Three Good Burgers!

The great American hamburger rivals pizza as one of the most popular food items in the U.S. According to Adam Kuban, founder of A Hamburger Today, a leading discussion board on the subject at SeriousEats.com, it has gone througmany incarnations from its humble beginnings as "steak tartare" in Russia, who then exported the idea to Hambug, Germany, to its first appearance on a printed menu at Delmonico's in New York City in 1825, all the way up to the chopped steak served at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. This was, of course, not the burger between two buns we know today.

There is much confusion among food historians about the actual derivation of the American hamburger as we know it. Some attribute the invention of the bun  to a fry cook named Walter Anderson in 1916; Anderson later became a co-founder of White Castle in 1921. 

The timeline goes backwards and forwards from there. There are all sorts of claims about who served the first American-style hamburger on a bun, and they come from such widespread locales as Weber's Root Beer Stand in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Louis' Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut, which is still going strong right near the Yale campus.  Each of these claims date back to 1891 and 1895 respectfully. Got it? I still don't...

Anyhow, in recent years the hamburger has re-invented itself many more times, going from a menu staple at fast food restaurants to the haute kitchens of such famous chefs as Wolfgang Puck (the first designer pizza with smoked salmon served at Spago in West Hollywood, remember?); Bobby Flay who now has a fledgling hamburger chain under his belt; and noted French chefs  Michel Richard in D.C., and David Bouley in New York City, each coming with hefty price tags to match.

So what do we have around the Bronxville-Eastchester area to chose from? Here is what our burger quest has uncovered so far:

Piper's Kilt, 433White Plains Road, Eastchester 914-779-5772

I am going to begin our burger report here at Piper's because to many hamburger mavens this is the mother lode -- it's been called "the best burgers in town," a distinction it has carried for many years. Founded in 1979, the tavern itself exudes success, with its astute combination of old-time bar with fixtures hanging overhead, blackboard and wooden booths and tables in the dining room, vintage photos and memorabilia lining the walls. It seems to be busy all the  time. The parking lot in the rear fills up quickly each day so nearby municipal parking is often a must.

But what about their hamburgers these days? While some have reported a decline over the last few years, I am happy to say this is not the case. The Bacon Swiss Burger I ordered was delicious, really! Full of buttery flavor without much grease. I suspect they cook them on the griddle under a cup the way they do at city favorite Jackson Hole. But they are much more flavorful here. The burger patty is formed, rounded and stays that way thru the cooking process. The only caveat: I requested mediun and it was served towards the well side. But it was very good nevertheless. By the way, the fries on the side were good and crispy.

The menu offers a variety of burger combinations and toppings along with two size patties. The regular burger starts at $7.95.

Pete's Park Place Tavern, 18 Park Place, Bronxville 914-337-9887

This cozy eatery reopened under new ownership a few weeks ago and I must say that our burger encounter here was the most pleasant and palatable surprise of the survey. That's right, I am telling you that the hamburger I tried here shot right to the top of my local list.

But first some background about Pete's:  The original Pete's Tavern was founded in 1937 by Peter Koutsis and had been operated by the same family for 73 years, most recently by his son, Phil, until his retirement after 46 years at the helm. The old place was just that, a throwback to Bronxville's early days, and dare I say, much in decline, according to many long-standing patrons.

The new owner is veteran tavern keeper, John Lugano, who has an interest in Rathbone's on Manhattan's Upper East Side, you know, the one that's directly across 2nd Avenue from the infamous Elaine's. It has undergone a major facelift while keeping some of the older artifacts and photos intact. It is a charmer! The bar is still in place, but the dining room tables and booths now sport red and white checkered tablecloths and handsome wooded shades covering the picture windors out onto Park Place.

I ordered Pete's Burger from the new menu with Swiss, mushrooms and garlic parmesan butter served on an English muffin. It was totally decadent and delicious! A lovely, loosely formed burger still holding its girth when served medium as ordered. As for my use of the term decadent: It was juicy due to that garlic parmesan butter, and the muffin was just barely hanging on, but it was quite an indulgence. I could see how some diners may be put off. The platter came with a big mound of  crispy fries and a scoop of mashed on the side which was also very good though a double-entendre of sorts, no?

Pete's new menu offers a variety of burgers averaging around $11.

The Tap House, 16 Depot Square, Tuckahoe 914-337-6941

When proprietor Jim Sullivan opened The Tap House after an extensive renovation by partner Jan Fabry, it was a homecoming of sorts for him. Years before building his own restaurant group that now operates six restaurants in Westchester and Fairfield Counties, including the popular Rye Grill & Bar, he had worked here as a manager when it was called Rockwell's. Anyway, The Tap House became one of Westchester's first "gastro-pubs," a term denoting taverns that aspire to more formidable kitchens and designer beers. The concept worked and it has become a fine stopover on the dining trail.

We came in one Sunday evening for a casual bite and orderd their Grilled Burger with cheddar. It was big and flavorful, prepared as ordered medium. It satiated my buger craving that evening handsomely. The thin crispy fries and frizzled onions on the side were darn good, too.

We enjoyed sitting in the high-ceilinged tavern room and watching the action at the long bar. In winter it might be nice to request a table in the rear fireside room adjacent to the kitchen and stare at the fireplace. There is a dramatic upstairs level as well.

The variety of burgers offered here averagr around $11.50.

Our burger quest continues. ...I would like to hear your opinions too.

(Morris Gut is a restaurant consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the dining scene in greater Westchester for over 25 years. He may be reached at: 914-235-6591. E-mail: gutreactions@optonline.net)