When Bobby’s Burger Palace first arrived out east on Long Island, the burger craze had just begun to form into a recognizable patty. Now, about 10 years later, eateries specializing in fresh takes on the hamburger are a common bite on the Island’s menu.
But as burger joints have come and gone, Bobby’s Burger Palace—the brainchild of chef Bobby Flay—remains, even opening a second Long Island location in 2011 at Roosevelt Field Mall. The burger joint’s westernmost island spot continues to take the fast-casual concept to a gourmet degree—with unique twists on cooked-to-order burgers toppling over with ingredients that span the country’s diverse flavor palate and clearly demonstrate Flay’s coast-to-coast travels, along with his well-publicized love of the grill.
After choosing a protein (certified angus beef, ground turkey or chicken breast), customers choose a preparation that ranges from a classic cheeseburger to a potato chip-topped Crunchburger to a Brunch burger with a fried egg and bacon.
Flay’s creativity then shines through with the continental offerings—the L.A., with avocado relish, watercress, cheddar cheese and tomato; Dallas, a spice-crusted burger with Monterey Jack cheese, coleslaw, pickles and barbecue sauce; Carolina, with smoked American cheese, green onion slaw and mustard barbecue sauce; the Philly, with provolone cheese, griddled onions and hot peppers; New Mexico, with queso sauce, roasted green chiles and pickled red onions; and the Miami, a take on the classic Cubano, pressed with ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and mayo.
Having the turkey and chicken options are a good business decision, but as each burger is cooked to order, clearly beef is king at Bobby’s.
Flay is culinarily tied to the American southwest, so it is no surprise that his New Mexico burger brings some of the eatery’s most striking flavors. The spicy green chiles immediately perk the taste buds before the pickled red onions offer relief with their own dynamic bite, while the queso sauce folds it all together. The Brunch burger, which is basically the classic BEC (bacon, egg and cheese) sandwich with a burger added for good measure, is an instant hit for anyone who desires a little runny-yolk love with their patty. The Miami burger cleverly twists the Cubano pressed sandwich, with smoky ham and mild Swiss proving a delicate match for beef’s assertive flavor. Both burgers are great “Crunchified”—the free option of adding potato chips, which is available for all Bobby’s burgers.
Meanwhile, classic burger sides go well beyond limp French fries, with the hand-cut variety bringing a crisp exterior giving way to an almost creamy potato interior. And if you can’t choose between classic fries, sweet potato fries and the outstanding buttermilk onion rings, Bobby’s lets you order any two with the Undecided option. Cheese fries and bacon cheese fries are also viable options that could be meals on their own.
What’s a burger without a shake? Instead of learning the answer to that question, order one of Bobby’s shakes from vanilla bean to black and white to pistachio and more. And if you need a little spirit with your shake, get one of the spiked versions—vanilla-caramel bourbon, pineapple-coconut rum or mocha-kahlua vodka.
As Flay is a professional chef, it stands to reason that he would want to offer seasonal flavors whenever possible—such is the case with Bobby’s Flavors of the Month, which brings a new taste to the menu every month. For November, Bobby’s brings a Pacific Northwest Burger, with American cheese, a bed of juicy cremini mushrooms and Flay’s own red wine barbecue sauce; along with a Caramel Apple shake of the month.
Bobby’s Burger Palace, Roosevelt Field Mall, 630 Old Country Rd., Ste. 1040A, Garden City; 516-877-7777; www.bobbysburgerpalace.com
