The Vitals: the spot: 7th Street Burger NYC 11 locations in NYC the eats: Double Smashed Burger the bucks: $9.50 the full nelson: NYC's Cheap Eats take on the Smashed Burger phenomenon

Last week I returned to New York City and did a sequel of my burger binge that went down back in 2017. The burger scene continues to evolve, most notably with the red hot trend of smashed burgers. Abbas Dhanani aka Houston Eatz and owner of Burger Bodega insisted I hit up 7th Street Burger NYC for a smashed burger and he isn't one to steer me wrong. His Smashed Burger was one of my favorite bites of 2022.

Cheap Eats prices for 2023

7th Street Burger NYC is bringing in the Cheap Eats prices for 2023. Especially so when considering the fact that we are in Manhattan. What started during pandemic times about two years ago has exploded into 11 locations of 7th Street Burger NYC throughout the city. I'm guessing affordability is a big reason why. And so is this:

Essential toppings only

I love the cook on the onions at 7th Street Burger NYC. Like Burger Bodega, they prefer a light cook. Pickle is made in house so think of it as a little fancy but nothing too ambitious to get in the way of plain old burger bliss. American cheese, a housemade "Big Mac sauce" and a well toasted potato roll round out the classic cheeseburger experience.

When cheese sticks to paper . . .

. . .  you know you're getting an ooey gooey cheeseburger experience. I have advocated for the wrap and hold method when making smashed burgers at home for the Takeout. So happy to see the practice in effect 7th Street Burgers NYC. And yeah, it really allows the burger to be immersed in it's own essence. Don't forget the napkins. As a burger tourist, consider the value for 7th Street Burgers NYC and the convenience of 11 locations along with the fact that this burger travels better than most. A simple, cravelable cheeseburger experience that I imagine hits the high octaves both late night and the morning after. This one is Cheap Eats 2023 certified along with being Ali Khan Eats approved.

The Vitals: the spot: La Santa Barbacha 2806 Manor Road Austin TX 78722 the eats: Breakfast Barbacoa tacos, barbacoa, quesobarbacoa, you can't go wrong, bring a group and try everything the bucks: $5 each, two is a meal, three is a feast.  the full nelson: Hidalgo style beef barbacoa made into fashionable Austin tacos. Also my fav breakfast taco in town.

I love breakfast tacos. Eggs and bacon belong in a tortilla just as much as on a plate. You can order as many as you want, absolving yourself of the gut bomb that is the breakfast burrito, if you choose discretion. But there is another shocking truth to breakfast tacos: they can easily be made at home. And I am usually happy to do just that, that is until La Santa Barbacha moved into my neighborhood about a month ago.

My fav breakfast taco. Period.

La Santa Barbacha is a little food trailer walking distance from my house in East Austin TX. Over the course of a month, I have eaten their four times. These days I rarely tend to repeat visiting restaurants but for La Santa Barbacha, I make a wholehearted exception. At $5 a pop these tacos aren't cheap, which is a hallmark of cherished breakfast taco spots like El Milagrito in San Antonio TX. But they are generous servings of exquisitely tender braised short rib, carefully plated on gorgeous homemade tortillas and wholly unique to the Austin taco scene, maybe even the Texas taco scene.

Steeped in family tradition

Rosa, Daniela and Uriel Landaverde learned a lot from their parents when growing up in Guanajuato Mexico when it comes to the family tradition of barbacoa. If you're unfamiliar, barbacoa is both a dish and method which is to slowly cook meat in a long braise that utilizes steam more than cooking liquid. Traditionally cooked underground and on weekends, the Landaverde family would prepare barbacoa after church. That also inspired the first part of the name as "La Santa" means" family, religion and traditions" explains Rosa. "Our family grew up around religion, traditions and festivities. ‘La Santa’ focuses on our roots back in Mexico, where since we were kids, our parents cooked barbacoa to sell after the celebration outside of the church on a sunny sunday."  

A true family recipe.

Their father cooked the barbacoa in the "pozo"(underground pit) along with their mother who also prepared everything else. "He has been making barbacoa de pozo for over more than 50 years." Rosa tells me. Selling barbacoa is a true family tradition as well. "When we first thought about making barbacoa in Austin, Texas and selling it, we all wanted to include 'barbacha' as part of the name of the business. [Barbacha] is a nickname which we all have been familiar with because our dad called [it] that. He adopted it into our family since our childhood". “La barbacha está lista, vámonos a venderla” which translates to the barbacha(barbacoa) is ready let's start selling it, signaled when the family would sell their barbacoa. I can totally imagine being a little kid and calling barbacoa "barbacha" - that kind of nickname is soaked in family affection, even better is that it's a nickname soaked in so much flavor.

Bring friends. Try everything.

I really can't pair down a favorite item on the menu but I am stuck on getting at least one breakfast taco. Rosa recommends that first timers try the classic barbacoa, dressed with cilantro, onion and tomatillo salsa. Last year, on a scorching evening in July, I was won over by that very taco, easily the most sophisticated beef barbacoa I've had at a food trailer. In my experience, Tex-Mex renditions of barbacoa can come off greasy and bland. Sometimes it's watered down salsa or a lack of trimming of the particular cut beef that is to blame. Or maybe it's La Santa Barbacha's use of short rib: a well marbled cut suited to the method of the cook but not as beleaguered by gristle like an untrimmed beef cheek. I'm guilty of such cooking mistakes and that pot becomes a tough sell, believe me.

Bang for your Buck Brunch

I could almost re-categorize these breakfast tacos as brunch tacos, a nod to the quality. The perfectly creamy scrambled eggs are consistent because they are cooked to order. Yes, the pride and joy of their family that is the barbacoa, La Santa's bread and butter, but the salsas are recipes easily worth keeping a family secret. And those gorgeously colored tortillas? They are made by a process of blending the masa(nixtamalized corn) with vegetables like beet(the red tortilla), and spinach(green tortilla). "We wanted to create something colorful, fresh and authentic based on our past but presenting our future where Mexican cuisine can be elevated with simple additions making a better experience to our customers." Rosa explains. See what I mean about brunch tacos? It's been a minute since I've been this enthused about a restaurant. Sure, $10 to $15 for some tacos out of a truck might seem expensive given the genre but these tacos defy the limits of the genre. Beyond the generous portions, there are true fine dining feels happening at La Santa Barbacha. A fine combination of family tradition and culinary ambition. Almost as fine a combination as La Santa's barbacoa, scrambled eggs and their fiery habanero salsa. And if you'll excuse me, I'm off to make a next visit right about now.

Got leftover ramen broth?

My kid loves ramen. But he really loves noodles. So whenever we buy him a $15 bowl of ramen(yeah he likes the good stuff from the popular restaurant)s, we have leftover ramen broth. Thankfully the leftover ramen broth he leaves us is Tonkotsu: a pork bone broth that is extra creamy because of the collagen that releases from the long simmering times. It takes a great deal of time and effort to achieve a perfect Tonkotsu broth, so you can't throw it away. Sure you could reheat it, maybe add some noodles, but what about an ultra rich pan sauce for pork chops? Yeah, I think so too.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup leftover ramen broth(Tonkotsu)
• 2 thick cut supermarket bone in pork chops
• 1 bag of baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 2 tablespoons Furikake
• 2 tablespoons Avocado oil
• 2 tablespoon Sesame oil

Steps:

1. Season Pork chops(see note directly below)
2. Add avocado oil heat pan over medium high heat
3. Add pork chops and sear about 5 min a side till temp hits 135 degrees and reserve on a plate
4. Wipe out pan(if using Furikake seasoning method)
5. Add sesame oil over medium heat
6. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes or when the edges start to darken
7. Add bag of spinach cook till wilted, season to taste with salt but you won't need much because of leftover ramen broth
8. Add leftover ramen broth, simmer for a few minutes
9. Return pork chops to pan. Simmer in sauce till internal temp of pork chops hits 145 degrees. Then serve.

*you might want to reconsider this but . . .

I seasoned my pork chops with Furikake, which is a Japanese seasoning typically used as a topping for rice, fish, and vegetables. I've used it as a rub to slow roast salmon at moderate temps(300 degrees) and really enjoyed the umami flavors the seasoning brings. I rubbed the pork chops in Furikake and seared them in the pan. It made for a lovely tasting pork chop but you will need to wipe out the pan before making the rest of the dish as the cooking the seasoning over high heat will leave bitter notes.

Leftover ramen broth looked about as good as I imagined.

And it tasted just as good too.

I would absolutely make this again with leftover ramen. I suppose this is a recipe hack but it's also a reminder that Tonkotsu broth is arguably a sauce and with a little simmer can make for the most decadent pan sauce for meats, especially pork chops.