Plainview

REVIEW: Dirtyburger Restaurant

January 20, 2015 | Daily Bite

3 1/2 Plates

By: Janene Mascarella

On a recent cold winter's night, I headed to Dirtyburger in Plainview with one of Long Island's toughest (no filter) burger critics out there...my 11-year old son. With past reviews blurbs from other burger joints such as "I never want to come back here ever again" and "what a waste!" - I knew I would get an honest, no holds barred opinion from my young burger aficionado.

Dirtyburger is one word and one pretty amazing concept. It's a joint venture between five guys (nope, not those other burger guys) that opened in the fall of 2013 in Plainview. Two of the five partners call Long Island their home. (Both are very active in the community.) This unassuming Plainview eatery is place where the hungry can experience the creation of the Dirty Chef- Dirty Cooking.

What on earth is 'Dirty Cooking' you ask? Good question! It's a process that uses Dirty Dust (a blend of spices inspired by the Chef's world travels) and a caramelizing agent, most commonly oil and/or honey, transformed over heat. Grilled, baked, broiled, fried, or sprinkled, it takes whatever is being cooked, healthy or decadent, to another taste level. Dirty Chef Ian Russo's cooking reflects a mixture of his culinary experiences and an impressive range of flavors and styles. He held positions at New York's La Reserve and Le Chantilly.

The space is upbeat, fun and super casual but let's face it - you don't go to a burger joint for ambiance so I'll get right to the point. Dirtybuger burgers are (in the words of my 6th grade critic)... "EPIC." If I didn't live over an hour away it would be fair to say we would be frequent Dirtybuger flyers and even despite the long drive I have a feeling we will be back. Everything was THAT good.

When in Rome, you do as the Romans-and when at Dirtyburger you order the ORIGINAL DIRTYBURGER ($9.95) - seven ounces of all-natural, hormone and additive free Angus beef, Dirty-dipped and honey-grilled on a steamy-soft, DB sauced bun. (You can substitute an all-natural hormone-free turkey patty upon request, gluten free options are also available.) The burgers were everything we dreamed they would be.

For good measure, I was sure to order something other than a burger. I dutifully ordered the DIRTY CHICKEN ($9.95) - Dirty-grilled, placed on a toasted brioche bun with salad mix, avocado, grilled onions, melted cheddar and Chipotle mayo. Perfection! Every bite was perfectly balanced with the fantastic tastes and textures. Not one ingredient stood out or took over. Coming from the girl who almost never finishes her plate, it disappeared from my dish so quickly-despite the fact that I was already slightly full from the appetizers we ordered.

Speaking of apps, I highly suggest these two stars of the 'Starters' selection: DIRTY RINGS ($9.95) hand battered, served with house-made ring sauce and (my favorite!) QUESO DE FRIER ($7.95) - South of the border cheese cut into squares and fried until gooey.

Dirtyburger has many of the most popular items available at the take-away counter and I spied a lot of folks walking out with bags of burgers practically skipping to their cars. You most likely will not have room for dessert but if you did leave a little space, I highly suggest their FRIED DOUBLE-STUFF OREOS ($7.95) battered and fried until gooey, served with a sauce of your choice: Dirty Chocolate, Caramel, or Vanilla. We had high hopes to devour these on site but we ended up rolling them into a to-go carton - and ourselves back into the car for a long, satisfied drive home. The burger critic snoozed in the backseat with a huge smile on his face.

Dirtyburger
12 Manetto Hill Mall, Plainview, NY
516.595.7399