Located on the Upper East Side, the old school establishment has a crowded dining room, an old mahogany bar and a watermelon motif throughout the space. The red tin ceiling and traditional American menu give the place a nostalgic, cozy vibe.
After a long morning of museum-ing, the Canuck and I headed to JG Melon to meet our friend Scott for a burg. They wouldn't seat us until we were all present, which is a testament to the dense popularity of the joint- even at 3 in the afternoon it was packed. The Canuck and I opted for bacon cheeseburgers, cooked medium, and Scott went with the standard burger cooked medium-rare. We ordered cottage fried potatoes for the table, and of course I asked for a side of mayo.
The potatoes were definitely comfort food. And let's be real, I added a little salt. They were solid; not mind blowing, but a solid addition to the meal.
Burgers came out, looking hot and beautiful. The cheese was nicely melted, bacon stacked on top. They're served with red onions and pickles on the side, so you can add to your taste.
The Canuck thought the bacon could have been crispier, but I was satisfied. It was definitely a great, traditional burger. It didn't get soggy, it hit all the right notes. The pickles and onions really cut through the richness of the meat and cheese, creating a nice balance. The Canuck is a major pickle fiend so he was thrilled to have a plate littered with them. I'm slowly coming around to them, but only if they're super crisp/crunchy. I liked the toasted bun, and skipping the lettuce and tomato worked for me. I go either way on lettuce & tomato, and they definitely would have been superfluous here. And this wasn't a greasy burger- the meat was juicy, but it wasn't sliming my fingers and dripping everywhere. Really well done.
Scott ate most of his burger, picked it apart a little; I don't think he was quite as starved as the Canuck and I. The Canadian thought they skimped on the beer, and technically the glasses were smaller than normal, but really, I just consider them Mallory-sized. (I once bought mustard in a mini glass beer mug, slowly ate all the mustard, washed out the glass and now use it as a Mallory-sized beer mug.)
If you are in New York, or visiting, I highly recommend popping over here for some grub after a morning or afternoon spent classing it up on museum row. Great escape from a cold wind or the unwelcome rain.
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