will I reveal whose idea it was; but I would highly recommend telling the waiter to serve the fry tasting basket during the main courses instead of with the appetizers. Having the fries with 3 dipping sauces (honey maple, spicy mayo, BBQ) was such a great compliment to burgers and make for a great side to share with the table.
Entrees:
“Rare” Classic Cheeseburger with Cheddar
I personally did not order this burger, but for blog purposes I had to take a few bites since it is the staple item at Rare. I have never had a better $9 burger in my life. The meat was packed into a great size patty, with 2 slices of melted cheese on a traditional burger roll. In addition to the standard condiments, they have toppings made to order which include: Truffle Butter, Foie Gras, Bacon, Caramelized Onions etc.
Filet Mignon Steakhouse burger with brie cheese, house salad and caramelized walnuts
For anyone who knows me (and my love for food), is well aware of my love for brie cheese; so before I even start discussing this burger just think to yourself what I could possibly say about this meal.
I literally inhaled this burger and didn’t look back. The meat was cooked perfectly, just the way I like it; medium rare. Now that I think of it, I really didn’t contribute much to the dinner conversation because I knew I was on a mission and would not be satisfied until I cleaned my plate. The Brie was melted onto the meat with some nice field greens to top if off. The combination of the sugary and crunchy flavors of the walnuts and the juiciness of the meat went together beautifully. Nicely done Chef….
All in all, I really enjoyed dining at Rare and recommend it for any birthday celebration or casual gathering. The service was great and the beer & wine list was very extensive.
| Restaurant Review Rating Scale | ||||
| Total Points Available | ||||
| Food | 9 | 10 | ||
| Service | 9 | 10 | ||
| Ambiance | 8.5 | 10 | ||
| Bang for the Buck | 9.5 | 10 | ||
| Overall | 9 | 10 | ||
| 45 | 50 | |||
Rare Bar & Grill ($$$)
The Shelburne Hotel
Burgers, American (Traditional)
303 Lexington Ave, New York 10016
Btwn 37th & 38th St
Phone: 212-481-1999
Fax: 212-779-7068
http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&neighborhoodid=0&cuisineid=0&restaurantid=4943&readmore=true&page=2
