It isn’t much of a competition when Uptown Brown’s is on the weekly poll. Their patrons came through again, and with 91 votes, they made it into my burger tour. I found my way to East 30th and German streets once more with high hopes for their burgers. My friend Brandon and I walked in, and as we looked for a table, we were greeted with open arms by the owner, Maryann Genis. We sat at a table in the back, and the cook, Elise “Cookie” Wurst, came out of the kitchen to give us some menus. With eight to ten burgers to choose from, we took our time to decide. We planned on getting two that we both wanted so that we could cut them in half and share. Cookie came back with our drinks and took our orders. Brandon went with the Spicy BBQ Burger, and I ordered the V.A.J.J. Buffalo Chicken Burger as well as a side of fries.
They just got their pool table re-felted, so we decided to shoot a game of pool while we waited. We watched some news and got to talk a little with Maryann as well as some of the other bartenders. Our burgers came out, and they looked awesome. Served on square, ciabatta-style rolls, these half-pound patties were huge. We cut the burgers in half, switched, and started eating. Both of us enjoy hot foods, so the Spicy BBQ Burger really hit the spot. This burger was topped with cheddar cheese, a layer of pickled jalapenos and tangy BBQ sauce. Simple, spicy, and delicious. The jalapenos added just the right amount of heat, but if you wanted more, I’m sure you could try and ask for fresh peppers.
The V.A.J.J. Buffalo Chicken Burger was a monster. Lettuce, tomato, onion, and Swiss topped a half-pound burger, which topped two buffalo chicken tenders. This really was a massive sandwich. The textures of the two meats together was great. The crunchiness of the veggies and the breaded chicken mixed with the tenderness of the burger was perfect. Both of us thought the same thing: more buffalo. Maybe toss the burger patty itself in the buffalo sauce as well to give it the needed kick.
Cookie then brought out another burger for us to try (and some of their new seasoned waffle fries). It was her signature “Cookie” burger. A handful of fresh bacon, mushrooms, Swiss and mayo on a half-pound burger. The burgers we ordered had a ton of extra stuff on them, so it was tough to get a REAL taste of the burger. The Cookie burger did not. The patty had its chance to shine here. The bacon really brought out the flavors in the beef. This one had the most drippings.
Both their traditional fries and waffle fries were good. Both had a crispy fried outer shell with a steamy inside. The seasoned waffle fries went great with the BBQ sauce from the burger.
If you aren’t familiar with the categories below, check out my first burger post.
Drippage Factor – These burgers all had some dripping. Whether it be toppings or juices from the beef, they all had their share.
Herd Size – The half-pound patties were quite large. With us eating three between the two of us, the herd might have taken a hit.
Handling – These needed two hands for sure, especially the Buffalo Chicken Burger. Cutting them in half to share helped.
Financing – The price is right for sure. The Cookie burger and the Spicy BBQ were both $5 or less, and the V.A.J.J. Buffalo Chicken Burger was $6.
Thank you once again to Maryann, Cookie, and everyone else at Uptown’s for the great hospitality. This is a fantastic corner bar that knows how to do it right. With fantastic foods at even better prices, this is a place that I recommend to everyone and I hope to visit more often.
Until next time,
Andrew – Beard vs. Food
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