Just yesterday Ann & I went to “Stand” on 12th & University — one of the newest in the “artisinal hamburger” joints that have been popping up everywhere.
The facts remains this: The best hamburger in the world can still only be found at Good Time Charlie’s in Glen Cove, Long Island. Good Time Charlie’s is a pub that’s just a gnat’s eyelash from being an official dive. A quick drive from the water, it is vaguely Irish and sometimes has live entertainment (if you call a man with a karaoke machine singing Charlie Daniels and Meat Loaf entertainment.) I’ve been there many, many times — just to check that I’m not crazy and that, yes, this is the greatest hamburger in the world. It is. Ann says so, too, and so do Kim & Rob.
Anyway, back here in the city, though, there are lots of good runners up. Stand is one of them. I had some wacky blue cheese sauce on mine. The medium was a little rare and the well done was a little medium. I’d be scared to see what a rare looks like.
The best part of the whole affair (other than the very reasonable bill) was dessert: we split a Toasted Marshmallow Shake. Vanilla ice cream mixed with marshmallow goo and (dig this) actual burnt marshmallow bits. It was, to put it in a way everyone can relate to, totally fucking awesome.
After we ate we happened upon a Free Tibet rally. There were two great moments: when some monks did some chanting and when an attendee (non-Asian) began screaming about the Olympics and Hillary Clinton. Couldn’t exactly figure out what he was saying, but he sure had passion!
