The Cozy I was talking about was the one on Broadway near 8th Street. Nothing fancy, but pretty reliable.

11/30/08-I’m working up on Broadway and 53nd today and I just took your advice and called ahead for the burger joint. They had it ready when I got there. I was able to circumvent the smallish line (which, when I have a 30 minute break, does make a big difference). I got lost trying to find it though. For some reason, I thought the neon sign was outside of the hotel visible from the street. Duh! I finally asked someone inside as there seemed to be many velvet curtain around and I found it at last. Love the atmosphere in there. Hard to imagine a place like that tucked away in that hotel! My total came to $11 for a cheeseburger with everything and an order of fries. No camera today as it was raining too much. Here’s what I thought:

Not a huge fan of the burger. I ordered it medium and it came just such with a nice grilled char to it. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it just didn’t do it for me tastewise. $7.50 for what I thought was a small-ish burger didn’t help either. The fries were of the McDonald’s cut, but far better tasting and not greasy at all. A 5 minute walk in the bag didn’t harm them and they were still quite crispy and someone used a judicious hand with the salt shaker (thankfully).

I’m glad I tried it, but honestly, I don’t know that I’d make a return trip. Certainly not on my own. If someone really wanted to go there, I might go with them, but I wouldn’t be the first one to suggest it. Weird as it may sound, I still think Five Guys is better. Maybe I just like a well done burger. I don’t know… hehe

Thanks for the rec. I don’t have any Little Italy restaurants up here so I may use Ballato’s as a starting point. What about your top burgers?

I’m just messing with you while trying to figure you out a little bit. I can honestly say you’re one of the more intriguing commenters on my site and I look forward to your honest and sometimes contrarian commentary. You’re absolutely right about the cavatelli, I thought it looked like little worms too. Not a good sign. I didn’t think that while I was eating it, however, so that is a good sign. Like I said before, it’s a heralded dish at Frankie’s, I had to give it its due. Who would I be if I wasn’t honest with my readers? It’s what I’ve built my laurels on. You have any recommendations for Italian food in NYC?

What are some of the best meals you’ve ever had around this country?

My wife and I are both highly educated and well-read, we make fine salaries and have invested wisely. We can EASILY afford just about everything life has to offer.

As I have stated, however, we demand VALUE above else in everything we pay for, whether it be dining or anything else.

Shuckers (in Fells Point, Baltimore, if that excites you), affords us such value, which is why we (my wife and I) rate it so highly. I agree with you that the management has probably erred in selecting names for their dishes. But they do know how to cook.

Taking water taxis and using coupons allows us to spend more money on other things, like golf vactations and our wine cellar.

One additional matter: yes, I have contributed my “worldly” thoughts to several of your threads. You must admit that the pasta in question bears a very marked resemblance to insects or insect larvae. I myself do not find that REMOTELY appetizing, but often one is able to overcome a sight or smell or taste that repulses them at first … only to realize they actually like the item in question. That is my hope for the cavetelli.

Warm regards, Chuck, PhD

“Nacho Pile on”, Coors Light, and Water Taxi Coupons for the man who enjoys only the finer things in life? You sound more like John Travolta’s taxi driver character in “Look Who’s Talking”. No offense. Is Shuckers in Columbia, MD? Moreover, are you the same DocChuck who commented on my Frankie’s Spuntino 17 Clinton Street post, saying the cavatelli doesn’t look appetizing?

You asked about the best meal I’ve eaten recently. My (much younger) wife and I visited Shuckers for an early dinner (about 4:00 PM) on or about Sunday, August 27. We had just arrived by “Water Taxi” and were exhausting.

Drinks were in order for us weary travelers, Amaretto Sour for the lady, and a cold, draft Coors Lite ($1.50) for myself. I do not allow foreign brands to cross my lips (I can trace my heritage back to the Mayflower, if that bit of personal information excites you).

Like always, when confronted with an extensive seafood menu, my wife had a great deal of difficulty making a decision. While working on her decision, we ordered appetizers: “Spinach Dip” ($6.99) for her and “Nacho Pile-On” ($8.99) for me. My wife’s dip was served in a hollowed-out round loaf of bread (photos are scattered around the internet). A second round of drinks, and then orders were placed for the entrées. My young wife settled on the “Shuckers Fry-up” ($19.99) and I chose the “Old Tyme Fish and Chips” ($12.99).

One note: Our appetizers cost one-half of the prices noted above because we had “coupons” from our “Water Taxi” tickets. Therefore, our total bill was reduced by $8.00.

The total bill for this veritable feast was $56.14 (reflecting the $8.00 discount coupons), excluding gratuity. I realize the cost puts this meal out of reach of most of your blog (so-called) readers, but you must realize that a gentleman of my wealth and education can easily afford the finest life has to offer. Would we go back?

You bet!

Would we order something different?

We always do . . . even when we’re pleased with a dish. We are extremely sophisticated in that regard.

I didn’t see that response coming but that’s the best thing about this site, the wide array of readers who have stopped by and added their two cents. I’m glad you like my perspective, I’d love to hear more about yours. What’s the best meal you’ve eaten recently? Would you eat a burger if it costs $175 dollars and was topped with foie gras and gold flakes?

I am a retired “educator” with several PhDs and am now based in Columbia, MD after living most of my life in very rural Arkansas.

My wife is much younger than me, if that kind of thing interests you.

We (my young wife and I) are both very well-educated and impeccably bred. We travel often and enjoy the best of everything. We’d never consider eating at a place like “Burger Joint,” but do enjoy your fascinating documentation on how “the other half lives,” as they say.

The internet is rife with compelling anthropological studies like this.

Thank you for yours.

Keens has been on my list forever. I’m definitely going to check it out soon. Can you describe it for me? What made it so good?

Ah, that makes sense. Can you believe I’ve never had Eggs Benedict. Pretty crazy huh? I did just have a cheeseburger with a fried egg on it the other day. I think I’m still hurting.

I guess I’ll have to rock the baked potato. I’ve seen that they have no room for a fryer. Disappointing. Guess you can always pick fries up somewhere else, thats a move EC endorses.

What are your other top burgers in NYC?