Finally — a burger that eats like a donut.
The geniuses at the Burger Bistro in Bay Ridge had done what once seemed the impossible: they’ve taken the sublime joy of chopped meat, American cheese and Applewood smoked bacon and stuffed it into the ultimate Platonic treat, a bakery-fresh sugar-glazed donut.
Did I forget the fried egg? It’s in there, too.
Could this thing get any better?
“We were originally thinking of doing a take on a Boston cream donut, with chocolate ganache over the top and a burger that oozed some sort of cheese,” said co-owner John Agnello. “But that went a little too far.”
But does the Donut Burger also exceed the boundaries of good taste? Not for our mouths.
Sure, we were suspicious about the unapologetically excessive idea — burger, bacon, egg, cheese and donut — but it was love at first bite: the Donut Burger is an unexpected explosion of harmonious, umami-rich flavor. The beef patty is juicy, the egg yolk and cheese properly unctuous, and the bacon and sugar do an oral lambada that should be illegal.
We didn’t even feel particularly greasy or gluttonous when we were done — at least, not until we had finished our side of fries, a pint of beer, and a few exemplary tater tots appropriated from a fellow diners plate.
Now, before you plan your week around this diet buster, understand that the Donut Burger is not a regular menu item, but a special that Agnello posts on his Facebook page.
So if you want to start liking this burger, start liking Burger Bistro’s Facebook page.
The Burger Bistro [7217 Third Ave. between 72nd and 73rd streets in Bay Ridge, (718) 833-5833].
Reach reporter Sarah Zorn at newsroom@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4504.
