RECON: JG MELON

New York, New York

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.

RECON: MY BROTHER'S BAR

Denver, CO

Recently the Canuck and I had the chance to go to Denver for the weekend to visit some pals. Day One we walked from Coors Field, through town and across the river in the rain, to My Brother's Bar. It's an old joint, with lacquered wood tables that slope, dark wood walls covered in signage and framed photos, and rounded wood chairs that my grandmother has in her kitchen from the 60's. It was crowded and cozy with all the regulars hiding from the rain, but we got a seat right away. The menus were photocopies of a handwritten menu that I doubt has ever been altered.

We ordered a couple pitchers to start off and two fries and rings combos.  They come out in paper trays on these awesome condiment containers from the 60's. You can add pickles, fresh onions, mustard, ketchup, jalapeños etc to your fries and burgers. The fries were standard- as expected. The onion rings were fantastic. When you bit into them, the onion didn't come sliding out the whole thing and they were perfectly crunchy. 

A couple of us ordered the Ralphie (can't pass up bison!) and a few chose the JCB.  I of course added bacon, and it was an excellent decision. The burgs come out wrapped in paper - no plates. I think the BRCB means Bacon Ralphie Cheese Burger.  

I unwrapped mine and it looked gooey and amazing, but I added some onions, pickles, mayo, mustard and ketchup in keeping with the classic flavors of the American Cheese, bison and bacon.

This is a true, classic American cheeseburger. Excellent grill flavor, tender meat, crunchy bacon. The onions and pickles cut through the richness of the cheese and sesame bun. It would be fair to say it was kind of like eating a bit of history. If you are in Denver, I highly recommend stopping at My Brother's Bar to grab a cheeseburger and a beer!