Hello, I have a food critique review which I think will stir up some controversy:
Dumont Burger
314 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn NY
3.8 out of 5 stars
Rule #1 of Dan’s food experiences: “Lower your expectations!”
I will admit that I was expecting an epic meal when I traveled all the way from the upper east side of Manhattan to Dumont’s. After all, it was rated number one in this year’s Zagat survey. Well, I can’t say it is the best burger around, but I certainly had a very nice experience. My friends, on the other hand, were influenced by the hype and, in my opinion, didn’t truly appreciate the hamburgers.
Here is what Zagat’s survey had to say about Dumont’s:
“Williamsburgers can “stop cooking at home” thanks to this “easygoing joint” serving “artful” yet “cheap” New American standards; a “hip crowd” convenes in the “inviting” interior or “Zen-like garden”, or hits the Bedford Avenue mini spin-off for “awesome” burgers and sandwiches.”
This review is somewhat accurate, but it slightly differs from my experience. When I entered this establishment, it felt small and crowded, which was the reality. It is much smaller; at least I imagine it is, then the actual Dumont’s restaurant. After a long wait for a table, I was greeted by a stool and, essentially, a counter to eat off of. I thought we were getting bad seats, (I am totally blind of course so I couldn’t see where everyone else was sitting). However, this is the set up for the entire restaurant, which makes it even worse. There was not much ambiance to speak of, however there was a large party present, therefore I can’t necessarily judge it just on this night. I found the wait staff to be above average, nothing really special but more than adequate.
Now, on to the food: I ordered a hamburger with mushrooms, onions, and gruyere cheese. First of all, let me say that it took a very long time for the food to arrive. Granted, once again, that there was a party which I’m sure occupied the cooks, but this still cost Dumont some points. I must say that the burger was very good: the patty was well-seasoned, the bun tasted homemade and fresh, and the toppings were very tasty. The French fries were very delicious, I suppose I was expecting frozen fries but these were crispy (almost fresh?) and salted perfectly. I tasted my friend’s onion rings, and those too were excellent. The waitress said that they use secret seasonings and hoi sin sauce with the beef that is formed into patties, and she might be correct. The hamburger definitely had a distinct flavor, but I could not tell what spices it contained. Dan’s rule number 2: every food critic review must contain a formulaic calculation:
Here is how I rated Dumont: I started with 4 stars for the food by itself, and then I had to figure how much to discount for all the negative factors:
1. little ambiance 2. Long wait time for food 3. Expensive ($17 for a burger, really?).
However, food is king, and all of these factors only lowered my score to 3.8.
Recommendations:
This restaurant is very good and definitely makes a high-quality hamburger. However, I am hesitant to recommend that you should travel from outside of Brooklyn to go there, and I definitely disagree with Zagat’s “number 1 burger” label. I still think that Rare bar and grill (see previous review if you missed it) makes the best burgers in the city. Some say that award should go to shake shack, and maybe that is true, but only because of its value. Feel free to disagree with me, no; in fact, I encourage this discussion!
Which restaurant in New York City makes the best burger?
Dan