Mediterra is now Corner Burger

Restaurants come and go in the Slope but this corner has certainly changed owners a lot. I guess my apprach will be to give it the old one try and one try only and if I am not wowed it gets crossed off the list.

Subject: Re: Mediterra is now Corner Burger

pastoralia wrote: this might be cause for celebration

Not if you're a cow.

And before it was Mediterra, it was Alaturka. And I'm pretty sure, based on the smooth transition between "formats" and the extreme similarity in decoration and layout, that all three versions have the same owner.

The Corner Burger incarnation already seems far more popular. My theory: Who wants to spend, say, 12 bucks for a platter of hummus or something, which you know is only made of chickpeas, and which could be really disappointing if it's less than sublime, when you can spend 10 bucks (guessing) on a known quantity of beef?

I think it's just that simple. I don't like spending lots of money on Middle Eastern food in general, because the ingredients are generally cheap and the preparation generally simple and I feel ripped off most of the time. I'm not putting down the food -- really, I love it. It just has to be either 1. amazing, so much so that I'm still talking about it the next day, or 2. priced fairly.

'Course, that's just my opinion. But maybe others share it, because the burgers seem to be a bigger draw than Alaturka and Mediterra put together.

Brooke Lynn Knight wrote: .... I don't like spending lots of money on Middle Eastern food in general, because the ingredients are generally cheap and the preparation generally simple and I feel ripped off most of the time. I'm not putting down the food -- really, I love it. It just has to be either 1. amazing, so much so that I'm still talking about it the next day, or 2. priced fairly.

'Course, that's just my opinion. But maybe others share it, because the burgers seem to be a bigger draw than Alaturka and Mediterra put together.

BLK - that is an interesting opinion, but I have to respectfully disagree. A burger is made from relatively cheap ingredients and should be simple to make, but many places try and still screw it up. A bad burger is a very unpleasant thing and I have had a fair amount when I go out. I don't see Middle Eastern food as all that "simple". Hummus is just chickpeas like guacamole is just avocados. It takes skill to season a good kefta kabob and not overcook it, and babganoush is pretty hard to make well (at least I can not make it at home without screwing it up!).

Oh, Jamzer -- I agree hummus is not "just chickpeas" at all. Great hummus is a complex and memorable dish by itself, and absolutely worth paying well for. But most often I've ended up with, basically, what tastes like supermarket hummus and supermarket pita... and that's fine, but not worth paying (say) 12 bucks for. I'm not commenting on Mediterra at all, 'cause I never had their hummus, or anything else they made. I'm just saying I've been disappointed often enough with Middle Eastern restaurants' price/percieved value ratio that I now hesitate to go to a new place unless their prices are good or I know for a fact their food is amazing.

Re: hamburgers -- you know the raw materials for a decent-sized burger and fries cost at least a buck or two, and for some reason in most restaurants they're reluctant to charge through the roof for "just" a burger. So burgers are usually a predictably good deal.

I know that even thinking about price/value ratio in restaurants makes me a cheapskate and a philistine in most people's eyes. I'm okay with that, because people who pay $12 for 4 oz of supermarket hummus are suckers in my eyes. So we can all sit back and enjoy judging one another, and that's just fine with me. 8)

The phrase "throwing shit at the wall" comes to mind, and I'm not referring to the music posters.

Jamzer wrote: [quote=Brooke Lynn Knight] .... I don't like spending lots of money on Middle Eastern food in general, because the ingredients are generally cheap and the preparation generally simple and I feel ripped off most of the time. I'm not putting down the food -- really, I love it. It just has to be either 1. amazing, so much so that I'm still talking about it the next day, or 2. priced fairly.

'Course, that's just my opinion. But maybe others share it, because the burgers seem to be a bigger draw than Alaturka and Mediterra put together.

BLK - that is an interesting opinion, but I have to respectfully disagree. A burger is made from relatively cheap ingredients and should be simple to make, but many places try and still screw it up. A bad burger is a very unpleasant thing and I have had a fair amount when I go out. I don't see Middle Eastern food as all that "simple". Hummus is just chickpeas like guacamole is just avocados. It takes skill to season a good kefta kabob and not overcook it, and babganoush is pretty hard to make well (at least I can not make it at home without screwing it up!).
So true, so true. Getting the right balance of spices is tricky stuff.

Zebra wrote:
No, I just mean that these people don't appear to be serious & are trying whatever they can think of until enough people buy into it. I think they're shooting for the quality-to-popularity ratio of a Mezcal's or a Sotto Voce.

While I'm no fan of either of those restaurants, I can hardly blame any restaurateur who looks around the Slope and says "Hey, the restaurants serving relatively cheap but kinda gross food are cleaning up! I want to make money too!"

Not that that encourages me to go to the place, just that their business model may not be far off what tends to work locally.

ETA: I'm not saying that Corner Burger's food is "kinda gross" -- I've never had it, so I have no idea whether it's good or bad. I'm just saying that, in general, this neighborhood has been profitable for many restaurants that serve sorta-cheap but not-very-good food.

Carmen wrote: [quote=Zebra]
Has anyone tried the "Soul Burger" yet? It's apparently a hamburger inspired by African-American tastes. So is it "right on!" or not? Don't jive me on this.

Color me confused but- what the hell are "african-american tastes?" I'm going to have to try this.

is is actually described as that? that's f'ed up.

They don't use the term "african-american tastes," but that's the idea. They use some Superfly-type iconography.

This is a classic, Park Slope over the top Politically Correct exchange.

"African American taste" is Zebra's term. And I think Zebra has been upfront about that. Soul Food is a widely used description of southern style, fried, heavy, comfort type food. I am sure that is the spirit in which the burger's name was given, not that black people would like it. If you have never been to a "soul food" restaurant, you should go. It is a lot of fun. Whether this burger deserves the label of a "Soul Burger" or not is another matter.

Carmen wrote:

I didn't know bacon was an african american flavor. I am intrigued by this burger. I wish I was at home, I live like 3 blocks from this place. Next time i'm down there I'll scope out a menu and report on what exactly african american taste is.

Once you go Soul Burger, you never go back...

You know, I passed by again & realized I should have said "Superfly-type terminology." To be precise, it says "Super Bad." I thought I had seen a graphic as well, but that was just my imagination (runnin' away with me).

J, you raise a good question. I was thinking that this particular Soul Burger doesn't really cut it (it's got bacon, ham, sauteed onions & BBQ sauce). I would've used collard greens & chitlins, possibly with black-eyed peas. A chitlin burger is a damned good idea - has anyone thought of that?

Oh, and their Italian Burger is "blessed by the Pope." Actual quote.

I went with a group of half a dozen people, and most of our burgers were way, way too salty. The shoestring fries weren't anything special, but then I'm more of a steak fries guy. And I at least found the menu a bit too cutesy (the "Paris Burger"? Yeeeeaaaaaaah).