Best Burger in NYC

Today's New York Times highlighted a group of men in New York City dedicated to discovering and rating the city's best burgers.

I applaud their efforts, but should point out that they missed the beauty of a homemade burger. Having eaten at Peter Luger (their #1), Burger Joint (#6), and Genesis (#8), I can say unequivocally that my boyfriend's Marcus' burgers are the best, and I am proud to have played the crucial role of meat purchaser.

The best burger of my life (pictured) was made of a combination of ground pork, veal, and grass-fed beef bought at the meat counter in Grand Central (Ceriello Fine Foods). Marcus mixed this with an egg or 2, a sizeable grated onion, a bit of panko bread crumbs, and salt and pepper. These were cooked to perfection on top of the stove, and finished under our oven's broiler to melt a good chunk of New York State-sourced cheddar. On top of that went a slice of thick-sliced bacon from our butcher at Eli Zabar, a good slice of tomato, and beautiful lettuce. I forget what sauces we used... Was it a homemade mayonnaise or the reduced-fat stuff lurking in the fridge? A bit of mustard. Perhaps some ketchup or Pio Pio's addictive green sauce. All this on Eli Zabar's brioche hamburger buns, toasted. Despite all this luxurious shopping, we still paid less per burger than the typical $10+ charged in restaurants.

Served alongside was a coleslaw of red and savoy cabbage and carrot, sauced with that magical verdant liquid from Pio Pio again (couldn't resist, not strictly necessary), vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, crushed garlic, and a bit of salt and pepper. Not bad at all, especially on a warm day.