September 22, 2008 |
Short Order
Vicki Polon, my screenwriter friend, reports from Queens on the Holy Cow: Stained-glass windows, dark wood paneling, flickering candles, voices murmuring softly in an echoey stillness…Am I in church? Yes, the Church of the Precious Burger. It’s 2 p.m. on a blazing sun-filled afternoon when I duck into Donovan’s Pub in Woodside, Queens, lured by New York magazine’s promise of the “best burgers in the five boroughs.” I have to admit my comfort borough is the isle of Manhattan, but I hop the #7 train at Times Square and in less than a half hour, I’m strolling down Roosevelt Avenue in search of that meaty treat. What I do for love.
Nearly blind in my sunglasses, I grope through the dimly lit room with an equally devoted food nut at my side. No need to even glance at the menu. We order two cheddar burgers, mine, rare, with fried onions. Our Irish waitress – County Mayo Irish, not Bronx Irish – returns after fifteen minutes with our burgers, piles of thick hand-cut crunchy fries on the side.
One bite and I know I’m in the right pew. Juices just drip down my fingers and in no time the bottom of the toasted bun is a soggy flap. Don’t care. The beef is perfectly cooked and delicious, pink inside and deliciously caramelized on top. With some salt, the fries are on the money, as good as they look. Dragging them through ketchup and mustard, I’m starting to hear the angels sing. At $8.25, even adding the subway fare, it’s cheaper than any Manhattan equivalent. The bird’s eye view of Queens when the train climbs out of the tunnel – ubiquitous vibrant graffiti, trestle bridges, old cemeteries – is a pocket-sized field trip. The two of us leave happy, stepping back into bustling reality. I can’t swear it’s the “#1 Burger” in town and I’m never going to sample all the dozens of other contenders, but I’ll be back.