If there's one thing America gets right, it's the burgers. Thanks to the Land of Stars and Stripes, Bangkokians are now obsessed with hunting down every burger joint in town, ranking each one and calling ourselves "connoisseurs". Its name might be prosaic, but New York Style Steak & Burger (NYSSB) brings to the table authentic American cuisine in a modern and casual setting. Decked out with industrial furniture and brick walls reminiscent of an eatery in downtown Brooklyn, a hospitable staff serves up generous portions of hearty dishes, making it no surprise that some customers return weekly for their burger fix.
New York Style Steak & Burger
American
Park 22, Sukhumvit Soi 22 11am-11pm 02-262-0920 fb.com/NYsteaknburger
THE MENU
The Shrimp cocktail (B300) made a great starter before we got cracking on the more stomach-filling dishes. The shrimp delivered a lovely crunch, and paired with the fiery home-made sauce it became incredibly difficult to put down our fork. But resist you must, for the restaurant's highlight — the burgers — are monstrous in size. It's worth mentioning that NYSSB's burger buns — with a nice crust, and not too sweet — are baked daily using its long-standing recipe. Not a fan of beef? No problem, The Chicken Little (B350) proved to be just as mouthwatering as its beefy brethren. The marinated, boneless, grilled chicken thigh was sweet and juicy, while the horseradish sauce and mayonnaise bound it together. We weren't prepared for how messy The Manhattan Monster (B450) was going to be. Nonetheless it was glorious. Stacked high and mighty, the towering burger was filled with crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, a fried egg, firehouse chilli, onion rings, lettuce, home-made pickles and tomatoes. The 220g home-made ground beef patty was grilled to perfection, and seasoned only with sea salt and black pepper. Of course, you can cut this bad boy in half and daintily eat it with cutlery — but this is (sort of) America, baby, and excessive napkin-use is all but encouraged. So squish it together, unhinge your jaw and tuck in. Steak fanatics should go ahead and order the house's best cut — the Rib-eye (B1,550). With consistent marbling throughout, the steak was succulent, savoury and good enough to devour on its own without the need for sauce (although five different kinds are available). Served with your choice of roasted potatoes, French fries, grilled vegetables or a baked potato, it's a guaranteed win for carnivorous diners. Rounding off our meal with the New York cheesecake (B230) couldn't have been a better decision. Lusciously creamy, with a berry sauce for tartness, it sent us flatlining into a heavenly food coma. Beer, red and white wine, cocktails, milkshakes, tea and coffee are all available. If you need a little pick-me-up, the Upper East Side (B350) is a vodka-based cocktail that should do the trick.
INSIDER TIP
Naalinlat Kollmann partnered with Dennis Barco, president of The New York Style Group, to bring NYSSB to Thailand. To maintain the franchise's standards (which have won the restaurant's Shanghai branch numerous awards) only US grain-fed beef is used for the steaks and burgers.
SOCIAL MEDIA MOMENTS
Besides the obvious height and size of the burgers, which are worth more than one snap, the open kitchen revealing chefs cooking up a storm is also worth sharing with your followers.
VALUE & VERDICT
Beef lovers know a good cut of US Angus steak is worth the price. Compared to most of the premium steakhouses scattered around Sukhumvit, NYSSB's menu is priced reasonably yet accordingly, considering the quality and serving sizes. The burgers are good old American-style: sloppy and humongous. With the no fuss, no muss attitude and none of that pompous home-made tomato sauce in sight, we suggest you prepare your wallet for a satisfying weekly splurge.
