KORZO HAUS

Middle-European / Hungarian / American
178 East 7th Street (between Avenues A & B)
New York, NY 10009
[CASH ONLY]

Korzo Haus is tiny.  Nearly everyone that I've gone there with has immediately commented: "Wow, it's even smaller than I thought."  Yet Korzo is not meant to feel exclusive, just intimate.  There are only around ten tables, and Chef Steven Reese cooks from a small kitchen area exposed to the rest of the restaurant.  Of the three times I've eaten at Korzo, all on weeknight evenings, it's never been packed.  Partly this is due to Korzo's recent opening, and its minimalist exterior practically hidden behind scaffolding on the south side of Tompkins Square Park.  The contemporary-rustic, vaguely-Germanic facade is a good indication of the menu, but Korzo Haus has enough surprises in store to make it one of my favorite little-known secrets of New York City.

The main attraction — at least for a poor freelance writer like me — is Korzo's weeknight dinner special.  From Monday to Thursday, 2 pm to 7 pm, order one of Korzo's house burgers and a pint of beer for only 10 dollars.  Now, already that's a great deal, but a deal that I've found other places — and restaurants with cheap food deals are usually cheap for a reason.  Not here.  Few burgers in New York, regardless of price, are in the same ballpark with Korzo on quality.  These burgers are thick and packed with flavor — nor do they skimp on the fries, or even the red cabbage, or apple slivers.   Korzo's menu is always changing, but two burgers are currently included in the 10 dollar beer & burger deal: the Korzo Burger and Haus Burger.  Better yet, there are two ways to have them prepared.  (Not only is it a cheap burger, it's also unique and innovative!)  The Korzo Burger, served as suggested, is deep-fried in Lángos dough along with apple-smoked bacon, Allgäuer Emmentaler cheese, mustard and pickles [pictured, with sides.]  It's an interesting tactic for serving a burger that I've never seen anywhere else, but it doesn't mean your meal comes out as a greasy, sopping mess — on the contrary, the deep-fried shell around the meat keeps things neat and firmly encased, so there's no leaking or sliding around as you bite in.  Which is good, because Korzo doesn't skimp on the beef, which is juicy and perfectly prepared.  The Korzo Burger is easily one of the tastiest burgers I've had anywhere.  If the deep-frying has any effect beyond practicality, it's to give the burger a richer, saltier flavor than you might be used to.  You can, of course, have it served traditional — you know, between a bun — though I preferred the deep-fried treatment.  (The Lángos dough is tasty enough on its own, and can be ordered as a side with cheese.)  Even the beer is a great deal: while Korzo features only two on tap, their "Korzo Organic Ale" is a unique recipe that Korzo came up with in cooperation with Peak Organic.  It's a crisp, not-quite-pale ale with enough bite to accompany a rich entree, but that holds back on the hops so as not to compete with your food.

Though I preferred the Korzo Burger, the Haus Burger is also tasty and theoretically healthier, and can be deep-fried on request. Other burgers come and go depending on the day, including a brat, a vegetarian portobella option, and an experimental new burger called the "Slav" (which is sadly not included in the 10 dollar burger deal).  A combination of beef and pork, I really recommend getting the Slav deep-fried to contain its other toppings: bryndza cheese, house-made sauerkraut, caraway seeds and most interestingly, juniper berries.  That might seem a little strange, but the berries add a slightly bitter crunch that compliments the rest of the burger well.  It's a great example of Korzo Haus' aesthetic, and flexibility to adjust its menu on the fly.  The restaurant is so small that chef Steven Reese can make menu decisions based on what he finds at the local market.  Korzo has even begun a menu selection called "Village Choice," where locals make daily requests through Facebook or Twitter — Reese will pick one and serve it.  A focus on fresh, local ingredients makes this possible, and makes the small menu work as well as it does.

I have little to complain about when it comes to Korzo; I've had a great dining experience each time I've gone.  Service is casual but prompt, and everyone is friendly, especially Reese.  I could always wish for more beers on tap, but a diverse bottle selection helps make up for it.  Though the restaurant is small, I really like its simplified, rustic aesthetic and general atmosphere of calm and quiet — rare in NYC, where "calm and quiet" is usually an indication of sky-high prices, or suspect quality.  The seats are slightly uncomfortable, but I wasn't paying attention to my stool as long as there was a burger in front of me.  Korzo aims to be a low-key neighborhood establishment for the Village, yet despite living a few train transfers away, I will keep coming back.