Thursday, August 13, 2009

The JG Melon Burger

Who cares if JG Melon has been called by some as the preppy man's pub? This Upper East Side landmark has one of the best, succulent burgers you'll ever taste in your life. It's almost as good as Shake Shack and The Burger Joint, minus the annoying long lines if you know when to go.

The cheeseburger's pricey at $8.75, but believe us it's worth it. This simple burger is brilliant stuff. Order it medium rare and the meat is thick and juicy, but not too much that it'll leave the bread soggy. The fluffy bun is toasted just right (still soft but enough crunch). You don't even need ketchup for this burger.

People always rave about Corner Bistro's burger, but we think the JG Melon burger is better. Don't get us wrong, we love Corner Bistro - it's right around the corner from our apartment, the burgers and beers there are cheap, and they have the best grilled cheese sandwich we've ever tasted (hopefully a later post) - but the Corner Bistro burger is sometimes too dry and overcooked.

JG Melon's round crinkle cut fries that looked almost like Madeleine cookies are superb and unique. Just like their hamburger bun, these fries were the perfect combo of crunchiness and fluffiness.

The restaurant is decorated with different watermelon artwork on its walls. It's clean, but it's a small restaurant. The kitchen looks like a tiny shack. We can see how fast this place fills up. But we know what time to go - go at odd hours like 3:30 pm, and you'll have no problem getting a table. If you go on a Friday at 8 PM, you're screwed and your experience will most likely be different.

JG Melon's been around since 1972. It's located on Third Ave at 74th St. and they're 0pen daily from 11:30 am to 2:30 am. Like too many places in this city, JG Melon is also cash only.