Grilled onions, thick slices of pickles, mustard, extra lettuce and special sauce slathered on both buns?spelled yummy to me, but to the people at the clean but divey Blue 9 Burger in the East Village it also spells “medieval” (complete with a little knight next to the item on the menu). Not exactly sure about the reasoning behind the name, but it could be because the mustard seed was a very popular spice during the middle ages, both in coOKing and as a way to fight off colds.
While it's not the best burger I've personally had in the city (as you know I, like many, give the honors to the Shake Shake) but it's nothing to sneeze at either. The patty, while a little unsubstantial was nicely grilled, and the ingredients tasted really fresh. It's drawn comparisons to In and Out from my friends (and other experts like A Hamburger Today and the Village Voice) and I almost agree.
The medieval style, which was a great combo of tangy and sweet with the mustard and grilled onions is similar to the beloved California chain's “animal style” option. The only problem I had was a dry bun and I am not one to judge on a single visit, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that that will not always be the case when I am craving a burger on third avenue.
They can be proud of their excellent fries, that I wish I could have had a few more of, but let's face it, a burger for lunch is bad enough health wise, better to just purloin a few from a friend. Service was quick and the price was right (a five dollar lunch is always ok with me).
But what do you think?