EAT: FIRST LOOK AT ISLAND BURGERS

Island Burgers started up in Hell's Kitchen several years ago and has now opened a third location in Manhattanville.  The new eatery on Broadway just a couple of blocks south of 125th Street (between Tiemann and LaSalle) has been ready to go for quite some time now but the getting the gas turned on by the city was the main issue for delays.  Check out the full food review with more photos after the jump.

Our first impression of the interior was that the restaurant made sure to invest in getting the ambiance right. Rustic wood finishes, a cow mural, exposed bricks, filament bulbs, a bar and a long banquet in the back really divides the moderately proportioned space into discernible dining sections.  Burgers here start out at $9.95 and diners can choose between what type of meat or bun they want for the evening.  Toppings like cheese or sauce are at an extra cost and there are also a variety of combinations that the restaurant has come up with.

We tried the Bourbon Street which comes blackened with caramelized onion and includes bacon with Jack cheese on sour dough slices of bread.   The portion was quite massive so we had to cut the offering in half to eat it in a civilized manner.  Between all of the sauces and flavors going on, it was hard to tell what was what but the quality of the ingredients had been apparent.  We probably would just order a straightforward burger next time with some cheese along with the included lettuce, tomato and onion to get a better sense of what the standard fare really taste like.

Another dish we tried out was the seasoned fries which will be a delight to those who like the crispy coated variety of potatoes.  Wine and beer are also on the menu but a lighter dinner was the order of the night so trying out the drink selection was not an option. As far as service goes, the staff is really efficient so Island Burger is definitely a solid spot to try out for an upgrade on the classic patty.