The words “Hamburger Helper” pull forward purposely buried childhood memories of a smiling oven mitt with a red nose. My Mom never used the boxed aid, but I’m guessing yours might have? (No judgement here. We’re all friends.) That four-fingered 70s product was mixed into chopped meat to boost the flavor. I think it must have been laced with sodium and fillers to create the illusion of a hearty, one skillet meal. In the case of the refined helper I’m talking about, it’s all of the accoutrements that make the Pat LaFrieda burger at Emmy’s Square Pizza shine. Nope, not a typo on the name, it’s indeed a pizza joint.
As every NYC foodie is well aware, all the notable burgers in NYC begin with a Pat LaFrieda base and dear Emily is no exception. (We’re talking Minetta Tavern, Shake Shack, The Bowery Meat Company, and The Penrose just to name a few.) Emily uses a grass-fed, dry-aged beef patty and tops her double stack with caramelized onions, American cheese, pickles, and a top secret schmear she calls “EMMY sauce.” Housed on a fluffy Tom Cat pretzel bun, this serious two-hander might require a knife and fork, unless you’re just fine with the delicious sloppiness slowly drooling down your greedy fingers.
So Michael and I went one super chilly Sunday afternoon, early afternoon actually so that we could comfortably digest the monster before we passed out for a lazy weekend nap. Emily and her chain of joints are mostly known for their pizza, but we were happy to go rogue and dive into Le Big Matt Burger– basically it’s a double cheeseburger in paradise… in this case… her relatively new Upper West Side location. Pizza is the expected order as every table has a metal pizza caddy ready to house your square Detroit style pie slightly above table level. Alas, we didn’t need ours.
The burgers arrived quickly and we were both excited to jump right in. The waffle fries caught Michael’s attention (my weakness!!) but I opted for a side of Caesar Salad instead, forgoing the salty devils for a lower cal alternative since the burger practically ate up my calorie budget for the day. I took one bite of the big pretzel bun and left it to the side. Also a no-no considering my meal. I was already two mouthfuls in before Michael carefully measured and cut his stack. Deliciousness ensued.
I wouldn’t say these are the best burgers I’ve ever tried in my whole life, but damn they are good! Also my salad was surprisingly terrific, especially with that speckle of parm crunch on top. The pizza here looked insane along with the Cheesy Garlic Sticks and the Crispy Chicken Crunchers with a Siracha crystal glaze, scallions, and ranch. Both a must for our next visit.
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