The "Wisconsin" Cheese Burger topped with half sour pickle, roasted tomato, cheddar and brick cheese spread, Nueske bacon, a rich and spicy, and a homemade brioche bun with truffle fries | Abe & Arthur's
The smell of meat, grease and charcoal filled the air at Dumbo's Tobacco Warehouse Friday night at the NYC Wine and Food Festival’s infamous Burger Bash. A little rain couldn’t stop droves of hungry carnivores from sampling 20 of New York’s finest patties. Whoopi Goldberg stood in for the event’s usual host, Rachael Ray, and five expert judges, including Anne Burrell and David Burke, crowned the night's big champ.
Beauty & Essex’s Chris Santos had a terrific lamb-and-brisket burger with spicy garlic aioli, goat-feta and pickled red onion that he claimed was given “a lot of TLC.” Burger & Barrel's Josh Capon, who served a bison burger with slab bacon, smoked cheddar and secret sauce, won the People’s Choice Award and a respectable third-place nod from the judges. Marc Forgione’s “Hangover Burger” with an everything-bagel bun, poached egg and spicy bacon was the judges' runner-up. His favorite thing about the burger? “When the yolk runs down your chin.”
But it was Abe & Arthur’s Franklin Becker who took home the top judges' prize for his “Wisconsin” cheeseburger topped with Nueske bacon, spicy sauce and a spread made of pickles, roasted tomato, cheddar and brick cheese. Thank god Shake Shack served up cones of sweet bourbon caramel custard alongside their famous burgers: the sweet treat was a welcome palate cleanser between all those savory bites of meat!
Text and photos by Vicky Wasik
