Review: Ultimate Burgers & Dogs

Dinner at Ultimate Burgers & Dogs on Degraw between Court & Clinton in Carroll Gardens.

Bacon-wrapped dog with cheddar cheese:

Review: Prime Meats

Dinner at Prime Meats on Court & Luquer in Carroll Gardens.

Black forest bacon (part of the Vesper Brett):

Review: Char No. 4

Dinner at Char 4 on Smith & Baltic in Carroll Gardens.

Grilled asparagus with bacon dressing:

Homemade butter pecan ice cream with bourbon:

Buttermilk Channel

The Buttermilk Channel is where—if you were a Brooklyn farmer a couple centuries back—you may have once walked your cows across at low tide to graze on the grass of Governor’s Island. It’s also a Caroll Gardens restaurant that offers grass-fed steak as well as buttermilk fried chicken. But the purpose of my visit was to have a cocktail and sample their famed maple & bacon roasted almonds. Similar to the bacon peanut brittle at Readhead, but sweeter and with larger chunks of deliciously candied bacon. I was also persuaded to try the mustard-glazed grilled bacon even though I am not a fan of mustard. It looks pretty tasty but if you don’t enjoy mustard it is probably not for you. Bacon seems to be laced throughout the menu here which gives me plenty of reason to go back for a full meal. I am eyeing the A-B-C grilled cheese on the brunch menu: apples, double smoked bacon, and NY state cheddar. Mmmm...  

Bacon Exploration

Earlier this year, I asked “Why, NY?” because I could not find and haven’t heard of anywhere in the city that makes bacon doughnuts. NY is filled with prized doughnut shops... the last place I expected to find them is at a fancy midtown restaurant. Atria’s butterscotch doughnuts aren’t your traditional breakfast donuts—which is kind of what I’m looking for—but this dessert looks just fantastic! Described by the Post: “Fresh thyme lends a savory touch to warm butterscotch-filled doughnuts as does smoky bacon ‘powder’ made from bacon drippings, salt and modified tapioca starch.” Yum, that’s what Bacon Salt should be made of!

The Post also has a list of places around the city to indulge in various and delicious forms of bacon. Many of the bacon treats I’ve already tried (PDT, Roni-Sue...) but some I have yet to visit. After Atria, at the top of my list is The Buttermilk Channel in Carroll Gardens for maple & bacon roasted almonds. Then The General Greene in Fort Greene for candied bacon!

Time to plan another night/weekend of research... Who’s coming?! (Obviously not Khary or Eric who couldn’t handle the last bacon exploration.)

Review: Char No.4

Brunch at Char No.4 on Smith between Baltic & Warren in Carroll Gardens.

House smoked bacon:

Cheesy bacon grits (fantastic with their buttermilk biscuits) :

Char No.4

Char No.4—not unlike Chanel No.5—has it’s own intoxicating scent: smoked meat. I started off with smoked and fried pork nuggets and the house smoked, thick-cut bacon. BIrthday boy Gristle had the clam chowder with potato, leeks and bacon. That's a whole lot of pig.... The bacon was good but a little too fatty for my taste. We all know what Mr. Cutlets says about the meat-to-fat ratio! I would say this was about 35% meat to 65% fat. It was still a nice treat before my grilled hanger steak. The entree was the real star of the meal along with several delicious, well made, whiskey cocktails. 

Extra points for the knowledgeable bartender and the warm, friendly waitstaff—especially the hostess who told me how much she loves Jurlique!