What A Way To Celebrate “National Cheeseburger Day” 2024!
This is my favorite holiday – a day to celebrate Cheeseburgers! How will I do it? Well, as they say: “past is prologue”, which means here are three incredible burgers I’ve had in New York that will inspire me to find a new favorite today – and of course I will share it with you soon!
Let’s begin at a place that has, indeed, been named “NYC’s Best Burger” several times. It’s called “Paul’s Da Burger Joint” and it’s in New York’s East Village – check this out:
The burger is so big they don’t even try to put it together for you – you have to do it yourself when it arrives at the table!
Thick cut French fries surround the burger, and when I put it together, it towered above the plate – here’s a closer look:
Take a moment to reflect on this: there is in fact a bottom bun there, it is obscured by the massive fries and the meat, bacon, Canadian bacon, lettuce and tomato on top….this thing is huge!
Click here for more details on Paul’s Da Burger Joint if you want to know even more!
A second burger in New York has also taken the city by storm: because it’s served at a gas station!
Yes, they are making burgers inside this gas station!
Since Smacking Burger opened, there has been a flurry of news coverage, like this report from Eater NY:
“A staple of the South, the gas station restaurant has been alive and well for at least 20 years, with many of them specializing in everything from fried chicken to pho. The model has made it to the West Village, where a new burger joint called Smacking Burger opened this past Saturday inside the Mobil station at 51-63 Eighth Avenue, just north of Horatio Street. The owner, Tommy Hondros, also owns the last gas station in lower Manhattan, while his girlfriend, Elizabeth Torres, is running the burger joint.“
That’s Elizabeth behind the counter making burgers as I order “The Classic”: a single smashed patty with caramelized onion, American cheese, pickles, ketchup and mustard on a potato bun! Note the large bottles of Japanese “Kewpie” Mayo they use stored on the top shelf!
It all begins with a large golf ball sized meatball, which is covered with raw onion and “smashed” down for cooking – let’s watch Elizabeth make a few:
Smashburgers are the big rage in New York, but for me the key is not to make the outer part of the meat too tough and crispy…and they did a perfect job!
As opposed to Paul’s massive tower, this smash burger is tight and focused, but full of flavor…you can see more video and information about this “Smacking Burger” here:
My third great NYC burger comes from a Burger Icon:
That’s George Motz behind the grill, stack some incredible burgers – take a look! Note how he cooks the patties with the bottom bun sitting on tp, then a unique flip to bring it all together!
You saw the process of how it was all pulled together….now, here is what they put in front of you:
The grilled onions are underneath and mixed in the melted cheese and two patties of meat…now there’s nothing more to do than to take a bite…
Delicious!
The grilled onions have a smokiness from being cooked in the beef fat, and the cheese is deliciously melted, permeating every bite of the burger…the bun itself is a soft potato roll type, and is soaked up the juices and has a fresh flavor of its own.
So who is George Motz? If you don’t know, click here to find out how he’s become an Iconic Burger expert!
There you go: three delicious ways to celebrate “National Cheeseburger Day 2024” – oh, and as promised, here is the world’s worst burger!
Time To Go “Koryo!”
You are looking at the official burger of North Korea! It’s served on every single flight within the country – the only food served! As one news article pointed out:
“On Air Koryo, North Korea’s state airline, flight attendants are known to serve one thing, and one thing only: a burger as mysterious as the secretive country itself.
The burger is always served cold, and always on a paper doily. Inside the bun is a piece of unidentified meat, a slice of processed cheese, a dash of shredded cabbage or a lonely lettuce leaf, and a dollop of sweet, brown sauce.”
Hmmm….the state Airline delivers a cold burger that looks as unappetizing as anything I’ve ever seen – so of course I need to eat one!
The story goes on to report:
“The “Koryo Burger” features in countless Instagram feeds and online reviews, not many of them complimentary. It has “gained cult status among passengers,” the British tabloid Daily Mail remarked in 2015. Many wonder: Why a burger, of all things? What’s with the doily? What exactly is that meat?”
Just the use of the world “doily” is classic!
See more about this horrendous burger from an equally horrendous country:
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Happy National Cheeseburger Day 2024!
Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Burgers, Cheeseburgers, Eat This!, Food, Food Pictures, Food Porn, Recipes, Restaurants, Sliders, Uncategorized, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
thanks for trying the koryo on behalf of all of us who are curious, but not sure about tasting it ourselves. the others look great, especially the last two
I added that so people would know that not ALL burgers are delicious! Thanks for reading and commenting!
This is spectacular, John. I saw your email 💗
happy birthday, John. I don’t think I know anybody who enjoys burgers As much as you
Bernadette
Bernadette, doing my part to be sure! I worked at a local hamburger stand in high school and it stuck with me! Thanks for the comment!
Is there any chance of knowing Mr Hondros’s email? We are a primary school of his hometown Agios Georgios, Voiotia, and we want to ask him for something
I do not have that information but you can call the Mobil Mart directly. Here is their address for searching online: Mobil station at 51-63 Eighth Avenue, New York