Zinburger

THE Zinburger

A short drive from Giants MetLife Stadium on Route 3 West, is Zinburger, which came highly recommended from a friend. On my first visit to the Zin (that's what the cool kids call it, ok, just this cool kid) I was informed that the big Z is the first in NJ with the others being in Arizona; so keep that in mind if you are reading this from AZ and need your Zinburger fix on your next trip to the NYC area or if you're plotting a trip to AZ and want to sleep easily knowing you can get your Zin fix.

The menu is pretty simple for this burger and wine bar, it mainly consists of burgers and well, wine. Go figure. However, it's worth noting that you should not sleep on a few of the sides and more importantly, the shakes.

Before we stray to sides and shakes and anything that's not a burger, let's talk about beef. It's either Certified Angus or Kobe (not Bryant) served here so you know the meat is quality. It's also fresh, not frozen so that is a big + in my book. The size of the burgers is also worth noting, these guys are rather large and on my first visit I was pleasantly surprised by the size of this thing and the bun pairing was almost perfect*
*I say almost because I first ordered a rare burger and the bun did not hold up to the juicy mess that I held in my hands. Next go 'round I went medium rare and it was on point.

As for the burgers, if you start with the Zinburger (Manchego Cheese, Zinfandel Braised Onions, Mayo) you really can't go wrong. The braised onions really stand out and add a delicious sweetness to this massive burger. Another great option here is the Samburger (Applewood Smoked Bacon, American Cheese, Thousand Island Dressing), the sweetness of the thousand island and the smoky bacon just bring this burger to the next level.

You can't have a burger without sides and I have to say that the Zucchini Fries are out of this world! I also really enjoy the Cole Slaw, Asian inspired with ginger and toasted sesame seeds.

Behold, the Crème Brûlée

If wine is not your thing, there's beer. If wine and beer don't quite do it for you, there are shakes. The Crème Brûlée Shake is one of the best frozen treats I've ever had (it rivals my personal favorite Toasted Marshmallow Shake from Stand!) The Crème Brûlée Shake is truly one of a kind and it is so good and SO BIG! I've also had the Bananas Foster Shake and must admit that I was very disappointed with this one. It looks pretty but the flavor did not invoke the taste of Bananas Foster - however it did inspire me to work on creating this masterpiece in my kitchen!

Rating - 4.75/5 - There are some solid options on the menu though it is not very deep. It's also a bit pricy when the sides creep into the picture. Is it worth the trip out to Clifton? That's for you to decide but I cannot stress how much I enjoyed both burgers and the Crème Brûlée Shake.

Their site - http://www.zinburgernj.com/

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